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aberooski · 1 year ago

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Oh, no worries! I don't mind spoilers at all! (Kinda spoiled myself wogwjwhwjw) So, drop tat bomb!

Well okay then! As you wish 😌

Now strap in because this is gonna be a long and wild ride through season 3 baby! And Adrian starts out pretty tame and things ramp up as the season goes so get that seat belt ready! And I'm more of an expert on the dub so we're gonna focus on that, but I'll be poking in with a couple details from the sub ever so often too.

Extremely long post ahead y'all aksskskks

Now it all starts at the very beginning of the season. We'll get into his like back story back story later, but Adrian is a student from East Academy who comes to Duel Academy along with Jesse, Axel, and Jim and his crocodile Shirley at the start of the season as exchange students along with visiting professor Thelonious Viper from West Academy.

Now I break season 3 up into 3 separate arcs because well, that's kinda how it is. There's the Survival Duel arc, (the as I call it) Zombie Apocalypse Survival Horror arc, and of course, the Dark World arc.

Viper is the villain of the Survival Duel arc, and he's up to shady shit of course. But Adrian is the secondary antagonist for the entire season. Adrian is trying to figure out what Viper's plan is and what he's up to, but he's also trying to obtain Yubel's power, aware that Viper is in league with her. (In the dub he says he's searching for a card, but nothing really comes of that. Except you can argue for something in the zombie apocalypse arc but we're not there yet so hang on lol)(also it's really only the dub that refers to Yubel as a girl, the Japanese version Yubel is non binary I believe, but I watched the dub first so Yubel is ingrained in my brain as she/her and I'm trying to break that habit so we'll see how I do throughout this aksksksksk)

So Viper introduces the survival duels as he calls them, and has all the students wear boo bands, which he says are to monitor their dueling skills and potential and all that, but of course they're nefarious. He uses them to drain the students of their duel energy which is then absorbed by Yubel to give them the power and energy to restore their physical form, but Viper believes the energy will be used to revive his son who passed away because Yubel promised him that if he helped her that she would bring his son back to life. Adrian doesn't take part so Viper confronts him and warns him he'd better participate, Viper then raises the absorption rate of the bio bands to the max, which is strong enough to kill, so he can get rid of Adrian. So Adrian, knowing this, throws this party so a bunch of students will be dueling at once so that Viper has to turn the bio bands down so he'll like, survive.

So he throws a whole bunch of students to the wolves to ensure his own wellbeing, and he ends up dueling Chazz that night, ultimately winning the duel but since the bio bands weren't deactivated just weakened, they get their energy zapped and Chazz is in the hospital for the rest of the arc, but Adrian is able to recover and resume his mission. This is when like I mentioned, he points the J-Squad in Viper's direction. He sends them to Viper's secret fortress in the old research facility (y’know the one where Wheeler the monkey came from in season 1?) To act as decoys so and take Viper's attention so he can sneak in undetected and get into Viper's like inner sanctum moment he's got set up in there. He confronts Viper and they like actually throw hands which is kinda hilarious because for some reason they decide to do this shirtless it's like full street fighter type bullshit lolol

Adrian is apprehended by Yubel's power, and Viper goes to duel Jaden. This is where we get his like full backstory which we got a taste of during his duel with Chazz.

So as a kid Adrian was adopted by the head of the Gecko Financial Group and raised then to be the heir and inherit the company, and he's basically appointed this girl named Echo to be his friend, but of course she works for him and all that y’know. Remember her because she's important later. Eventually, Mrs. Gecko has a son, and Adrian falls to the wayside in favor of the "proper heir" to the family, and he's angry and bitter about it but commits to serving his brother and their family anyway (though in the Japanese version Adrian contemplated killing him at first 😬), and even saved him from a deadly sickness at one point. All in the hopes of getting attention for their father again kinda sorta basically. He's really only loyal to himself in the end.

Eventually he breaks free from Yubel and escapes but this is when Yubel steps in after Viper loses to Jaden, kills Viper, and then transports the school to another dimension. Thus we enter the Zombie Apocalypse Survival Horror arc.

I have a whole thing about this arc and how if you take Blair's part and switch her with Atticus it would elevate the arc by like 30 points and it's already one of my favorite arcs in the show but I digress that's not what we're talking about rn aksksk

So the school gets transported to this alternate like desert dimension where duel monsters are real and so are the life points baby! And the school has extremely limited supplies, like only a weeks worth of food, and a whole lot of students stuck there too so things are pretty dire. Yubel is also lurking around.

So things get set in motion here when Bastion appears! He got stuck in this dimension some time during the interim between this point and back in episode 96 after he left to go work with professor eisenstien. He's attacked by some harpies and Jaden, Jesse, Jim, Axel, and Adrian step in to save him, since Adrian is still pretending to be on their side. So they get Bastion to the nurse's office because he's been out in that desert for a while, he needs to rest and recoup fr but they get details from Bastion about the dimension and then the shit goes down because Yubel is looking for a vessel to possess as they don't yet have a physical form, and so targets Marcel, Bonaparte's son (except nobody knows he's his son but they're not very subtle about it so we the audience know lolol). So when Blair, who is good friends with Marcel, has him come with her a la buddy system because she has to go to the bathroom but they're hiding out in the classrooms because of the real duel monsters and all that, Yubel attacks and takes over Marcel, but injures Blair in the process.

So Jaden and Jesse find Blair and take her to Ms. Fontaine, and of course the medicine she needs to help Blair, she doesn't have. So they need to make a run out to this submarine out in the desert to search for a first aid kit and any other supplies they can find. Adrian suspects that this submarine is a Gecko vessel, because well it is, and voulenteers to go with the team so that he can go and cover his tracks so that no one finds out about his mission and motives. They split up into teams, Jaden, Jesse, Jim, Axel, and Adrian head off to search the submarine while the others stay back to guard the school. And while they're on their way during a confrontation with some monsters summoned by Yubel to bar their path, Jaden falls into like honestly an equivalent of a fucking Sarlac pit and while Axel goes in to save him and pull him out while Jesse's fending off a monster, Adrian is holding the rope to pull them out. He is literally 🤏 this close to letting go and letting both Jaden and Axel get fucking eaten and like die so they won't get in his way anymore but Jim steps in just in time and grabs ahold of the rope as well, saying "almost lost your grip, mate." With an extremely suspicious and almost warning tone. Because Jim can tell he's up to something because the eye of oricalchum that he has allows him to see into people's hearts and souls, basically showing him a person's true intentions. So he knows Adrian isn't exactly on the up and up at this point.

Once they get to the sub, they split off to search for supplies. Adrian heads off to the computer room to erase any files that have anything to do with him so no one can find out about him and his plans, which was the only reason he came with the group despite his insistence that it was to repay them for saving him when he helped them retrieve Bastion. And of course then when they regroup he's just like "sorry guys, didn't find anything 🤪 computer was fried so no intel for us 🤪" like the lying bitch he is.

So okay they escape the sub, and make it back to the school but while they were gone Yubel really fucked shit up by causing the bio bands to turn the students into zombies, or rather "Duel Ghouls", when they get enough energy zapped and the students start dropping like flies. By the time the group makes it back, Chazz and Syrus have already been turned into duel ghouls and it only keeps getting worse.

And by this point Adrian then discovers Yubel having possessed Marcel after having taken Yubel's arm and hid it in the library earlier, having joined up with her. And he's bitter over Yubel choosing Marcel over him, and it's revealed that the Sacred Beast cards are also in this dimension, having been sealed away beneath the school again after season 1. Adrian is hellbent on obtaining more and more power and like, basically ruling these alternate dimensions with them, so he pursues the cards just like everybody else. He duels Marcel over who will get the cards, but the Sacred Beasts awaken during the duel and so there's no true result.

All the while back in the real world, Pegasus is trying to create the Rainbow Dragon card as they need to transport it to the other dimension so that Jesse can then use it's power to open the portal for them to return the school and themselves back home. But Echo is trying to stop him, claiming that Adrian shouldn't come back because he deserves to rule the other dimension basically. She's so loyal to him and so convinced he's as incredible and powerful and just amazing as he also thinks he is, that she's willing to go along with his plans at any cost despite the fact that as it's revealed later, she's in love with him. Remember this for later...

Okay so Yubel obtains the cards and her own physical form again and duels Jaden after Jaden duels and defeats Marcel, and Jesse obtains the Rainbiw Dragon and joins the duel and with the power of Rainbow Dragon, they defeat Yubel and are transported back home but Jesse has to stay behind to keep the portal open.

Thus we enter the Dark World arc after blaming himself for Jesse being trapped, Jaden is in a rush to go through a dimensional tear that appears to try and find him, joined by the whole squad, and there's a whole chaos control moment that sends them all as well as Crowler, Echo, Zane, and Aster who were in the area at the time, to Dark World.

Now Adrian doesn't appear again until the end so we're gonna jump ahead. But some important context before we continue!

Dark World is basically a "you die in the game, you die in real life" situation. Because when you lose a duel there, you die. Sort of. You disappear, and in the dub they call it being sent to the stars, but in the sub they say everyone's dead even though it's revealed at the very end that they're really not, but it's just easiest to say they are. So they're dead. And so Jaden, learning this, refuses to let anybody other than himself duel to keep everyone safe but also because he's so hellbent on finding Jesse he really is just trying to charge through things and isn't being very careful or thinking things through.

Also Tania is back!! Love that for Bastion!!

Because of this, eventually Alexis, Atticus, Chazz, and Hassleberry are captured and held prisoner by Brron Mad King of Dark World to be used as sacrifices for Super Polymerization. There are actually 5 sacrifices required, but his goons fail to capture Syrus so they only have 4. This is important but we're not talking about that stuff rn. But the 5 of them are embodiments of emotions that are needed for this. Alexis (sadness), Atticus (anguish), Chazz (anger), Hassleberry (hatred), and Syrus (doubt). After Chazz gets angry af and gives Jaden the business, he's the first to go and is absorbed by this book, and Jaden is told if he attacks, his remaining friends will be sacrified as well. He's going to surrender but is forced to attack and so the remaining 3 are sacrificed as well. Also during this duel Jaden is basically told Jesse is dead which then after the deaths of the 4 of them as well, Jaden just kinda loses it and fucks Brron right up and wins the duel. He then learns Syrus is safe and is mega relieved, but Syrus is less than thrilled with what he just witnessed and he and Jaden have kinda a falling out, which is really the last straw for Jaden emotionally and he's then taken over by the spirit of the Supreme King.

Jim, Axel, and Syrus end up separated and while Jim and Axel are searching for Jaden, they learn about the Supreme King, then find out that it's really Jaden, Jim gives the backstory about his eye, duels Supreme King to try and save Jaden, gets literally 🤏 this close but is defeated and fails and dies along with Shirley who jumped into the duel to try and protect Jim from the final attack. Axel is horribly shaken by this and gives in to his fear and runs away and is haunted by Jim's death, and it takes Syrus and some other shit to convince him that he really is brave and is a hero and he can do this! He can help! So he organizes a whole attack on the Supreme King's fortress to save Jaden, even covering the tracks of making sure that Jesse is searched for and the information comes to him at the perfect time that Jesse is alive. Axel, Syrus, and also Aster and Zane go to the fortress and Axel duels Supreme King, and ultimately causes the duel to end in a draw and having both gotten through to Jaden by telling him Jesse was alive and by using the eye of orichachum left behind in the wake of Jim's death, Supreme King is sealed away inside Jaden but Axel is sent to the stars. This leads us to the next Adrian plot. And the worst most disgusting thing anyone in that whole show does.

Wondering what to do next and waiting for Jaden to recover, the group is reunited with Crowler, and then subsequently meets Echo, who's been with Crowler all this time. Aster discovers a locket on the ground and after examining it, comes to the conclusion it's Echo's based on the photo of Adrian inside. Aster kinda teases her lighthearted about it and after coming to the conclusion he doesn't know how she feels, Echo says that she could never tell him and doesn't want Adrian to know because he "doesn't need another distraction." As she truly believes he is destined to rule this world and wants him to become king, and doesn't want to hold him back with her feelings. As she truly believes he always puts others before himself, and says she would do anything to see him fulfil his destiny. She even calls Adrian their "better", claiming he is stronger, smarter, and kinder than any of them.

Adrian at this point, has obtained the 5 pieces of Exodia, which had been being used previously by Marcel while he was under Yubel's control, and is attempting to unlock the seal on Exodia so that he can gain the power to rule Dark World, resolving to do so he must become completely ruthless and allow nothing to stand in his desire to rule the world. But to break the seal, someone has to offer up their duel energy willingly. But who could he find who would do that for him.....? And so he sets his sights on Echo. Knowing that her loyalty and feelings for him will allow him to convince her to offer herself up to Exodia.

So the group gets transported to the cave where Exodia's seal is, and when Adrian reveals himself, everyone is on edge. He reveals that he chose to stay behind having not come back with them from the first dimension, and Jaden realizes that he's now in league with Yubel, having the creepy Yubel arm that Viper and Marcel had when under Yubel's power. He covers it before Echo can see, and smiles at her. Claiming it's good to see her. She's unnerved and takes a step back, but he just smiles darkly and comes forward, telling her to come with him and grabs her arm. She says he's scaring her and she doesn't want to go with him, but he insists. Saying "that wasn’t a request!" And kinda forcefully pulls her forward.

Aster is angered by this and steps up, demanding Adrian leave her alone. Adrian warns him to stay out of this, saying that this is between him and Echo but Aster won't back down, saying it's not anymore and again to leave her alone. "Didn't you hear what she just said? She doesn't wanna go anywhere with you!"

To which Adrian turns to Echo all "is that so?" Then just goes right to town with his manipulation.

"Don't you want the best for me, Echo? I can't do it alone. Without you, I can't achieve greatness." All the while smiling at her. "I need you. Won't you help?" And tells her that I'm order to be king, he needs her duel energy, knowing full well that if he tells her it'll help him, she'll do it. Aster challenges Adrian to a duel to defend Echo and thus they duel before Exodia's seal.

During the duel, Adrian activates the Ritual of The Ultimate Forbidden Lord spell card to unlock the seal, and claims that to break Exodia's seal, he must sacrifice the duel energy of someone close to him. Telling Echo that he can't do this without her. He of course, has her wrapped around his finger and he knows it, so she's cooperating. Aster objects, and even Mr. Edgelord Supreme himself, Zane, admits that he'd do anything to win a duel but he'd never cross this line. Aster begs her to stop because Adrian is just using her, but her devotion to Adrian gets the best of her and she steps into the light.

Aster's furious with Adrian, and we get a whole "how could you do this to her??" Moment because Adrian fully knows that doing this will kill her. And we get a line that goes SO fucking hard from Aster: "You may never see her again! And the only things you're gonna have left, will be her memory and Exodia! Is it really worth all that?? Is it!?"

BRO THAT SHIT GOES S O HARD IN THE EPISODE LIKE FUCK DUDE!!

Echo has a little thought bubble where she claims that she knows by her doing this, Adrian will achieve the power he deserves, and is scooped up by Exodia and like, it hurts her. She's actually screaming for real, like she screams in the backgrounda couples times throughout the rest of this. It's harrowing. Adrian of course doesn't give a FUCK and when Aster tries to stop the duel Adrian's like "heh, nah 🤪" and continues on with the duel, draining Echo's duel energy more and more.

Aster keeps demanding Adrian let Echo go, but Adrian only says that her duel energy now belongs to Exodia, and that nothing will stop him from ruling this world! Jaden declares that Adrian had been taken over by darkness like he was, only caring about power and not at all who he has to hurt to get it. But Adrian claims that he was always like this and is just finally showing his true colors. Who he really is.

And so we get another BANGER of a line from Aster.

"Is that right? Did Echo know who you really were? Or did she do all this for the person she thought you were!?"

Adrian literally says nothing, and then tells Aster not to feel sorry for her because she knew he had to let this side out to fulfil his destiny.

The duel continues and Echo's duel energy is ultimately spent. She drops her pendant with Adrian's picture in it, and Aster is upset by this. Basically her spirit appears to him and apologizes for him being caught up in this, telling him that all she wanted was to prove to Adrian she'd do anything for him. Telling him also that despite everything that's happened here, it's all for the best. And after he asks her how she can say that after what Adrian did to her, she disappears, and she dies. Like straight up dead. Actually for real dead. Adrian literally killed her for Exodia.

And so Adrian summons Exodia, defeating Aster who implores the others escape before it's too late, telling Jaden when he object that it's too late for him now. So the escape and Aster is now fake dead while Echo is real dead, and Adrian rides off on Exodia entirely unbothered by any of that shit because he's the actual worst ever.

Adrian then goes to challenge Yubel, who is now possessing Jesse, so he can rule the world since having Exodia makes him powerful enough to stand against them. Yubel mocks Adrian by telling him that he'll be all alone because the only person who ever cared about him is gone, and further mocks him when he says Echo is still with him because of her memory, claiming that from experience Yubel can confidently say Echo would rather be by his side. Echo's spirit however, still watches over Adrian as she's loyal to him even in death, and Yubel realizes the darkness she needs isn't in Adrian, it's in Echo, her spirit having combined with his deck after he sacrificed her duel energy. Yubel takes Echo's lingering darkness and uses it to restore their power and ultimately defeats Adrian. But before he dies, Adrian cries out that he's sorry to Echo, but it's too late. And he's also straight up for real dead. Which he fucking deserves that piece of shit.

(Also in the Japanese version he just calls out her name before he dies.)

And oh lord, that took forever but this is the tea on Adrian. He's the worst. He's kinda a regular by the numbers secondary antagonist at first, but the shit he does to Echo is just the most disgusting thing. Truly the worst thing anyone does in GX in my opinion. He's horrible and deserves everything he gets. Which is death. He and Echo are the only 2 that for real die in Dark World, almost in the whole season but Yubel kills Viper earlier so y'know. I may be a bit biased because I hate his fucking guts, as do we all in my personal experience, but Adrian deserves it.

A truly despicable human being.

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