Side Event Finals Feature Match: Rob Leander vs. Ryan Newburn
Here’s the final Match in the 4-player competition, among players chosen based on side event participation during this weekend.
Ryan Newburn is no stranger to this kind of Match, having narrowly lost in the Finals of the Side Event Playoffs at SHONEN JUMP Championship Columbus. Rob Leander has never played in a Side Event Playoff, but like Newburn, he’s played in many SHONEN JUMP Championships. With a “Dark End Dragon” on the line, both competitors dove straight into the first Duel.
Leander started, and discarded “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior” for “Solar Recharge,” drawing 2 cards and sending “Beckoning Light” and “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” to the Graveyard. He Special Summoned Wulf, Normal Summoned “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” and discarded another Lumina to Special Summon it. He discarded “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress” for that Lumina, Special Summoned Garoth, and proceeded to send 10 cards to the Graveyard. He didn’t draw anything with Garoth, but did get a “Necro Gardna” to the Graveyard.
Newburn discarded “Destiny Hero – Malicious” for “Destiny Draw,” drew 2 cards, and Summoned “Destiny Hero – Diamond Dude.” Then he activated Diamond Dude’s effect and sent his second Malicious to the bottom of his Deck! Diamond Dude attacked one of Leander’s Luminas, and Newburn Set 3 cards to his back row.
He flipped “Trap Dustshoot” next turn, revealing Leander’s hand of “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” Lyla, Lumina, and “Judgment Dragon.” He sent the Dragon back into Leander’s Deck. Leander turned Lumina to Defense Position, attacked Diamond Dude with Wulf, and then made a direct attack with Garoth. Newburn was down to 5450 Life Points. A Set monster ended Leander’s turn, and he scored a draw with Garoth in the End Phase.
Newburn removed his Malicious from the Graveyard to Special Summon the second copy he’d placed on the bottom of his Deck, then activated “Allure of Darkness.” He removed Diamond Dude from his hand for Allure’s effect, Set a card to his back row, then Set a monster.
Leander hammered him with “Heavy Storm” next turn, destroying two “Bottomless Trap Holes” and “Royal Oppression”! Next he Flip Summoned “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” blew away Newburn’s “Mystic Tomato,” and Summoned a free Wulf with Ryko’s effect! Lumina shifted to Attack Position, destroyed Malicious, Garoth made a direct attack, and the Wulfs finished Newburn off.
Rob Leander scores the win off a huge “Heavy Storm,” and is now just a single Duel away from a “Dark End Dragon”!
Newburn opened Duel 2 with “Destiny Hero – Malicious,” “Light-Imprisoning Mirror,” “Deep Sea Diva,” Mystic Tomato,” “Allure of Darkness,” and “Thunder King Rai-Oh.” He Summoned Rai-Oh, Set Mirror, and ended.
Leander spent a little time contemplating his hand. He didn’t look happy, but he Set a monster, then Set a card to his back row. Newburn activated “Allure of Darkness,” drew “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer” and “Plaguespreader Zombie,” and removed the Zombie from play. He Summoned Kycoo, attacked with Rai-Oh, and hit Leander’s “Necro Gardna.” Then Kycoo attacked and removed “Necro Gardna” from the Graveyard.
Leander discarded “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress” for “Solar Recharge,” drew 2 cards, and sent his “Heavy Storm” and “Honest” to the Graveyard. He Summoned Garoth, attacked Kycoo, and destroyed it. Leander Set a second Spell or Trap and ended with 3 cards in-hand.
Newburn drew “Future Fusion.” He Summoned “Mystic Tomato,” attacked with Thunder King, and destroyed Leander’s Garoth. “Mystic Tomato” hit Leander for 1400 Battle Damage, then Newburn activated “Future Fusion,” sending “Deep Sea Diva” and “Destiny Hero – Diamond Dude” to his Graveyard for “Elemental Hero Absolute Zero.” Play was to Leander.
Leander discarded “Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid” for “Solar Recharge,” drew 2 cards, and sent “Archlord Kristya” and another card to the Graveyard. He activated “Monster Reincarnation,” discarded to try and take back Lyla, but Newburn Chained “D.D. Crow” to remove Lyla from play first. Leander activated “Beckoning Light” next, with 1 card in hand, and traded his “Judgment Dragon” for Garoth. He discarded Garoth for “Solar Recharge,” drew 2 cards, and sent Kycoo and “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel” to his Graveyard.
Next, Leander Normal Summoned Lumina, then discarded Celestia to try and Special Summon, but Newburn Chained “Light-Imprisoning Mirror,” and Leander could do nothing but pass!
Newburn discarded “Destiny Hero – Malicious” for “Destiny Draw,” Summoned “Deep Sea Diva,” and Leander conceded then and there.
Ryan Newburn evens the score, building a massive field while shutting down Leander’s plays with a key “D.D. Crow.” Play moved to the third Duel.
Leander Summoned “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress” to open, Set a Spell or Trap, and sent “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior,” “Necro Gardna,” and another Lyla to the Graveyard in the End Phase.
Newburn activated “Allure of Darkness,” drawing 2 cards in exchange for his “D.D. Crow,” then grabbed “Destiny Hero – Malicious” from his Deck by Summoning “Elemental Hero Stratos.” He discarded Malicious for “Destiny Draw,” drew 2 more cards, and attacked Lyla with Stratos, but “Necro Gardna” protected her. Newburn Set 2 cards to his back row, ended, and Leander activated “Royal Decree” in the End Phase.
On his turn, Leander Summoned “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” discarded Garoth to try and Summon him back, and was stopped once again by Newburn’s “D.D. Crow”! Leander sent 6 cards to his Graveyard in the End phase, including a “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” which he Special Summoned.
Newburn Summoned “Deep Sea Diva” on his turn, Special Summoned another in Defense Position, then Synchro Summoned “Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier.” He activated “Miracle Fusion” next, Summoning “Elemental Hero Absolute Zero”! He discarded “Destiny Hero – Malicious” to bounce away “Royal Decree” with Brionac’s ability, then attacked Lyla with his 3500 ATK Absolute Zero! Lyla was destroyed. Brionac destroyed Wulf, and Newburn Set his last in-hand card to his back row.
Leander activated “Heavy Storm,” once again destroying three of Newburn’s cards! This time it was “Light-Imprisoning Mirror,” “Torrential Tribute,” and “Trap Hole”! Leander discarded “Necro Gardna” for Lumina’s effect, Special Summoned Garoth, and attacked Diva with Lumina. He Set a card to his back row, sent 5 cards to his Graveyard, and once again didn’t draw anything with Garoth.
Newburn Summoned “Mystic Tomato,” attacked Lumina, and Leander let the attack through. Absolute Zero attacked Garoth, Leander removed “Necro Gardna,” then Brionac attacked. Leander responded with “Beckoning Light,” trading 2 cards to get “Honest” and “Judgment Dragon.” He activated “Honest’s” effect, Brionac was destroyed, and Newburn was at 6150 Life Points.
Leander drew and balked at his top-deck, seemingly shocked with disbelief of his good luck. “Wow!” He Special Summoned “Judgment Dragon,” activated its effect, destroyed Newburn’s monsters, and when Absolute Zero’s effect activated, Leander revealed the card he’d drawn: he Chained “My Body As A Shield,” keeping his “Judgment Dragon” alive! He attacked for 3000 damage, and Special Summoned a Wulf in his End Phase when “Judgment Dragon” sent 4 cards to the Graveyard.
Newburn drew a card, now having to resort to top-decking, and Set a card to his back row. Leander activated “Judgment Dragon’s” effect again, destroying his Wulf and Newburn’s bluffed “Destiny Draw.” Newburn Set a monster, and a turn later Leander blasted the field with “Judgment Dragon” one last time and attacked for game!
Rob Leander chalks up the win, and heads home this weekend with a “Dark End Dragon”!
See what our panel of experts had to say after the Duel.
Michael Kohanim (2009 World Championship Competitor)
Newburn seemed to hit a streak of bad luck in the final Duel. He appeared to be in total control after he Summoned Brionac, but some powerful plays made possible by “Heavy Storm” and a combo of “Judgment Dragon” and “My Body as a Shield” took away everything from Newburn, leaving him on top-deck. It seems there was nothing Newburn could have done in Duel 3 to change his fate.
