As the duel progresses, each duelist decides what they want to do in order to shape the outcome. Kaiba wants to defeat Marik and Joey so that he can face off against Yugi later and win the second Egyptian God Card. Joey wants to defeat Marik and also ensure his own defeat so that he will have the opportunity to save Mai. Yugi wants to defeat Kaiba, especially after Kaiba gives a huge "The Reason You Suck" Speech to Joey. Marik doesn't care who he faces so long as he can destroy them. Meanwhile, Serenity continues to look after Mai and Ishizu recalls a confrontation she had with Marik over Obelisk the Tormentor.
This episode provides examples of:
- Failure Gambit: Defied. When Kaiba and Yugi are in third and fourth place in the duel, Kaiba acknowledges to himself that finishing Yugi off and then throwing the duel would be the easiest way to ensure they face each other in the semifinals as he planned, but he refuses to do this as it would mean losing a duel on purpose, and resolves to instead make a comeback against Joey and Marik.
- Jerkass Has a Point: While Kaiba is out of line for calling Joey a worthless duelist who constantly has to be bailed out by Yugi, he isn't wrong in saying that Joey is a bit out of his depth since all of his opponents (Kaiba, Yugi, and Yami Marik) all have God Cards, which even Joey acknowledges.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Kaiba gives out a huge one on Joey, calling him a "loser dog" who always relies on Yugi to save him, and can't match up against three opponents who all have one of the 3 Egyptian God Cards, and that a "pathetic, ordinary duelist" like him doesn't have a chance of making the finals. He even adds a small one to Yugi, accusing him of "rigging" the matchups just to duel Joey. Yugi does not take it well, but Joey uses this to fuel his desire to duel Yugi and show up Kaiba.
