Soulshipping

Soulshipping
GENERAL
Yu-Gi-Oh!
Character	Judai Yuki
Character	Yubel
Canonical?	Semi-Canon
Status of Relationship	Friends/Attraction on Yubel's side; Merged
IN FANDOM
Type (?)	Non-binary

1 4

Soulshipping is the non-binary ship between Judai Yuki and Yubel from the Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom.

Canon

Past

In the distant past, a boy named Yubel was assigned by his nation's king to protect his friend, who had the potential to use a force called The Gentle Darkness against the oncoming Light of Destruction. Yubel agreed to the task, undertaking painful medical procedures to turn him into a creature capable of protecting his friend. Said friend - who'll grow to become the Supreme King - witnessed Yubel suffer this procedure for him. Meeting at a hill aftewards, the changed Yubel declared that it's fine and all that matters is keeping the Supreme King safe. Seeing what his friend went through for him, the Supreme King tearfully declared his love for them and that they'll stay together forever.

Generations went by and the Supreme King eventually reincarnated in the modern day as Judai Yuki while Yubel's spirit became a Duel Monsters card that eventually ended up in Judai's possession thanks to his dad. Yubel became Judai's favorite card and formed a very close bond with it thanks to his gift of being able to see and talk to Duel Monsters spirits. He also got sad whenever he fails to successfully summon them in duels he had with kids he invited over - which Yubel saw as a threat to their love. As a result, they became overprotective of Judai and used their power to make his opponents suffer. Despite knowing what Yubel is doing, Judai refused to let them go. This continued on, resulting in nobody wanting to be with Judai anymore.

Finally deciding Yubel needs to know about righteousness, Judai asked KaibaCorp to send the card into space - which the company did via satellite and separately from the cards he made for their contest - in the hope they would be bathed in the same kind of energy. During their time in space, Yubel's pod instead came into contact with the Light of Destruction, causing them great agony. Yubel tried to telepathically link with Judai to make him see what they're going through, which is expressed to Judai as vivid nightmares of Yubel burning. These nightmares became so intense that Judai's parents brought him to a doctor for treatment, which did end them but also sealed Judai's memory of Yubel. As a result, Yubel was left alone in suffering the pain from the Light of Destruction. Through this intense and lonely pain, Yubel reasoned Judai did this to them despite his past self wanting to be with them forever because this was him showing his love. With that new mentality, Yubel vowed to return his "love" in kind.

Dimension World

Yubel would eventually return to Earth, albeit reduced to just their arm due to the re-entry. In order to regain their form and take back Judai, Yubel tricks Professor Cobra into siphoning energy from the students of Duel Academy and channeling it into the arm. Once they obtain a suitable amount of energy, Yubel uses their power to shift Duel Academy's main building and everyone in and around it - Judai, included - into another dimension. Once in this dimension, Yubel possesses a student named Martin Kanou and uses him to turn much of the students and faculty into duel-obsessed zombies that Judai and his group have to fight off - which ends up giving Yubel even more energy to regenerate. Along the way, Judai attempts to keep the Yubel-possessed Martin from obtaining the next part of their plan: the Sacred Beasts. However, Yubel's dueling zombies are enough to keep Judai busy and allow them to obtain the cards.

With the Sacred Beasts in hand, Martin-Yubel challenges Judai to a duel: letting everyone go home if he won (although Yubel didn't intend on honoring it). Judai arrives at Martin's location and quickly realizes something, namely what was manipulating Cobra is controlling him. Figured out, Yubel proclaims that Cobra worked hard to get them to this point where they can return Judai's "love" - something that makes Judai realize they know him. Yubel is disappointed that Judai doesn't remember them but proclaims their love as they plan to make him remember with this duel. As the duel goes on, Judai is put on the defensive as Yubel gleefully takes in Judai's pain as "love". To Yubel's annoyance, however, the arrival and interference of Judai's friend Johan Andersen reinvigorates him and they vow to destroy Johan for it.

Even with help, Judai still stuggles against Yubel but Johan is determined to protect him as his best friend. Yubel angrily claims Johan has no right to be Judai's friend and that they knew Judai long before he did. Channeling that rage, Yubel manages to summon the Sacred Beasts, but Judai and Johan respond by summoning a form of "Elemental HERO Neos" and the newly-acquired "Rainbow Dragon", respectively. Yubel, in turn, responds by fusing the Sacred Beasts into "Armityle" before finally deciding to discard Martin's body now that they've gotten the needed energy for their true body. Upon seeing their real body, Judai starts remembering Yubel and what they were doing to other kids he wanted to play with. They're glad Judai finally remembers and is ready to permanently make him theirs by finishing him with "Armityle". Johan, however, protects Judai with "Rainbow Dragon" - the ensuing clash causing both himself and Yubel to be defeated as well as sending Judai and Duel Academy back home.

While temporarily defeated, Yubel was still determined to make Judai theirs and eventually make a world where they could show their love for each other. To that end, while possessing Johan (a move they figured would cause Judai more pain), Yubel manages to lure Judai and a group of his friends into another alternate dimension. They then manipulate the denizens of the world into battling Judai's group in a way that caused him great physical and emotional agony - which served two purposes. First, it caused Judai to fall to darkness and awaken his powers as the Supreme King as a way to make him see their methods. Second, it created the card "Super Polymerization", which Yubel would use to fuse the dimensions into theirs's and Judai's "ideal world".

Judai would eventually be turn away from the Supreme King's power while still having "Super Polymerization". Amidst feeling the guilt of what he did as the Supreme King, Judai learns that Yubel is the one that orchestrated his turn, the reason they did so, and that he's the one that has to stop them. Yubel, meanwhile, begins searching for Judai and ends up dueling with Ryo Marufuji, a duel Judai happens upon but initially thinks it's Johan dueling Ryo since Yubel is still possessing him. Throughout the duel, Yubel relishes Judai's pain at seeing Ryo suffer due to his heart condition - which finally makes Judai realize that Yubel is controlling Johan. He attempts to take over for Ryo, but the Kaiser refuses as he wants his last duel satisfied the way he wants. Judai later realizes Ryo is really wanting to separate Yubel from Johan. This ultimately fails as Ryo is defeated and he succumbs to his heart condition with Yubel still controlling Johan. As they walk away, Jesse-Yubel tells Judai they'll wait in their tower for him to end it.

Judai ascends the tower, during which Yubel regains their strength with help from their last pawn going rouge and trying to stop them. Upon arrival, Judai demands Yubel release Johan from their possession or he'll use everything he can to make them. Yubel refuses and instead tells him neither of them will show mercy as they begin dueling. As the duel goes on, Yubel continues showing their "love" by inflicting pain on Judai using the corrupted forms of Johan's Crystal Beasts and "Rainbow Dragon". At the same time, they also gladly take the pain from Judai's attacks as well as what he's indirectly inflicting to Johan. However, Yubel starts getting angered at Judai's singlemindedness at saving Johan when he did nothing to save them from the pain from their space pod. Despite that, Judai is able to purge Yubel from Johan by using "Super Polymerization" to purify "Rainbow Dragon" and merge it with his "Elemental HERO Neos" to make "Rainbow Neos". However, Yubel was actually waiting for Judai to use "Super Polymerization" - so they could take it before causing the duel to end in a draw.

Judai vs. Yubel

Now with "Super Polymerization" in hand and with no need to fight through others, Yubel challenges Judai to one final duel, which Judai accepts as they enter an isolated pocket space. As they reach the space, Yubel reprimands Judai for launching them into space and telling him about how the Light of Destruction affected them. Judai, however, tells Yubel he was trying to teach them righteousness, realizes the Light likely twisted their mind, and tells them that his parents made him forget about them. Yubel then tells Judai about how they figured the pain they suffered was Judai showing love to them - and that all the pain they inflicted on Judai's friends and the dimensions was just reciprocation of that love. The two eventually reach the site and begin their duel.

Yubel immediately sets to complete their plan during this duel by activating "Spell Chronicle", which Yubel says they will write together. By the end of Judai's first turn, that meaning becomes clear when "Spell Chronicle" forces Judai to give Yubel one of five cards - with "Super Polymerization" being one of the choices. Yubel explains that Judai choosing "Super Polymerization" means he accepts their love and they can merge the dimensions to fill them with that love. Judai, however, rejects it and instead picks one of the other four which disappoints Yubel but they're not bothered as there's still a chance. On their next turn, Yubel summons their card form which can't be destroyed by Judai's Elemental HEROs and deals their damage to him, all symbolizing that pain means nothing to them but love. Judai eventually comes to realize the only way to stop Yubel and make them see reason is to use his full power - which means invoking the Supreme King, once again.

With the Supreme King's power active, Judai tells Yubel that, while they were busy plotting revenge alone, he's been making friends and they showed him what real love was like. To prove it, Judai swaps his Elemental HEROs with his Neo-Spacians and goes on the offensive - while continuing to denounce Yubel's definition of "love". Angered, Yubel punishes Judai's efforts to destroy their card form - before upgrading it into its "Terror Incarnate" form before promising to end him and destroy the universes for his rejection. They put that into motion by using "Terror Incarnate" to bring Judai's life points dangerously low and destroy his Neo-Spacians - while affirming those "friends" of his are worthless when he already had them. In defiance of that view, Judai combines his power with one more friend of his - by merging his "Neos" and Johan's "Rainbow Dragon" into "Rainbow Neos".

With "Rainbow Neos", Judai manages to quell "Terror Incarnate's" destructive power - an act that upsets Yubel as they see it as Judai having transferred his love for them to Johan - and then eventually destroy it. Doing so, however, causes Yubel's card form to take its ultimate form: "the Ultimate Nightmare". Yubel attempts to end Judai with it but he manages to survive at the cost of banishing "Rainbow Neos". Seeing Judai's determination to beat them, Yubel decides to show him why they're so in love with him by showing him their past selves and the promise they made to each other. Seeing this makes Judai realize what he has to do.

After that, Yubel forces Judai to add another card from "Spell Chronicle" - which at this point is a choice between "Super Polymerization" and "Grinder Golem". Yubel expects Judai to continue resisting their love and choose "Grinder Golem", but is shocked when he instead chooses "Super Polymerization". Angered at feeling pitied, Yubel uses it and "Chaim Material" to attempt to make the "Super Fusion God" and use its power to end the dimensions. Judai, however, uses his own trap, "Spiritual Fusion", in order to choose the Fusion materials - and he chooses himself and Yubel. Judai explains that by doing that, the influence of the Light of Destruction will be purged from Yubel and they can be together even if it destroys who he once was. Yubel is overwhelmed by Judai sacrificing himself for them like this and accepts the merging of their souls. The two are left in the alternate dimension as nearly everyone that was thought lost in the alternate dimension is sent back to Earth.

Darkness

Judai, now with a non-evil Yubel within him, would eventually return to his world but would quickly become embroiled in conflict with the mysterious duelist Trueman. Several times during this crisis, Judai would borrow Yubel's abilities to counter Trueman and his minions. However, Yubel would finally manifest to Judai while he was dueling Trueman's master - and the cause of several of Judai's problems throughout his time in Duel Academy - Darkness. They appear to support Judai and disprove Darkness' claim that he was fighting alone, before guiding Judai to break a combo that Darkness had trapped him in. Seeing Yubel is helping Judai, Darkness manages to summon Yubel's card form to his side and attempt to end him. Judai, however, manages to prevent his defeat while promising to save Yubel. He then use "Super Polymerization" to uphold his promise by fusing Yubel with "Neos" to make "Neos Wiseman".

Using this new form, Judai and Yubel keep dueling Darkness until he manages to destroy "Neos Wiseman" with his Darkness Neosphere. As it's destroyed, Yubel pleads with Judai to use "Neos Wiseman's" effect to summon "Neos" from his graveyard - at the cost of banishing Yubel. Despite Judai being truly alone as a result, Yubel has confidence that he can beat Darkness. With that, Judai agrees and banishes Yubel to revive "Neos", which eventually leads to Darkness' final defeat. Later, during Judai's graduation duel with Yugi Muto, Yubel notices his hand shaking and thinks he's still afraid. However, Judai reveals that he's shaking from excitement as he's finally having fun dueling again.

Fanon

Soulshipping is a very popular ship in the Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom, particularly the GX sub-sect. From the outset of their introduction, Yubel's determination to have Judai garnered attention given the lengths they went to. The reveal that Yubel was doing all of this out of the love they had for Judai and as a way to make him pay for spurring it expanded the ship's popularity and made Yubel one of the most tragic Yu-Gi-Oh! villains. This ship is rivalled by several of Judai's other ships, but the rivalry with Spiritshipping is particularly noteworthy given how the ship rivalry, itself, is used to show the lengths Yubel would go to. Judai's and Yubel's final duel is seen by many as one of the best in the entire franchise and its ending as a master-class in how a hero can redeem a villain. The fact Yubel then becomes a staunch ally of Judai's in both Season 4 and the Bonds Beyond Time movie absolutely proves this to fans.

On AO3, this ship is very well-written about, having tagged works in the 280's range, putting it as the third-most written ship for Yu-Gi-Oh! GX. It's Yubel's most written ship. It's also Judai's third-most written behind Spiritshipping and GX Rivalshipping.

Fandom

FAN FICTION

Yubel/Judai tag on AO3

Yubel & Judai tag on AO3

Yubel/Judai tag on FanFiction.net

TUMBLR

Soulshipping posts on Tumblr

Trivia

• The ship's name is derived from the fact that Judai's and Yubel's souls are merged together.
• There are a few references to this ship in cards released in the core booster set Phantom Nightmare:
  • The fusion monster Yubel - The Loving Defender Forever depicts Yubel in a form that resembles Judai's Elemental HERO Flame Wingman and even has a similar effect to deal damage based on the ATK of an opponent's monster.
  • Spirit of Yubel - a retrain of the base Yubel - is in a pose mirror to that of Neos' retrained form.
  • Eternal Favorite features Yubel and an obscured Judai together, and depicts the moment of their merging together.
    • The card is also considered part of an archetype that normally supports Elemental HERO monsters. The arts for the other members show Elemental HEROs Flame Wingman and Neos, both of which Judai has described as "his favorites".
  • The set also released in TCG regions on February 8, 2024, nearly a week before Valentine's Day.

Gallery

Art of the card Eternal Favorite

Variations

Soulbondshipping refers to the ship between Judai, Yubel, and Johan Andersen