Recap / Yu Gi Oh GXS 2 E 95 Tough Love

Tropes:

• Continuity Nod: The Obelisk Blue student Syrus defeats at the beginning mentions Syrus hiding in trash cans last week, a reference to the two-parter between Jaden and Chazz where he hid in a trash can so other students couldn't find him and get him eliminated from the tournament.
• Everyone Has Standards:
  • Jaden is all up for Syrus finally confronting and defeating Zane in a duel... until Zane stipulates that they duel while wearing shock collars. He immediately does an about-face and tries to convince Syrus not to go through with the duel. Hassleberry similarly tries to subtly convince Syrus to step down. Unfortunately, by that point, Syrus is already committed and ignores both of their concerns.
  • Tellingly, Aster shows visible concern when he sees the shock collars and genuine worry for Syrus throughout the duel, even outright stating at one point that Zane is taking the duel too far.
• Jerkass: Zane has really stepped it up a notch, especially in this episode. Zane only accepts Syrus' challenge as long as Syrus agrees to duel on Zane’s terms, and on top of that, outright antagonized Syrus throughout their duel.
• Kick the Morality Pet: Zane's Electric Torture of Syrus is what cements his Face–Heel Turn to the rest of the main cast. His actions are so horrible, even Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy Aster finds the whole display disgusting.
• Tough Love: In some twisted, deluded way, it's implied Zane believed forcing Syrus to duel his [Zane's] way would make Syrus come out of the duel a stronger duelist.
• Vengeance Denied: An odd example. Although his defeat at Aster's hands is what led to his downward spiral as a duelist, Zane is completely uninterested in any idea of revenge and views Aster the same way he views everyone else: a bug he needs to crush. Aster tries to play it off, but it's obvious he's put off by Zane's attitude.
• Weak, but Skilled: Syrus does better against Zane than just about any other duelist this season after Zane's Face–Heel Turn, despite lacking the sheer firepower that many of them had. He had the duel almost won at several points, and if it weren't for Zane's De-Fusion, would've claimed victory due to deck out. The fact that he managed this while suffering Electric Torture the entire duel speaks volumes of his ability and potential.

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