Yu-Gi-Oh's Blue Eyes White-Dragon Was Almost Stronger Than The Egyptian God Cards, and The Reason It Isn't Is Actually Heartwarming

The Yu-Gi-Oh! anime franchise has introduced fans to many incredibly powerful creatures throughout its 25 years of existence. From Yugi to Yudia, the protagonists of the most recent Go Rush!! series, each duelist is confident in the ability of their monsters to overcome all possible obstacles. Among these fascinating cards, the Egyptian Gods tend to shine due to their impressive abilities and significance to the plot.

Yet, there is another being who should have been hailed as an equal to these ancient deities, one that is arguably more iconic than them: Kaiba’s Blue-Eyes. This legendary beast’s original incarnation was said to be just as strong as a god, a detail that got lost in time. The reason behind this disparity in ability lies in Seto’s past life, who wanted to honor the memory of his dear friend Atem.

The Blue-Eyes White Dragon Could Have Beaten The Gods

The Spirit Inside Kiara Held An Overwhelmingly Destructive Power

Episode #205 of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monster anime shows the dark origins of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Priest Seto, Kaiba’s past incarnation, saves a young woman from being stoned to death by a group of villagers. The civilians explained that they feared due to her pale skin and deep blue eyes. Seto, angry with the villagers for their unjust treatment, takes the woman, named Kisara, and brings her to his comrades. Shortly after meeting her, another one of Atem’s priests, Shada, notices that a powerful spirit inhabits the pale-skinned woman, one that could rival the power of even the gods.

Days later, during the attack of the fearsome reality-bending monster Zorc Necrophades, Kisara dies protecting Seto, becoming one with the spirit living inside her and creating the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. During her final moments of lucidity, her spirit swore to serve and protect Seto in every lifetime, as proof of her deep love for him. With his loyal and imposing companion by his side, the priest was able to defeat his manipulative father and join Atem in his quest to save Egypt from their assailant. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon proved to have an almost godly strength during the battle.

Related

Yu-Gi-Oh's Three Most Iconic Monsters Are Actually Much Deeper Than Fans Think

Yu-Gi-Oh!'s most iconic monsters actually have some pretty interesting connections to the anime's main characters Yugi, Kaiba, and Joey.

Centuries later Pegasus discovered the tablets the ancient Egyptians used to contain their loyal spirits, using them as inspiration for his game: Duel Monsters. Maximillion used the Tablet of Lost Memories as a reference when giving the most powerful creatures in the game their abilities and attack points. This implies that the author of this sacred treasure, Priest Seto himself, did not depict his loyal companion as being on the same level as the gods. If he had done so, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon would have been a card equal in strength to the iconic deities themselves.

Priest Seto Wanted to Honor the Memory of his Predecessor

He Did Not Want to Claim Atem’s Accomplishments as His Own

While extremely similar to his modern counterpart in many respects, one distinction between Atem’s priest and Kaiba is his willingness to work with others. Seto might have been one of the pharaoh’s most ruthless guards, but he used to act with the best intentions in mind, wanting to maintain peace for his ruler. The priest held Atem in high regard, considering him a just and wise king. The only moment in which he acted against his cousin was when Aknadin, his father, used his magic to control his mind.

Still, Kisara helped him break the spell and he joined Atem in their final fight. Once Bakura was defeated and Atem was ready to move on to the spirit realm, Seto was named as his successor, a request made by the previous pharaoh himself. It was during his time as ruler that the priest created the Tablet of Lost Memories, in which he depicted the story of their kingdom and Atem’s sacrifice. While the series does not implicitly state so, it hints at the priest wanting to honor the legacy of his predecessor in this treasure.

There is a high probability that he purposefully depicted the Blue-Eyes White Dragon as weaker than the Egyptian Gods controlled by Atem to keep the latter as the hero of the story. Seto worked hard to honor his cousin, not only erasing his name from historical records to prevent Zorc from being freed, but also ordaining the Grave Keepers to protect the pharaoh’s resting place. It seems as if his last gift to Atem was to keep him as the hero of the story, the one who wielded the most powerful creatures in existence.

Yu-Gi-Oh!’s Blue-Eyes White Dragon will forever remain one of the anime’s most beloved and recognizable cards. While not as strong as the gods in the game, it has achieved many monumental tasks, going as far as to win a world championship. Kaiba might never know it, but he wields the power of one of the mightiest beasts in history.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters follows the story of Yugi Mutou, a high school student who solves an ancient Egyptian puzzle and awakens a powerful alter ego. This mysterious persona, known as the "Pharaoh," helps Yugi navigate complex card game duels that determine his fate and that of his friends. The series blends modern-day and ancient Egyptian themes, focusing on strategic battles within the world of Duel Monsters.

Cast Jay Snyder , Chuck Powers , Vinnie Penna , Dwayne Tan , Amy Birnabum , Alison Lester , Sam Riegel , Greg Abbey , Brian Zimmerman , Eric Stuart , Christian Lee , Tara Sands , Carrie Keranen

Release Date April 18, 2000

Seasons 5

Creator(s) Kazuki Takahashi