It all came down to this! Shane Scurry, master of the impossible win, was up against Chris Bowling for the title of U.S. National Champion! In a familiar scene, this final match would be a Gladiator Beast mirror match, and both competitors took a final look at each other’s decklists before they began shuffling. Bowling’s main deck Stratos tech had served him extremely well in the last match, and the powerful start that Stratos can provide could give him an edge. On the other hand, we’re talking about Shane Scurry who regularly enjoys finding the only possible way out of otherwise unwinnable scenarios. I think that counts for something.

Game 1

Chris won the opening roll 6 to 4, and he started things off with Gladiator Proving Ground for Gladiator Beast Laquari. He summoned Laquari, set a spell or trap, and passed over to Shane who summoned Prisma and activated its effect.

Gladiator Beast Bestiari was sent to the graveyard, and Chris Bowling chained Mind Crush calling Test Tiger. Shane revealed his hand of Monster Reborn, Gladiator Beast Hoplomus, Elemental Hero Prisma, Book of Moon, and Solemn Judgment. Chris was punished for his incorrect call by a discard of Gladiator Beast Darius, and Monster Reborn allowed Shane to steal Chris’ Darius and send it back to the deck to summon Gladiator Beast Gyzarus. Laquari was destroyed by Gyzarus’ effect, and the Fusion monster hit for 2400 before being traded out for Laquari and Gladiator Beast Darius. Darius brought back Bestiari to the field, and Shane sent all three monsters back to the deck to summon Gladiator Beast Heraklinos. Shane set two spell or traps and passed with two in hand. Chris was in a pretty tight spot with three monsters and a Mirror Force in hand. Knowledge of Shane’s Solemn Judgment could help, but it could also be seen as recognition of the inevitable. Chris set his Mirror Force and passed over to Shane who checked the life points before swinging with Heraklinos to reduce Chris Bowling to 2600 life points.

Shane passed, and Chris put a monster on the field in defense mode. Shane had a Gladiator Beast Hoplomus, and he summoned it before attacking with Heraklinos. Chris tried his Mirror Force, but Shane pitched Phoenix Wing Wind Blast to negate it, and Chris’ Bestiari was toast. Hoplomus swung for 700, and Shane cycled it out for a 2100 ATK Laquari. “I’m considering chaining ‘Scoop’ on your end phase,” remarked Chris. He decided to see his next card instead, and scooped immediately afterwards anyway. Shane takes a quick game 1 in part thanks to an incorrect call on Mind Crush!

Game 2

Shane Scurry was now one win away from being crowned the 2008 U.S. National Champion, and he had no intention of letting Chris drag this out to a third game. Chris didn’t want to have any of that, however, and he shuffled his entire side deck into the deck before removing fifteen cards. Bowling would be up first in the second game, and he started things out with a set monster and three cards in the spell and trap zone. Shane scratched his head before summoning Elemental Hero Prisma and turning it into a Bestiari. No Mind Crush from Bowling this time, and Shane set two spell or trap cards before passing. Chris took a play from Scurry’s book this time with Monster Reborn on Shane’s Bestiari! Chris revealed his face-down Gladiator Beast Secutor and sent it back to his deck along with Shane’s Bestiari to summon Gyzarus! Shane lost both of his back row cards, but he chained one of them, Phoenix Wing Wind Blast to try and get Gyzarus off the field. Solemn Judgment blocked it, and Shane lost Book of Moon without being able to use it. Prisma fell to Gyzarus, and Chris tagged out for two copies of Laquari at 2100 ATK a piece.

Chris added a third card to his back row, and Scurry scooped, unable to do anything. “Shane’s probably the first person to scoop in the finals with over 7000 life points,” remarked Paul Levitin from the sidelines. One of the other members of Overdose commented on the fact that I was writing any of this down to begin with. That’s why I’m here, folks. “Maybe we should close the Duel Dome off except for V.I.P.s.” Clearly, Paul felt that he fell into this category.

Game 3

Things were much more solemn at the table as Shane and Chris finished their shuffling for the final game. It was Shane’s start, and he opened up with . . . nothing!

Gladiator Beast Darius hit him for 1700 on Chris’ first turn, and he swapped it out for Laquari at the end of the battle phase before setting four cards to his back row. Shane looked at his options and summoned Elemental Hero Prisma, activating its effect to turn it into a Bestiari. Mind Control tried to pull Laquari’s strings for Shane, and Chris reluctantly allowed it. Gladiator Beast Gyzarus came out of Shane’s Fusion deck, but Solemn Judgment put it into the graveyard instead of into play. Shane passed, and Chris flipped his set Gladiator Proving Ground to fetch Darius back from the deck and swing for 1700. He repeated his first move, cycling Darius out for Laquari, and Chris set a third spell or trap card. Neo-Spacian Dark Panther came down for Shane, and he used it to copy the effect and name of Gladiator Beast Laquari before special summoning Test Tiger and activating it. Chris indicated that he wanted to consider a response but declined to do anything allowing Shane to fetch Gladiator Beast Murmillo from the deck.

My Body as a Shield from Bowling negated and destroyed Murmillo, and Shane seemed to wonder why he didn’t go for Gladiator Beast Darius. Perhaps they were all in hand? Shane passed without a back row indicating this was likely the case, and Prisma came down for Chris Bowling, allowing him to send Bestiari to the graveyard to turn the Hero into a Gladiator. Gyzarus hit the field, and Chris swung for 2400 before pulling Gladiator Beast Laquari and Darius out of the deck at the end of the battle phase. Darius pulled Gladiator Beast Bestiari from the graveyard, and Heraklinos hit the field shortly after. If Shane was going to work his magic, now was the time. He summoned Gladiator Beast Darius from his hand, then dropped a Test Tiger to go with it. He sent Darius to the deck only to return it to the field. This time, it came with a Bestiari, and a third Test Tiger from Shane let him trade Bestiari with no effect for Bestiari with effect, destroying Chris’ set Torrential Tribute.

Now, Shane Fused his Gladiator Beasts to form Gladiator Beast Gyzarus, but Chris had another My Body as a Shield! Chris was down to 1000 life points, but Shane couldn’t do anything else and he had to scoop it up! Chris Bowling sneaks by Shane Scurry’s all monster hand in game 3 to become the new U.S. National Champion!