How Yugioh 5Ds' Story Could Have Been a Masterpiece

 

For my money, Yugioh 5Ds is the last incredible Yugioh series. It even wraps up the anime trilogy timeline perfectly through the Bonds Beyond Time movie, which along with Duel Monsters and GX comprises the perfect canon (and conveniently allows me to dismiss the series after it, which I hate). 5Ds is an incredible series, but unlike Duel Monster which is a 10/10 and GX which is an 11/10, I consider it a 9.5/10 for 2 main reasons. The first one was the increased use of CGI for the main boss monsters as the series progressed, which thankfully wasn't too prominent, but would later become overused in the series that follow it. The second reason is what I wanna talk about today. Z-One.

I'm now gonna get into some fairly specific plot lines so if you haven't seen Yugioh 5Ds it's probably not gonna make sense, but for the literal 1 of you who keeps reading anyway here's a super quick introduction to Z-One. He's the ultimate villain of the story and the driving force behind pretty much all other villains so basically the final boss of the series. Now I actually like him as a character, but I believe the writers of 5Ds could have done A LOT better with him by altering one questionable decision. Long story short, Z-One is a scientist who comes from a future where the world got destroyed and humanity was completely obliterated except for 4 remaining humans. Aporia, Antinomy, Paradox and himself. 

In order to prevent that future from happening he sends all of his besties in the past to do a few different things like kill the creator of the duel monsters game in order to stop its spread as well as ensure the Ener-D/Moment/Momentum energy doesn't blow everything up... again. Of course all of his boys fail and the big man himself says "Fine, Imma do it myself". So far so good right? Got your somewhat typical bad guy stuff, trying to accomplish a noble goal through evil means with some time travel mumbo jumbo thrown in for extra flavour.

 

Here comes the big reveal. So all this time, broski's been wearing a mask, but around a third of the way into his final duel with our MC Yusei, he takes some damage... his mask cracks.... and 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱

IT'S AN OLDER VERSION OF YUSEI'S FACE. At this point everyone watching is shitting themselves from excitement. He even says "Fudo Yusei, I am a future you" (varies slightly depending on the translation). This has GOT to be one of the coolest reveals in anime... except it wasn't, cuz he's not actually the future Yusei. What happens is we're led to believe he is until his backstory is revealed a little later in the duel and it turns out it's just some random dude who used his skills as a scientist to modify his body into a bastardized version of Yusei who he looked up to, in order to bring hope to humanity in these desperate times. Bro was literally a fanboy cosplaying Yusei and although he did it out of noble intent and it even worked for a while, eventually more and more people began dying around him who he failed to save (btw killed by robots who were kind of manifested through humanity's negative feelings... yes it gets wacky). 

Now it should be noted that in all fairness, Z-One was a brilliant scientist as not only was he able to transfigure his body into Yusei's image (except for the right side of his face, which has a mechanical device, which gaslights him into thinking he's Yusei and acting like him), but the more impressive thing is being able to recreate Yusei's Shooting Star Dragon.

This is where we enter a super interesting territory, which I haven't seen anyone else discuss. The reason why that's important is because Shooting Star Dragon is an Accel Synchro, which Yusei in the present is only able to obtain through seeing Antinomy (one of Z-One's buddies who went to change the past) perform it and later obtain his own Clear Mind ability. This creates a time paradox, as Z-One was able to scientifically recreate an exclusive card which was originally obtained through his own attemp to manipulate the past. Without Z-One's involvement Yusei wouldn't even know what an Accel Synchro is. This is not necessarily a bad thing as time paradoxes in stories are fascinating when done right, but in this case, virtually every plot element points to how there was no reason to immediately redcon Z-One's initial statement of being a future version of Yusei.

I remember watching Super Eyepatch Wolf's video on Shenmue 3, where towards the end he presents us with a fixed scenario for how the game should have ended in his eyes. However, prior to that he says "It's the height of hubris to say a piece of art is bad and that you could fix it despite having never worked in the industry it was created". I largely agree with this statement so rather than framing what I'm about to discuss as the correct or fixed scenario, treat it more as a possible alternate timeline (which may still end up as canon considering the first scene of Dark Side of Dimensions virtually confirms the existence of an infinite (or at least ever expanding) multiverse soooo yeah).

 

Here's what I'm proposing. Everything is mostly the same up until Z-One's face reveal and prior to his actual backstory flashback. We simply don't backpedal on that initial idea and leave Z-One as the future version of Yusei. I find this to be both more thematically siginificnt and consistent to the already established narrative. For instance, why did Z-One have to be some random scientist in the future when Yusei literally ends up becoming a scientist in the future himself? 

I suppose the world's destruction is brought about in a future even more distant than 50 or 60 years after the events of 5Ds (speculated to be somewhere around 200), considering it's strongly implied Yusei has been dead for some time, though still remembered as a legend. Taking that into consideration, there's no reason the timeline couldn't be moved forward to accommodate Yusei becoming Z-One in the not too distant future. That's like having the final few puzzle pieces lined up and intentionally putting them in the wrong place. You had all the building blocks, but you let the chance slip away.

 

The other example is the clear foreshadowing found in the details of Z-One's mask. It quite literally shares the same criminal mark as Yusei's engraved into it, which if you only noticed upon second viewing is an incredibly rewarding piece of foreshadowing... or it would have been if this was actually Yusei. The mark being used for Z-One loses some of its meaning and goes from a potentially brilliant connection to a simple imitation.

The final alteraion I would have loved to see is something within Z-One's deck to reinforce the fact that this is infact a future version of Yusei and not just some imposter. I found the Timelords to be pretty good boss monsters, but just picture this.

 

It's nearing the end of the duel and Yusei makes a comeback with something like Majestic Star Dragon, destroying the Timelords much like how it destroyed Team Ragnarok's Nordic Gods. At this point Z-One is left at 100lp.

Yusei says something like: "With the bonds between me and my friends, there will always be hope for the future!"

Upon hearing that, Z-One's eyes begin to show a hint of nostalgic bliss before replying with: "My exact words all those years ago."

His eyes then lose that brief spark

"You don't realize this now much like how I didn't when I was in your place, but this duel has already happened. I'm not sure how many times, but as I am your previous version and the one before me looked like I do now, it could have been an infinite amount of times."

.

.

.

"It's time I let you see how it ends"

"Let me show you how I lost so long ago and how you'll lose now. Behold. A power which won't be unlocked for you until decades from now." 

*Revs up* *Sparks flying* *Pink aura surrounds him*

"I remove from play Time Angel and all 11 Timelords from my graveyard to perform the Ultimate Synchro Summon!"

Over Top Clear Mind

Limit Over Accel Sunchro

SHOOTING QUAZAR DRAGON!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

I know I'm sucking my own dick by saying this, but I'm literally getting goosebumps reading this shit lmao. To see what we know as the ultimate symbol of hope for the future used by the villain, who used to be the hero feels absolutely unreal. This is another factor that would reinforce the "Z-One should have been Yusei" argument as in this scenario Shooting Quazar Dragon is the proof in the pudding. Hold up tho, I ain't done cooking. Here's how I imagine the rest of the duel going:

Z-One: "All miracles have abandoned you" (a reference to how Majestic Dragon is generally not in one's deck, but only appears on top of it when it's needed)

"It's time you lose your savior" (a reference to Majestic Star Dragon's Japanese name being Savior Star Dragon)

Shooting Quazar Dragon destroys Majestic Star Dragon and for the sake of suspense let's say Yusei is also left at 100lp for a nice lil parallel between him and Z-One. Some time passes to assert how this is Yusei's final draw for additional suspense before he picks it back up with:

"Z-One. I don't know what your future holds, but I know it won't be the mine. We are not the same. I'll believe in my deck and place everything I have as a duelist and everyone's dreams on this draw! Unlike you, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED I'll never lose hope!

Yusei draws his final card and a face of pure shock follows.

Z-One: "This precise moment is what happened... Ironic isn't it"

"Hope for Escape. A trap card whose effect can't be activated. Everything you bet is worth nothing in the end."

"This is the death of Yusei Fudo and the birth of Z-One. Soon I will turn you into myself, into your final self."

 

Yusei: "No. I refuse to believe it."

 

Z-One: "You don't have to believe in anything. You just have to accept it. You've used your entire deck, you have no cards on the field, nothing to activate from your graveyard and the only card in your hand is a falsehood of what you once were. This is the end."

Yusei: "No... there has to be a way..."

 

Z-One: "An expected turn of events, necessary for your transformation into myself. I was also stubborn untill the bitter end."

Z-One's massive hands begin inputting codes into a holographic screen. "Yusei Fudo, thanks t you thousands of people will perish right in front of your eyes. I have activated a 30 second countdown which will trigger the final zero reverse for this world located in the centre of Ark Cradle."

 

Yusei, overwhelmed by terror needs to make one last heroic decision.

Z-One: "The only way to stop it is if you end your turn."

 

25, 24, 23

 

Yusei: "No..."

 

20, 19, 18

 

"No..."

 

15, 14, 13

 

Yusei revs up and speeds up going towards Ark Cradle with full force.

Yusei: "I wont give up, not when eveyone believed in me, thats not why they entrusted me with their hopes and dreams! Not now, not ever!"

Z-One gazes at the explosion with an absent minded look. He then proceeds to slowly lift his 2 mechanical hands.

"You've lost your wings Yusei Fudo. Now come to me Z-One."

 

BUT THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN...

The massive explosion stops as if bound by the chains of time. A vague silhouette can be seen from the inside.

 

Z-One is filled with confusion as he witnesses the past changing right before his eyes.

 

A voice from within the stopped explosion then echoes throughout the entire Neo Domino City.

 

"Z-One, your biggest mistake was showing me the difference between us. No matter what, no matter who I'm up against, I'm not fighting alone. That includes you. I thank you for showing me the road to victory!"

 

At this point the the silhouette becomes clearer and clearer. Yusei raises his hand and the explosion resumes its movement but in reverse. 

"I remove from play all 12 Synchro monster in my graveyard including all Signer Dragons entrusted to me!"

Ultimate Clear Mind

Final Miracle Accel Synchro

CRIMSON DRAGON!!!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

At this point the explosion is concentrated at the centre of arc cradle and explodes anew but with a red tint (for reference imagine something similar to how XYZ monsters appear to be summoned in Zexal). This forms a portal out of which the physical manifestation of the ultimate dragon appears. Yusei is then seen flying in the air in his final Crimson form equipped with the red wings bestowed by Aporia. (This is just a badass form to serve as an alternate version the anime's golden form).

That's pretty much it. From here on out, the Crimson Dragon has some kind of busted effect like it's summoning cannot be negated, negating all other effects on the field, being unaffected by card effects and its attack being equal to the combined attack of all removed from play monsters. I think this would be a great way to demonstrate its power as its atk points will grow to a ridiculously high number from all of Z-One's banished Timelords and Yusei's synchros. One final attack and bada bing bada boom, Crimson Dragon destroys Quazar and Z-One is obliterated from existence, thus breaking the infinite time loop as well as changing the past, present and future.

Everybody sings Hallelujah, Yusei has his final duel against Jack and the series ends as it did in the anime.

Overall, this is just my alternate headcanon, I really do think Z-One being the real Yusei from the future makes way more sense in all conceivable ways, but the anime's canon, especially Yusei summoning Quazar is always gonna be awesome too.

Lemme know what you think and thanks for reading!

Finally, this blog also marks the 2nd anniversary of my website and I wanted to do something special by finally bringing this idea to live, cuz it has been living in my head for way too long. I can't express how happy I am to have made it this far in my journey to make goofy ahh anime videos! Thank you for all your support! WE GOING TO THE TOP BABYYY!!! 😎

Follow me to get notified whenever I post.

YouTube (posting daily)

Instagram (posting daily) 

TikTok (posting daily)

Patreon