Predictions and Observations:
Blinded By the Light II

Sorry this has taken so long, folks. It's tech week (my AWESOME musical opens this Friday night), it's finals week, I'm getting sick, but more importantly, this computer is great for writing this up but can only support the internet to save its life (or lack thereof) about one night out of three and the only computer downstairs that can process floppy disks (like I use for all my stuff because this computer runs Windows 98) spontaneously up and died on us. The computers at my school won't take floppy disks anymore either (stupid school people! make half the campus' most valuable tool obsolete why don't you!), not that I've had the time or energy to look into these solutions with both so high in demand at the moment. I've finally got it, here it is, I haven't touched it since the weekend so it'll probably say some of the same stuff that's said here (there are many disclaimers to be made, and I'm sorry), it's a bit short for the same reasons, and some in the near future are likely to be also, but I hope you all enjoy it!

I didn't do as much discussion, for the most part—this is little more than the skeleton I start with for my usual posts, when I watch and write down notes. I took my time on some stuff, but I didn't lose sleep over polishing or expanding much. I've had a busy weekend, building sets and rehearsing day and night as Tech Week begins—less than a week until my show opens. This post will be less thorough than usual, because I've got a week ahead of me that's just as busy, with Finals at school on top of preparation for the show, so I can't keep it late and expect to get much more done anyway. By the way, if you're anywhere near Santa Cruz, CA, don't miss Urinetown the Musical! (I'm the rather tall redhead in the bright purple labcoat who, in different guises, is in almost every single scene— yeeha!) Now— On with the post!

"Hey, dork, you almost had me fooled, y'know that?" Chazz reminded me of another line of his, back in Welcome to Duel Academy: "You're somethin' else, slacker, y'know that? But your lousy monsters won't *getcha* outta *this* one!"

"His name's *not* Chazz!" Either I heard wrong, or the white dorm folks standing around watching the duel are really, really thick. What is it then, "Fred"? Or maybe they said, "His name's THE Chazz!"

" You're the brave one!" That's true—Ojama Yellow *is* the brave one.

Ojama Knight?! Nice accent… So if you combine all three you get Ojama King, and if you combine two, you get Ojama Knight? Maybe?

Y'know, what happened to Syrus there actually happened to a friend of mine. A short ways from here, there's a hill that's quite steep. I never actually saw it, but I hear that he and some friends were messing around a cardboard tube wide enough for him to fit inside, and the rest is history. Unfortunately, he wasn't rolling on quite as soft a terrain as Syrus was (don't worry, no lasting damage), but I don't think, plausibly, that Syrus would have come out of that little adventure unscathed. Then again, since when is this plausible?

"I'm not perfect and I don't care!! Know why? `Cause I'm proud of who I am!" Chazz has come a long way! Chazz it up!

Chazz doesn't really think Jaden stole his deck…? Doesn't he trust Jaden? Doesn't he know Jaden well enough? Doesn't he respect Jaden enough to know that Jaden would never do something as heinous as messing with someone else's cards without permission, except in a situation like this? Was he messing with Jaden? I have to wonder—did he know all along?

C'mon, Ojamas! Show a little heart! Chazz is your duelist, and deep down he cares about you!

No one had ever brought up Chazz's neatness, hygiene, or lack thereof before. I'd never really given it a thought.

"I *know* how it works!" Actually Glowmoss is a Neo-Spacian-- there's no way Chazz *could* know anything about it, unless he *does* remember, and even then I think it's unlikely… Has Chazz ever seen the Neo-Spacians in action?

"Some monsters you just have to beat. I know that feeling all too well." It feels like I should know why Aster said that, that there was something that happened with him that ties in, but I'm blanking.

This is the first time in YGO history, may it be witnessed, that someone was rescued from the bad guy's clutches *before* the big finale-hero-battle.

"Alexis, just like Jaden rescued me, *I'm* gonna rescue *you!*" Oh, CRUD… is Chazz going to pull it off, or is he going to get captured *again*? That would *also* be quite unprecedented…

Slovenliness as a common tie between the Ojamas and Chazz—they have something in common after all, besides being "misfits".

To me it seems that Sartorius brainwashed Chazz's conscious mind, but it was impossible for him to control things like Chazz's automatically wiping up a spill with his jacket, or his feeling earlier that something wasn't quite right here.

"I knew Sartorius was persuasive, but I didn't know he used mind control." Believe it, Aster! And will this revelation cause any action on your part, out of curiosity?

Jaden never stole Chazz's deck—White Knight Lord sure did, though… It's like Jaden's pals said, Chazz was more intent on destroying White Knight Lord.

"Never trust three mutants in bikini briefs!" That's just a cute line. Maybe I had something to say about it, but I don't anymore…

The reason Chazz was captured in the first place, I felt, was because Sartorius preyed upon his weakness of being unwilling to admit that he relied on others, be it the Ojamas or Jaden, the latter of which, remember, was in dreadful shape at the time, and it seemed plain to me that this upset Chazz and weakened him somewhat.

The aces of Chazz's deck—awww! And also it's really really good that he understands that by now!

"He thinks you're weak. He thinks you stink, and you've gotta prove him wrong!" This is sort of the basic mentality of Chazz's dueling, or so it seems to me. With the Ojamas, he enters the duel with the motivation to win, aside from whatever else there may be, because others look down on his weak cards and his less-than-perfection, and he's there to show that it's okay, that it's supreme even, to be the way you are. In terms of the Heart, it's not exactly the greatest to duel with something to prove, but for Chazz it actually works. He doesn't let what others may think get in his way or upset him, but rather he's moved past that, and replies with the equivalent of "Oh,
really? Well let's find out if you're right or if I'm The Chazz!" I doubt Chazz was talking about Jaden specifically; it's been a while since Chazz dueled the way he's supposed to.

Chazz threw the duel?! You're kidding me!

"Sartorius must've used our love to get me to join!" I'm so curious—how does he figure?

So, if Chazz's unconscious tendencies won him back, what might sway Bastion or Alexis? The problem is, they're not as subconsciously inclined to fight it; Chazz, when in his right mind, would wear *pink* sooner than he'd conform to *anyone*! (actually come to think of it, he DID…!) Alexis and Bastion aren't exactly *for* being drones, but they're not as violently *against* it as Chazz is. But how to win them back…?

Come to think of it, when this all first happened, I wrote that part of Chazz probably wanted his life back, that of being a leading star in the school's most respected Dorm. With the Society, he could, and that's what happened. The reason Chazz was vulnerable was because until recently he *was* part of a group, and liked it. No one can deny that the change between Obelisk Blue and the black/brown blazer of today was a harsh one.

Come to think of it, I don't remember what episode it was, but someone said that Chazz's blazer was brown. In this episode it was called black. It's hard to tell—maybe since it's some of both, a very dark brown, some say brown and others say black.

What about the Hangman, or Hanged Man? The Tarot card that "represented" Chazz? Did his spirit break out of it? Why, we must ask again, was it *that* card? Well, the Hanged Man represents a willingness to let things happen, laissez faire, "I don't care" sort of apathy; that's what Chazz showed in his weakness, and what he rejected when he broke free. Given that, I could probably predict the other two, or Bastion at least, based on the weakness Sartorius attacked. Alexis just got thrown off her game; that was all Chazz. So, Bastion… I found sort of matches in the High Priestess, the Heirophant, Justice, and The World. I'd tell you why, but my internet up here in my room is something to sneeze at. I'll take this downstairs to post, but this week I can't take the time to find the same sites again.

The Scars of Defeat
Why do the Big Five want KaibaCorp? To restore its high reputation after Kaiba's disgraceful defeat? They mentioned that. To restore things to how they were before Kaiba took over the company? No doubt, and that's another way their wanting to restore the company's reputation could be interpreted.

Plans for Kaiba and his technical knowledge, Pegasus said. What does that have to do with what actually happens? I can't think of a single time Pegasus showed what the plans for Kaiba's technical knowledge might be, though it's safe, though sorry, to say that Pegasus played Kaiba expertly throughout this. I also noticed in this episode that the conversation Pegasus chose to strike up with Kaiba in the flashback was regarding his virtual technology… not exactly the weather. I'd say Pegasus has his eye on this stuff. Notice that the arenas on the island have the Industrial Illusions logo on them. One reason may be that Industrial Illusions made them, another could be that Industrial Illusions owns them. But hang on: Industrial Illusions *can't* be *making* duel arenas, because KaibaCorp has the patent—otherwise Zigfried and SchroederCorp would have been fine! Hence, Pegasus doesn't want Kaiba's technical knowledge to improve his own duel arena, but to make more technology with KaibaCorp and the profits in Pegasus' pocket. But then he wouldn't have arranged for some lackeys to do away with Kaiba and have Mokuba be a puppet. He would have found some way for Kaiba himself to be the puppet, and good luck with THAT! Still, the fact also remains that Kaiba's virtual technology, exemplified in the duel disks demonstrated here, is far superior to that which is currently in use on the island, because otherwise why would Yugi and company have been so amazed?

Y'know how flashbacks are sometimes slightly different? In this episode, I noticed that Kaiba recalled his duel with Yugi, and we heard this line: "You're a good duelist, Kaiba, but not good enough to stop Exodia!" The original was "My grandpa's deck has no pathetic cards, Kaiba, but it *does* contain the unstoppable Exodia!" I think that this subtle change might be a hint that Kaiba sees Yugi as a person to respect, and one who respects him back, as well as just a rival. Or maybe it's just selective memory on Kaiba's part.

"As if it's being TUGGED toward the castle…" Bakura said here, of how the Millennium Ring was pointing to the Millennium Eye. What if Bakura were to let it go? What if that's how it got back to Bakura after Tristan threw it away? Because it was being drawn towards two other Millennium Items in use, and it had to be near a Millennium Item? It could just be that Yami Bakura was able to get it back because he tends to be like that, but it also seems to me that this is a possibility. Moreover, it's just fine, doesn't pull towards anything, while it's in Yugi's duffel bag or stashed under his bed or whatever, because it's in the company of the Rod and the Necklace, not to mention often the Puzzle. My point is, what if the pull it exerts when it senses another Item is strong enough to cause it to act as a magnet rather than simply a compass?

Joey keeps insulting Kaiba, but the one that hits home is when he tells Kaiba that he's *not* the world's top duelist anymore, and since Yugi dethroned him he's afraid to play.

Duel glove on right, duel disk on left—both can be worn at the same time…

Rabid Horseman- Seto's monster in The Intruder I, remember? We saw it
here first!

The main reason I like this episode, even though Kaiba is the essence of nastiness throughout, is that for one of the first times, Yugi and Kaiba acknowledge that they're on the same side: Yugi actually says it straight out, when he wishes Kaiba luck, and Kaiba does so indirectly, by telling Yugi what can be expected from Pegasus, what there is to worry about. He wouldn't have told just anyone near as much.

The title: the defeat handed to him in this episode "scars" Joey, evident in his nightmare in the next episode and his particular sensitivity to dog remarks. Kaiba is still "scarred" from his loss to Yugi, as he mulls over on his way to the island, but he begins to move past them somewhat, and deal with them, as he and Yugi are forced to become allies as well as rivals, as I mentioned above. Bandit Keith is still "scarred", smarting from Pegasus' slamming him at the Intercontinental Tournament, which is first mentioned in this episode, before being developed next episode. Yugi is "scarred" from his loss to Pegasus, missing his grandpa.

Well, that's about it. Not much to report on Arena of Lost Souls I. The listings are kinda confusing, so bear with me. This week, they're re-running Magnetic Personality thru The Art of the Duel, this weekend in Duelist Kingdom they're re-running Arena of Lost Souls II and Double Trouble Duel I, and then next week, Monday and Tuesday (the 29th and 30th, right? Still with me?) will be Blinded By the Light I and II, which brings us up to the present, and then they'll show the NEW GX's, The Darkness Within on Thursday the 31st and Pro-Dueling on Friday February 1st. A heads-up, I have performances each day a new one or Duelist Kingdom shows so far—looks pretty wacky to me! They might be a bit short. Now, "The Darkness Within"—since our other resident villain is light-oriented, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that Zane's going to show. "Pro-Dueling" would tie in with that. Ironically enough (and yes, I *am* nerdy enough to keep track), that'll be right around the one-year anniversary of Field of Screams II, which (now this is just bizarre) coincides with Groundhog Day. As a last comment, need I add that Cartoon Network continues to mess with my brain? I must once more wonder if they read these posts and get a good laugh out of all of this! That's all for now, folks! -Clio