Andrew Fredella has made it to the Finals of a Shonen Jump Championship three times before, winning once. If he could win here, this would be his second Shonen Jump Championship. Fredella plays for Team Illusion, representing B.R.A.D.’S Sports Cards and Collectibles in Coral Springs, Florida.

His opponent is Justin Arnwine, a duelist who’s been seemingly unstoppable here today. A win here for Arnwine would be an upset, but not a surprising one. After letting himself slip in his previous feature match against Alonzo Peters, Arnwine was clearly wielding a new focus and discipline heading into this match. He gave a shout-out to Barry Russell.

“I’m just glad I don’t have to play anymore of these weird TeleDAD decks,” remarked Fredella. Both duelists agreed that they didn’t want to play against Henry Su’s deck, the one Fredella had to face in the first round today. “I liked the one that had the Dasher and double Jinzo,” noted Arnwine. Chris Taporco’s deck had made quite an impression here this weekend. Decks were shuffled, and friendly conversation turned to competition.

Arnwine opened with Allure of Darkness, removing Krebons. He followed it up with Destiny Draw—discarding Destiny Hero - Diamond Dude—then set a card to each zone. “Go.” Fredella had Sangan, D.D. Crow, Allure of Darkness, Gold Sarcophagus, Brain Control, and Mystical Space Typhoon. He started things off with Allure, drawing Phoenix Wing Wind Blast and Snipe Hunter—he removed the latter. He activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy his opponent’s set Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, then used Gold Sarcophagus to search Destiny Draw from his deck. He removed it from the game and his turn continued, finishing with a set card to each zone. “Go ahead.”

Arnwine tributed his face-down Mystic Tomato for Caius the Shadow Monarch, removing Fredella’s face-down Sangan from the game! Caius then attacked, dealing a total of 3400 damage, and Arnwine set a monster. Fredella was up.

He passed, one turn away from claiming his Destiny Draw. “Go ahead.” Arnwine summoned Destiny Hero - Doom Lord, attacked for 1000 damage, then attacked for another 2400. Fredella was down to 1600 life points, and Arnwine set a second spell or trap card: Crush Card Virus.

He flipped it next turn and Fredella revealed two Destiny Draw cards, Brain Control, D.D. Crow, and Krebons. He flipped Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, spun away Arnwine’s back row card, and discarded Destiny Draw. He summoned Krebons, took Caius with Brain Control, attacked with both, and desperately Synchro summoned Colossal Fighter. Next turn Arnwine revealed Brain Control and Fredella conceded!

Justin Arnwine dominates Game 1, now just one duel away from a Shonen Jump Championship title!

Fredella opened Game 2 with Elemental Hero Stratos, searching out Destiny Hero - Diamond Dude. He discarded Malicious for Destiny Draw, drew two, and set two copies of Solemn Judgment and Phoenix Wing Wind Blast. “Go ahead.” He had Diamond Dude, Doom Lord, and Dark Grepher in hand.

Arnwine activated Reinforcement of the Army, getting his Stratos. When he tried to summon it Fredella negated the summon with Solemn Judgment! Arnwine reeled briefly, then took a long look at his hand before setting one spell or trap. “I end.”

Fredella summoned Krebons, removed Malicious from his graveyard to special summon another, then Synchro summoned Stardust Dragon. Stardust and Stratos attacked for 4300 damage, and Arnwine dropped to 3700 life points. “Go ahead.”

Arnwine summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior and Fredella let it through: when he tried to activate its destruction effect, Fredella tributed Stardust Dragon to negate the effect and destroy Breaker. Arnwine activated Emergency Teleport, dug for Krebons, and activated Brain Control to take Stratos: Fredella handed it over. If Arnwine Synchro summoned Goyo Guardian in main phase 2, Fredella would just activate Phoenix Wing Wind Blast to spin it away.

He went for it early, a huge mistake! Krebons and Stratos would have dealt 3000 damage together, while Goyo had only 2800 ATK and was consolidated into a single vulnerable monster. Goyo attacked, Fredella flipped Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, Arnwine flipped Solemn Judgment, and Fredella chained his own Solemn! Arnwine scooped.

Andrew Fredella establishes control early on, and a misstep by Justin Arnwine means no chance at recovery. The match was one-all, and Arnwine would get to open Game 3.

“I possibly should have used Brain Control on Stardust,” maligned Arnwine.

“Yeah, possibly,” replied Fredella with a friendly smile.

“Would you have Solemn’d it?”

“Maybe,” replied Fredella, completely noncommittal. He wasn’t going to give Arnwine any information.

Arnwine activated Reinforcement of the Army, getting Stratos and using it to get Malicious, which he of course discarded for Destiny Draw. He removed Malicious to special summon another in defense, discarded his third Malicious for Destiny Draw, then activated Allure of Darkness. He removed Necro Gardna for Allure’s effect, set three cards to his back row, and flipped Crush Card Virus next turn!

Fredella revealed his hand: Snipe Hunter, Mirror Force, two Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, Solemn Judgment, Mirror Force, and Crush Card Virus. He set everything save Crush Card Virus and ended, and next turn Arnwine summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior!

“That’s fine.” Breaker destroyed a Solemn. Stratos attacked, Fredella flipped Mirror Force, and Arnwine negated it with Solemn Judgment! This one was over. Arnwine set another spell or trap, Fredella lost his draw next turn (Caius), and one of his Wind Blasts was destroyed a turn later with Mystical Space Typhoon. Arnwine attacked twice, set two cards to his back row, and ended.

Fredella drew Malicious, discarded it to try and Wind Blast the last card Arnwine had set, but lost out to Solemn Judgment. He removed Malicious to special summon another, set Crush Card Virus, and ended. He had nothing left. Arnwine flipped Emergency Teleport, Fredella chained Crush Card Virus, and Arnwine had another Solemn!