Number 88: Mirror's Dark Half (character)

Number 88: Mirror's Dark Half is a character version of the card "Number 88: Mirror's Dark Half" and a recurring antagonist.

Appearance
Number 88 originally appears as a figure of unknown gender completely covered by a hooded gray cloak that shadows his face, the only body parts being seen are the arms so he can Duel.

After being Summoned against Yuma, Number 88's primary appearance changes to appear as a copy of Yuma, only with different colors. The most striking feature is his eyes: They are blood red with no pupils, with black scleras similar to the Dark Signers. As for clothes, the changes are: Dark purple jacket, black shirt with a blood red D, bleak gray pants with blue crescents outlined in dark blue, white belt, dark purple D-Pad, and black and purple D-Gazer with a light gray lens. His shoes, however, are unchanged.

Personality
In his cloaked form, Number 88 doesn't speak at all. Once he copies Yuma's appearance, however, he can show his personality. Number 88 is an evil and crafty Number who is capable of imitating anyone, but his imitations are not flawless, as his evil tones tend to slip into his speech. He usually tried to play off his problems by acting cocky (such as when he is discovered), but can be vengeful when defeated. When things go wrong because of him, he has a tendency to act innocent or laid-back to mock others. In one story, Number 88 mentions that he dislikes mushy stuff.

Being a mirror image, Number 88's dominant hand is always the opposite of the person he is copying.

Biography
Number 88 is originally held by the Number Distributor, but is imbued with sentience and sent to face Yuma. He Summons his own card and copies Yuma's appearance, claiming he is merely speaking for his holder. However, when Yuma defeats him, Number 88 switches souls with Yuma, attempting to make his friends think he is Yuma. He manages to do so for a while (except Yamoto), but Yuma manages to tell Astral the situation, allowing Kotori to free Yuma from the Key, albeit stuck in Number 88's body. Number 88 gets the Key back and takes Yuma on in a Duel to "prove" himself as Yuma, but he really plans to erase Yuma from existence. His ruse is revealed when Yuma Summons both Number 39: Aspiring Emperor Hope and Number 13: Devoted Empress Love in one turn, and Number 88 becomes angry, Summoning his own card and taking advantage of Yuma's 4000 Life Points to hit full power. However, Yuma defeats Number 88 with Chaos Number 39: Aspiring Emperor Hope Ray, forcing Number 88 back into his own body and sealing him back into his card. However, within the Key, he makes an ally out of Number 96: Black Mist.

While Yuma is Dueling the holder of Number 67: Grapple Griptile, Number 88 double teams Hope and Love alongside Number 96, capturing Love to force Hope to make Astral return to the Key. Astral escapes after Hope frees Love, and Number 88 transforms into various Numbers to assault the two good Numbers, but Hope evolves into Hope Ray and manages to defeat them with Love's help, forcing 88 and 96 to return to their pillars.

In Numbershot 34, Number 88 is briefly seen, releasing Number 34: Electronic Computer Beast Tera Byte from the Key.

Abilities
Being a mirror-based Number, Number 88 is capable of mimicking the appearance of whoever he is Dueling. He can also switch souls with his opponent if he loses, trapping them in his card while he has control of their body, and can then erase them from existence. The latter ability has never been shown, and after Numbershot 88, he has never been shown to switch souls again. While in the Key, he was able to imitate the Numbers and their attacks, and he could also release Numbers from their pillars, though this was probably due to the Distributor's power.

Deck
Number 88 has a Deck of his own, but when imitating someone else, he can copy their Decks nearly flawlessly.

Fiend/Yuma's Deck
As the hooded figure, Number 88 played a Fiend Deck that used less-than-impressive tactics to Summon his own card. While in control of Yuma's body, he used Yuma's Deck, but his Fiend-Type cards remained in his Deck. He was capable of using the Numbers, but didn't for the most part.

Mirror
Number 88's real Deck is a Mirror Deck, using Level 8 Fiend-Type monsters that grant his card form extra effects when used to Xyz Summon it, primarily to copy the opponent's assets and use them against them.