Paradox (Yu-Gi-Oh)
From The Character Database
Paradox (パラドックス, Paradokkusu) is the primary antagonist of Yu-Gi-Oh! 3D: Bonds Beyond Time, possessing the ability to travel across time and space in an attempt to rewrite history. His goal is to prevent the creation of Duel Monsters by assassinating Maximillion Pegasus, believing that doing so will alter the course of history and prevent the apocalyptic future from which he originates.
He was one of the last four survivors of humanity’s collapse, alongside Z-one, Aporia, and Antinomy. Unlike his comrades, little is revealed about his past before he joined them in their desperate struggle to change the future. His name is derived from the concept of a paradox—a contradiction that arises when past events are altered, leading to unforeseen and drastic consequences. This reflects his mission, as his interference with history would have drastically reshaped the future had he succeeded.
Unlike Z-one’s other allies, Paradox never became a guardian of a Planetary Particle, as he was defeated before fulfilling that role. Sherry LeBlanc later replaced him as the third guardian.
| Names | Paradox (パラドックス, Paradokkusu), Paradox of the Reverse Temple[1] |
| Gender | Male ♂ Genderless as an Android |
| Race | Human, Android |
| Occupation | Duelist, Scientist |
| Origin | Yu-Gi-Oh! 3D: Bonds Beyond Time １０ｔｈアニバーサリー 劇場版 遊☆戯☆王 ～超融合!時空を越えた絆～Tensu Anivāsarī Gekijōban Yū☆Gi☆Ō ~Chō Yūgō! Toki o Koeta Kizuna~, lit, Yu-Gi-Oh! the Movie: Super Fusion! Bonds That Transcend Time (January 23, 2010) |
| Alignment | Evil |
| Age | Not Stated |
| Created By | Shin Yoshida |
| Personality Type | INTP, 6w5 (Enneagram) |
| Voice Actors |  Japanese: Atsushi Tamura
|
Appearance
Paradox is a tall and imposing figure with a futuristic and almost otherworldly appearance. He wears a sleek, form-fitting bodysuit with armor-like plating, emphasizing his role as a time-traveling enforcer. His outfit is primarily black and dark purple, adorned with glowing blue circuitry patterns that give him a cybernetic aesthetic. A long, flowing red cape trails behind him, adding to his dramatic presence. His most striking feature is his mask, which covers the lower half of his face and extends to the sides of his head, resembling a fusion of a high-tech visor and a ceremonial headdress. His eyes glow ominously, reinforcing his enigmatic and calculating nature.
Masked Paradox
Paradox in the ruined future in 5D's
Personality
Paradox is cold, methodical, and deeply devoted to his mission. Unlike other villains who act out of personal ambition or greed, he is driven by a firm belief that Duel Monsters is the root cause of his world's destruction. His actions stem from desperation rather than malice, as he genuinely believes that erasing Duel Monsters from history is the only way to save humanity. This unwavering conviction makes him a dangerous and relentless opponent.
Despite his logical approach, Paradox harbors an intense hatred for Duel Monsters and views it as a plague that has doomed civilization. He considers himself above the moral consequences of his actions, believing that any sacrifice is justified if it leads to the salvation of the future. However, he is not entirely devoid of doubt—his final words suggest that, deep down, he wonders if his approach was misguided.
Paradox is also highly intelligent and tactical, preferring to manipulate events rather than rely solely on brute force. He carefully chooses the points in history where his interference will have the most impact, using psychological warfare and deception to achieve his goals. He is confident to the point of arrogance, frequently underestimating his opponents, though he remains adaptable when confronted with unexpected resistance.
While he aligns himself with Z-one and the other survivors, Paradox differs from them in his proactive approach. Instead of waiting for the future to unfold, he takes direct action, making him one of the most dangerous antagonists in Yu-Gi-Oh! history.
Biography
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s
Paradox was one of the few survivors of the Meklord Emperor genocide, along with Z-one and Antinomy. Eventually, they discovered Aporia, the fourth survivor. Desperate to prevent the catastrophe that had devastated their world, the group conducted numerous experiments in an attempt to rewrite history. Their greatest success was granting Z-one eternal life through a life-support system. However, Paradox, Antinomy, and Aporia ultimately succumbed to natural causes and were placed in capsules, leaving Z-one as the last living remnant of their era.
Bonds Beyond Time
A robotic duplicate of Paradox's younger self was created by Z-one and programmed with his original hatred for Duel Monsters, believing the game was responsible for humanity’s downfall. Tasked with erasing Duel Monsters from history, Paradox was given a Duel Runner capable of time travel and assigned a mission: to assassinate Maximillion Pegasus before he could recreate the Shadow Games as Duel Monsters. By eliminating Pegasus, Paradox sought to rewrite history, preventing the Meklord Emperor Genocide that had devastated his world.
However, instead of simply assassinating Pegasus, Paradox devised a more elaborate strategy. He planned to kill Pegasus during a high-profile Duel Monsters event, using the public nature of the attack to instill fear and drive people away from the game. If successful, this would trigger a domino effect that would erase Duel Monsters from history entirely. Though aware of potential negative consequences, Paradox justified his actions by citing the many great evils that had used Duel Monsters to threaten the world.
Paradox first traveled to New Domino City during Yusei Fudo’s era, where he interrupted a Turbo Duel between Yusei, Crow Hogan, and Jack Atlas. As Yusei Summoned "Stardust Dragon", Paradox absorbed it into a blank card. When confronted, he displayed the corrupted card before vanishing through time once more.
He then traveled further back to Venice in Jaden Yuki’s time, where he launched a destructive attack. Using "Cyber End Dragon" and "Rainbow Dragon", he struck at Jaden, who was protected by "Elemental HERO Neos". To counter, Paradox summoned "Stardust Dragon" against Neos. Before he could finish Jaden, Yusei, having traveled back in time with the help of the Crimson Dragon, intervened and rescued Jaden. Though surprised that Yusei had followed him, Paradox remained confident that the alterations in the timeline would eventually erase them both.
Paradox then moved to Yugi Muto’s time, targeting an event where Pegasus was distributing cards to children. Unleashing "Cyber End Dragon", "Rainbow Dragon", and "Stardust Dragon", he attacked the area, driven by an obsession to annihilate the "plague" that destroyed his future. Indifferent to collateral damage, Paradox caused a building to collapse, killing Pegasus, Solomon Muto, and many innocent bystanders. As he surveyed the destruction, he declared that he had saved the world. However, Yusei and Jaden arrived and recruited Yugi, the lone survivor, to stop him.
Traveling thirty minutes into the past, Yusei, Jaden, and Yugi evacuated the event’s attendees to ensure their safety. Paradox—from an earlier point in the timeline—arrived, determined to stop their interference. He explained his motives, insisting that despite their efforts, the world was doomed to destruction. Enraged, Yusei, Jaden, and Yugi challenged him to a 3-on-1 Duel. Accepting the challenge, Paradox transformed his Duel Runner into a hovering battle platform.
During the Duel, Paradox wielded "Malefic World" and corrupted "Malefic" versions of powerful monsters. Although Yusei, Jaden, and Yugi managed to reclaim "Stardust Dragon", Paradox countered with "Malefic Truth Dragon", pushing them into a dire situation. As victory seemed within his grasp, he taunted Yusei. However, with Jaden and Yugi’s help, Yusei countered his final attack, overcoming "Malefic Truth Dragon" and defeating Paradox. The Duel’s conclusion resulted in Paradox’s destruction. In his final moments, he questioned whether his mission had been misguided.
Legacy
Later, Z-one referenced Paradox while revealing his plans to Team 5D’s, and Yusei recognized his name, recalling their battle. Before his own demise, Z-one reflected on his connection to Paradox, Antinomy, and Aporia, considering them his family and drawing strength from their bond.
Powers and Statistics
Tier: 9-B with Duel Runner, 2-C via powers
Powers and Abilities: Peak Human Strength and Durability, Vehicular Mastery & Flight via Duel Runner, Immortality (Type 1) . Soul Manipulation, Sealing (Can Steal Duel Monster Spirits and pace them into cards), Summoning, Life Manipulation (Able to bring cards to life) Time Travel via Duel Runner Darkness Manipulation & Corruption (Malefic Monsters are Dark type corrupted versions of ace monsters) Fusionism (Merged with Malefic Truth Dragon) Acausality (Type 1)
Attack Potency: Low Multiverse level via powers (Can summon monsters with various degrees of power and amplify their power up to the strongest monster he has in his deck)
Speed: Athletic Human | Athletic Human
Lifting Strength: Unknown
Striking Strength: Low Multiverse level with summons
Durability: Low Multiverse level
Stamina: Superhuman
Range: Standard Melee Range physically; Tens of Kilometers with several monsters, spells, and traps;
Intelligence: Genius
Weaknesses:
Standard Equipment: Duel Monsters cards, Duel Runner
Deck
Paradox utilizes a Malefic Deck, composed primarily of DARK-Attribute Dragon-Type monsters, with the exception of Malefic Cyber End Dragon and Malefic Parallel Gear, which are Machine-Type. His Malefic monsters are corrupted versions of powerful signature cards belonging to notable duelists throughout history—cards that he traveled through time to steal and twist into malevolent forms.
His deck revolves around Malefic World, his preferred Field Spell, which allows him to bypass his normal Draw Phase in favor of adding a Malefic monster from his Deck to his hand. This ensures he always has access to his strongest monsters. His strategy is further reinforced by an array of Spell and Trap Cards branded with the Malefic name, designed to amplify his monsters' overwhelming power and disrupt his opponents. With this deck, Paradox aims to dominate duels through brute force and manipulation, using stolen legendary monsters to reshape history in his favor.
Duel Runner
Paradox possesses a Duel Runner that bears similarities to the one used by Aporia. The Duel Runner is shown to travel through time and change between modes. Like Yusei's Duel Runner, Paradox possesses a hybrid model.
Trivia
- Like his comrades Aporia and Antinomy, Paradox’s codename is derived from a logical conundrum—paradox, a self-contradictory argument. This reflects his mission to erase Duel Monsters from history while ironically using the game itself as a tool to achieve that goal.
- During his Duel against Yusei, Jaden, and Yami Yugi, Paradox mirrors tactics used by antagonists that each protagonist has previously faced. First, he performs a Synchro Summon, similar to Rex Goodwin. Then, he uses a Trap Card to summon his ace monster when another is destroyed, akin to Thelonious Viper. Finally, he merges with his ace monster in a manner reminiscent of Yami Marik, further reinforcing his role as a villain who embodies the worst aspects of past foes.
Theme
References
- ↑ Duel Box 13 settei
