#Poor yugi | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

teamfreewill58 · 3 months

Text

As much as I love the Millennium World Arc it’s also incredibly heartbreaking to watch Atem go through that. He finally has all the pieces needed to open the tablet of memories and they were all sure that he would remember who he was and then he DIDN’T. Instead he goes through a repeat of what he did when he woke up in the Millennium Puzzle where he doesn’t know what’s going on or anything at all but instead of getting to try to piece things together he’s dropped right into the middle of huge dire events. And he does gradually start to get things back but for a huge chunk of it he’s completely in the dark AGAIN. He didn’t actually start remembering things until around where TKB dropped him in the river and his friends gave him his name. And it’s heartbreaking. It’s heart breaking how for the majority of the arc he had to just take people’s word for shit and just blindly trust that they were being honest and that what they were informing him was true. The fact that he spent a year and a half getting used to being with Yugi in his time period and then within two seconds of entering the Millennium World he’s barraged by his past at a million miles an hour, and its not even an everyday kind of day its his friggin -coronation-. So of course he can’t excuse himself. Like thank goodness for royal attendants so he could try and get information from Shimon who was more than willing to explain things to him and didn’t get mad or confused by him not knowing what was going on, he just was like “okay I dunno why the Pharaoh needs an explanation but I’ll explain.” And just look at him.

Like he’s so overwhelmed and its so sad because yeah he’s finally getting answers about his past but like at the same time he’s not. Just as he was a stranger in Yugi’s body and life now he’s a stranger in his own body and his own life. Unlike the people in his memories he feels out of place and he IS out of place sitting here where everyone knows him and he SHOULD know these people and he DOESN’T.

The scene on the balcony where Yugi can feel his loneliness and Atem is thinking about all of these new but familiar faces he goes, “Everyone here knows who I am. But I don’t know anyone. As a Pharaoh, did I truly understand them? And did they know the real me?” ( Ep 203 11:38) And yet in spite of that he still tried his absolute best to properly navigate being a Pharaoh and he nails it. He steps in himself to deal with Yami Bakura each time, and even though he hasn’t touched a sword in over 3,000 years we see he still knows how to use one just like he still knows how to ride a horse. Any time there is a battle in this arc Atem is front and center being a leader and protecting people or on his way to the battle.

Even though Mahad isn’t there for long (I mean I guess he kind of is because he becomes a card) the scene of him and Atem running into Mana is one of my favorites because that moment Atem realizes that these two were his friends and he did have friends he relaxes and starts flourishing as a pharaoh.

#pharaoh atem #atem #analysis #ygo #yami yugi #yugioh #atem yugi #he’s so pretty #but my poor baby #he just kept going through hell

116 notes · View notes

teamfreewill58 · 3 months

Text

Atem Leaving Was Wrong

Like many other members of the fandom I have a lot of thoughts about Atem going to the afterlife at the end of the series and also a lot of issues with it. I watched it straight through recently and it’s just so clear that it was not the right thing for Atem and also a really shitty way for the story to treat him. Let’s for a moment ignore the weird sudden push of “it’s not right for souls to remain with the living” that Ishizu kept insisting on and then claimed that’s what Yugi was telling Atem through the monster reborn card (which by the way could have been taken another way but I’ll get to that later.) The main reason the story insists on Atem returning to the afterlife is because it’s supposed to signify that Yugi has grown up and grown into himself as a person and no longer needs to rely on Atem the way that he did for a good portion of the series. “If I don’t become stronger, my other self can never leave my soul”. (Yugi Episode 221 8:18)

But the issue with this is that Atem--just like Yugi--is a person and people don’t just peace out of your life because they’ve taught you an important lesson or helped you grow. Yes, Atem and Yugi taught each other and helped each other grow, but that’s not a reason for Atem to leave.

What they learn from each other isn’t going to suddenly get negated because Atem stays--if anything it would create a new growing experience for Atem and Yugi because now they have a different dynamic and relationship that they would have to figure out and try to navigate.

So, back to Ishizu’s “it’s not right for the dead to stay with the living” and “that’s what Yugi is saying to Atem” by putting Monster Reborn in Gold Sarcophagus during the final duel. First off, this doesn’t apply to Atem because he didn’t die. His spirit was used to seal Zorc and as we’ve seen again and again throughout Yu-gi-oh a character’s spirit no longer being inside their body doesn’t mean they’ve died. Characters have lost their souls multiple times and had it put back in a body. Atem’s body is never mentioned and neither is the notion that his mummy is in his tomb. Second, Ishizu is making a whole lot of assumptions for people she hardly even knows. When Yugi reveals the card, Ishizu thinks, “Yugi is sending Atem a message. The soul of the dead must not remain in the world of the living.” (Episode 224 14:33) But no, Yugi isn’t sending Atem a message. And if he is, it's not the one Ishizu says he’s sending. He’s playing the game. “I knew you were going to do that, my other self. Because if I were you, I’d summon a God too.” (Episode 224 13:29) Showcasing how well Yugi and Atem know each other and have gotten to know each other and that Yugi has developed new skills. If we are to interpret it as Yugi giving Atem a message I’d say it’s Yugi saying what he’s said the whole duel, “I’ve grown and you’ve made me better and we both have been reborn”. But it is NOT Yugi telling Atem he needs to leave because Yugi and Atem have stated and showed again and again and again that they want to stay together whether that’s in separate bodies or the same one. In episode 52, right after the Millennium Puzzle got smashed and Yugi is home from the hospital Atem and Yugi talk:

Atem: Thank you. You risked your life to assemble the Millennium Puzzle during the fire.

Yugi: It was Jonouchi and Honda who saved us.

Atem: You’re right. We have great friends.

Yugi: Yes.

Atem: What are you thinking about? (7:21-8:01)

Yugi: Who are you really? I want to know.

Atem: Why?

Yugi: Why? Because….

Atem: I don’t know anything.

Yugi: Huh?

Atem: I knew you would ask me eventually. And I planned to answer honestly. I don’t know my name or where I came from. I don’t have any memories.I don’t know who I am. (13:07-13:39)

Yugi: Sorry. I should’ve never brought it up, so let’s not talk about it again.

Atem: The one thing I know is that I only exist because you hold the Millennium Puzzle.

Yugi: That’s enough.

Atem: But I-

Yugi: I said enough!

Atem: I want to stay with you forever. I don’t care if I never get my memories back.

Yugi: I also want to be with you forever. I’m willing to give you all my memories. (20:27-21:11)

I do feel like its very important to point out here that Yugi is in a heightened emotional state. He was caught in a fire, the Millennium Puzzle was shattered, shattering his connection to Atem and based off how Yugi is sitting on the bed staring at the puzzle hugging his legs--in addition to the fact that he is thinking about reassembling the puzzle in the fire---he didn’t know that Atem was still inside the puzzle until Atem initiated this particular conversation.

Yugi’s clearly been sitting here also thinking about the fact that Atem isn’t another personality of his or anything along those lines because he says “Who are you really?” He then feels a mix of emotions when Atem admits he planned to answer honestly but doesn’t know anything about himself. He feels guilt because he apologizes and says he should never have brought it up and then tries to completely close the conversation “so let’s not talk about it again”. And then he gets upset when Atem adds “I only exist because you hold the Millenium Puzzle.” Because this drives home that if the puzzle had got destroyed or lost in the fire Atem would have really been lost forever and that scares Yugi. At this point in the story it scares Yugi to realize that Atem can leave or be taken away. I suspect that if Yugi hadn’t cut Atem off he would have said “But I do want to know who I am.” However he doesn’t finish it because Yugi cuts him off and Atem picks up just how distressed Yugi is which is why he doesn’t finish his statement and switches to reassuring Yugi that he wants to stay with him.

Atem wants to stay with Yugi but he also wants to know who he is but now he can’t talk about it with Yugi because he’s seen it upset Yugi and this is part of why he’s depressed in the following episode. Yugi mentions “My other self seems depressed these days. He won’t open up to me.” (Episode 53 2:48)

Atem also confirms to Anzu:

“We both don’t know where we want to go. Who am I? Where did I come from? And I don’t know where I’m going. But it’s fine. I’m fine as is.” (Episode 53 5:28-5:49)

Atem: My dreams…But I can keep the status quo by not pursuing my dreams.

Anzu: You’re really fine with that?

Atem: I want to know more about myself. I want to know where I should go. But if I keep the status quo, I can stay in his heart forever. And that’s also what he wants.” (episode 53 10:34-10:56)

Here Atem confirms that he wants to know who he is but that he also meant it when he said he wanted to stay with Yugi, for him it’s not a “I have to choose one or the other it’s I want both of these and plan to do what I can to have both.” He doesn’t say “I want to go where I’m supposed to” he just wants to know what that place is. He further confirms in episode 54 “My partner doesn’t know that I saw the tablet today. Can you keep the tablet and what Ishizu said a secret? Even if I get my memories back I don’t know if I can stay with my partner. I don’t want him to worry for no reason. We always build my deck together. His soul makes up half of this deck. When he truly understands me, this deck will unleash its true power.” (episode 54 17.20)

Again Atem being mindful of Yugi’s fears and concerns that were brought up the previous night but also reaffirming that he wants to stay with Yugi. Then also adding that without his memories Yugi--and honestly, no one--- can truly understand him and that’s something that he wants.

When Ishizu gives them the Millennium Necklace they have this conversation shortly after:

Atem: You can’t sleep? (19:00 Episode 95)

Yugi: The other me.

Atem: What are you thinking about?

Yugi: Well….When we gather all the Millennium Items…I’ll eventually have to go to Egypt and place them in the tablet of memories. That’s my role as the vessel for your soul. When that time comes…Let’s go to sleep! Tomorrow is the finals.

Atem: Yeah. (19:38)

*Yugi then turns on his side so Atem can’t see him and cries.*

Atem: Partner… (19:40 Episode 94)

This scene in particular we can tell from Yugi and Atem’s expressions that they still don’t want to do this, Yugi looks incredibly sad about it and look at the shot of Atem when Yugi is saying “That’s my role as the vessel of your soul.” (12:20 Episode 94) he’s listening attentively but its just so clear in his expression that leaving isn’t what he wants. In their final duel it's mentioned that Atem's pride as a duelist won't let him just lose and Yugi does have some inflections here but unlike Ishizu Yugi does know Atem.

Literally spelled out right here, even on the day of the final duel, his "one chance" to go to the afterlife and Atem and Yugi both don't want him to go. Yugi picks up on this and also admits it in these pages.

The only reason they are doing this is because we have a character who keeps insisting that the dead shouldn't be with the living, that the Millennium Items need to be sealed away, and that if Atem doesn't go he'll be stuck there for eternity.

But the Millennium Items DON'T need to be sealed away anymore. When Atem accepts the Ring from Jonouchi he looks at it and goes, "There's no evil inside the Millennium Ring." (4:19 Ep 220) Zorc is defeated, that means all the Millennium Items are now just gold artifacts. They are EMPTY. Let's not forget the entire process Atem had to use in order to seal Zorc in the Milennium Ring, it isn't as though someone can come by and just infuse it with new darkness. Hell they still could have put them in the tablet, Atem and Yugi have the duel so that they can know Yugi and Atem have grown and are better and the place still collapses after Atem decides he doesn't want to go.

The Atem being stuck there for eternity if he doesn't do it now. Why? What lore says he'll be stuck there? This is an additional arbitrary rule that just got thrown in so that he'd have to leave. When they have the final duel Atem and Yugi split and Atem clearly has a body. His soul is no longer attached to the Puzzle because the Puzzle is in the tablet. Even if he can't have his own body it's clarified that Yugi IS Atem's vessel so why can't Atem and Yugi just share the same body and switch as they have been? It's incredibly unfair to Atem who not only barely had a childhood because he became Pharaoh at 15 AND got sealed but his time with Yugi is very very short, its like a year to little over a year? Yes Atem probably misses his family and friends from Egypt but he also deserved to have an actual life and it's just cruel and fucked up that he gets taken away from the people he loves twice. The first time he had a say and it was his choice but the second and final time he was literally forced by the narrative and it is just such a bullshit way to treat such a good character.

#atem #pharaoh atem #analysis #yami yugi #ygo #atem yugi #yugioh #yami yugi atem #yugioh atem #yugi moto #ishizu ishtar #this was some bullshit #atem deserved better than this #poor boy #so precious

52 notes · View notes