Axel Brodie

Infobox animanga character
name = Axel Brodie
series = Yu-Gi-Oh! GX


caption = Axel Brodie
first = "Yu-Gi-Oh! GX" Episode 106
last =
creator =
voiced by = Naru Kawamoto (Japanese)
Unknown (English)
alias =
age = Unknown
born = Unknown
relatives = Father

Axel Brodie, known as nihongo|Austin O'Brien|オースチン・オブライエン|Ōsuchin Oburaien in the original Japanese language version, is a fictional character in the "Yu-Gi-Oh! GX" anime series. His name in the English version is a pun on the name of "Beverly Hills Cop" protagonist Axel Foley. In the Japanese version, O'Brien is voiced by Naru Kawamoto.

Initially Professor Viper's right-hand man introduced during the third season, Axel eventually joins Jaden Yuki as one of his allies.

Biography

In the timeline of the "Yu-Gi-Oh! GX" anime, Axel is a new student hailing from West Academy who enters Duel Academy in the third year. Unlike the other foreign duelists invited, he and Professor Viper do not leave their cabins for the duration of the journey to Duel Academy. The two of them do, however, meet to discuss matters in private, though Axel is in fact a spy working for Maximillion Pegasus. ["Yu-Gi-Oh! GX". Episode #127. March 14, 2007.] Axel wields a retractable Duel Disk resembling a gun which can be stored in a holster at his waist. In the past, he trained extensively with his father (a mercenary) on jungle terrain, learning the art of survival. During his time at West Academy, he adapted these skills to the performance of life-threatening wire stunts to master his drawing technique. ["Yu-Gi-Oh! GX." Episode #108. November 1, 2006.]

Shortly after the beginning of the third year, Professor Viper orders Axel to engage in a Survival Duel with Jaden Yuki. While Viper regards him as his "long-cherished hope," he does not care whether Axel claims victory or is defeated; his true interests lie in the realization of Jaden's full potential as a duelist, so that his Bio-Band may absorb all his Duel Energy. Before Axel has the opportunity to confront him, he is approached by Syrus Truesdale, who he takes hostage in order to gain Jaden's cooperation. During the Duel, he is reminded of one of his father's teachings by Jaden's determination and spirit: although he is a "dog of battle," he must also protect his own life and be a passionate and burning warrior. ["Yu-Gi-Oh! GX". Episode #109. November 8, 2006.] He resolves to facing Jaden on his own terms, which Viper considers traitorous, but ultimately allows himself to be defeated in order to complete his mission.

Unsettled by the differences between the Survival Duels of West Academy and those taking place on the island, Axel searches Viper's office, discovering that he is operating out of the abandoned lab where Wheeler was trained. Arriving there moments after the Duel between Chazz Princeton and Adrian Gecko, he demands that Viper reveal his true intentions for coming to Duel Academy. When the man refuses and insults his father, Axel attacks him, but is locked in a pit for his insolence. He eventually escapes and assists Jaden and co. in reaching Viper. He is later found alive after having seemingly been crushed under a facility door.

Axel accompanies Jaden and co. to an alternate dimension and assists Jesse Andersen in retrieving the "Rainbow Dragon" card. After their journey into a third alternate world, Axel and Jim face Jaden, who has been possessed by an entity called the "Supreme King," but Jim is defeated and his Orichalcum Eye artifact is entrusted to Axel. Encouraged by Jim's sacrifice, Axel, along with Aster Phoenix and Zane Truesdale, assaults the Supreme King's castle and frees Jaden from the entity's influence, sending himself to the stars in the process. He does return alive, however, after Jaden and Yubel's duel, and later helps Jaden in uncovering the mystery of Fujiwara Yusuke's presence at Duel Academy in the fourth season. He later duels Mr. T, and he becomes possessed by him trying to hurt Jaden. He is later revived after Jaden defeats Nightshroud

In the English version, Axel's voice is reminiscent of a young Eddie Murphy, while his original series counterpart occasionally speaks in English and uses the word "sōten" (送達) when sending monsters to the Graveyard to activate the effects of his Blaze Cannon cards, thereby "dispatching" them.

Deck

Axel plays a Flame (nihongo|Volcanic Burn|ヴォルカニック・バーン|Borukanikku Bān in the original Japanese language version) deck, consisting mostly of Pyro-type monsters, the concept of which is derived from the similarity between the words "volcano" and "vulcan". With his "Blaze Accelerator" card, Axel is able to repetitively launch his Volcanic monsters at his opponent's field to destroy his/her monsters, though the often-used "Volcanic Shell" and "Volcanic Scattershot" also possess built-in abilities that simulate the action of reloading a weapon, letting him fire more copies of the same cards when certain conditions are met. His signature card, "Volcanic Doomfire", brings together a devastating combination of field destruction and Direct Damage capabilities.

References