{{Infobox episode| series =Yu-Gi-Oh!| season =Major Events3| image =Yugioh125.png| en_name =The Darkness Returns - Part 1 *First Duel | ja_name = 闇の準決勝 城之内ｖｓマリク| romaji_name = Yami no Junkesshō Jōnōchi Vāsasu Mariku| ja_trans_name = Semifinal of the Battle City SemiDarkness -FinalsJonochi vs.Marik*Many of [[The Winged Dragon of Ra]]'s effects are revealed.| number = 125*The two Duel in a Shadow Game. As their monsters are destroyed| ja_air_date = September 10, more physical energy is zapped away from them2002*Joey collapses in pain and exhaustion (and almost died) before he can make the winning move and thus| en_air_date = May 15, loses2004| ja_opening = WILD DRIVE| ja_ending = Paradise| en_theme = Yu-Gi-Oh! theme| screenwriter = Akemi Omode}}

==Marik's TurnMajor events==*Summons First Duel of the [[Gil GarthBattle City]] (1800/1200) in attack positionSemi-Finals.*Sets This is a card[[Shadow Game]] with upped stakes. [[Yami Marik|Marik]] makes it so that "dark energy strings" connect Marik and [[Joey Wheeler|Joey]] to each monster they summon. As a monster is destroyed or weakened, a corresponding amount of "damage" is dealt to the monster's owner. As it turns out, Joey is the only one whose physical energy is visibly affected, albeit not as badly as Marik had expected.

==Featured Duel: Marik Ishtar vs. Joey's TurnWheeler - Part 1==*Sets a card*Summons [[Alligator Sword]] (1500/1200) in defense position*Marik turns the duel into a [[Shadow Game]]

==<u>'''Turn 1: Yami Marik's Turn==''</u><br />*Summons Yami Marik draws "[[Drillago]] Gil Garth (1600/1000anime) in attack position.*Destroys [[Alligator's Sword]] with [[Drillago]].*Attacks Joey directly [[|Gil Garth]].*Joey activates [[Scapegoat]] special summoning four [[Sheep Tokens]] " and subsequently Normal Summons it (01800/01200) in defense position.*[[Gil GarthAttack Position]] destroys a . He then [[Sheep TokenSet]]s a card ("Dark Wall of Wind").

==<u>'''Turn 2: Joey Wheeler'''</u><br />Joeydraws "Alligator's Sword". [[Joey]]'s Turn==*Summons [[Panther hand]] contains "[[Scapegoat (later anime)|Scapegoat]]", "[[Rocket Warrior(anime)|Rocket Warrior]]", "[[Graceful Dice (anime)|Graceful Dice]] ", "[[Foolish Burial (2000/1600anime) in attack position.*Tributes a |Foolish Burial]]", "[[Sheep TokenBaby Dragon (anime)|Baby Dragon]] so " and "[[Panther WarriorAlligator's Sword (anime)|Alligator's Sword]] can attack".*Destroys He then [[Gil GarthSet]] with s a card and Joey [[Panther WarriorNormal Summon]] s "Alligator's Sword" (Marik 38001500/1200)in [[Defense Position]].

==<u>'''Turn 3: Yami Marik'''</u><br />Yami Marik draws. He then [[Normal Summon]]s Turn==*Activates "[[Tribute BurialDrillago (anime)|Drillago]], removing " (1600/1100) in [[Alligator SwordAttack Position]] . "Drillago" attacks and [[destroy]]s "Alligator's Sword". "Gil Garth" attacks directly, but Joey activates his face-down "Scapegoat" to [[Special Summon]] from play to special summon four "[[HelpoemerSheep Token (anime)|Sheep Tokens]] " (20000/15000 for each)in [[Defense Position]]. "Gil Garth" destroys a "Sheep Token".

==<u>'''Turn 4: JoeyWheeler's Turn==''</u><br />*Summons Joey draws "[[Rocket Panther Warrior (anime)|Panther Warrior]] " and subsequently Normal Summons it (15002000/13001600) in attack position.*Marik activates [[Hidden SoldierAttack Position]], . He then [[Special SummonTribute]]ing [[Plasma Eel]] (500/1200), which equips itself s a "Sheep Token" to [[allow "Panther Warrior]]*Joey attacks [[Helpoemer]] with [[Rocket Warrior]], reducing its [[ATK]] " to 1500attack.*Tributes a token so [["Panther Warrior]] can attack " attacks and destroys "Gil Garth" ([[Helpoemer]] (Yami Marik|Marik 3300)*Helpoemer's effect activates, randomly discarding a card from Joey's hand at the end of each of his [[Battle Phase]]s.*Joey discards [[Jinzo]]*[[Panther Warrior]] loses 500 [[ATK]] (1500/16004000 → 3800).

==<u>'''Turn 5: Yami Marik'''</u><br />Yami Marikdraws "Hidden Soldiers". [[Marik]]'s Turn==*Sets two cardshand contains "[[Card of Last Will (anime)|Card of Last Will]]", "Tribute Burial", "Plasma Eel", "Helpoemer" and "Hidden Soldiers". Yami Marik [[Activate|activates]] "[[Tribute Burial (anime)|Tribute Burial]]" to [[Banish|remove from play]] "Alligator's Sword" from [[Joey Wheeler|Joey]]'s [[Graveyard]] and "Gil Garth" from his own Graveyard in order to [[Normal Summon]] "[[Helpoemer (anime)|Helpoemer]]" (2000/1400) in [[Attack Position]] without Tributing. Yami Marik then [[set]]s a card.

==<u>'''Turn 6: JoeyWheeler's Turn==''</u><br />*Summons Joey draws "[[Jinzo (anime)|Jinzo]]". He then [[Baby DragonNormal Summon]] s "Rocket Warrior" (12001500/7001300) in defense position*Attacks [[DrillagoAttack Position]] with . [[Rocket WarriorYami Marik|Marik]], decreasing its then [[ATKactivate]] to 1100*Marik activates s his face-down "[[Card of Last WillHidden Soldiers (anime)|Hidden Soldiers]], drawing 5 cards*Joey attacks " to [[DrillagoSpecial Summon]] with "[[Panther WarriorPlasma Eel]] " (Marik 2900500/1200)*Marik activates in [[Coffin SellerAttack Position]]*since Joey discards [[Insect Queen]], activating [[Coffin Seller]]'s Normal Summoned a monster. Yami Marik activates the effect (Joey 3700)*[[of "Plasma Eel]] decreases [[" to equip the latter to "Panther Warrior]]'s ". "Rocket Warrior" attacks "Helpoemer". Due to the effect of "Rocket Warrior", it is not destroyed and Joey takes no Battle Damage. After damage calculation, the final effect of "Rocket Warrior" reduces the ATK of "Helpoemer" [[ATK]] by 500 until the end of the turn (1000"Helpoemer": 2000 → 1500/16001400).

==Marik'Joey then [[Tribute]]s Turn==*Sets a card*Activates "Sheep Token" to allow "Panther Warrior" to attack. "Panther Warrior" attacks and destroys "Helpoemer" ([[Premature BurialYami Marik|Marik]], paying 800 LP (Marik 21003800 → 3300) . Since "Helpoemer" was sent to the [[Special SummonGraveyard]] as a result of battle, Joey is now forced to randomly discard a card from his hand at the end of each of his [[DrillagoBattle Phase]] (1600/1000)*Tributes it to Summon s so long as "Helpoemer" is in the Graveyard. At the end of the Battle Phase, the effect of "Helpoemer" forces [[Legendary FiendJoey Wheeler|Joey]]to discard "Jinzo".

==Joey's Turn==*Marik activates '[[Nightmare Wheel]] and chooses [[Rocket Warrior]] as its target*Joey summons [[LittleYu-Gi-Oh! -Winguard]] (1400/1800) in defense position*Switches [[Panther Warrior]] to defense position*[[Panther WarriorEpisode 126|Duel continues next episode.]]'s [[ATK]] decreases by 500 (500/1600)'

==Marik's TurnChanges to the English dub==*The pincers on "[[Legendary FiendPlasma Eel]]'s " are made glowy in the dub.* Cut from the dub is "Plasma Eel" digging into the head of "[[ATKPanther Warrior (anime)|Panther Warrior]] increases to 2200 while " and the latter twitching.* The violence against the "[[Nightmare WheelSheep Token (anime)|Sheep Tokens]] inflicts 500 damage to Joey " is obscured in the dub.* The cross of "[[Helpoemer (Joey 3200anime)|Helpoemer]]" is changed to a slab in the English version.*Marik attack A shot of [[Little-WinguardYami Marik]] gagging after Helpoemer is struck by the effect of "[[Rocket Warrior (Joey 2900anime)*Sets a card|Rocket Warrior]]" is also removed from the dub.

==Joey's TurnFeatured cards==*Activates [[Question]], and since Marik guessed wrong (he couldn't guess what card was at the bottom of Joey's Graveyard, because it was discarded by Helpoemer), he can [[Special Summon]] [[Jinzo]] (2400/1500) from his [[Graveyard]]*Destroys Marik's [[Trap Card]]s*Changes all his monsters to attack position*Attacks [[Legendary Fiend]] with [[Jinzo]] (Marik 1900)*As Joey sends his other monsters to attack, Marik activates [[Dark Wall of Wind]] to negate the attacks*[[Helpoemer]] discards [[Foolish Burial]] from Joey's hand*[[Plasma Eel]] reduces [[Panther Warrior]]'s [[ATK]] by 500 (0/1600)The following cards appeared in this episode. Cards in italics debuted here.

==Marik's Turn={{Decklist|Flashbacks|effect monsters =*Tributes [[JinzoHolding Arms (anime)|Holding Arms]] and * [[Baby DragonHolding Legs (anime)|Holding Legs]] to * [[Special SummonThe Winged Dragon of Ra (anime)|The Winged Dragon of Ra]] <u>Other</u>* [[Lava GolemSacred Stone of Ujat]] (3000/2500) on Joey's side of the field*Sets a card}}

{{Decklist|Yami Marik|normal monsters =* [[Drillago (anime)|Drillago]]<ref group=Notes name=Joeynormal>This was played as a [[Normal Monster]]. It is an [[Effect Monster]] in the ''[[TCG]]''/''[[OCG]]''.</ref>* ''[[Gil Garth (anime)|Gil Garth]]'s Turn='|effect monsters =*Attacks, but Marik activates ''[[Relieve MonsterHelpoemer (anime)|Helpoemer]], returning ''* ''[[Plasma Eel]] to his hand''|magic =* ''[[Dark Wall of Wind]]''<ref group=Notes name=set>This card can be seen, then it was [[Special SummonSet]]s it back to his side of the field .</ref>* [[Foolish Burial (500/1200anime). It |Foolish Burial]]<ref group=Notes name=set2>This card can't be destroyed by battleseen, so it remainswas [[Set]] in the dub.</ref>*''[[HelpoemerTribute Burial (anime)|Tribute Burial]] discards ''|traps =* [[GambleCard of Last Will (anime)|Card of Last Will]] from Joey<ref group=Notes name=hand>This card can be seen in Marik's [[hand]].</ref>*''[[Lava Golem]] inflicts 700 damage to Joey Hidden Soldiers (Joey 2200anime) (Note: In the real game, [[Lava Golem|Hidden Soldiers]] inflicts 1000 damage)''}}

{{Decklist|Joey Wheeler|normal monsters =* [[Alligator's Sword (anime)|Alligator's Sword]]* [[Baby Dragon (anime)|Baby Dragon]]<ref group=MarikNotes name=hand2>This card can be seen in Joey's Turnhand.</ref>|effect monsters =* [[Jinzo (anime)|Jinzo]]<ref group=Notes name=hand2/>*Activates [[Machine DuplicationPanther Warrior (anime)|Panther Warrior]], * [[Special SummonRocket Warrior (anime)|Rocket Warrior]]ing two |magic =* [[Plasma EelFoolish Burial (anime)|Foolish Burial]]s <ref group=Notes name=hand2/>* [[Graceful Dice (500anime)|Graceful Dice]]<ref group=Notes name=hand2/1200 each) to the field>*All three equip themselves to Joey's monsters[[Scapegoat (later anime)|Scapegoat]]*Sets a card}}

==Joey's TurnNotes==*Activates [[Graceful Dice]] and rolls a six, raising [[Plasma Eel]]'s [[ATK]] by 2500 (3000/1200). This negates the [[Machine Duplication]]'s effect, destroying the other two [[Plasma Eel]]s and freeing Joey's monsters*Tributes all three of them to Summon [[Gilford the Lightning]] (2800<references group=Notes /1400). This activates its effect, destroying Marik's monsters*Attacks, but Marik activates [[Nightmare Mirror]], negating the attack, inflicting 1000 damage to Joey (Joey 1200) and discarding [[The Winged Dragon of Ra]] from Marik's hand>

==Marik's Turn==*Activates [[Monster Reborn]] to [[Special Summon]] [[The Winged Dragon of Ra]] (?/?)*Transforms it into [[Egyptian God Phoenix]] (0/0)*Activates one of its effect, paying 1000 LP (Marik 1100) to destroy Gilford. This obliterates nearly all of Joey's strength, but he still stands*Ra returns to the [[Graveyard]] ==Joey's Turn==*Summons [[Gearfried the Iron Knight]] (1800/1600), but collapses before he can declare an attack and loses. Marik wins [[Category:{{Yu-Gi-Oh! Episodes]]episodes/season 3}}