Zane is led down a dark path to reclaim his glory.
- Being Tortured Makes You Evil: This is literally Shroud's entire plan. It works.
- Description Cut: While trying to cheer Syrus up, his friends are confident Zane will win tonight, Bastion adding that his opponent is such a poor duelist that if Zane loses tonight, "his career would really be over." Cut to Zane losing and the announcer saying, "His career is officially over."
- Electric Torture: The underground duels rely on this for the audience's entertainment.
- Identical Stranger: The opponent Zane loses to looks just like the Magical Scientist he uses to attack Zane.
- In the End, You Are on Your Own: Weeks or months with no contact with his friends or brother and being gradually abandoned by all his fans and sponsors finally gets to Zane. His last thought before he snaps is, "Everyone's deserted me."
- Manchild: Mad Dog in the dub not only sounds like a child but talks like one using words like "mommy", "poopyhead", and "I gotta go potty." and can't pronounce his R's.
- Man of Kryptonite: Mad Dog's acid slime deck tears down any machine user which is unfortunate for Zane because most if not all his monsters are machines.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: Zane lost all his confidence after Aster defeated him, to the point where he's no longer able to duel like he used to and went on a losing streak. It's never explained if this Zane's natural reaction to a humiliating defeat, or if it's the Light's power messing with his head (since it's been established that Sartorius uses Aster's deck to manipulate the people who lose to him).
- Memetic Loser: In-Universe. Zane after his loss to Aster Phoenix is now the butt of everybody's jokes, according to Syrus.
- Shower of Angst: Zane has one just before meeting Mr. Shroud.
- Tempting Fate: The beginning of the episode, Alexis is confident Zane would win his next duel and Hassleberry mentions his opponent is a joke. Bastion points out if Zane does lose, his career really is over. Zane ends up losing.
- That Man Is Dead: "I should warn you: the Zane you think you knew is long gone!"
- Vocal Dissonance: Mad Dog's voice in the dub is high pitched to the point of sounding like a child, yet has the type of voice you'd expect when he growls.
