01x13 - Playback

[bunniefuu]

Hey!

Something sure
smells good over here.

Best dogs in town.

Then you know what?
Make it a double.

And don't skimp
on the ketchup.

You got it.

Hot dogs are like
the perfect sandwich, right?

Even the worst ones
are still pretty good.

If you meant perfect food,
I feel ya.

But it's not a sandwich.

Oh, come on now.

Please, don't tell me
you're one of those people.

Any filling between

a couple slices of bread
equals a sandwich.

But it's one piece
of bread with a slit.

Don't you debate me
on this.

The customer
is always right.

Yeah, true...

Except when they're wrong.

But, I hope you come back again
to continue our convo.

Sure thing.

If these sandwiches
are as good as you claim.

It's really too bad.

She'd be my type if she knew
what a sandwich was.

[yawning]

Tired?

Totally.
Didn't get my winks.

I was up late
scouring the net.

Folks are constantly
uploading pics

and video footage
of Playmaker so...

I have to manually stamp out
what my bots don't catch.

That sounds like a chore.

But, you don't have to
do it alone.

♪♪

You left Ai at home?

He'd provide more
of a distraction

than be of help
to us.

And, I needed
some alone time.

So you could think about what
Varis said to you?

About Ai and the Ignis?

Yeah.

Have you no idea
what you possess?

Allow me
to educate you.

The Ignis may
be an Ai...

But it's unlike
any type

you've ever
come across before.

While AI
are supposed to do

what we program them
to do...

The Ignis do whatever
they want to do,

because the Ignis,
they have free will.

And what the Ignis want
to do is bring an end

to the entire
human race.

My analysis doesn't confirm
Varis's claims.

But it doesn't
deny 'em, either.

So I have no clue
if Ai has free will or not.

What if he does?

What if a program
can make his own choices?

And how could free will

possibly be
a threat to mankind

and lead the world
to destruction?

Don't ask me, buddy.

I just run
a hot dog stand.

Well, that's true.

So Ai's home alone, heh?
Poor fella's probably

bored out of his mind,
sitting around doing nothing.

♪♪

[Roboppi]
Wow!

Even your toes
are ripped!

And no performance
enhancing programs

like some of these
other cheatbots.

If you want, I can help you
tighten up your haunches.

Roboppi's haunches
are fine!

C'mon, it'll be
an upgrade.

We can be swole-mates!

Swole-mates?
Yes!

But first,
you have to help me

finish our special project.
And when it's done,

I'll enhance your processing
power like I promised.

Okay!

[both laughing]

Not to question you, Boss,

but are you sure
about this?

No, but this is
where we were told to meet.

But nothing ever good
happens in an alley!

Shush!

Ah, right on time.
I like that.

She says we're right
on time, Boss!

Now stop freaking out
about everything!

Ahem.

Please excuse
the flying rodent,

Ms. Ghost Gal ma'am.

So did ya bring
the goods?

Of course.
Here's a sneak peek

for your inspection,
of course.

Whoa, and, uh...
paper cut!

Oh!
[squawks]

It's Playmaker versus
one of the Knights of Hanoi!

[Ghost Gal]
Not just any Hanoi,
but their leader Varis.

No one's ever seen
this duel before.

That's it?

Oh, that was
super primo video!

And there's more
where that came from...

upon final payment.

Yes, ma'am.

There, done.
You're all set.

[humming]

Good.

Here's the rest
of the data.

Oh, and I included
a special interview

where I answered
your burning questions.

On the house.

Wow! You're much
too kind ma'am.

Good doing business
with you.

Later, loves.

Pigeon!

Now that we have the footage,
let's get to work!

All right!

Wow, Boss!
This setup's incredible!

The only one of its kind
in the world!

I negotiated with the higher-ups
to advance our paychecks

so that I could build this
state-of-the-art editing room

right inside LINK VRAINS.

That's great!
This place is amazing!

Wait, did you say
"our" paychecks?

Yup.

With Ghost Gal's
footage...

we can create our special
exclusive on Playmaker!

So Ghost Gal's fee,
huh?

I'm guessing
that was expensive too?

Oh, yeah, I didn't have
enough in the budget,

so I cashed in
all my stock.

Yours too.
And your savings.

And I took out a second
mortgage on your house.

W-What?
I'm broke?!?

But when we sell
this special,

we'll make our money
back tenfold!

Hey, you're right.

And I already have
the perfect title!

World Exclusive!
For the first time!

Playmaker's secrets
revealed!

For real?
For real for real!

More riveting
than ribbiting,

and that ain't
no croak!

Hashtag
WEFTFTPSRFRFRFRMRTRATANC!

Now let's get cracking
on this special.

And what a special
it's gonna be!

I mean, there were
whispers of duellists

seeing Playmaker before,
but we didn't get

a true look until
that Knight of Hanoi

att*cked LINK VRAINS.

[man]
Run for it!

You're toast!

Aah!

You dare interfere,
punk?

My name is Playmaker!

Playmaker, you got this!
Hack up that hacker!

Hey, I've been looking through
your deck and woof!

You won't beat his dragon
with these cards.

Oh, is that so?

Then you had better hope that
your analysis is incorrect.

Or else you'll be
going home with him.

Glitch! That'd be worse
than hanging out with you.

Okay then,
I'll even up the odds.

Cyberse, generate new
data material!

Interesting...

I've never felt
such speed.

Ready?

Let's Speed Duel!

Now arise!
Cracking Dragon!

How do you like that,
Playmaker?

How could you be so dumb
to switch to the wave

directly in front
of the Data Storm?

[cackling]

Ahh!

There are special monsters that
only live inside the Data Storm.

What do you mean,
special monsters?

[AI]
Monsters that you and only you

can summon
with your unique Skill.

And the more intense the Storm,
the stronger the monster!

Which you'll need if you wanna
beat that hoodlum.

Your Skill lets you draw one
random card in the Data Storm

when you have a thousand
or fewer life points.

Seize the wind, Playmaker!

You did it!

Go Storm Access!

I Link Summon!

Link 3, Decode Talker!

Decode Talker, attack!

Decode Destruction!

Aah!

A thug like you has no place
in LINK VRAINS.

[Frog]
I'm pulling up Ghost Gal's
interview files, let's see.

I mailed her a bunch
of pre-recorded
questions in advance.

Do you know Playmaker's
true identity?

Who's Playmaker in real life?

Sorry, hon, that's one answer
even I haven't figured out.

But that doesn't mean
I don't have a lead.

I've recently learned that
something happened to him

ten years ago that
set him on this path.

And if I can just
follow that trail back,

it might lead to his identity.

Why are both the Hanoi and
SOL Tech after Playmaker?

Because he has
an AI that they both want.

A very special AI that can
affect the fate of LINK VRAINS.

I have what you're
looking for right here.

So if you don't
call off your attack,

you will regret it.

Because I'll delete
this AI right now.

W-w-what?!

I've decided I don't
like you very much.

[Ghost Gal]
While the Knights of Hanoi
tried to take it by force,

SOL Technologies
took a quieter route,

hiring Gore to duel
Playmaker for it.

[laughing]

Your hate for
the Hanoi's legendary.

So I knew you couldn't
resist the temptation.

You're not dealing
with the Hanoi.

You're dealing with someone
much more dangerous.

The Gore's gonna
pound ya to a pulp

in front of the whole world.

I Link Summon!

Link 3, Gouki
The Great Ogre!

Attack The Great Ogre!

Ogre! Smash 'em!

[Ghost Gal]
When Gore failed, Blue Angel
wasn't far behind.

Now I Link Summon!

Link 2 Trickstar Holly Angel!

[Ghost Gal]
But she wasn't
her usual peppy self.

In fact, she was downright evil.

Go!

The Hanoi infected Blue Angel
with a virus,

making her rage out of control.

Angel!

Annihilate Defect Compiler!

And Playmaker!

Go!

[Ghost Gal]
Playmaker was able
to stop Blue Angel,

but unfortunately,
a bit too late.

And she fell into a deep sleep.

Blue Angel's brother, Zaizen,
mistakenly blamed Playmaker

for her illness
and captured him.

What is this?
I can't move.

[Ghost Gal]
I admit with a bit of my help.

All this suffering can end now,
or I can make it much worse!

Aah!

Playmaker couldn't convince
Zaizen that he was innocent.

But in the end,
he didn't need to.

Because an even bigger
problem showed up.

Varis, the leader
of the Knights of Hanoi.

[Playmaker]
Varis!

I can destroy LINK VRAINS and
everything in it, including you.

But I only came here
for one reason.

To acquire
Playmaker's Ignis from him.

And you think I'll just
stand by and do nothing?

That's exactly right.

If you want to
save Blue Angel.

After all, it was
our card that infected
her with a virus.

It was?

But I am in possession of an
antivirus that can revive her.

If it's not too late, that is.

Playmaker...

I-- I don't know
what to say.

You're going to duel
him to save my sister.

Even after everything
that I put you through.

Refusing to believe
anything that you said.

But you will still
fight to help me

when you really
should despise me.

I forgive you.

But I will never forgive

the Knights of Hanoi.

Playmaker, this is where
you will crash and burn.

As you already know, I can wield
the incredible power

of the Data Storm
in the palm of my hand.

These winds rage for me
and me alone.

I activate my Skill.

That's the monster
that I'm looking for!

Storm Access!

You're mine now.
I Link Summon!

Behold the power of Link 4
Topologic Bomber Dragon

Get your act together,
Playmaker!

If I had sweat glands, I'd be
swamped waist deep in AI juice!

Face the facts,
you're backed into a corner.

But you still got a way out.

By using my Skill.

Exactly!

You may have retrieved
a Link Monster

but it's useless
if you can't summon it.

I activate
the trap Remote Rebirth.

A Speed Duel isn't enough
to settle our differences.

We need more, much more!

[laughing]

Aah!

Did you see that?

The storm sucked them
right off their boards!

Was Playmaker
pulverized to pieces?

Hey! Say it
don't spray it!

Naturally I was curious
to see what was brewing

inside the eye of the storm.

So I made my way in
with a little help that

you don't need to know about.

That'd be an extra fee.

But this is where your
investment pays off,

my froggy friend, since the
world hasn't seen this footage.

Unlike you, the Knights of Hanoi
are on the right side of history

because we are the ones
who will save the world.

You would be aiding us
instead of trying to fight us

if you weren't so daft.

Nice try.

But I don't buy
a single word you said.

Hmm, then you are an even
bigger fool than I thought.

But so be it.

You see, my mission is not
to convince you, Playmaker.

It's to save humanity.

And since you dare
to stand in my way,

you must be dismissed.

I Link Summon! Rise up!

Link 4 Borreload Dragon!

I know that dragon.

It must
be his strongest monster!

Though you technically still
have your Cyberse monsters,

they're not around
to help you.

So you can't stop
Borreload Dragon

from attacking you directly.

Now fire!
Thunder Borrel Cannon!

Aah!

That's gotta hurt.

With that, I end my turn.

I draw!

But it'll be my last draw

if I don't immediately
make a comeback.

But what can I do
without my monsters?

What's this?

Ah, I sense the presence of a
new Cyberse monster in my deck.

So if my gut is true,

that means Varis failed
to truly erase the Cyberse.

I'm now activating the Field
Spell, Cynet Universe!

Now all of the Link Monsters on
my field gain 300 attack points.

How does that change anything?

Your field
is completely empty.

Wrong... very wrong.

My Cyberses are still here.

And they're here to help me!

I'll prove it!

I Link Summon!

Link 4 Firewall Dragon!

After bringing out
Firewall Dragon,

Playmaker turned the tide.

But that didn't mean Varis
was going to back down.

[Varis]
You're like a pebble in my shoe,
annoying and uncomfortable, yes.

But ultimately
small and worthless.

Not giving a second thought
once it's tossed away.

And when you lose,
you'll be lost to history.

You're wrong.
I must win.

And there happen to be exactly

three reasons why I will.

For one, I must
avenge the horrors

that the Knights of Hanoi
put me through a decade ago.

Two: Defeating you is a step

towards uncovering the truth
about that incident.

And three: I must rescue
the one who rescued me.

Did you say three?
No way.

Can it be you?

After all
of these years?

Ten years to be exact.

But I'm back
to get justice!

Tempest Terahertz!

Time for you to go kapow!

Playmaker actually
pulled it off.

I'm a man of my word.

So here.

It's Blue Angel's antivirus,
as promised.

You may have been victorious
today Playmaker, but...

As long as you carry
that AI with you,

we won't stop stalking you down!

This I swear!

[Ghost Gal]
Playmaker may have won the duel,

but if Varis was discouraged,

well, he didn't
show any signs of it.

In fact,
he seemed more determined

to carry out his master plan.

But that begs the question:

What is the Hanoi's master plan?

And who or what are the Ignis?

And what happened
to Playmaker a decade ago?

Well, I have to save some things

for the second special, right?
Later, loves.

All right, as soon
as we tweak the title,

the Playmaker special
is in the can!

Huh! The title is fine,
thank you very much!

And my bank account'll bounce
from zero to nine digits!

I think that's
the last of it, Kolter.

Oh, wait I missed
one file.

[snoring]

I'm deleting it now.

Hooray!
[laughing]

What a day.

Huh?! Boss, someone's
hacking our system!

Huh? No! No!

No-no-no-no-no-no-no!

No!

Our whole special's
being deleted!

Like my
entire savings!

Stop-stop-stop-stop-stop...

No, no, stop, stop, no, stop!

[Pigeon]
Yup.

We counted our chickens
before they hatched.

But I'm a pigeon.