The Emperor's Key (皇の鍵, Ō no Kagi), sometimes shortened to the Key in both versions and also called the Golden Key in the dub, is a pendant that originated from the Astral World in the Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL series. The Pendant is connected to Pendulum Monsters, as it changed the three Effect Monsters in Yuya's hand (" Stargazer Magician", " Timegazer Magician", and " Odd-Eyes Dragon") to Pendulum Monsters, as well as several of Yuya's other monsters later on. [1] It also most likely created nearly all of Yuya's other Pendulum cards, as he is seen using them before Leo Corporation started producing them. In the 1960s, Solomon Muto retrieved the Millennium Pendant, now called the Millennium Puzzle in the Tomb of the Nameless Pharaoh who was Atem. [7] Over the years, no one had been able to assemble the puzzle, Solomon believed that the Puzzle was simply impossible. Solomon's grandson, Yugi, found the puzzle in the family game shop and spent eight years trying to solve it. Solomon repeatedly tried to convince Yugi to give up on the puzzle with no success. He also feared that the Puzzle contained the power of the Shadow Game so he hoped Yugi would never solve it. [5]

In addition to holding the soul/spirit of Pharaoh Atem himself, the Puzzle is able to fulfil one single wish of the person who had solved it and heighten its owner's chance of success in a game, judging by their skill-level as well as the importance of the game at hand. The hieroglyphs inscribed on the puzzle say, "The one who solves me shall gain the powers and knowledge of darkness..." [5] The Emperor's Key gives the user some resistance to the influence of the "Numbers". [10] [3] It has at least once failed to fully suppress the power of a "Chaos Number", For example: When Yuma took control of " Number C32: Shark Drake Veiss" via " Rivals Unite", it was causing him great pain until Shark used " Underwater Snow Prison" to banish it from the field. [11]

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When Yuma Dueled against Fender, Astral (who was in the key) was electrocuted at times when Yuma's Life Points went down. [18] When Yuma and Ray Dueled against Girag, Yuma threw the key out of the Barian's Sphere Field to Tori once Astral was weakened from the effects of the field. [19] After their Duel with Number 96, Astral was forced to return to Astral World and the key went with him, falling through the portal. [20] It is able to initiate Shadow Games and corresponding Penalty Games that Dark Yugi used to punish those who harmed Yugi or his friends. In the Memory World arc, Atem couldn't summon the Egyptian Gods without the immense power of the puzzle. It can cast illusions, and (in the anime) can manipulate the minds and souls of others, such as when Yami Bakura put Bakura's soul inside of " Change of Heart" but Yami Yugi changed it to Yami Bakura's soul in the card. It can even interfere with the magic of other Millennium Items, and at its full power it can repel the dark Seal of Orichalcos. The granted resistance to "Numbers" when Number 96 tried to take " Utopia" from Bronk Stone by force, and when Bronk Summoned "Utopia". [10] When Shark had the Key and took control of Kite Tenjo's " Acid Golem". [3] However, the Key was unable to fully suppress the power of a "Chaos Number" when Yuma took control of " Number C32: Shark Drake Veiss". Though the "Chaos Number" did not possess him, the connection to it weakened Yuma and surrounded him in a dark aura which was eventually electrified, causing him great pain. Vetrix pointed out that if Shark did not do something, Yuma would be taken over by the "Number" like he was. [11] World Duel Carnival [ ]

Yugi managed to solve the Puzzle, while under the pressure of getting money to pay Ushio's self-imposed bodyguard fee. [5] [6] After solving it, his body bore host to part of Atem's soul, known as Yami Yugi. The original wielder of Key, Kazuma Tsukumo, also has power over the Key as well. He mysteriously appeared in the Key and used the power of the 12 collected "Numbers" to break Trey's influence over Yuma, allowing him to regain his " kattobingu". [16] Kazuma later returned to tell the revived Astral that his son is calling him for help. [17] Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL II [ ] A fake Millennium Puzzle, called the Millennium Pendant was used by Titan in his duel against Jaden Yuki. [13] [14] Non-canon Appearances [ ]

The Millennium Puzzle appears in the Amphibia episode All In, where it is seen in a pile of puzzles that Marcy Wu solved. Takahashi, Kazuki (2003-03-09). " 遊闘 ( バトル ) 302 奇 ( き ) 襲 ( しゅう ) ‼ 奇 ( き ) 襲 ( しゅう ) ‼" (in Japanese). Yu-Gi-Oh!. 34. Shueisha. ISBN 4-08-873492-0. Atem defeated Zorc at the cost of his own life. He used his name as part of a spell that sealed Zorc's soul and his own in the Millennium Pendant, which was shattered and was laid to rest in his tomb. Atem's memory, including his name, was wiped, so that he could not recall the spell, to prevent the binding from ever being undone. The Pendant also has the ability to create Fusion Monsters such as " Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon" [2] and " Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon" [3], Xyz/Pendulum Monsters such as " Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon" [4] and " Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon" [5], Synchro Monsters such as " Enlightenment Paladin" [6], and Synchro/Pendulum Monsters such as " Nirvana High Paladin". [7] Reaction to Dimensional Counterparts [ ] Takahashi, Kazuki (1997-03-09). " 遊闘 ( バトル ) 1 神 ( かみ ) のパッズル" (in Japanese). Yu-Gi-Oh!. 1. Shueisha. ISBN 4-08-872311-2.

Takahashi, Kazuki (1997-05-06). " 遊闘 ( バトル ) 13 エジプトから 来 ( き ) た 神 ( おとこ ) 〈 前 ( ぜん ) 編 ( ぺん ) 〉" (in Japanese). Yu-Gi-Oh!. 2. Shueisha. ISBN 4-08-872312-0. The Puzzle was later shattered by Mr. Clown in the manga or Bandit Keith in the anime. Yugi managed to reassemble the puzzle while the building he was in was on fire, as he couldn't bear losing Yami Yugi. The box containing the Puzzle's pieces had two messages written on it, " The person who solves this puzzle will have their wish granted." and " The one who solves me, will receive my dark knowledge and power." The Pendant was later stolen from teenage Atem, by Thief King Bakura, who used it and the other Millennium Items to Summon Zorc Necrophades.

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After meeting up with Reginald Kastle after he and Rio Kastle sided with the Seven Barian Emperors, the Emperor's Key reacted with Nash's Barian Emblem, letting Yuma observe Nash's past life while Nash witnessed the events that Yuma had been involved with in Astral World. [22]

The puzzle is extremely complex and difficult to solve, having taken Yugi at least eight years to successfully assemble it. In addition, in the manga, when Mr. Otogi tried to rebuild it after he shattered it, he ended up almost trapped in an illusion of the puzzle's maze, indicating that only a wise, chosen one can build it, as Ryuji Otogi could also not fit the pieces in. Seto Kaiba relied on the KaibaCorp space station’s advanced supercomputer and zero gravity chamber to reassemble the pieces. It could also be that the puzzle has some will of its own, as Yugi was unable to solve it until the night he played his first Shadow Game; up to this point he hadn't needed the power the puzzle could grant.The Puzzle grants incredible skill at strategy and allows the wielder to use ancient and powerful magic. That magic is mainly used to start and control Shadow Games. The Millennium Puzzle is the most powerful of all the Millennium Items. When Yugi activates its magic, the Eye of Wdjat glows on his forehead. Its most well-known power is Yugi switching his body and mind with the spirit of the Pharaoh.