The Blue-Eyes White Dragon, an iconic Yu-Gi-Oh! card, holds a secret dark origin that sheds new light on Kaiba's obsession with it. This origin is deeply rooted in the history of the Duel Monsters card game and Kaiba's past as an advisor to the Pharaoh.
In Ancient Egypt, the original Duel Monsters game was played, where players summoned the souls of real monsters to battle. These monsters were essentially imprisoned human souls, trapped within stone tablets until called upon for combat. Throughout the Yu-Gi-Oh! series, many characters have ancient Egyptian counterparts who participated in these games, including Kaiba. His ancient self, Seto, initially supported the Pharaoh version of Yugi but turned against him after a tragic incident that led to his possession of the stone tablet housing the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon Gave Her Life For Seto in Yu-Gi-Oh!'s Past
The Blue-Eyes White Dragon started off as Kisara's Ka, who was saved from slavery by Seto, an individual from Ancient Egypt. Seto later reunited with Kisara and rescued her from a potential stoning due to her unique appearance. Upon discovering the immense power of Kisara's Ka, Seto's father demanded its extraction to aid in his quest for control over Egypt. Despite his affections for Kisara, Seto refused to comply. Enraged, his father made an attempt on Seto's life, but Kisara sacrificed herself to save him. In the wake of this tragedy, Seto extracted Kisara's Ka into the White Dragon tablet and utilized her powers in battles against both the Pharaoh and the villainous spirit Zorc.
Although the contemporary Kaiba was unaware of this tale, his previous existence unknowingly influenced his intense fascination with the Blue-Eyes White Dragon card. Inadvertently, he has admirably preserved Kisara's memory more successfully than his original counterpart. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon card holds great rarity, with only three known copies remaining after Kaiba destroyed the one belonging to Yugi's Grandpa. Instead of allowing this card to fade into obscurity, Kaiba has prominently displayed its image across his company's products, even going so far as to own a private jet fashioned after a Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Some may perceive this as cheapening Kisara's memory, but through these actions, Kaiba has elevated her Ka to the status of one of the most iconic cards in the franchise.
In addition to that, other renowned Yu-Gi-Oh! cards also trace their origins back to Ancient Egypt. The enigmatic Dark Magician, for instance, embodies the Ka of Mahad, one of the Pharaoh's most trusted companions. Subsequent series pay tribute to Yu-Gi-Oh!'s legendary creatures, shedding light on the captivating origins of their most memorable cards. Nevertheless, the story of Kisara's sacrifice and its profound impact on Seto undeniably renders the Blue-Eyes White Dragon's inception the most sorrowful and gloomiest among these Yu-Gi-Oh! backstories.