Yu-Gi-Oh! - Episode 174
Kanji	運命の決闘！ 遊戯ｖｓラフェール
Rōmaji	Unmei no Dyueru! Yūgi Vāsasu Rafēru
Japanese translation	The Fated Duel! Yugi vs. Rafael
English	Grappling with a Guardian - Part 1
Episode number	174
Japanese air date	October 8, 2003
English air date	April 23, 2005
Music
Japanese opening	WARRIORS
English opening	Season one theme
Japanese ending	These Overflowing Feelings Don't Stop
English ending	Season one theme
Chronology
Episode listing	Yu-Gi-Oh! episode listing (season 4)
Previous	Fighting for a Friend - Part 5
Next	Grappling with a Guardian - Part 2

"Grappling with a Guardian - Part 1", known as "The Fated Duel! Yugi vs. Rafael" in the Japanese version, is the one hundred and seventy-fourth episode of the Yu-Gi-Oh! second series anime. It first aired in Japan on October 8, 2003 and in the US on April 23, 2005.

Yami, determined to bring down Doma and rescue Joey's soul, runs off and soon reaches their home office. Having a hunch of what's awaiting him, Yami quickly organizes his Deck while climbing to the roof. Once outside, like he was expecting to, finds Rafael, who was waiting for him.

Contents 1 Summary 2 Featured Duel: Rafael VS. Yami Yugi - Part 1 3 Featured cards 4 Notes

Summary Edit

Yami enters the Doma building. The lobby is empty and one elevator is descending there: when it opens, Mai's soulless body collapses on him. He notices a ghostly feather and a fog. He wonders if it's a Harpie Lady's feather but he seems to realize it isn't the case. He then enters the elevator and ascends to the roof to meet his opponent.

As Yami suspected, the feather belonged Eatos. Yami accuses Rafael of having defeated both Mai and Joey, given how he hands Yami "The Claw of Hermos". Rafael corrects him: Joey lost to Mai. Mai then came here and confronted him demanding to know Dartz's whereabouts. Rafael challenged her and used "The Seal of Orichalcos" against her. Even though she'd been wielding "Hermos", she apparently wasn't able to use it. Rafael is not moved by the loses of his two companions and that he doesn't seem to be moved by anything as well as affirming that everything is a part of Fate. As they talk, a strange ghostly serpent-like shape flies across the world's skies, obscuring the stars: it is being noticed by people around the world.

Kaiba and Mokuba meet up with Tristan and Téa, who are carrying Joey's shell. They suddenly are forced to climb up some emergency stairs to escape a swarm of rats rushing across the streets. Everyone wonders if it's a sign of something.

Within the depths of the ocean, the Orichalcos god is growing in strength and opens an eye: it seems to be gazing at something.

Rafael tells Yami that he will fight him for the sake of the "new age" and it being a part of Fate. Yami shots back that he also wants to Duel Rafael but that's not "Fate", it's because Rafael is a true Duelist. Rafael keeps on insisting everything was arranged by Fate: this time, Yami's soul shall be seized to revive the Orichalcos god. As if to prove his point, he brings out a "The Seal of Orichalcos" card and shows it to Yami. Rafael then puts it on his own Deck and makes him and Yami shuffle it. Yami claims that he won't fall for the same trick twice.

Rafael employs the same strategies in the Duel as he did in his previous Duel with Yami.

Yami tells Raphael that he's sure that he won't use "The Seal" because he wants to protect his monsters. Rafael admits that though Yami is right about him wanting to protect his monster, when you accept the "Dark" of your heart, then "Light" shines in the "Dark" and the answer (to Fate) comes out. Since Yami can't use it properly, Rafael will show him the true power of the "Seal". He plays the "Seal" just as Kaiba and company reach the scene.

Featured Duel: Rafael VS. Yami Yugi - Part 1Edit

Turn 1: Rafael

• Rafael draws.
• Activates "Guardian Treasure": Rafael Discards his entire Hand and Draws 2 Cards. While "Guardian Treasure" is face-up, Rafael may Draw 1 extra Card from his Deck during each of his Draw Phases.
• Normal Summons "Backup Gardna" (500 ATK / 2200 DEF) in Defense Position.
• Sets a Card.

Turn 2: Yami

• Draws "Big Shield Gardna" ("King's Knight" in the dub, see Notes below for more info).

• Normal Summons "Queen's Knight" (1500 ATK / 1600 DEF) in Defense Position.

Turn 3: Rafael

• Rafael draws.
  • Thanks to the Effect of his "Guardian Treasure", Rafael draws one extra Card. One of the cards he drew was "Gravity Axe - Grarl".
• Activates "Gravity Axe - Grarl", equipping it to "Backup Gardna" and increasing the ATK of "Backup Gardna" by 500 ("Backup Gardna": 500 > 1000 ATK / 2200 DEF).
• (NOTE: In the anime, Rafael simply Declares he is "Activating" "Gravity Axe - Grarl" without Equipping it to "Backup Gardna").
• Since "Gravity Axe - Grarl" is on the Field and since "Guardian Grarl" is the only Card left in his Hand, Rafael activates its Effect, Special Summoning it to the Field from his Hand in Attack Position (2500 ATK / 1000 DEF).
• Activates "Backup Gardna's" Effect, unequipping "Gravity Axe - Grarl" from "Backup Gardna" and Equipping it to "Guardian Grarl" instead ("Backup Gardna": 1000 > 500 ATK / 2200 DEF) ("Guardian Grarl": 2500 > 3000 ATK / 1000 DEF).
• Uses "Guardian Grarl" to Attack and Destroy "Queen's Knight".

Turn 4: Yami

• Draws "Monster Reborn" and subsequently activates it to Special Summon "Queen's Knight" (1500 ATK / 1600 DEF) back from his Graveyard in Attack Position.
• Normal Summons "King's Knight" (1600 ATK / 1400 DEF) in Attack Position.
• Since Yami also controls "Queen's Knight", Yami Activates "King's Knight's" Effect: He Special Summons "Jack's Knight" (1900 ATK / 1000 DEF) to the Field in Attack Position.
• Activates "Brave Attack", selecting "Queen's Knight" and "King's Knight" to add their ATK points to "Jack's Knight" (1500 + 1600 + 1900 = 5000) in order for the latter to Destroy "Guardian Grarl".
• However, Rafael Activates "Guardian Force", Negating "Brave Attack" and destroying it.

Turn 5: Raphael

• Rafael draws.
  • Thanks to the Effect of his "Guardian Treasure", Rafael draws one extra Card. One of the cards he drew was "Butterfly Dagger - Elma".
• Activates "Butterfly Dagger - Elma", equipping it to "Backup Gardna" and increasing "Backup Gardna's" ATK by + 300 (500 > 800 ATK / 2200 DEF).
• Since "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" is on the Field, Rafael is allowed to Summon "Guardian Elma" (1300 ATK / 1200 DEF) in Attack Position.
• Activates "Guardian Elma's" Effect: Rafael selects "Guardian Shield" from his Graveyard and Equips it to "Guardian Elma", boosting its DEF by + 300 ("Guardian Elma": 1300 ATK / 1200 > 1500 DEF).
• Activates "Backup Gardna's" Effect, Unequipping "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" and Equipping it to "Guardian Elma" instead ("Backup Gardna": 800 > 500 ATK / 2200 DEF) ("Guardian Elma": 1300 > 1600 ATK / 1500 DEF).
• Uses "Guardian Elma" to Attack and Destroy "Queen's Knight" (Yami 4000 > 3900 Life Points).
• Uses "Guardian Grarl" to Attack & Destroy "King's Knight" (Yami 3900 > 2500 Life Points).

Turn 6: Yami

• Yami Yugi draws.
• Activates "Five Star Twilight", Tributing "Jack's Knight" to Special Summon the 5 Kuriboh Brothers from his Deck. He Special Summons "Kuriboh", "Kuriba", "Kuribi", "Kuribe" and "Kuribu" (300 ATK / 200 DEF each) from his Deck in Attack Position.
• Activates "Kuribu's" Effect: Yami Discards Chain Destruction from his Hand to reduce the ATK of "Guardian Grarl" by 1500 for 1 Turn ("Guardian Grarl": 3000 > 1500 ATK / 1000 DEF).
• Activates "Kuriba's" effect, removing "Kuriboh", "Kuriba", "Kuribi", "Kuribe" and "Kuribu" from play to Special Summon "Kuribabylon" (1500 ATK / 200 DEF) in Attack Position.
• Activates "Mystical Space Typhoon" to Destroy "Gravity Axe - Grarl" ("Guardian Grarl": 1500 > 1000 ATK / 1000 DEF).
• Uses "Kuribabylon" to Attack "Guardian Grarl", but Rafael Activates "Guardian Shield's" Effect: "Guardian Shield" is Sent to the Graveyard instead of "Guardian Grarl" ("Guardian Elma": 1600 ATK / 1500 > 1200 DEF), but Battle Damage is applied normally (Rafael 4000 > 3500 Life Points).
• Sets a Card.
• Yami ends his turn. Since the Turn is over, "Guardian Grarl" regains the ATK it lost ("Guardian Grarl": 1000 > 2500 ATK / 1000 DEF).

Turn 7: Raphael

• Rafael draws.
  • Thanks to the Effect of his "Guardian Treasure", Rafael draws one extra Card. One of the cards he drew was "The Seal of Orichalcos".
• Despite Yami's objections, Rafael activates "The Seal of Orichalcos".

Duel continues next episode.

Featured cardsEdit

The following cards appeared in this episode. Cards in italics debuted here.

Flashbacks

Monsters Normal Monsters Alpha The Magnet Warrior Beta The Magnet Warrior Gamma The Magnet Warrior Effect Monsters Catapult Turtle Guardian Eatos Kuribabylon Obelisk the Tormentor Legendary Dragons The Claw of Hermos

Magic Brave Attack Celestial Sword - Eatos Nightmare Binding The Seal of Orichalcos

Rafael

Monsters Effect Monsters Backup Gardna Guardian Elma Guardian Grarl

Magic Butterfly Dagger - Elma Gravity Axe - Grarl Guardian Shield Guardian Treasure The Seal of Orichalcos

Traps Guardian Force

Yami Yugi

Monsters Normal Monsters Jack's Knight Queen's Knight Effect Monsters Big Shield Gardna[Notes 1] King's Knight Kuriba Kuribabylon Kuribe Kuribi Kuriboh Kuribu Legendary Dragons The Claw of Hermos[Notes 2]

Magic Brave Attack Five Star Twilight Monster Reborn Mystical Space Typhoon

Traps Chain Destruction[Notes 3]

NotesEdit

1. ↑ Yugi draw this card in his first turn against Rafael, however this is impossible as Yugi have no card in his hand after he Set his last card. It was replace by "King's Knight" in the Dub.
2. ↑ This card was given to Yugi by Rafael after Mai took this card from Joey in the previous episode.
3. ↑ Yugi discard this card for "Kuribu's" effect

v · d · e Yu-Gi-Oh! season 4 episodes #145 "A New Evil - Part 1" #146 "A New Evil - Part 2" #147 "Legend of the Dragons" #148 "The Creator Returns" #149 "Deja Duel! - Part 1" #150 "Deja Duel! - Part 2" #151 "An Unexpected Enemy" #152 "My Freaky Valentine - Part 1" #153 "My Freaky Valentine - Part 2" #154 "My Freaky Valentine - Part 3" #155 "The Challenge" #156 "Fate of the Pharaoh - Part 1" #157 "Fate of the Pharaoh - Part 2" #158 "Fate of the Pharaoh - Part 3" #159 "Trial by Stone" #160 "On the Wrong Track - Part 1" #161 "On the Wrong Track - Part 2" #162 "On the Wrong Track - Part 3" #163 "Self Destruction" #164 "Reliving the Past" #165 "Deck of Armor" #166 "Flight of Fear - Part 1" #167 "Flight of Fear - Part 2" #168 "Paradise Found" #169 "Fighting for a Friend - Part 1" #170 "Fighting for a Friend - Part 2" #171 "Fighting for a Friend - Part 3" #172 "Fighting for a Friend - Part 4" #173 "Fighting for a Friend - Part 5" #174 "Grappling with a Guardian - Part 1" #175 "Grappling with a Guardian - Part 2" #176 "Grappling with a Guardian - Part 3" #177 "A Duel with Dartz - Part 1" #178 "A Duel with Dartz - Part 2" #179 "A Duel with Dartz - Part 3" #180 "A Duel with Dartz - Part 4" #181 "A Duel with Dartz - Part 5" #182 "A Duel with Dartz - Part 6" #183 "Rise of the Great Beast - Part 1" #184 "Rise of the Great Beast - Part 2" << S1 • << S2 • << S3 S5 >>