by Introduction
Most Yu-Gi-Oh! players are familiar with the iconic Millennium Items like Yugi’s Millennium Puzzle, Pegasus’ Millennium Eye, and Bakura’s Millennium Ring, but can you name all seven? Or was it eight?… Ten?.. Let’s count them together and delve into the history of these magical talismans and what they can do!
What is a Millennium Item and where did they come from? Between the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga and anime we are given an account of the history of these magical relics. The anime more-or-less follows the story of the Millennium Items as told in the manga, with some variation. This article will use references from both, but will primarily focus on the manga.
Creation of the Millennium Items
In the ancient Egypt of the Yu-Gi-Oh! world, the Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen, father of Atem, ruled the land. His kingdom, however, was threatened by invaders. In a bold attempt to defend the kingdom, the Pharaoh’s brother, Akhenaden, suggested using an ancient tome known as the Millennium Spellbook. This book provided details on how to forge powerful items that could help the Pharaoh defend his nation from invading enemies. Desperate for a way to protect his kingdom, Akhenamkhanen bid his brother, Akhenaden, create the Millennium Items. Akhenaden, with the Millennium Spellbook, did just that, but he withheld one very important detail from his brother the pharaoh.
Akhenaden traveled to the village of Kul Elna to locate the Millennium Stone, a key piece of the spell. Another key ingredient for the forging of the Millennium Items… the souls of 99 humans. Akhenaden sacrificed the 99 citizens of Kul Elna, unbeknownst to his older brother, and he mixed their blood, flesh, and bones with the gold needed to forge the relics. Seven items were created: the Millennium Puzzle, Key, Eye, Ring, Rod, Scale, and Necklace. With these items, distributed between Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen, Akhenad, and the ancient priests, Akhenamkhanen summoned an army of Duel Monsters to combat his foes. However, after discovering the truth about the sacrifices needed to cast the Millennium Items, Akhenamkhanen offered himself as tribute to the Egyptian Gods for the lost souls. He did so in penance for the dark act, and to spare his son, Atem, from any wrongdoing that might be laid upon him in the future.
The Aftermath
As time went on, Atem became Pharaoh, but in the shadows, trouble was lurking. Thief King Bakura, the only survivor of the Kul Elna massacre, sought revenge. He raided Akhenamkhanen’s tomb and stole the DiaDhank, the ancient Egyptian equivalent of the Duel Disk. With this device, Thief King Bakura summoned the souls sealed in the slates of Akhenamkhanen’s tomb, including Diabound, a demon created as the result of the Kul Elna event.
Thief King Bakura was able to corrupt Akhenaden, and together they used the Millennium Items to summon the dark god Zorc to destroy the world. However, Pharaoh Atem, used the magic of the Millennium Item, along with his own name, to seal both himself and Zorc inside the Millennium Puzzle. He then wiped his own memory, so the seal could never be undone. After his death, the Pharaoh Atem was entombed beneath Kul Elna. A stone there was inscribed with the words, “Should the seven Millennium Items be placed upon it, along with the eighth key, the Pharaoh’s name, Zorc would be free again”.
Power of the Millennium Items
Flash forward 3,000 – 5,000 years (anime vs. manga), and the Millennium Items have new hosts, and the saga continues with Yugi, Marik, Bakura, and the others. So, what other powers do these artifacts possess?
Millennium Puzzle
The Millennium Puzzle, sometimes called the Millennium Pendant, contains the soul of Aten and Zorc. It grants the ability to control Duel Monsters, including the Egyptian God cards. Whosoever solves the Puzzle is granted “Mastery of Games” and “Power of Darkness.” Yugi was able to solve the Puzzle, and helped the Pharaoh Atem defeat Zorc and finally pass on into peace.
Millennium Eye
Pegasus famously used the Millennium Eye to read the minds and cards of his opponents to defeat them in battle. This artifact allows its owner to read minds and souls, and the power to seal an individual’s soul inside cards. It can also allow its host to see the dead.
Millennium Scle
The Millennium Scale, which sees little use, weighs the darkness in a person’s soul, and it can also be used to fuse monsters, like Polymerization. This is much like the scales used by Anubis in ancient Egyptian mythology. Anubis weighs the hearts of men in his scale against the Feather of Ma’at to determine a person’s worthiness to pass into the afterlife. Shadi actually demonstrates this in the manga.
Millennium Necklace
Ishizu Ishtar, Marik’s older sister, uses the Millennium Necklace to see into the possible future. The futures that the Necklace reveals are not set in stone and can be changed. It also allows the host to view the past.
Millennium Ring
Thief King Bakura’s soul was sealed inside the Millennium Ring, which eventually made its way to Ryou Bakura. This dangerous artifact has the ability to lead its host to whatever they desire, acting almost like a diving rod or compass. It can also seal the souls of others into objects. A fragment of Zorc’s soul resides inside the Ring, making this item one of the most dangerous and evil of the Millennium Items.
Millennium Rod
Marik Ishtar comes into possession of the potent Millennium Rod. This object has the power to seal peoples’ souls inside stone tables. It also grants its user the ability to possess the minds of others. Marik uses this ability to force others to carry out his bidding. It also seems to grant him telepathy. The Rod is also shown simply destroying things, like a magic scepter of sorts.
Millennium Key
Lastly, the Millennium Key. This item is similar to the Millennium Rod in that its user can enter the mind of another person and can serve as a mind control tool. Though, the Key is used more to view the mind and memories of others, as well as alter memories and personalities, something Shadi describes as “redecorating” the “room of the soul.”
Shared Powers
In addition to their individual powers, all seven of the Millennium Items have some shared abilities. All Millennium Items grant their hosts the ability to conduct a Shadow Game, a duel that takes place in an adjacent dimension where the players will not be distracted and cannot cheat in any way. These Shadow Games are dangerous, and usually involve some kind of penalty for the loser. The Millennium Items also give their users protection from ancient magic and the ability to use some ancient magic, like creating illusions. Bandit Keith famously dies in a Shadow Game because he tries to cheat. In the end, his hand actually transforms into a gun and he is forced to take his own life. So, the stakes are clearly very high in these Shadow Games.
Millennium “Objects”
Over the years we have been given additional hints and glimpses of other Millennium “Objects.” These “Objects” are not true Millennium Items, but are magical items/creatures forged from ancient magic. Let’s take a look!
The Millennium Spellbook, which was actually created by Zorc, is a book that contains the instructions for creating the seven Millennium Items. Zorc was an intangible evil force that sought to enter the material world. Through the use of the Millennium Items and the Millennium Stone, he planned to enter the world.
Dark Side of Dimensions
In the movie “Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions” we are introduced to two new Millennium Objects: the Pyramid of Light and the Quantum Cube. The Pyramid of Light is revealed to be a failed attempt by Akhenaden to recreate the Millennium Puzzle. The object was later used by the sorcerer Anubis. And while Sera, Agami’s sister, claims that the Quantum Cube is a Millennium Item, this is not confirmed. It is more likely that the Cube was created after the other Millennium Items and was intended to be used as a tool alongside them.
Old Card References
Sengenjin is an old Normal Monster that, in its flavour text, mentions the Millennium Items: “An unstoppable savage that carries Millennium Items.” The artwork for this card shows a cyclopean beast with a spear, an axe, and morning star on his back. While these items are never discussed in the manga or the anime, it could be that these items were magical weapons used in ancient times. Similarly, there is the Normal Monster Millennium Shield. This card’s text, “A Millennium item, it’s rumored to block any strong attack” suggests that it is a Millennium Item. However, like the weapons carried by Sengenjin, the Shield is likely only an ancient, magical tool. In fact, Millennium Shield’s flavour text was changed to remove the mention of it being a Millennium Item: “A famous shield said to belong to an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh. Legends tell of its power to block any strong attack.” This change also lends itself to prove that the item is a magical object, not a true Millennium Item. In addition to these two monsters, we also have the Millennium Golem, a magical guardian of a “treasure trove.” This treasure trove is likely the Millennium Stone and the treasures of the ancient pharaohs.
Additional “Millennium” MOnsters
Millennium Seeker is a card that references the Millennium Scale, but is otherwise not related to the Millennium Items or the Millennium archetype. There are also Millennium-Eyes Illusionist and Millennium-Eyes Restrict. These two cards feature the Millennium Eye in their art, but there is no explanation as to how these creatures are linked to Millennium Items. Given the power of the Millennium Eye and its connection to Pegasus and Relinquished, it could be argued that these monsters are the amalgamation of souls that have been sealed, stolen, and corrupted by the power of the Eye. We also have Millennium Scorpion, which is likely only a guardian monster inspired by the goddess Serket, as its artwork is similar to the Mystical Beast of Serket, a monster that also bears the Eye of Anubis, like the Millennium Items.
Millennium Archetype
In addition to these cards, there is also the Millennium archetype, a set of cards that focus on bringing out The Unstoppable Exodia Incarnate, a Fusion of all five pieces of Exodia. This archetype includes retrains of familiar faces: Sengenjin Wakes from a Millennium, Shield of the Millennium Dynasty, Golem that Guards the Millennium Treasures, Heart of the Blue-Eyes, Maiden of the Millennium Moon, and Fiend Reflection of the Millennium. Also in the archetype is the Spell Card Millennium Ankh. While the Millennium Ankh may not be part of the original seven Millennium Items, it is an ancient, magical artifact that is used to release/revive Exodia and restore him to his full power. This archetype links Exodia with the Millennium Items and the ancient magic that surrounds them.
The Millennium Items are an integral part of Yu-Gi-Oh!, and they continue to inspire and share the game as it evolves and expands.
