Atem is an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who had sealed his own spirit/soul within the mystical Millennium Pendant. His spirit then took on the identity of Yami Yugi, which resided in the body of Yuugi Mutou, after Yuugi solved the Millennium Puzzle. It was stated once that Yuugi is the modern day version of Atem. He is the centerpiece of the Yu-Gi-Oh! series, and is the driving force behind most of the events that transpired during the series, with the exceptions of the Legendery Heroes, Virtual World/Noah saga and the Grand Championship/KC Grand Prix arcs, which focused on his main rival Seto Kaiba.