TV-Series
Description
Durbe is a central antagonist in the second half of Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL, recognized as one of the Seven Barian Emperors from the Barian World. He effectively serves as the leader and strategic director for the Barians during their initial operations against Yuma Tsukumo and his allies.
The character's name is derived from Dubhe, a star in the Big Dipper asterism, which reflects a naming theme among his kind. Durbe's appearance varies between his true form and his human disguise. In his natural Barian state, he has bluish-purple skin, short gray hair, and glowing red eyes. He often wears a gray cloak and has blue markings on the sides of his face, with crystals adorning his body that light up when he activates his D-Pad. He is among the shorter members of the Seven Barian Emperors, comparable in stature to Alit. When on Earth, he adopts a human form resembling a bespectacled boy with short, spiky gray hair. He wears a black vest over a white shirt, black pants, and a scarf tied around his neck, and he uses the alias Nasch during these times.
In terms of personality, Durbe stands out as the most level-headed and composed among his fellow emperors. He acts as a de facto leader, directing their movements and assigning missions. He genuinely cares for his comrades, often expressing faith in their abilities before they depart on important tasks, and he is deeply loyal to his home world, prioritizing its safety above all else. Despite his calm demeanor, he can be intimidating when necessary, as seen when he uses a strict tone to compel Alit to accept a mission. He dislikes unnecessary conflict among his allies and frequently intervenes to stop arguments or fights, though he is not afraid to threaten more rebellious members like Vector with direct action if they continue acting alone. Durbe also displays an unusual habit of holding his cards with his palm rather than his fingers, a small but distinctive quirk. He is not above acknowledging the skills of his enemies, during one duel he complimented Reginald Shark Kastle on his determination and dueling ability, noting that Sharks way of speaking and soul reminded him of someone from his past.
Durbe's motivations are rooted in the survival of the Barian World. Alongside Alit, Misael, and Gilag, he seeks to gather the Numbers cards as a means to save his dimension from destruction. Since the Barian and human worlds are composed of different types of energy, the Barians cannot directly interact with humans or take the Numbers by force, forcing them to rely on strategy and manipulation. After earlier plans orchestrated by Vector through human pawns like Vetrix and Dr. Faker failed, Durbe concluded that the emperors themselves would have to intervene directly.
His role in the story is primarily that of a commander and strategist for the Barian invasion. He is responsible for sending Gilag, Alit, and later Misael to Earth to duel Yuma and his friends in order to claim the Numbers. When Vector reappears after being presumed dead, Durbe cautiously agrees to let him proceed with his plans but warns him against acting independently. Durbe directly confronts Reginald Shark Kastle in a duel on the battlefield known as Sargasso, where he summons his Number 102: Holy Lightning - Glorious Halo. This duel remains unfinished when the field self-destructs due to the power of ZEXAL II.
Key relationships define much of Durbes development. He shares a complicated history with a comrade named Nasch, whose name he borrows as an alias. During his travels through dimensional rifts in search of legendary Numbers, Durbe crashes near Yuma and his friends. With his Barian powers temporarily disabled due to a broken Baria Lapis, he encounters Shark and Yuma and saves Sharks life on multiple occasions while trapped in a collapsing labyrinth. When Shark touches his hand, Durbes Baria Lapis is restored, allowing him to transform back into his true form. A deeper layer of his character is revealed through a past life, Durbe was once a legendary heroic knight who served a kingdom alongside his pegasus, Mach. When fellow knights grew arrogant and usurped the king, Durbe attempted to reason with them but was unwilling to kill his former comrades. He and Mach were defeated and killed, only to be reincarnated, Durbe as a Barian Emperor and his pegasus as a Numbers Guardian.
As a duelist, Durbe specializes in a Holy Lightning deck, utilizing the power of Xyz Summoning. His signature card is Number 102: Holy Lightning - Glorious Halo, which he uses effectively in battle. He is skilled enough to be regarded as an excellent duelist by his peers, and he demonstrates strategic thinking by using cards like Sargassos Lighthouse to protect himself from field damage. His dueling style reflects his composed and calculated personality, focusing on control and defense as well as offense.
The character's name is derived from Dubhe, a star in the Big Dipper asterism, which reflects a naming theme among his kind. Durbe's appearance varies between his true form and his human disguise. In his natural Barian state, he has bluish-purple skin, short gray hair, and glowing red eyes. He often wears a gray cloak and has blue markings on the sides of his face, with crystals adorning his body that light up when he activates his D-Pad. He is among the shorter members of the Seven Barian Emperors, comparable in stature to Alit. When on Earth, he adopts a human form resembling a bespectacled boy with short, spiky gray hair. He wears a black vest over a white shirt, black pants, and a scarf tied around his neck, and he uses the alias Nasch during these times.
In terms of personality, Durbe stands out as the most level-headed and composed among his fellow emperors. He acts as a de facto leader, directing their movements and assigning missions. He genuinely cares for his comrades, often expressing faith in their abilities before they depart on important tasks, and he is deeply loyal to his home world, prioritizing its safety above all else. Despite his calm demeanor, he can be intimidating when necessary, as seen when he uses a strict tone to compel Alit to accept a mission. He dislikes unnecessary conflict among his allies and frequently intervenes to stop arguments or fights, though he is not afraid to threaten more rebellious members like Vector with direct action if they continue acting alone. Durbe also displays an unusual habit of holding his cards with his palm rather than his fingers, a small but distinctive quirk. He is not above acknowledging the skills of his enemies, during one duel he complimented Reginald Shark Kastle on his determination and dueling ability, noting that Sharks way of speaking and soul reminded him of someone from his past.
Durbe's motivations are rooted in the survival of the Barian World. Alongside Alit, Misael, and Gilag, he seeks to gather the Numbers cards as a means to save his dimension from destruction. Since the Barian and human worlds are composed of different types of energy, the Barians cannot directly interact with humans or take the Numbers by force, forcing them to rely on strategy and manipulation. After earlier plans orchestrated by Vector through human pawns like Vetrix and Dr. Faker failed, Durbe concluded that the emperors themselves would have to intervene directly.
His role in the story is primarily that of a commander and strategist for the Barian invasion. He is responsible for sending Gilag, Alit, and later Misael to Earth to duel Yuma and his friends in order to claim the Numbers. When Vector reappears after being presumed dead, Durbe cautiously agrees to let him proceed with his plans but warns him against acting independently. Durbe directly confronts Reginald Shark Kastle in a duel on the battlefield known as Sargasso, where he summons his Number 102: Holy Lightning - Glorious Halo. This duel remains unfinished when the field self-destructs due to the power of ZEXAL II.
Key relationships define much of Durbes development. He shares a complicated history with a comrade named Nasch, whose name he borrows as an alias. During his travels through dimensional rifts in search of legendary Numbers, Durbe crashes near Yuma and his friends. With his Barian powers temporarily disabled due to a broken Baria Lapis, he encounters Shark and Yuma and saves Sharks life on multiple occasions while trapped in a collapsing labyrinth. When Shark touches his hand, Durbes Baria Lapis is restored, allowing him to transform back into his true form. A deeper layer of his character is revealed through a past life, Durbe was once a legendary heroic knight who served a kingdom alongside his pegasus, Mach. When fellow knights grew arrogant and usurped the king, Durbe attempted to reason with them but was unwilling to kill his former comrades. He and Mach were defeated and killed, only to be reincarnated, Durbe as a Barian Emperor and his pegasus as a Numbers Guardian.
As a duelist, Durbe specializes in a Holy Lightning deck, utilizing the power of Xyz Summoning. His signature card is Number 102: Holy Lightning - Glorious Halo, which he uses effectively in battle. He is skilled enough to be regarded as an excellent duelist by his peers, and he demonstrates strategic thinking by using cards like Sargassos Lighthouse to protect himself from field damage. His dueling style reflects his composed and calculated personality, focusing on control and defense as well as offense.