Ep 35. The Tables Turn: Gilford the Lightning. [The Darkness Returns, Part 3]

The Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters season 3 episode 35, titled The Tables Turn: Gilford the Lightning, is the third part of the Darkness Returns storyline. The episode opens with Yugi and his friends still trying to find a way to stop the return of the evil Malik, who has been possessing Seto Kaiba's body. They know they need to defeat Kaiba in a duel to free him from Malik's control, but Kaiba is a formidable opponent.

As they continue their search, they come across a mysterious man named Ishizu Ishtar, who has a surprising connection to Malik. She challenges Kaiba to a duel, but he refuses, so Yugi steps up to take her on. Ishizu has the ability to see into the future through her Millennium Necklace, which gives her a significant advantage in the duel.

Yugi manages to hold his own against Ishizu, but she ultimately summons a powerful monster called Gilford the Lightning, which seems unbeatable. However, during the duel, Yugi remembers a card that his grandfather had given him, which he had never used before. The card is called the "Soul Release," and it allows him to remove cards from both players' decks and banish them from the game.

Yugi uses Soul Release to remove Gilford the Lightning from Ishizu's deck, and she is left without any strong monsters. Yugi then makes a surprise move by summoning a weak monster called Kuriboh, which has the ability to multiply when attacked. He uses Kuriboh to block Ishizu's attacks and stall for time until he can draw the one card he needs to win the duel.

In the final moments of the duel, Yugi draws the card he had been waiting for: the "Monster Reborn." This card allows him to bring back any monster from either player's graveyard and use it for his own purposes. Yugi uses this card to resurrect Gilford the Lightning, which he had banished earlier, and uses it to defeat Ishizu's remaining life points.

This episode is a classic example of the intense dueling action that made Yu-Gi-Oh such a beloved anime. Yugi's use of the Soul Release to remove Gilford the Lightning from the game is a brilliant move that shows how much thought and strategy goes into every duel. The appearance of Ishizu Ishtar adds a new level of mystique to the show and raises questions about Malik's true identity and goals. Overall, The Tables Turn: Gilford the Lightning is a thrilling and satisfying episode that keeps the Darkness Returns storyline moving forward in exciting ways.