Predictions and Observations:
Happily Never After

But hang on… isn't Domino *Jaden's* hometown too? I mean, the only evidence to go on is that on his way to the entrance exams he ran past a very familiar-looking skyscraper, ran into someone who we know lives there, and ran to a location we've seen before in Domino City. Then again, the same skyscraper had apparently been re-created near Kaibaland (either that or the animators goofed at the end of Sinister Secrets III). If Yugi *wasn't* in Domino at the time he met Jaden (entirely possible that he was there for a tournament or some other reason), we must be led to ask why and all that. And the stadium the exams were held in, which looked *exactly* like the one Yugi and Kaiba's duel in Pyramid of Light ended up totaling, may have been a different one that looked similar. However, that'd be quite a set of coincidences. Then again, so's bumping into the King of Games himself when you're running late to your entrance exam. Hang on—where is Zane based? He dueled in the Kaibadome, which as far as we know is in Kaibaland California. Then again, traveling is part of a duelist's job. It's entirely possible that Jaden and the others might run into Zane there…if it's where his last professional duel happened to be...*sigh*

Cool, so duel Academy's going to Domino. Worlds colliding, much? Will we meet some familiar faces? Will those long-foreshadowed matches (The Fear Factor; The King of Copycats) come to pass in the near future? Quite possibly! I can't wait!

I think it really says something that Jaden was willing to let Rose believe she had duel spirits one way or another. What really matters, whether your monsters care for you and show it or not, is whether you care for your monsters. And Rose, who saw princes where most see amphibians, certainly showed that.

I noticed in this episode that Chazz was cut down to size a couple times apparently for being overdramatic. He has that capacity, certainly, and he has an ego to go with it. He wants to be known and seen as Sartorius' right-hand goon. He wants to show off what he knows and how he's "seen the Light."

There was a time not too long ago when nobody could actually *see* Duel Spirits. There were few who believed in them or held a similar belief (and most, if not all, of them, we've met), and those few were
called raving loonies a couple times in their day. These powers with
regard to duel spirits are entirely new; however, caring about your
monsters, whether they talk to you or not, is essential and timeless,
and so few duelists understand that.

Rose was an air-head, but was she a Light-head? I mean, her dress was
entirely blue. Speaking of which, compared to his followers' outfits,
Sartorius' coat was, too.

Hassleberry seems to almost instinctively dislike Sartorius. I wonder
if that's the dino-DNA or just his own feelings?

Of all the crazy things to start a duel for the fate of the Earth
over, the school field trip is definitely one near the top of the
list. Why did Jaden and his friends choose that little showdown to
crash? Then again, where was Sartorius planning to send them? Jaden
and remaining friends had decided that something had to be done about
the Society, and it almost came to a duel between Sartorius and Jaden
right there, which was probably what they wanted.

It just occurred to me to relate this to another fairy-tale duelist,
KCGC's own Leon von Schroeder! He spent a lot of time alone as a kid,
too. I've just now also realized that Rose reminds me in appearance of
Leon's Cinderella monster. Maybe that's why she looked familiar.

I noticed today (took me long enough, a year and a day exactly) that
Syrus' comparison of Jaden and himself to an ancient Pharaoh and the
guardian Seto implies that 1. the story of the Ancient Past, the
Millennium Items, etc. is now widely known 2. it is also known the
relation it has to Yugi and Kaiba and 3. (which I didn't realize
before) it means that Yugi and Kaiba are generally considered to be
friends rather than rivals, because otherwise I doubt Syrus would have
made the comparison. My gosh, what have we missed in the however many
years between? Hopefully, with the DA kids off to Domino, we might
find out!

I'd post longer, but it's another crazy evening in Spanish land. If I
never have an assignment like this again, it'll be too soon! But at
least one way or another it's over tomorrow. Anyway, tomorrow's
episode is Taken By Storm I—who's dueling? What's the pun? Will EH
Tempest participate? Will there be a Heavy Storm or a Mystical Space
Typhoon? Anyway, good night! -Clio