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Recap / Yu Gi Oh Anime S 1 E 14 The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

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Mai has lost all of her Star Chips to Panik, one of Pegasus's Eliminators. Panik's a hulking brute of a man, and a ruthless duelist who stalks his prey. Yugi vows to help Mai and wagers all of his Star Chips in exchange for hers, but Panik reveals he'll be betting more than Star Chips—he'll be betting his life!

Panik's strategy is based entirely around defense, using the Castle of Dark Illusions to conceal his entire field and launch attacks where no one can see them. To back up his threats he turns a pair of flamethrowers on Yami Yugi, who's merely surprised. While things don't look good for Yugi initially, he soon develops a plan to shed light on Panik's monsters with the Swords of Revealing Light, even as Panik plans to crush him with the King of Yamimakai.

This episode contains examples of:

  • The Bully: Panik is played up as this in the dub, rooting out easy targets and intimidating people for fun.
  • Dark Is Evil: Panik is definitely a bad guy, and he uses dark monsters and shadow effects in his duels.
  • Evil Gloating: To go along with Panik's portrayal in the dub, he gloats constantly throughout the episode. The dubbed episode even ends with repurposed footage from earlier in the episode as he boasts about having monsters stronger than his Reaper of the Cards that will destroy Yugi, whereas the Japanese version ends with him glaring madly at Yugi after his Reaper is stopped by Spellbinding Circle.
  • Exact Words: Yami Yugi reveals his spell, Swords of Revealing Light, while saying it will help him defeat Panik in five turns, before setting a card face down on the field. Panik believes this face down is the Swords of Revealing Light card he was shown and tries to use his Reaper of the Cards to destroy it, but it turns out it is actually the trap Spellbinding Circle. Yami Yugi points out he never said he was setting Swords of Revealing Light on the field.
  • Only in It for the Money: Averted. Panik makes it very clear that he doesn't need the money. He actually says that he has already enough that he could have retired years ago if he wanted to. He sticks around because he loves terrorizing other duelists way too much to quit.
  • O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Mai completely drops her arrogant act and is constantly shouting encouragement and worry at Yugi during his duel with Panik.
  • Playing with Fire: Panik shoots flamethrowers at Yami Yugi to intimidate him. It does work at first, but then they become less and less effective as Yami Yugi gets wiser.
  • Primal Fear: Lampshaded by Yugi and Panik.
    Panik: (after shooting his flamethrowers at Yami for the second time) You uppity little cretin! Perhaps you should think twice before insulting someone who can scorch you with the touch of a button, huh?! You're afraid, Yugi! You're lost and alone in the dark, and I'm the big, bad Bogeyman, about to leap out and give you the scare of your life.
    (Yami Yugi laughs)
    Panik: (grunts) If you could see what I have in store for you, you wouldn't be laughing!
    Yami Yugi: But that's why I'm laughing... because I can see — right through you.
    Panik: WHAT? What are you talking about, you little runt?
    Yami Yugi: You are the Bogeyman, Panik, scaring children into being afraid of the dark... until they realize the dark is nothing to be afraid of — like you.
    Panik: HUH?!!
    Yami Yugi: Once a person conjures up the confidence not to be fearful of the unknown, they've disarmed the only weapon the dark has.

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