Akhenaden (manga)

Akhenaden (アクナディン Akunadin) is a character in the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga. This is the original depiction of Akhenaden, known as Aknadin in the English anime.

Akhenaden

Names
English	Akhenaden
Japanese Japanese アクナディン Rōmaji Akunadin
Personal
Birth	III Peret 29
Age	46
Height	1.68 m <br />5.512 ft <br />66.142 in <br />168 cm
Weight	123.459 lb <br />56 kg
Gender	Male
Blood type	B
Favorite food	Roast pigeon
Least favorite food	Broad bean stew
Relatives
Akhenamkhanen (brother) Seto (son) Atem (nephew)
Career
Occupation	High Priest of Darkness
Previous occupation	High priest
Appearances
Manga debut	Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 282 (Millennium World Duel 4): "Voyage into Memories"
Appears in Manga Yu-Gi-Oh! Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Books Yu-Gi-Oh! Character Guidebook: Millennium Book
Akhenaden (manga)

Akhenaden was the brother of Akhenamkhanen, uncle of Atem and father of Seto, all three of whom ruled as pharaoh in succession. He served as a high priest to Akhenamkhanen and was responsible for the Kul Elna massacre and creation of the Millennium Items to protect the kingdom from a foreign invasion. He also served as high priest to Atem, but wished for his son Seto to become pharaoh. Ultimately, he betrayed Atem, by using the Millennium Items to summon Zorc Necrophades, whom he fought alongside as the High Priest of Darkness. Atem defeated the High Priest of Darkness, by sealing both of their souls in the Millennium Puzzle. 3000 years later, the memories of their souls inside the puzzle were used to create the World of Memories, which was used as the setting for the Shadow RPG.

He played a major role in the Shadow RPG. He was the last antagonist to be defeated in the manga series.

Contents

BiographyEdit

Akhenamkhanen's reignEdit

Millennium Items creationEdit

Akhenaden was the brother of Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen. Since the day Akhenamkhanen took the throne, Akhenaden felt as though he was fated to walk in his brother's shadow.

Akhenaden served as an adviser to Akhenamkhanen and worked on the translation of the Millennium Tome, a feat which had been worked on by multiple generations for hundreds of years. Akhenaden and his aids succeeded in completing the translation and learned of its shadow alchemy, capable of turning ordinary objects into precious metals. Specifically it told how to make the seven Millennium Items, which grant mysterious powers. With Egypt under threat of foreign invaders, Akhenaden assembled a team of magicians and made preparations to perform the alchemy.

Secretly Zorc Necrophades had manipulated Akhenaden towards creating the Millennium Items. Zorc knew the people possessing the items would one day fight among themselves and one of them would be ambitious enough to use their powers to perform the Dark Contract to release him.

Akhenaden informed Akhenamkhanen of the invasion getting worse, stating that the foreign armies had crossed into their lands, were seven days from the palace and they did not have the necessary forces to fight back. He also warned Akhenamkhanen that it was not just an invasion, the enemy were after the Millennium Tome, having heard legends of its spells that can summon demons and gods, capable of bringing armies to their knees. This worried Akhenaden, as it would grant the invaders the ability to take over the continent. Akhenamkhanen pointed out that they had not managed to decipher the spells yet, but Akhenaden informed him of their recent completion of the translation. He requested permission to perform the shadow alchemy, so that they could use the forged items to protect the kingdom. Akhenamkhanen was worried that unleashing such great powers could bring about disaster, but with no time or other options, he granted Akhenaden permission to perform the alchemy.

Akhenaden leaves his family.

A sacrifice of ninety nine human lives was required to turn the base substances into gold. Akhenaden felt it was necessary to bloody his hands in order to save the country, but kept quiet about this requirement, as he knew Akhenamkhanen would not approve. He gathered a team of soldiers to venture to Kul Elna, a place which had earned a reputation as being the "village of thieves".

Akhenaden left his wife and their son, Seto, for their own safety. Seto grew up believing himself to be an orphan whose father died on the battlefield.

Akhenaden creates the Millennium Items.

The soldiers proceeded to kill the villagers, rationalizing it as punishment for the villagers grave-robbing crimes. The bodies of the deceased were placed in a boiling substance, which through the shadow alchemy, was used to forge the Millennium Items. Unbeknownst to Akhenaden and his co-conspirators, a survivor, Bakura, bore witness to the slaughter and ritual.

Akhenaden and his co-conspirators returned to the palace with the seven Millennium Items. The Millennium Puzzle was given to the pharaoh. The other six were given to priests, including Akhenaden, who received the Millennium Eye, which was painfully placed in his left eye socket. It had been written in the tome, that the Millennium Eye would grant a wish to its wearer. Akhenaden was skeptical, but saw no harm in making the wish regardless, so wished for his son, Seto, to become pharaoh.

Upon the invading army's attack, Akhenaden and the other Millennium Item holders stood outside of the palace and using the items' powers summoned ka, which easily destroyed the invaders' army.

Tragoedia's Weighing of the HeartEdit

Akhenaden was one of three high priests, who sealed Tragoedia after judging him. Akhenaden made the decision not to inform his brother of the event and to have the still-conscious Tragoedia's stone shattered and sealed away.

Atem's reignEdit

Continued priesthoodEdit

Akhenaden remained a member of the high priests after his brother died and his son, Atem, took the throne. He held the role of guardian of the Shrine of Wedju. Akhenaden was known to always show mercy, even to the worst of sinners. He witnessed his son Seto's rise to power as a high priest, the holder of the Millennium Rod, and taught him morality, philosophy, order and the law of Ma'at. Akhnaden was amazed his son had made his way from peasant to priest despite him abandoning him. Although, he did not tell him they were related. Both Seto and Atem were unaware that they were cousins.

Palace DiahaEdit

Akhenaden, using the Millennium Eye to expose a criminal's ka

Akhenaden took part of the exorcism of Dark Spirit of Chaos, from a criminal. He used the Millennium Eye to expose Dark Spirit of Chaos' true form. When the exorcism was complete, Seto suggested that they flaw the criminal's body, break his bones and execute him for the amusement of the pharaoh and to set a warning for future thieves. However Akhenaden argued that it was unnecessary, as the evil ka had been removed and that it was the duty of a priest to show mercy. He then sentenced the criminal to seven years hard labor.

Bakura, King of Thieves arrived at the pharaoh's palace, having plundered Akhenamkhanen's tomb, and stated his intentions to take the priests' Millennium Items. Akhenaden claimed that the Millennium Items are used to maintain law and order and tried to warn Bakura that the ones capable of holding the items are priests who have trained their souls and the divine pharaoh who rules the land. He said that should a person with a heart of evil, such as Bakura, touch a Millennium Item their soul would burn away and the gods would punish them with death. But Bakura said that excited him and he wanted them even more now. Akhenaden used the Millennium Eye to gaze into his soul and was surprised to see a bottomless pit of shadow with a powerful hatred hidden inside. He was also shocked by the size of Bakura's ka, Diabound, asking how such a demon could dwell within a mere thief's soul. However Bakura claimed Diabound was not a demon, but a god.

Seto became enraged by Bakura's disrespect and prepared to engage in battle. Akhenaden tried warning him that the enemy is powerful and that they ought to join forces to battle, but Seto insisted he was strong enough to do it alone. After defeating Seto's monster, Galestgoras, Bakura directly challenged the Atem, enraging Akhenaden, who said there would be no mercy for him. Bakura also showed he had brought the corpse of Akhenamkhanen with him and blamed him for the creation of the Millennium Items. Akhenaden argued that Akhenamkhanen had brought peace in his reign and created the items to fulfill his wish for a millennium of peace to be brought to the warn-torn country. Bakura challenged the perspective of the usage of the word "peace" and claimed the items were forbidden artifacts of black magic, possessing an evil power. The other priests were unconvinced by his claims, but when he mentioned Kul Elna, Akhenaden worried that he knew the truth.

Akhenaden and the priests, battling Bakura

The priests all summoned ka, to battle Bakura, including Akhenaden who used his spirit ka, Gadius. When Atem crossed the battlefield to recover Akhenamkhanen's body, Akhenaden got the priests to focus their efforts on protecting him. Ultimately, the priests were asked to step down when Atem decided to battle and revealed that he was the one capable of summoning the three hidden gods, as he called forth The God of the Obelisk. Bakura called the high priests out on their self-righteousness and questioned their loyalty, asking how Atem could be sure there was not one who coveted his throne, an accusation that disgusted Akhenaden. Finally Bakura was forced to retreat, as he was overwhelmed by Obelisk.

Akhenaden discusses how to handle Bakura with Seto

During the search for Bakura, Akhenaden met Seto at the Shrine of Wedju. Akhenaden worried about the strength of Bakura's Diabound and confessed they would have all died had the pharaoh not been able to wield the god. Seto doubted the monsters they had gathered in the shrine would be powerful enough, as they had all been collected from criminals. Akhenaden reminded him that Bakura was also a sinner, yet he had a strong ka. Akhenaden theorized that its power stemmed from Bakura's strong hatred of what happened at Kul Elna. He disclosed to Seto that while the Millennium Items were intended to be holy relics, they do indeed have a hidden evil side that few people know about, a secret which Bakura knew. He affirmed that Bakura had been truthful in his claims that the items were keys to opening the door to the underworld and could be used to forge a contract with the great evil god. But for that reason, he said they must stop Bakura, as it would be the fall of the kingdom. Seto proposed that they find people in the kingdom, possessing ka with hidden abilities, and capture and torture them. This would cause their ka to become strengthened by hatred. Akhenaden thought the plan was mad and said that the pharaoh would not allow it. Seto was aware and argued it is the pharaoh's duty to protect the world's peace, but in times like this the priests must step up and protect the royal house using shadow politics. Seto believed he could create a ka to surpass a god and asked that Akhenaden leave everything to him.

Mock DiahaEdit

Akhenaden partakes in a mock Diaha

In preparation for further attacks from Bakura, the priests conducted mock Diaha to strengthen themselves and their ka. In one such Diaha, Akhenaden was teamed with Seto and Shada to battle Mahado, Isis and Kalim. Akhenaden summoned Dark Ushebti to use a scapegoat for the "Spellbinding Phantasm" Mahado's Magus of Illusion had directed at Seto's Duos. Since Dark Ushebti had served its purpose, Seto sacrificed it to strengthen Duos and likewise sacrificed Shada's Zerua. The powered-up Duos wiped out the opposition. Afterwards, Akhenaden witnessed the mock Diaha between Atem and Seto.

Ka huntEdit

Akhenaden worries Seto is about to commit the same sin that he once did

Upon learning of Mahado's death in a Diaha with Bakura, Akhenaden worried that the Millennium Ring might have fallen into Bakura's hands. Seto requested permission to send his troops to the city to search for Bakura, which worried Akhenaden as he knew of Seto's plans to conduct the ka hunt.

At the Shirne of Wedju, Seto reported to Akhenaden that the ka hunt had went better than expected. They had taken about twenty people harboring ka captive. Akhenaden feared they were going down a dark path and urged Seto to let the prisoners go. However Seto did not relent and told him of Kisara, a woman he had found with a ka to rival the gods. He explained that her ka's strength was still in its infancy and he planned on torturing the other prisoners to find the best way to draw the greatest power from her ka. Once Seto departed Akhenaden fell to his knees and worried that Seto was about to commit the same sin that he once did.

Shrine of Wedju DiahaEdit

Akhenaden, after Bakura tampered with the Millennium Eye

Bakura snuck past the guards and confronted Akhenaden at the Shrine of Wedju. Akhenaden realized that Bakura now had the Millennium Ring and refused to allow him to take the Millennium Eye. He attempted to summon a ka from a stone slab, but Diabound destroyed the tablet before the ka could materialize. Bakura then used the power of the ring to fling Akhenaden against a slab. He noted that it would be easy to kill Akhenaden and take the Millennium Eye, but instead opted to make him work for him as his pawn. Akhenaden claimed that he could not be controlled and attempted to summon another ka from a slab, but Diabound immediately destroyed it.

Musing on the though of tearing Akhenaden limb for limb, Bakura thought it would not make up for the Kul Elna massacre. He asked if Akhenaden could still hear the screams of the villagers and identified himself as the sole survivor of the incident. He proclaimed that the city would soon also drown in blood, which would be spilled by Akhenaden as he becomes the ruler of shadows.

Bakura infused part of his evil within the Millennium Eye. The process left Akhenaden unconscious and bleeding from the eye socket. When Seto, Shada and Kalim arrived they mistook Akhenaden's injuries as the result of a failed attempt at stealing the Millennium Eye.

Prisoners' DiahaEdit

Akhenaden eyes the empty throne.

Atem disappeared following a battle with Bakura. While Seto boosted morale in continuing the search, Akhenaden noted the empty throne and thought that Seto needed to be given power, even at the cost of selling his soul to the shadow, like Akhenaden had done fifteen years prior. Isis informed the priests of a prediction the Millennium Tauk showed her, depicting a ripple in the waters that would fade unless multiple ripples overlap, creating a swell that would drown the kingdom in tragedy. However, she claimed that the tragedy could be prevented by using a vessel to hold the swell. Akhenaden believed her prediction referred to Seto succeeding Atem as pharaoh.

Akhenaden and Seto went to the underground prison to see the results of Gebelk's studies on the ka hunt prisoners. On the way, Seto informed Akhenaden of The White Dragon ka, believed to have power that rivaled the gods and welcomed him to confirm it with the Millennium Eye. Akhenaden pointed out that in the pharaoh's absence, they had lost the protection of the three hidden gods. Seto agreed that they needed to find a ka stronger than the gods, but Akhenaden said that they also needed a new pharaoh. He disclosed that he believed Seto to be the person from Isis' prediction and that Seto must gain the power to surpass the gods.

Akhenaden insists on testing Kisara's ka.

Gebelk led Akhenaden and Seto to seats at a fighting arena, where two prisoners with powerful monster ka were battling. He explained monster ka feed off the wielders' desire to live and he had grown their originally small weak ka by forcing the prisoners to fight to the death. Kisara was brought before Akhenaden and Seto. Gebelk proposed that they test the extent of the power of her ka, by forcing her to battle the prisoners. Seto was reluctant, as he knew Kisara could not control her ka and worried she could die. However Akhenaden adamantly insisted that they proceed, rationalizing that they needed to find a new god as soon as possible or be faced with anarchy, death and destruction. Seto was surprised by the passion in Akhenaden's eyes and found himself frozen unable to talk back.

Kisara's ka, The White Dragon emerged while she was unconscious and easily defeated the prisoners. Akhenaden felt The White Dragon might be more powerful than Diabound and even the pharaoh's three gods and asked Gebelk about how they could extract it. Gebelk said that Kisara was an exceptional case, since her ka only emerges while she is unconscious and theorized that her ba and ka were reunited. Akhenaden figured this meant that the ba of The White Dragon was possessing Kisara, using her as a vessel and said that they must make Seto its new vessel. Seto disagreed upon realizing it would mean Kisara's death, but Akhenaden saw it as a necessary sacrifice to make the throne accept Seto as the new pharaoh.

Seto was surprised by Akhenaden's insistence in killing Kisara to make him pharaoh, since he had always regarded Akhenaden as being extremely merciful. Seto saw it as his duty to be the one to protect the true pharaoh, to be Akhenaden's heir. Upon hearing the news that the pharaoh was still alive, Seto ordered the guards to move Kisara to another room and not tell anyone else her location. Akhenaden was horrified on learning that the pharaoh was still alive and went to Kisara's previous cell and killed the guard on duty when he saw that she had been moved. (The scene where he goes to Kisara's cell was only present in later Japanese printings, starting with the bunkoban.)

Kul Elna DiahaEdit

Akhenaden and the rest of the high priests traveled to Kul Elna, where it had been reported Atem and Bakura were located. There, he experienced a horrifying illusion of the ghosts of the villagers attacking him. The battle led to the defeat of Bakura.

War against the pharaohEdit

The High Priest of Darkness in the final battle

Akhenaden managed to gather the seven Millennium Items and place them in the tablet in the Shrine of the Underworld, conducting a contract with Zorc Necrophades. This endowed Akhenaden with the power of the shadows by infusing him with a part of Zorc's soul and transformed him into the High Priest of Darkness. The High Priest of Darkness considered himself to be both Akhenaden and a separate identity born from the evil in his heart. He would also identify himself as Zorc Necrophades.

As the High Priest of Darkness, Akhenaden gained the skills of a black magician and was considerably more powerful.

The High Priest of Darkness conquered the palace, gathered an army of monsters from stone slabs and together with the souls of the dead from Kul Elna waged war against Pharaoh Atem. At the end of the battle, the pharaoh gave his life to seal his soul in the Millennium Puzzle, taking the High Priest of Darkness with him and breaking the puzzle into pieces.

Shadow RPGEdit

SetupEdit

Akhenaden's mummy, behind Dark Bakura, as a player in the Shadow RPG and three hourglasses, representing his abilities

At some point, Akhenaden's mummy was brought to Domino City Museum.

When Dark Yugi played the Shadow RPG against Dark Bakura in the twentieth century, he replayed his life as Pharaoh Atem. The game was played in a world inside the Millennium Puzzle, built from the memories of the souls of Atem and the High Priest of Darkness, which had been sealed in the puzzle.

Dark Bakura, represented by the cards for Akhenaden and Bakura, King of Thieves

Dark Bakura and Dark Yugi played the RPG using cards depicting objects and people they controlled. Dark Bakura was represented by the "Bakura, King of Thieves" and "High Priest Akhenaden" cards. The players could use cards depicting people to control their actions. When the players did not issue commands to their cards, the people behaved according to the motives they had in the original course of events.

Ahhenaden's mummy, in the museum, was also a player in the RPG. His soul was one with that of Zorc and granted Dark Bakura the power to control time. Dark Bakura had three hourglass items at the RPG table used to represent these abilities. The portion of his soul which had been sealed within the Millennium Puzzle entered the World of Memories in the form of the High Priest of Darkness as a separate character than his past self.

The High Priest of Darkness aimed to return to life in the modern world, by winning in his battle with Atem without being sealed in the puzzle this time, a feat Atem should not be able to repeat since the world already existed within the Millennium Puzzle.

City DiahaEdit

Akhenaden visits his past self.

The High Priest of Darkness communicated with his past self, Akhenaden, shortly after Akhenaden and Bakura's Diaha at the Shrine of Wedju had been replayed. He told Akhenaden that he was his future self after making the contract with the shadows, explained the nature of the World of Memories and told him how the battles had played out in the original course of events.

Akhenadnen claims that he is Zorc Necrophades.

Unlike the original timeline, Atem's friends from the modern world interfered and allowed Atem to defeat Bakura, King of Thieves in a Diaha Thief Bakura had originally won. Dark Bakura reported this development to the High Priest of Darkness, who aimed to correct things. The High Priest of Darkness placed on his mask and appeared in the sky to speak with Atem and his friends. He identified himself as Zorc Necrophades, ruler of the World of Memories. Using of his three hourglasses items, Dark Bakura had the High Priest of Darkness use his "Memory Reverse" ability to rewind time, undoing Thief Bakura's premature death, granting Dark Bakura the chance to prevent it happening again.

Dark ContractEdit

Following the defeat of Thief Bakura at Kul Elna, the High Priest of Darkness turned Thief Bakura into sand, saying he had served his purpose, in gathering the seven Millennium Items before the Tablet of the Pharaoh's Memories. Dark Bakura then used his second hourglass RPG item to freeze time, allowing Akhenaden's past self to collect the remaining Millennium Items from the incapacitated high priests and place them together with the items Thief Bakura had already put in the stone tablet. allowing him to call Zorc.

Zorc Necrophades asked who had called him and if they wished to receive part of his shadow power. Akhenaden knelt before him and said that it was him. Zorc admitted to knowing Akhenaden, the creator of the Millennium Items, would one day perform the Dark Contract to summon him. Akhenaden affirmed that it was all done in accordance to Zorc's will. Zorc then granted him power, making him the High Priest of Darkness and a slave to his soul.

Akhenaden took the Millennium Eye back from the tablet and prepared to watch Zorc kill Atem and the other priests. However at the Shadow RPG table, Dark Bakura was playing as Akhenaden. Dark Yugi reminded him that as a true role player, he should have Akhenaden behave in-character and prevent Zorc from attacking in order to protect his son, Seto. Dark Bakura negotiated stopping the attack in exchange for control of the Seto card, which Dark Yugi declined. So Dark Bakura had Zorc disregard Akhenaden's paternal emotions and continue to attack. However the attack was shielded by the sudden appearance of Hasan.

When asked by Atem why he betrayed them, Akhenaden replied that beyond the power of kings there is a great shadow power that not even the gods can touch. He then proceeded to fire lightning-like blasts from his hands at Atem and Hasan, condemning both Atem and Akhenamkhanen. However the effect of the time freeze wore off and Mahado deflected the attack.

Atem and Seto's DiahaEdit

Akhenaden sealed The White Dragon in stone before killing Kisara. After Zorc was destroyed, he killed himself by stepping into a fissure and Akhenaden sent his spirit into Seto, and controlled him to attack Atem, who had just arrived. Atem was overpowered, but the spirit of Kisara, in the form of The White Dragon entered Seto's mind, where she killed Akhenaden for good.

Rite of the DuelEdit

At the end of the Rite of the Duel, Akhenaden is among the souls waiting for Atem in the afterlife.

KaEdit

Akhenaden has summoned the following ka:

• Dark Ushebti
• Gadius

DiahaEdit

Akhenaden took part in the following Diaha.

Diaha	Opponents	Allies	Result
Diaha	Bakura	High priests Atem	Win
Diaha	Mahado Isis Kalim	Seto Shada	Win
Diaha	Bakura		Lose
Diaha	Atem High priests Siamun Muran Mana	Zorc Necrophades	Lose