Edo Phoenix

Edo Phoenix (エド・フェニックス Edo Fenikkusu), known as Aster Phoenix in the Dub version, is a character in the Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V anime. He was the Commander-in-Chief of Academia expedition team in Xyz Dimension. After defecting from Academia, he becomes an ally of the Lancers.

Appearance
Edo has a gray-colored hair, dark blue eyes and wears a gray suit with black shoes. Being a commander of Academia forces, Edo wears a collared blue-green regal cloak, with yellow shoulder pads. The cloak's chest area is colored white, and has small yellow buttons. During his initial encounter with Yūya, Edo wears a large gray hooded cloak that completely obscures him and his clothes.

Personality
Edo is overall serious and fairly aggressive when Dueling, especially against an opponent that he detests. However, and in contrast with this, Edo does seem to have a much brighter side to his personality, as before learning that Yūya was Yūshō's son, he was willing to lend a helping hand in finding his father, being far more benevolent than most Academia agents who would resort to assault people on sight, although he likes to get to the point quick as he pressured Yūya for information to help him. Growing up in Academia with its teaching embedded deeply into him, he is very loyal to Academia and its cause, believing that Academia's teaching is the most righteous. His belief for Academia's goal made Edo didn't consider that invading the Xyz Dimension and turning people into cards are cruel things to do.

His Duel against Yūshō made Edo experience for the first time a Duel that made him felt joy, even only for a moment. However, his loyalty for Academia causes Edo to refuse to admit the joy he felt and stubbornly convinced himself that it was merely a lie. This makes Edo conflicted: while he wants to believe that Reo's teachings are correct, he couldn't let go of the feeling that he experienced in his Duel against Yūshō, which is proven by the fact he is keeping the torn half of "Smile World".

Every single bit of doubt and confusion he has ceased after his second Duel against Yūya convinced him for good that the joy and happiness that he felt is not a lie and Dueling is more than just strength, it's also something than can be enjoyable whether it's winning or losing.

Similarly like his original counterpart, Edo's speech replaces certain Japanese words with anglicisms, the most common being his substitutions of numbers for their English equivalents, and replacing "bochi" 「墓地」 with its English equivalent, "cemetery", and "kouka" 「効果」 with "effect". In addition, he yells "Come on!" when Summoning his monsters.

Etymology
His name is meant to be a pun in Japanese, as phoenixes were commonly depicted in art during the Edo period of Japan. Edo is also the original name for Tokyo.

Pre-Invasion
Like most Duelists of the City of the Fusion Dimension, Edo was sent to Academia to be trained as Duel Soldier once he reached preadolescence years. From his strong view of Academia's teaching, it can be presumed that Edo also received harsh training like Sora Shiun'in did during his times as student. A year before the start of the story, he eventually grew strong enough to be appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of Academia for the invasion in the Xyz Dimension.undefined

Duel Against Yūshō
During the invasion of the Xyz Dimension, shortly after his arrival, he had heard of Yūshō Sakaki who spread his philosophy of bringing smile with Duel and confronted him to prove that Academia's teaching is the right one. He dueled Yūshō, and for the first time he witnessed Entertainment Duel, which is a complete opposite of Academia's Duel and resulted with his lost. Yūshō then asked that he still had fun even if he lost, something that confused Edo because that wasn't Reo's teaching. Yūshō stated that using Duel for conflict is stupid and Reo's teaching was wrong and he wanted Edo to tell that to Reo. Despite feeling joy while Dueling Yūshō, his strong allegiance for Academia made Edo insistently refusing to admit his own feeling and Yūshō's Dueling, accusing Yūshō of trying to deceive him as he torn Yūshō's "Smile World" that was offered to him and driven him to state of self-denial. Somehow, he accidentally sent Yūshō to Fusion Dimension without he himself realizing, making Edo confused when Yūshō suddenly disappeared. Since then, he bears strong animosity towards Yūshō and continues to search for him for a rematch and prove that Academia's ideal is correct.undefined

Duel Against Yūya
While looking for Yūshō, Edo spotted Yūya and asked what he was doing. Yūya answered that he was looking for his father, making Edo assumed that he got lost and demanded Yūya for his father's name, claiming he maybe could help finding him. However, upon knowing that Yūya is Yūshō's son, Edo immediately challenged him to a Duel, intending to make Yūya a bait to lure out Yūshō if he really is Yūshō's son, something that he confirmed when Yūya summoned his "Entermate" monsters. Edo easily reduced Yūya's LP to 2400 on his first turn, to which Yūya countered by using "Smile World", shocking and angering Edo further as it reminded him of Yūshō. Edo activated his reverse card "D - Fusion" to perform Fusion Summon, summoning "Destiny HERO - Dystopiaguy" and direct attacked Yūya, reducing his LP to 800. At this time, Yūto took over and able to reduce Edo's LP to 100, but Edo managed to prevent his monster's destruction by using his trap card. He countered attack by destroying "Dark Rebellion" and then used continuous trap "D - Devil Dance" to attack twice and "D Death Match" to increase his monster's ATK by 800 and destroy Yūya's monster that prevented him from inflicting damage. Yūya barely survived using an Action Card and Yūto once again took over, summoning "Dark Requiem Xyz Dragon" to turn the tide. Edo tried to use an Action Card to avoid the incoming attack, but it couldn't be used, leaving him no choice but to use "Destiny HERO - Dynamiteguy"'s effect to inflict both himself and Yūya a 1000 point damage, ending the Duel with a draw. He was then fetched by his subordinates.undefined

Tyler Sisters vs. Yūya & Shun
Back at HQ, Edo was frustrated over his inability to defeat Yūya, wondering was it because Yūya is Yūshō's son.undefined He determined to never lose against Yūya who believes of making people smile through Duel and using "Smile World". Back to his throne, Edo ordered his subordinates to investigate Yūya through his battle record before noticing his Vice-Commander, Mamoru Noro, wasn't present. He questioned Noro's whereabout when they picked up a strong Duel signal. His subordinate then showed the Tyler Sisters were in the middle of Duel against Yūya and Shun. Once again angered at the sight of "Smile World" and Yūya's Entertainment Duel that inspired from Yūshō's, Edo ordered all of his squad to go with him.undefined

Rematch Against Yūya
After the Obelisk Force were defeated, he and his squad arrived, surrounding Yūya and his friends, as he told the Tyler Sisters and Noro that he won't let anyone to interfere because he will be the one to defeat Yūshō's son.undefined Despite the Tyler Sisters' claim that they received order from the Professor himself, Edo merely brushed them off and told Noro, whom he had suspected for asking reinforcement without his permission, that he will talk to him later. Using his Field Spell, "Wire Mesh - Chain Deathmatch" by connecting it to Yūya's Duel Disk, he forcefully dragged Yūya into Duel, trapping them in his Duel field so no one can interfere. With great reluctance, Yūya accepted the Duel. Edo started his turn by summoning "Destiny HERO - Decisionguy". During Yūya's battle phase, Yūya destroyed "Decisionguy" and then direct attack Edo, but Edo activated "Dynamiteguy's" effect to avoid Yūya's direct attack and then Fusion summoned his ace monster, "Dystopiaguy" and activated Equip Magic "Delay Armor", immediately reducing Yūya's LP to 600. Yūya tried to counter by Fusion summoning "Brave-Eyes Pendulum Dragon", which offended Edo as he stated that Academia's Fusion Summon is the only one that is genuine and Yūya's Fusion monster was nothing but a fake. He managed to destroy "Brave-Eyes" by using the combination of his Trap Card "Demise Urban" and "Dystopiaguy's" effect. Yūya then noticed the torn "Smile World" belonged to his father that Edo has dropped and questioned why he has it. Edo tried to avoid the question by reminding Yūya of his turn, but Yūya's insistence forced him to explain the time when he Dueled Yūshō and lost against his Entertainment Dueling that was against Academia's teaching, which led to his vendetta against him as he determined to defeat him and prove that Yūshō's Dueling is wrong and Academia's Dueling is correct. And Yūya, being Yūshō's son who shares the same belief as his father, was an opponent he definitely must not lose. Edo then declared battle phase, attacking Yūya directly with "Dystopiaguy".undefined Yūya survived the attack by using an Action Card "Evasion" to negate the damage. Edo ended his turn, but confident that Yūya won't have a chance to win as long as he has "Dystopiaguy". Edo's rage intensified when Yūya pointed out his wavering feeling: he wanted to believe in Reo's teaching, but also couldn't let go of the feeling he experienced when he dueled Yūshō. Edo immediately denied this fact, retorting that Duel is not for playing around, but power to defeat their foes. Yūya attacked Edo with "Entermate Laughmaker" and activated "Counterattack Entermate" to destroy "Dystopiaguy" when the attack failed, but Edo thwarted its destruction by destroying "Delay Armor", though he still received damage from it. Seeing Yūya smiling as he expressed his belief, Edo angrily revealed how Yūshō said he is willing to forgive Academia if they can change their way and smile together with him, something that Edo refused to accept. He once again attacked Yūya and prevented him from getting an Action Card by pulling his chain, reducing his LP to 100. With Yūya at the edge of defeat, Edo goaded Yūya to retaliate, but to his shock and frustration, not only Yūya chose to continue his Entertainment Dueling, Yūya also used "Laughmaker's" effect to transfer the revived "Odd-Eyes" and "Dag Daggerman" to his field, prompting Edo to question Yūya's plan. In response, Yūya activated "Smile World" to increase all of the monsters' ATKs and then used "Laughmaker's" effect to overpower "Dystopiaguy's" ATK. Edo activated "Dystopiaguy's" ATK before noticing Yūya was trying to get an Action Card. Edo tried to stop him, but Yūya's acrobatic move made the chain got in the way, forcing him to destroy "Wire Mesh - Chain Deathmatch", stopping Yūya from getting an Action Card. With "Laughmaker" destroyed, Edo told Yūya to surrender, thinking he no longer has any chance to defeat him. However, this turned out to be part of Yūya's plan to revive "Brave-Eyes" that he viewed necessary in order to speak with Edo. Edo countered by using "Demise Urban" and "D - Soul" to increased "Dystopiaguy's" ATK. Finally got carried into Yūya's Entertainment Dueling, Edo used an Action Card "Bi-Attack" to doubled "Dystopiaguy's" ATK. Yūya tried to reach an Action Card, but then slipped his foot, and Edo thought for a moment that this was as far as Yūya could go. It turned out that Yūya succeeded in getting an Action Card, "Miracle Fire" to doubled "Brave-Eyes's" ATK, which overpowered and destroyed Edo's "Dystopiaguy", defeating Edo. As Edo was laying defeated on the ground from the impact, he pondered his second defeat at the hands of another Entertainment Dueling. But this time, he wasn't frustrated of the result, but in fact was satisfied because he finally admitted that Duel is indeed an enjoyable thing even if he lost, clearing all the doubt he has towards both Yūshō and Yūya's belief of bringing smile with Duel. Unfortunately, his relief didn't last long as Noro had called for reinforcement and soon after the Duel ended, a squad of Academia students then surrounded both him and Yūya.undefined Just as Noro ordered for them to attack Yūya, to everyone's shock, Edo defended Yūya, now realising that Yūshō and Yūya's philosophy was correct. He told Noro and everyone else to see the error of their ways, discarding the mantle that signified him as the Commander-in-Chief as he declared that he would gladly bear the stigma of being a traitor if it means he can walk on the path that he believes. The Tyler Sisters, who had already been captivated by Yūya's Entertainment Dueling before, also decided to defect from Academia, shocking Noro and the soldiers even further. Yūya and Yūto thanked the three, prompting Edo to question who Yūto was. Yūya revealed Yūto's existence within him and his wish for Edo to cooperate to return the happiness to his homeland, something that Edo willingly agreed. Kaito and Allen then arrived with their Resistance comrades, forcing Noro to surrender. Edo got everyone's attention and told the Academia soldiers that they will abandon the ARC Area Project and devote themselves to rebuilding the Xyz Dimension. He asked for their assistance, but allowed those who disagreed to return to Academia because it's not an order. Hearing this, the Academia soldiers all decided to follow Edo.

Fusion Dimension Arc
Edo and all former Academia members went to the Resistance hideout and helped in offering foods, medical supplies, and rebuild residential housing for free to atone for what they have done. Edo interrupted the Lancers and Resistance who were in the middle of discussion to tell them that there's a way to change back all people who were carded since carding is a mean to gather the life energy of the people and he heard that once the new utopia is created everyone will be reborn there. However, they first must retrieve all of the carded people from Academia in the Fusion Dimension. Using the dimensional transfer device at the Academia base in Heartland, Edo sent Yūya, Kaito, Shingo, and Gongenzaka to Fusion Dimension. Before they departed, Edo promised to take care of Shun until he recovered, apologized to Yūya for accidentally sending his father to another dimension, and expressed his gratitude for both Yūya and Yūto's trust towards him. He also revealed that he had asked all of his subordinates about Yuzu Hīragi, but no one has ever seen a girl with her description, and will continue to help him looking for her.undefined

Destiny HERO
Edo uses a "Destiny HERO" Deck. This Deck is focused on Fusion Summoning rather than "A destined attack in the future." His Deck focuses on brute force, in the forms of both attacking an effect damage. To counter Xyz Monsters, he utilizes "D - Death Match", which ensures a boost for his monsters against said cards.

Other Cards
His Duel Disk can activate "Wire Mesh - Chain Deathmatch" before the Duel like how the Lancers activate "Cross Over". He is shown to carry a torn "Smile World" - The bottom half.