About the Duel, yes. It's the first time we see Fusion Summon using a Maximum Monster as Material. Therefore, the first Fusion Monster that uses Maximum Monsters as Material. Also worth mentioning is Zwijo's Deck this time: instead of using Voidvelg with Dark Matter as usual. This time, he used Dark Matter with some Voidvelg's cards: which symbolizes his conflict of being a minion for Dark Matter Empire and GO RUSH! Otes. Speaking of GO RUSH! Otes, I think there's a Yuga Goha/Swirly situation here: interestingly, another Character who was affected by Monster Reborn. In SEVENS, when Yuga Goha was in control, there were times where Swirly's personality came out and influenced Yuga Goha. The same could apply here with GO RUSH! Otes: Yuhi's personality influences Otes, especially when he's in control. Therefore, there's a good chance that Yuhi won't end up being Otes in the end and can be freed (or remove that Otes' personality from his mind) PS: The Duel between Gakuto vs Nail is a bit different: Gakuto never used Fusion against Nail (Fusion didn't exist at the time of SEVENS). What both Duels have in common (Gakuto vs Nail, Manabu vs Zwijo) is that a Duelist must face a new Mechanic that was shown to be powerful (Maximum and Contact Fusion) PS2: I didn't remember that Yudias's freezing moments started in this Episode. Later on, they give an answer as to why this happens to Yudias.
There's a funny thing about it, since the Duel between Manabu and Zwijo, Zwijo grew as a Character and Manabu had a fall as a Character in Season 2. However, in Season 3, it's Manabu who has the growth as a Character and Zwijo is the one who is confused about the whole situation (since again, Otes' situation isn't something Zwijo knows very well: that's Ohdos' business) Something to note is that Manabu would have won the first Duel against Zwijo if he hadn't used a Trap Card to return the ATK of his Maximum Monsters to Manabu. Therefore, Zwijo won by luck at that moment. Now we have a Manabu who improved as a Person and Duelist, who with skill and style managed to cleanly defeat Zwijo: becoming, along with Yudias and Yuamu, the only ones who have defeated Zwijo in a Duel. Honestly, Manabu acting serious and analytical in the Duel would have been out of place, especially considering everything Manabu had been through up to that point. Not to mention that it was a "life or death" situation, so Manabu couldn't possibly lose here (the pressure of the moment).
About the Duel, yes. It's the first time we see Fusion Summon using a Maximum Monster as Material. Therefore, the first Fusion Monster that uses Maximum Monsters as Material.
Also worth mentioning is Zwijo's Deck this time: instead of using Voidvelg with Dark Matter as usual. This time, he used Dark Matter with some Voidvelg's cards: which symbolizes his conflict of being a minion for Dark Matter Empire and GO RUSH! Otes.
Speaking of GO RUSH! Otes, I think there's a Yuga Goha/Swirly situation here: interestingly, another Character who was affected by Monster Reborn. In SEVENS, when Yuga Goha was in control, there were times where Swirly's personality came out and influenced Yuga Goha. The same could apply here with GO RUSH! Otes: Yuhi's personality influences Otes, especially when he's in control. Therefore, there's a good chance that Yuhi won't end up being Otes in the end and can be freed (or remove that Otes' personality from his mind)
PS: The Duel between Gakuto vs Nail is a bit different: Gakuto never used Fusion against Nail (Fusion didn't exist at the time of SEVENS). What both Duels have in common (Gakuto vs Nail, Manabu vs Zwijo) is that a Duelist must face a new Mechanic that was shown to be powerful (Maximum and Contact Fusion)
PS2: I didn't remember that Yudias's freezing moments started in this Episode. Later on, they give an answer as to why this happens to Yudias.
There's a funny thing about it, since the Duel between Manabu and Zwijo, Zwijo grew as a Character and Manabu had a fall as a Character in Season 2. However, in Season 3, it's Manabu who has the growth as a Character and Zwijo is the one who is confused about the whole situation (since again, Otes' situation isn't something Zwijo knows very well: that's Ohdos' business)
Something to note is that Manabu would have won the first Duel against Zwijo if he hadn't used a Trap Card to return the ATK of his Maximum Monsters to Manabu. Therefore, Zwijo won by luck at that moment.
Now we have a Manabu who improved as a Person and Duelist, who with skill and style managed to cleanly defeat Zwijo: becoming, along with Yudias and Yuamu, the only ones who have defeated Zwijo in a Duel.
Honestly, Manabu acting serious and analytical in the Duel would have been out of place, especially considering everything Manabu had been through up to that point. Not to mention that it was a "life or death" situation, so Manabu couldn't possibly lose here (the pressure of the moment).