The Only Time a Yu-Gi-Oh Protagonist "Cheated" (In My Opinion)

[@Clyde975]

Meanwhile Yusei creating Tuners and Synchros, Yuya creates an entire summoning method mid duel, and Yugi making up rules.

[@jbell2013]

He created those outside the duels tho

[@Clyde975]

@jbell2013 No "he" didn't. Yusei literally would have his signer mark glow, then he would draw a Tuner and upgrade whatever Synchro he would have in the field. Usually it's Stardust Dragon. Yuya quite literally created Pendulums during the duel, which we see on screen on the first 2 episodes. Yugi as Yami Yugi, literally would say random crap during the duel, and it would happen.

[@Evil_Beauty]

Saying Yusei "creating" tuners and synchros is like saying Judai pulls new fusion heroes out of his rear. But obviously you didn't mention him here. How typical. 🙄 P.S. Also, your statement about Yusei synchro summoning "new monsters", via top decking tuners is false. That's not how it works at all. Yusei already HAD these tuners in his deck, his Signer mark only made it accessible whenever he's in a pinch, hence they aren't made-up. The only thing made up were his Stardust upgrade forms.

[@Sonadourge]

Oh damn

[@ionutnertan]

​@Evil_Beauty the fact you say only Judai pulls his fusion out of his rear, like come on every protagonist does that, pulling cards out of nowhere, even non protagonists does that some time

[@zexal5499]

Only my goat Yuma would cheat in your face and move on like nothing happened 🔥🗣🔥🔥🔥

[@Clyde975]

You haven't seen DM, 5Ds, or Arc V

[@roxisultimate8152]

And yuma is the only main protagonis whose his cheat power is very cool and Flashy I mean Yuga, Yugi and Yusei had their cheating power but super Saiyan megaman style cheating draw is whole new level

[@zexal5499]

@roxisultimate8152 All I'm saying is that if s guy on master duel mid match went Super Saiyan and summoned a card out of thin air, I won't be asking questions. They've won.

[@Clyde975]

@roxisultimate8152 How does Yuga cheat? I don't even think he has powers. All he did was create Rush Duels

[@babysinclairfan]

People complain about the Yugioh anime being unrealistic but that's what's so fun. If it were just two people playing cards, it would be a snooze.

[@WhnNinjasAttack]

Yusei literally made a blank card into a monster mid duel

[@baronroy2012]

Crazy part is, Vector could have used Masquerade to mill the last card from Yuma's deck on his previous turn.

[@fxzzy__]

It's in-character since Vector seeks pleasure so much to the point that he doesn't know when to stop. This bad habit of pursuing pleasure is why he often does not succeed in his plans

[@Eric6761]

His C version lost it's mill effect

[@Zetact_]

Thing is this category of shenanigans isn't even that unique, it's just most blatant in Zexal for happening to a card after we know what it was. It was in the first duel but Yuya also does this for most of his deck. Also Yusei's blank Synchro card that gets used for Shooting Star Dragon and filled out when it's summoned, though that's more just artistic flair for looking cool since the blank card isn't a "pick and choose," it's always Shooting Star (except the one time it was Quasar). Though also in 5D's whenever Majestic Dragon is drawn it's always framed to be the Crimson Dragon changing the Signer's deck. Also not in the same category but there was that time Yuga put Fusion on top of his deck from outside the game.

[@ShamdenSmuki]

i've said this in other comments but i really put "cheat" just for the title. my only real problem is that shinning evolution isn't used other times. the only one time he uses it, it changes the card name when that was a integral part of why he could've lost. that being said i don't think yuma was gonna lose

[@donjuan6996]

I always wondered too why Vector didn’t just activate the trap during Yuma’s Standby Phase. 🤦‍♂️

[@redblood421]

I agree it is the biggest cheat. But I always read the trap vector had was suppose to be more situational than it already is. Like Shining draw wouldn't work here since vector use deck destruction and we knew what card was in Yuma deck. Story wise it make sense for this ability, because the concept is the numeron code can remake reality. It does also symbolize how the Barians were corrupted and tricked. With all that being said is it still cheating? Yup, but we are also to believe that Duel disk have anti-cheat device, since Yuya made pendulum cards in a duel, "where everyone said well the anti-cheat system didn't go off, so I guess its allowed".

[@ShamdenSmuki]

to be completely honest i only said "cheat" for the title. my real issue is that he doesn't use the ability again. i would prefer he did to show he gained a new power and not the only one time he used it it completely saved him from a card that would beat him had it not been changed.

[@fxzzy__]

@@ShamdenSmuki It did not have to be and should not have been used again. Yuma just purified the Barian Force in Limited Barian's Force and turned it into a neutral Numeron power, basically foreshadowing that both Astral and Barian are variations of Numeron Code's powers. Numeron being the origin of everything and all. That's essentially what 'Re-Contract Universe' does. Reveal the card's "true form" by draining it of its Barian Energy. That's why it was never used again. Because the conditions to perform Re-Contract Universe are never fulfilled again in the show

[@pn2294]

@fxzzy__nah it definitely should’ve been used again It would’ve been perfect for Yuma’s other evil cards

[@chase_birdeevogel4784]

The heart of the cards aka destiny draw is literally yugi/atem using magic to search their deck for the exact card they need (either to win that turn or to just not lose when they're in a tough spot) they also use this exact ability to add cards to their deck that weren't there before. It's quite literally exactly the same except for the fact that yuma doesn't even try to hide it, and yugi/atem spent the entire series gaslighting everyone else he came across.

[@Memo-yh4nc]

Yuya literally changed most of the cards in his hand and created a new summoning method. I think that’s worse than this, considering that Yuya changed 3 cards and then changed the very rules of the game to win.

[@maximusbeltraplacian5747]

Yuya created an entire summoning mechanic mid-Duel

[@fxzzy__]

From a purely IRL gameplay standpoint, yes Yuma’s Re-Contract Universe/Shining Evolution skill is BS. But in YGO, the laws of physics effectively say anybody with enough of a psychic footprint can skew probability and bend reality because in YGO, reality is more or less held together by consciousness (which Aigami and Antinomy both point out) This means that the stronger your belief in something, the stronger your power over reality becomes according to the laws of nature within the world of YGO. Which turns the inability to pull deus ex machina cards out of thin air into a skill issue Also, it did not have to be and should not have been used again. Yuma just purified the Barian Force in Limited Barian's Force and turned it into a neutral Numeron power, basically foreshadowing that both Astral and Barian are variations of Numeron Code's powers. Numeron being the origin of everything and all. That's essentially what 'Re-Contract Universe' does. Reveal the card's "true form" by draining it of its Barian Energy. That's why it was never used again. Because the conditions to perform Re-Contract Universe are never fulfilled again in the show

[@jakjakhaspwrz7747]

Shout out to panic in his duel with yugi who cheated like a mf in his day‼️😭

[@Eric6761]

The thing it kinda makes it more or less worse is that there was an solution to the Sargasso that was Shark winning since after the whole duel Yuma won and interrupted Mizael and Durbe's duels so it would be cooler just having Shark winning and then Yuma facing the darkness and betrayal of Vector instead of making it a blatant rewrite of an entire card

[@babysinclairfan]

Shark and Durbe were pretty deadlocked, as were Kite and Mizar. Meanwhile, Yuma and Vector were beating the crap out of each other. They were most likely to finish first. Durbe hadn't even summoned his chaos number, so the game wasn't even lose to done.

[@Eric6761]

@@babysinclairfan the issue is: You're right Durbe didn't summoned his Chaos yet however that's the problem, Durbe didn't summoned his Chaos yet, Shark wasn't beating him one sided but Shark had advantage through consistency and more accessible plays and I'm mostly saying as a rewrite/wish it happened

[@ProtossTempest]

I would say Arc-V is more cheaty, because Yuya literally introduced a new mechanic. Instead of 1 card, bruh rewrote three into new Pendulum cards AND turned one of them, Odd Eyes Dragon, into a new card, Odd Eyes Pendulum Dragon. And it was a one time thing, like we didn't see double Pendulum cards or something like that. Like there is a gif edit, of the 5 cards in his hand becoming all 5 pieces of Exodia. That was how absurd a moment that was

[@potatosalad3655]

Meanwhile yugi is like : i attack THE MOON

[@spiralmatt8946]

I remember that Don Thousand activated a trap card from his DECK! That's when I said, "this takes cheating whole different level"! I know you can activate trap from the GY or at least copy them with a monster but not activate it from your deck.

[@playerZ3R0123]

I found it very funny when Yugi changed a normal monster from defense mode to attack mode during the opponent's attack

[@animegx45]

Here's the thing though, at least in terms of gameplay. If you replayed the entire duel, except replace Limited Barian's Force with Numeron Force, the rest of the duel would play out exactly the same as it did before.

[@djt08031996]

If I'd had a hand in this duel, I would've had Vector operating off the idea Yuma ran 40 cards, when in reality he ran 60. This gives Yuma plenty of opportunity to, not draw Limited Barian's Force, but to Shining Draw Numeron Force

[@JohnGunn-]

Pegasus: "mmm you call that cheating yugi boyyy?"

[@_Vengeance_]

A Shining Draw would've been cheating here as well. In a normal situation, a Shining Draw (or anything similar like Majestic Dragon in 5DS) can be justified as if that the drawn card was always in the deck in the first place (we know it's not, but in the end it doesn't play any differently). But in this case, Limited Barian's Force was the only possible draw, so drawing something else instead would be just as bad as changing it after the draw.

[@MegaMachiOnline]

bro really just purified the card due to astral world originally being both itself and barian world, more so than changed into an entirely different card but i do agree it is pretty mickey, since it was purely inverse like yami yugi having a blank card in his deck against dartz and in any standard duel without plot, it's less likely for him to uncover the real version of a card than others imprinting onto cards specifically designed to respond to others' souls/will

[@ShamdenSmuki]

i mean yeah shining evolution brings out a cards true potential i just think he should've used the power more and not that one time where it was the most convenient and never shown again thats my only compliant really

[@dragonlogos1]

Didn’t Jaden at one point just get handed a card by a cat mid duel and then just starts playing it?

[@ShamdenSmuki]

you mean the season 1 duel against kagemaru? he was given the card Sabatiel - The Philosopher's Stone by professor banner before the duel with kagemaru and its specified effect allows it to change. yuma used a out of duel power and changed a card that would have led to his loss

[@redblood421]

@@ShamdenSmuki No he is talking about a duel world where Freed dies and turns himself into a card to help Jaden win.

[@ShamdenSmuki]

@@redblood421 shit you right

[@HunterStiles651]

IMO, there's two things that make Shining Evolution fine: 1: Vector cheated first. The only reason Yuma needed to use Shining Evolution in the first place was because Vector gave Yuma the V cards and Limited Barian's Force to use against him. And remember, the Duel Monsters card game post-GX is an open source project and new cards are generally created in a laboratory with expensive computers, meaning Vector likely used his position as leader of Barian world to make those cards *specifically* to screw Yuma over. 2: Shining Evolution isn't like Shining Draw, where Yuma could theoretically make any card he wants but doesn't because he's an idiot. Shining Draw is specifically the power to bring out a card's "true form." The only reason it worked in the first place is because the code contained in Limited Barian Force's microchip was somehow "incomplete."

[@_Vengeance_]

Vector was incredibly dirty, but I wouldn't call it cheating. He didn't sneak the V-cards into Yuma's deck like Weevil sneaking Parasite Paracide into Joey's deck, it was Yuma's conscious choice to use them.

[@Eric6761]

​@@_Vengeance_plus it's not like those cards were 100% detrimental to Yuma, they were usable just fine

[@popstarchamp]

I can see the argument that Yuma kinda cheated here. But can we also take a second and talk about how there was apparently some alternate dimension out there that acts as an automatic Field Spell for any couple of people who came across it and decided to play a children's card in it. Why in the name of the Numeron Code would there be a place like that?😅

[@kevinosi6850]

Zexal it's a shonen battle. They create cards mid game. Also if you go with all the scenes where characters didn't followed the card text then almost all characters cheated once.

[@ShamdenSmuki]

my only problem is moreso that he dosen't use the power later on. if he did then i wouldn't mind him using shining evolution but the only time he does its the most convenient.

[@isjor5]

In sevens Yuga cheated by putting a card from outside of his deck on the very top not to mention the times he drew an id card and turned it into a monster card that wasn't in his deck

[@ryuho55]

There were so many ways Yuma lost this duel it hurts lol

[@nicholasfarrell5981]

You forgot about the time Yugi swapped dimensions to our world, and forced Kazuki Takahashi to make Joey not win Battle City. No one else has given _that_ excuse to stan Joey yet, have they? Please tell me that I actually stole an excuse from the clowns this time.

[@ihavenoson3384]

This is such a newbie take. They have cheated in every duel since the first one against Kaiba.

[@gravethestampede3454]

That's not true, everything that seems like cheating in DM is the result of the rules or card effects being different. If character attempts an illegal play the duel disks don't allow that to happen. A couple of examples being when Joey attempts to normal summon a monster without tributing at the start of Battle City and nothing happening, or Yuya not being able to pendulum summon because he set his scales incorrectly. It's sort of like how you aren't allowed to cheat in automated simulators like Master Duel unless the game is bugged. The "everyone is le cheating" take is unironically is the actual newbie take.

[@ihavenoson3384]

@@gravethestampede3454 It is EXPLICITLY EXPLAINED in the OG dub that they are cheating to get the cards they want. Bandit Keith's thing was to hide extra cards inside his clothes. Sure, let's double down on ideas that are contradicted the f-ing story and the main plot. It is not a minor detail - it is the whole f-ing point that everyone is cheating. Otherwise the matches would end in about four turns. You cannot fill an episode with something like that. Just call it a personal head canon or a fanfic because that is what you have. P.S. At this point I am only curious about what other dumb stuff you are going to share with the class. :D

[@gravethestampede3454]

@ihavenoson3384 I was speaking in general terms. Yes there are examples of cheating that take place. Some that are called out and some that aren't. Characters that cheat and blatantly like Keith and Pegasus are the rare exception I didn't feel were worth bringing up because it's so obvious that other characters point it out. I'm talking about duelists like Yugi using unconventional strategies in Duelists Kingdom like attacking the moon to withdraw the tides and beach Mako's monsters. Plenty of fans call this cheating despite it clearly just being a completely different game from what they've grown accustomed to. I get it, the show doesn't do a good job of clearly explaining what can and can't happen in Duelists Kingdom and in Battle City to a lesser extent. There are a few instances of genuine cheating on the side of the protagonists, such as Kaiba interfering with the duel with Fake Kaiba to give Yugi an unfair advantage by hacking into the game directly to debuff the imposters Blue-Eyes. But even then Yugi didn't have any control have any control over what Kaiba was doing so that example is a bit iffy. Generally speaking things are kept clean. Maybe I am shifting goal posts slightly, but to say that there's always cheating going on in the anime is just out of pocket.

[@darijanmitrovski6220]

​@@ihavenoson3384 bro you can just say fucking, no one is snitching

[@babysinclairfan]

Counterpoint: It was really cool

[@ShamdenSmuki]

yeah i think it was super cool aswell. i just happened to overthink about it and came to this conculsion. i still like yuma alot and yugioh is filled with little moments like this to be honest

[@Kurakami15]

How is shining draw itself not cheating bro? Shining draw is literally him creating a whole card on the top of his deck and drawing it, how is that NOT cheating? lmao Playmakers fucking data storm thing is the same thing too, literally adding cards to the deck or extra deck post the start of the duel is cheating period if not done by the effect of ANOTHER card.

[@genyakozlov1316]

Both are just Speed Duel/Duel Links skills. The actual Duel Links has way more busted skills than adding a card from outside the deck. Yusaku is even specifically playing Speed Duels in Vrains.

[@jjasuka]

@@genyakozlov1316cope

[@rieftheleaf]

You should have created this as a short, honestly. Works better for Videos under 3 Minutes.

[@mrevilducky]

Yusei draw a card from the heavens

[@overseerpjoe9477]

I've been saying this ever since the episode first aired, Yuma is the only actual cheater of the protagonists. That's why he's my least favourite of them all, and by a very wide margin. Also, the "Vector cheated first" argument is silly since he never did anything against the actual rules of the game, he just already knew his opponent's deck and had a counter to it. It's no different from teching in a copy of Ra Phoenix Mode if you know your opponent uses Sphere Mode.

[@fxzzy__]

Yuma was a cheater in Episode 1? Damn that's new ig. And you can have your preferences but it is sad how little people care about character writing in YGO sometimes and instead just fuss over the card game mechanics when this is an anime

[@genyakozlov1316]

​@fxzzy__ That's like complaining that in Dragon Ball they stop following tournament rules when the fight becomes to the death. When the existence of the world is at stake and if you lose you die, I think sticking to fairness rules makes no sense.

[@jjasuka]

Playermaker is a cheater when ever he use storm access

[@overseerpjoe9477]

I never said "Yuma was cheating since episode one." I said I called him a cheater ever since this episode first aired. Big difference. Also, cheating aside, a lot of people don't like Yuma BECAUSE of his character writing. He learns "Make Hope have big attack, swing" in his first duel, and only does that the whole series. Which is baffling considering he has access to one of the best Extra Deck toolboxes in the Number cards. He literally loses to a single Magic Cylinder. As for Extra Deck monsters being made out of thin air, that seems to be a thing basically anyone can do in the show's universe. Kinda like the old video games where you can fuse two random cards together and hope you make something. And Playmaker/Revolver in particular have an in game Skill that lets them make a new Link Monster on the spot. You can also argue the beginning of Arc-V when Yuya made the Pendulum Monsters, but that was actually Zarc possessing him, and Yuya was just as confused. And as for Philosopher's Stone- Sabatiel, the anime card effect was "This becomes any other Spell Card in the game, then shuffle back into the deck." So Judai wasn't cheating when he turned it into other cards. Yuma was the only Protag who looked at a card in his hand and changed it into something else with willingly, and with no game effect to back it up. It's the same thing as your opponent looking at the Harpie's Feather Duster in his hand, and swapping it for a Raigeki because you have no backrow.

[@Samsapopin]

I still believed Yami Yugi cheated against Arkana. He just suddenly uses Arkana's Dark Magic Curtain spell card right when Arkana's 2nd Dark Magician was about to attack. And I don't think Flute of Summoning Dragon allows the opponent to summer dragons from their hand. Like in the Yugi vs. Kaiba Battle City duel.

[@bigfish5544]

Anime effects dude. It's different from real life

[@MegaMachiOnline]

@@Samsapopin battle city rules Flute and Curtain function the same, because it’s ruled both players can benefit

[@FranciscoRamirez-nb4uu]

​@@MegaMachiOnline I will asume it's a manga problem, because the anime despite doing original things was still adapting the manga so maybe they just did what happened in the manga but showing OCG/TCG cards since the series was also meant to sell them

[@MegaMachiOnline]

@ certain spell cards that summon from the hand & deck extend to the opponent who shares in typing/name as even seto’s flute doesn’t specify its range but yugi is quick to point it out mid battle similarly replay attacks don’t genuinely exist which is why “sacrifice escape” is a thing

[@Clyde975]

​@@bigfish5544So that also explains how Yugi destroying the moon creates a tidal wave that kills monsters. Or how Yugi destroying Swords of Revealing Light, destroyed swords holding up a building above his opponent's monsters, SOMEHOW destroying them in the process

[@j.s.h7046]

he was using a fake errata of numeron force created by vector he was the one that was getting cheated it's not about the card game it's also about the powers that revolve around it. It's like you giving me a deck with a card with a fake text and mid game i realize it and change it before i use it its not like yuma used limited barians force during the duel. The whole point is that he tried to give him a nerfed card on purpose and he turned the tables on him but i think they made it perfect that the card didnt spawn out of thin air and that he hadnt activated limited barians force before so it's fair game if he can reveal the true form of the card with his powers.

[@LuckyNumber39]

And here I thought Shining Evolution was manga-exclusive

[@fxzzy__]

The actual name of the power is "Re-Contract Universe". The dub changed it to "Shining Evolution" because they like changing stuff for no reason

[@randomrankingz]

​@fxzzy__ just asking but is this bad in any way?

[@fxzzy__]

@ Eh it's not that deep tbh

[@randomrankingz]

@fxzzy__ fair enough cause I was gonna say “re-contract universe” and “shining evolution” sound equally as cool lol

[@vagabond1845]

lol dont yumi start making cards out of thin air at the last episode of the series and this is not a hate on zexal i love this series

[@TheZeroDav]

play in this months meta in DL its the same

[@TheJoethud22]

To be fair vector cheated first

[@jacobdrolet4262]

Amazing interesting 🤔