Marik Ishtar (manga)

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Marik Ishtar
Marik Ishtar
Names
English
  • Marik Ishtar
Other
  • Namu
  • Maric Ishutarl (bunkoban)
  • Malik Ishtar
Japanese
Japaneseマリク・イシュタール
RōmajiMariku Ishutāru
Personal
Birth
Age16[1]
Height
  • 1.8 m <br />5.906 ft <br />70.866 in <br />180 cm[1]
Weight
  • 121.254 lb <br />55 kg[1]
Gender
  • Male
Blood type
Favorite foodKoshary[1]
Least favorite foodMeat dish[1]
Relatives
  • Career
Previous occupationTomb Guardian
Previous organizationGhouls
  • Duelist
Tournament Position
Battle City Runner-up
Manga Deck
  • Slime/Slifer (through the Doll)
  • Burn (through Jonouchi)
Appearances
Manga debutYu-Gi-Oh! Duel 151 (Duelist Duel 92): "Rare Hunters!"
Appears in
Manga
Anime
Ishtar, Marik

Marik Ishtar (マリク・イシュタール Mariku Ishutāru), also known by the guise Namu, is a character appearing in the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga. This is the original depiction of Marik Ishtar.

Marik is from a family of Tomb Guardians, tasked with helping the pharaoh recover his memories, when he returns. However following the death of his father, Marik blamed the suffering his family endured on the pharaoh. When the pharaoh resurfaced as Dark Yugi, Marik used the Battle City tournament as a stage to try and kill him and collect the God cards to claim the power his family had hoped to bestow upon the pharaoh.

Marik's alter-ego, Dark Marik was responsible for their father's death. He was suppressed from Marik's psyche by the family servant, Rishid, but resurfaced during the Battle City tournament.

Biography

Childhood

Marik, shortly after his birth

Marik came from a family of Tomb Guardians, extending back to the first Tomb Guardian, who served Pharaoh Atem's family. The family protected a prophecy foretelling the return of the pharaoh, otherwise described as "king", who would be identified by his wielding of the three gods.[2][3] The prophecy stated that an evil power and the spirit of a young king were sealed in darkness, that after thousands of years of slumber the evil power would rise again and when that happens the king's spirit would walk the world again, searching for his forgotten memories.[4]

Marik's family also protected two of the Millennium Items, the Rod and Tauk for generations.[5] Their duties involved passing the items onto the pharaoh in time, as they were necessary for him to reawaken his memories.[6]

Marik's family lived in an underground tomb, with little connection to the rest of the world.[5] Marik's mother died giving birth to him, but in doing so succeeded in providing a male heir, which the family needed to conduct the Rite of the Tomb Guardians.[7]

Marik was forbidden to go outside due to his father's fear that the freedom and marvels of the outside world would further divert Marik's attention from his heritage. Spending most of his childhood in his underground home, he grew up on good terms with his older sister, Ishizu, and the family servant, Rishid.[5]

As a Tomb Guardian, Marik was taught how to read hieratic text.[8]

Rite of the Tomb Guardians

Marik, undergoing the Rite of the Tomb Guardians

One week before Marik's tenth birthday, he told Rishid about the Rite of the Tomb Guardians, which was to be performed on him. As the family heir, the secret's to the king's memories were to be carved onto Marik's back. Marik was afraid to go through with it, having heard that the pain is so bad that it makes the person scream for a month. Since Rishid had always taken care of him, he asked that Rishid take the ritual in his place and said that it would make Rishid be accepted as part of the family. Rishid presented the idea to Marik's father and lied when asked if Marik talked him into it, but Marik's father angrily declined.[7]

Marik creates Dark Marik.

When the time for the ritual arrived, Marik's father used a heated knife to cut the Seal of Memories into Marik's back. Ishizu stood nearby, praying, with her back to the ritual. In a nearby room, Rishid used a heated knife to cut markings into his own face.[7] The physical and psychological trauma of the ritual, caused Marik to want to die. In order to survive, he developed a split personality, Dark Marik, who was capable of emerging when Marik was filled with rage.[9]

Marik was bandaged up after the ritual. He staggered in pain towards Rishid and asked who he was to hate for this, but was surprised to see the cuts on Rishid's face. Since he was unable to take Marik's pain, he asked that he at least be allowed swear allegiance to the family with this scare. Marik laughed and said that he liked it because even before he was born, Rishid had always been his shadow.[7] Since Rishid's actions calmed Marik, he inadvertently managed to seal Dark Marik away, deep inside Marik's heart. Dark Marik knew he would eventually take control of Marik and regarded Rishid as the only thing standing in his way.[9]

Family tragedy

Marik sees the outside world, for the first time.

Marik, having never been outside yearned to see what it was like. He, Ishizu and Rishid made plans for him to sneak out. Marik faked a fever and pretended to be asleep. After their father fell asleep, he and Ishizu snuck outside, after sunrise for two hours, while Rishid stayed behind to take care of things.[5]

Marik was surprised by the amount of people. Despite Ishizu telling him not to touch anything, he picked up a discarded magazine, Brndnew Litle Day. Having never seen a photograph before, he was surprised by how realistic the pictures looked and was especially captivated by one picture of a man sitting on a motorcycle. After Ishizu explained what it was to him, he asked if there was no way he would get to ride one in his life. Ishizu sadly hung her head, but then hurriedly insisted it was time for them to return home. Before doing so, Marik tore out the page containing the motorcycle to keep.[5]

On their way home, they bumped into Shadi, who warned them that their fate would be a tragedy splitting their family, which was the will of the pharaoh.[5] Marik pointed out how Shadi's Millennium Key resembled the Millennium Items their family was guarding, but Ishizu reminded him that they were not to talk about those items in the outside world and insisted that Marik forget everything he saw outdoors, including Shadi. Before returning underground, Marik sat on the remains of a damaged wall and acted as though it was a motorcycle.[10]

Shadi tells Marik that his father's death was the will of the pharaoh.

When Ishizu and Marik returned to their home, they discovered that father had been aware of their departure and found him punishing Rishid, by cutting his back with a hot knife. Marik attempted to stop him, but was pushed back and told to look at the pain he was after causing Rishid. When Rishid fell unconscious, Marik's father believed he had killed him and said that it was now Marik's turn. However with Rishid impaired, Marik's alter ego, Dark Marik was able to emerge.[10]

Dark Marik took the Millennium Rod and proceeded to murder their father, cut the skin bearing the Seal of Memories from his back and drop it on Rishid's back. Ishizu was pinned to be the wall by the Millennium Rod, but realized that Marik was not his real self. Rishid regained consciousness, causing the Dark Marik persona to be suppressed. Marik returned to normal, unaware of what just happened. Rishid told him not to look, but Marik spotted his father's dead body. As he wept over him, he asked who killed him. Shadi then appeared before Marik and told him that his father's death was the will of the pharaoh.[10]

Since then Marik believed the pharaoh, Dark Yugi, to be responsible for the death of his father.[11]

Marik played Duel Monsters with Ishizu and lost at least one of their games to Ishizu's Deck–Graveyard switching strategy.[12][13]

Revenge scheme

The prophecy Marik wished to fulfill to become the new king

Marik blamed his family's pain and suffering on the king, whose return they were waiting for.[2] With pyramids shaped like solidified beams of light pointing towards the sun, Marik regarded them as symbols of light and rationalized that the king worshiped darkness, due to his Millennium Item, the Millennium Puzzle, being an inverted pyramid.[4]

Marik planned to put an end to the family's curse by not welcoming the king and killing him instead. With the only clue to the identity of the king being that he would be identified by his wielding of the three gods, Marik believed that by whoever collected the three God cards could be crowned king. So he set out to fulfill the prophecy himself and become the new king and claim the king's power and memories for himself.[2] Per Marik's interpretation of the law of the prophecy, the Tomb Guardians would have no reason to exist once the king regained his memories, so for them to continue living they would have to kill the king to stop him regaining his memories. He requested that in the event he fail, Rishid was to uphold the promise to his father and kill him.[4]

Marik founded the Ghouls organization. He recruited a number of members by brainwashing them with the Millennium Rod. Rishid remained loyal and joined the Ghouls, without Marik needing to brainwash him.[14]

Among the Ghouls were Rare Hunters, who would steal[15] and counterfeit cards. With the Ghouls, Marik managed to steal two of the God cards, which had been hidden in the Valley of the Kings by Egyptian supreme council of antiquities, "Slifer the Sky Dragon" and "The Sun Dragon Ra". Ishizu managed to keep the third card, "The God of the Obelisk" safe.[16]

With the Ghouls reproduction technology, Marik created counterfeit copies of the God cards. He experimented by having Ghouls Duel using the counterfeit Gods. Some lost their mind, some were crippled and some died the moment that they tried to Summon a God card. The experiments brought Marik to the conclusion that counterfeit God cards react to the heart of their wielder and that nobody in the test group had a heart strong enough to control a copy of a God.[7]

Having seen the mural from the King's mortuary temple, Marik became curious as to why the depicted priest, Seto, resembled Seto Kaiba and why he held the Millennium Rod. He hoped to read Seto Kaiba's mind to find both answers.[17]

Battle City

Prior events

Marik was informed of the Battle City tournament, where Duelists from across Japan would be gathering in Domino City.[15] Marik saw it as convenient to have all his prey gather in one place and ordered the Ghouls to unleash the Rare Hunters.[15]

Marik arranged for a number of Rare Hunters to be present in Domino City for the tournament. Among them was the "Doll", whose consciousness he had fully controlled with the Millennium Rod and whose Deck contained a God card, "Slifer the Sky Dragon". He had the doll stand on the same spot in Domino Park for two days[18] and programmed him to kill Dark Yugi, should the Doll defeat him in a Duel.[19]

Preliminaries

Rare Hunter
Marik introduces himself to Dark Yugi, by possessing the Rare Hunter.

Dark Yugi was the reawakening of the king, Marik's family had been waiting for. When Dark Yugi defeated the weakest Rare Hunter, Marik used the Millennium Rod to take over the Rare Hunter's body to introduce himself.[20] He demonstrated the power of the Millennium Rod by making the Rare Hunter dance, saying it was fitting for a loser like him. He informed Dark Yugi that he had entered the tournament to acquire the remaining God card. He warned him that he had a Rare Hunter with a God card within the city and that facing him would mean instant death for Dark Yugi.[21]

After Seto Kaiba defeated Koji Nagumo in a Duel,[22] using "The God of the Obelisk", the Ghouls notified Marik that Kaiba had been identified as the owner of the third God card.[23] Marik suspected that Ishizu sensed a future where giving "Obelisk" to Kaiba would cause him to host a tournament like this, where Marik and Dark Yugi's fates would intersect. With Kaiba's skills, Marik reckoned that the Rare Hunters would have a hard time defeating him now that he has a God card. Believing that in order to fight a God card, you would need to have a God card of your own, he decided to personally travel to Domino City, as the wielder of "The Sun Dragon Ra". One of the Ghouls asked if Marik really needed to dirty his hands. Although Marik figured, he would eventually need to fight Kaiba, he decided it could wait and ordered the Ghouls to keep their eye on him.[11]

Pandora
Marik meets Yugi Mutou, by possessing Pandora.

Marik decided to go after Yugi, much to the surprise of his underling, who thought acquiring the third God card should be their main objective. After being notified of Yugi's location, Marik asked that the Rare Hunter, Pandora prepare for a Duel.[11]

Pandora Dueled Dark Yugi in a Duel where the loser's feet would be cut off. Although Pandora lost, he planned on using a hidden key to free himself from his shackles to avoid being dismembered. Marik then intercepted and used the Millennium Rod to erase the key from Pandora's mind, preventing him for seeing or feeling it. However Yugi Mutou took control of his own body and freed Pandora. Marik then took full control of Pandora's body and introduced himself to Yugi. When Yugi questioned Marik's motives, he said that it did not concern Yugi, his business was with the soul that dwelt within him. He informed Yugi of his plans to acquire the God cards to become the new king and kill Dark Yugi. Yugi vowed to stop him, but Marik laughed, calling him just a vessel, whom he would also be killing. Marik saw Pandora as a loose end that needed tidying up, so he looked through Pandora's memories and found two instances where he contemplated suicide. Marik re-awoke those memories and stirred them up in order to push Pandora to kill himself later.[2]

Doll
Marik Duels Dark Yugi through the Doll.

Marik arrived by boat at Port Othello, where the Ghouls equipped him with a Duel Disk. He then traveled by motorbike to Domino City, expecting to arrive within 40 minutes, he sent the Doll after Yugi, to use as a proxy to Duel Dark Yugi before his arrival.[18]

Through the Doll, Marik approached and challenged Dark Yugi to a Duel.[19]

Marik used "Jam Breeding Machine" to produce "Slimes", which he protected with "Nightmare Steel Cage", long enough to sacrifice three to Summon "Slifer the Sky Dragon".[24] He then used his "God Five" combo, which consisted of:[25]

With encouragement from Seto Kaiba, Dark Yugi realized that "Slifer" did not have infinite power.[26] By taking control of "Revival Jam", Dark Yugi was able to force "Slifer" to keep destroying it with its "Summon Lightning Shot" effect on loop, causing Marik to draw all his cards with "Card of Safe Return" and lose the Duel by Deck out.[27] In victory, Dark Yugi acquired "Slifer the Sky Dragon" through the ante rule. Although Marik remained confident that he would get it back.[28]

Marik warned Dark Yugi that he had Rare Hunters keeping watch on his friends. To give himself time to prepare Dark Yugi's friends, he arranged for some Rare Hunters to intercept Dark Yugi before he could get to them.[28]

Dark Bakura
Dark Bakura interrupts Marik's plans.

Before Marik could come in contact with the friends, Katsuya Jonouchi, Anzu Mazaki, he was interrupted by Dark Bakura, who told him to hand over the Millennium Rod.[29]

Marik was annoyed by the interruption, but asked two Ghouls to keep an eye on Jonouchi, while he met with Dark Bakura on a pier to discuss the Millennium Items. He was surprised that Dark Bakura knew about the tablet, which the Millennium Items could be placed in to open the "Door of Darkness". He had considered that to be a secret of the Tomb Guardians. However he said that Dark Bakura did not know the whole truth, which he had inscribed on his back. Marik claimed to have no interest in the Millennium Items, beyond his plan to kill Yugi. So he agreed to hand the Rod over to Dark Bakura after achieving that in exchange for his help and said that refusal would result in Dark Bakura's death.[30] He offered to give Dark Bakura the Millennium Rod, if Dark Bakura could win back "Slifer the Sky Dragon".[31] Marik gave Dark Bakura five minutes to make up his mind, but decided he would have use for him, regardless of how he answered.[30]

Dark Bakura said that if Marik wanted to hurt Yugi, the easiest way was to go through his friends. Marik replied that he already had plans to use them. Dark Bakura argued that their bond is strong and they would instantly know that he was up to something. However he could help by using his host as a hiding place.[32] He then stabbed himself in the arm and relinquished control of his body to Ryo Bakura.[33]

Marik uses Ryo Bakura to get close to Katsuya Jonouchi and Anzu Mazaki.

The Ghouls alerted Marik that Jonouchi's Duel with Ryota Kajiki had ended and asked if they should capture him, as planned, but Marik informed them that there had been a change of plan. He woke up Bakura, who was suffering from being stabbed by Dark Bakura and helped him walk to a spot, where they were seen by Jonouchi, Anzu and Sugoroku Mutou.[34]

The boy, whose Duel Disk Dark Bakura had stolen, showed up with a friend, looking to pick a fight with Bakura. Marik intercepted, saying Bakura was hurt, but ended up being punched. Jonouchi witnessed this and proceeded to beat up Bakura's attackers. While Sugoroku took Bakura to the hospital, Jonouchi and Anzu thanked Marik and noticed that he was taking part in the tournament. Marik introduced himself as "Namu". He claimed to not be very good, but hoped that he could be friends with Jonouchi and Anzu.[34]

At some point, Marik brainwashed Ryo Bakura, causing him to stop feeling the pain of his stab wound.[35]

Masks of Light and Darkness
Marik possesses Mask of Light.

Marik was notified that Dark Yugi and Kaiba had joined forces while battling the Rare Hunters, so he dispatched his Anti-God Attack Force.[36] He watched while Dark Yugi and Kaiba Dueled Mask of Light and Mask of Darkness. After Mask of Darkness was defeated, Marik took control of Mask of Light's body. He introduced himself to Kaiba and said that he was impressed by the power of "Obelisk". Despite his Rare Hunters' defeat, he said his plan was going smoothly. He had now analyzed Dark Yugi and Kaiba's Decks and decided neither was a threat, even with their God cards, which were not as powerful as his "The Sun Dragon Ra". The Duel also gave him time to brainwash Jonouchi and Anzu[37] and implant a desire to kill Yugi into Jonouchi's mind.[14] Before releasing control of Mask of Light, Marik told Dark Yugi to come to the "stage of death" to fight Jonouchi.[37]

Brainwashed Jonouchi
Jonouchi and Anzu, brainwashed by Marik.

Marik and some Ghouls led Jonouchi to Domino Pier. When one of them shoved Jonouchi, Marik scolded him for being rough with his "precious doll", reminding the Ghoul that he could kill him by just thinking about it. He got two of the Ghouls to improve Jonouchi's Deck by adding illegal direct damage cards, in preparation for a Duel, which Marik expected to end with either Yugi killing his best friend or Jonouchi killing Yugi and winning back "Slifer the Sky Dragon".[14]

Rishid informed Marik that he had acquired twelve Puzzle Cards, enough to qualify both him and Marik for the Battle City finals. He also offered to face Dark Yugi, if Marik wished it, but Marik did not want to be denied the pleasure of doing it himself and said that he had not forgotten his instincts as a Duelist. Capable of controlling the dolls from a distance, Marik and Rishid headed to the location of the finals.[14]

Marik threatens to have Anzu swallow a suicide capsule.

When Dark Yugi arrived at the pier, he tried to snap Jonouchi out of the brainwashing, but Marik possessed Anzu to tell him his efforts were futile and threatened to make Anzu swallow a pill of fatal poison, if Dark Yugi did not proceed with the Duel against Jonouchi. He got Anzu to handcuff Dark Yugi and Jonouchi to an anchor. Above the anchor was a bomb set to detonate fifteen seconds after a player's Life Points dropped to 0 or forty minutes after the beginning of the Duel. The explosion would cause the anchor to drop and pull both players into the sea. To save oneself a player must drop their opponent's Life Points to 0, causing the box at their feet to open and give them a key to remove their handcuff in the fifteen seconds before the bomb goes off. To prevent Kaiba from interfering, one of the Ghouls held a knife to Mokuba Kaiba's neck. Finally, Marik got Jonouchi to instruct Dark Yugi to put the "Slifer the Sky Dragon" card aside, to ensure it would not get dragged into the water.[38]

Marik, annoyed about Dueling Yugi, "the vessel"

As Dark Yugi struggled to think of a way to restore Jonouchi's heart, Yugi asked that he take over for the Duel, seeing it as his turn to help Jonouchi. This annoyed Marik, who had wished to directly kill Dark Yugi to satisfy his grudge.[39] Marik thought that Yugi made a foolish move when he gave Jonouchi an opportunity to take "Red-Eyes Black Dragon" with "Exchange". However seeing "Red-Eyes" invoked feelings of Jonouchi's former self, causing him to go against Marik's orders and take a different card.[40]

Jonouchi begins to disobey Marik.

Yugi gave the Millennium Puzzle to Jonouchi, which Marik interpreted as evidence he had given up. Marik ordered Jonouchi to take the puzzle apart and throw the pieces into the sea, fulfilling his revenge for 3000 years of slavery in his clan in the name of the pharaoh. Jonouchi removed a piece and prepared to throw it away. However this reminded him of a similar scenario, where he had thrown a piece of the puzzle away before, in the events leading up to him becoming friends with Yugi. Jonouchi struggled with conflicting feelings and eventually put the piece back in the puzzle. Marik asked how he could disobey him and Jonouchi replied that he was a Duelist, with no interest in revenge or what happened 3000 years ago and that he was going to settle this in a Duel. Vexed by the defiance, Marik decided to not let Jonouchi live, after winning the Duel.[41]

When Yugi left the weakened "Red-Eyes Black Dragon" in Attack Mode, Marik attempted to end the Duel by having Jonouchi attack it with "Panther Warrior". Jonouchi instead attacked "Beta the Magnet Warrior", allowing Yugi to use a "Magic Arm Shield" counterattack.[42]

With eight minutes until the bomb detonated, Marik ordered Jonouchi to do nothing for the remaining time, so that both players would drown. However Yugi reminded Jonouchi of the promise he made, wherein he would owe Yugi one until he was able to beat him. Jonouchi again ignored Marik's orders and continued the Duel.[42]

Jonouchi drew "Meteor of Destruction", a direct damage card, capable of expunging the remainder of Yugi's Life Points. Marik told him if he wanted to beat Yugi badly enough, he could play the card and spare his own life.[42] He urged him to play the card, step out of Yugi's shadow by killing him and then have the Duel branded into his memories. Struggling with his inner conflicts, Jonouchi finally told Marik to shut up and that he did not want to have that in his memories. Taken aback, Marik said to do nothing in that case and die happily together with Yugi, when the time runs out.[43]

Marik uses all his vengeance to force Jonouchi to obey him.

Yugi called out to Marik and declared him the true loser of the Duel. While Marik could implant evil thoughts in Jonouchi's mind, Yugi believed that Jonouchi would not give in. He remained convinced that he could turn Jonouchi back to normal in the one remaining minute. He exclaimed that when he achieves that, even if he and Jonouchi both die, Marik will have the fact that he lost burned into his memories forever. With little time left, he urged Marik to give him his best shot.[43]

Marik reciprocated, issuing another command to Jonouchi to play "Meteor of Destruction". Jonouchi resisted, but Marik pushed all his vengeance into the card, forcing Jonouchi to play it. Jonouchi then snapped free and yelled at Yugi to not die. Yugi smiled and replied that he would not. He activated his "Mystical Rift Panel", allowing him to choose the target of "Meteor of Destruction". Marik became enraged, thinking Yugi was about to win, but Yugi only played "Mystical Rift Panel" to buy the time he needed to thank Jonouchi and say that he loved him. Yugi choose himself as the meteor's target, reducing his Life Points to 0, causing him to fall unconscious and giving Jonouchi access to his key. Jonouchi refused to leave Yugi and got "Red-Eyes Black Dragon" to attack him, also reducing his own Life Points to 0, opening the box containing Yugi's key.[43]

Jonouchi swung to the other side of the pier and uncuffed Yugi, before being dragged into the sea himself. Kaiba, who had succeeded in dispatching the two Ghouls present, dropped Jonouchi's key into the water, allowing him to also free himself.[44] Marik was annoyed that Yugi had prevented him from killing the pharaoh and vowed to kill both him and Dark Yugi in the tournament finals.[45] Regardless, he freed Anzu from his control.[44]

Battle Ship

Boarding
Bakura and Anzu divert Yugi and Jonouchi's suspicions of Marik.

Marik and Rishid were first to arrive at Domino Stadium for the quarterfinals. They arranged for Rishid to participate under the identity of Marik, while Marik continued to use the name "Namu".[4]

As Namu, Marik approached the other finalists. Yugi and Jonouchi felt suspicious, particularly Jonouchi who realized that he only started to lose his mind shortly after meeting Namu. However Bakura and Anzu, who were still influenced by Marik's brainwashing, acted pleased to see him, causing Yugi and Jonouchi to relax their suspicions. The brainwashed Bakura showed Yugi that the Millennium Ring was reacting, when Rishid, posing as Marik, arrived with the Millennium Rod.[35]

The finalists; Marik, Rishid, Kaiba, Yugi, Jonouchi, Mai and Bakura boarded the Battle Ship, where the quarterfinals were to take place. Unbeknownst to Marik, his sister, Ishizu Ishtar boarded afterwards as the eighth finalist.[35][46]

Dark Yugi VS Dark Bakura
Marik exploits Bakura's injury.

In keeping with his disguise, Marik asked if Jonouchi would go easy of him, if they faced each other in the first round. Instead Yugi and Bakura were chosen as the participants in the first quarterfinal.[47]

When Yugi and his friends realized Bakura was being possessed by Dark Bakura, Marik asked what they were talking about when they mentioned the Millennium Ring and a "dark mind". In his mind, he made one correcting to their explanation, stating that Bakura was being controlled by two minds, rather than one, as he also controlled him. He informed Dark Bakura that if worst came to worst, he did not mind taking full control in order to defeat Yugi, but Dark Bakura told him to stay out and insisted that Yugi was his.[31]

Marik became frustrated that Bakura might not have a strategy when he seemed to allow Dark Yugi to take the lead in the first few turns.[31] Later in the Duel, Marik commended Dark Bakura's Occult combo, admiring its ruthlessness, but commented that he had found a flaw in it and suspected Dark Yugi had too. Since "Destiny Board" required "Dark Necrofear" to be in the Graveyard, he figured that Dark Yugi was planning on reviving it with "Monster Reborn". He offered to tell Dark Bakura a way around this problem, but Dark Bakura told him to shut up and insisted he did not need his advice anymore. Although Dark Bakura came up with his own counter in the form of "Deja Vu", Dark Yugi Summoned "Slifer the Sky Dragon" on his next turn.[48] Marik spoke with Dark Bakura again to inform him of the abilities "Slifer" had and how Dark Bakura would lose when it attacks. Dark Bakura attempted to possess "Slifer" with the "Marionette's Spirit" and Marik called him a fool for thinking such a low-level monster would have the power to possess a god.[49]

Anzu, controlled by Marik, takes the Millennium Ring.

Just as Dark Bakura thought he was about to lose, Marik thanked him and said that his defeat would serve their purposes. He got Rishid to approach the field, posing as Marik. Rishid held up the Millennium Rod and claimed to be the one controlling Bakura and that he would prove it by releasing his true personality. Bakura reverted to his normal form, no longer controlled by Dark Bakura or Marik, disorientated and now able to feel the pain of his stab wound. Rishid warned that Bakura was injured and the shock of an attack from "Slifer" could end his life. Marik complimented Rishid's acting as he departed. However Dark Bakura was dissatisfied with this plan and did not wish to win this way. He told Marik to stay out of it and took back control of Bakura's body. He permitted Dark Yugi to attack and assured him he would not allow Bakura to die.[49]

Bakura was left badly injured after the Duel and Anzu, still brainwashed by Marik took the Millennium Ring, claiming to do so in order to prevent it from possessing Bakura again.[50]

Jonouchi VS Rishid
Rishid, competing under the name "Marik Ishtar" (マリク・イシュタール)

Jonouchi was eager to defeat Marik himself, after Marik had brainwashed him and Bakura. He believed he had that chance when he was paired up against Rishid, whom he believed to be Marik, in the quarterfinals.[50] Right before the Duel, Marik secretly slipped a counterfeit copy of "The Sun Dragon Ra" into Rishid's Deck, so that he could convincingly pretend to be Marik.[51]

Marik noted how frantic Jonouchi had become and thought that would make him easy prey for Rishid's Trap Deck.[50] He did not think Jonouchi was much of a Duelist[52] and after a few turns thought Rishid was about to win.[53] However Jonouchi managed to make a counter attack and Marik asked Rishid not to disappoint him too much, after taking a wound from Jonouchi.[51]

Rishid was surprised when he drew the counterfeit "Ra". Marik explained why he did it and instructed him to enshrine the card within "Royal Temple".[51] Rishid was cautious about using a counterfeit God, knowing the trauma that had befallen Ghouls who had tried it in the past. Marik claimed that the other Ghouls had lacked the strength of heart to control a copy of a God, but a descendant of a Tomb Guardian might succeed and by living with Marik's family Rishid may have acquired such strength. Rishid was still cautious, but believed he could win without using "Ra".[7]

Marik pressures Rishid to use the counterfeit "Ra" card.

When Jonouchi ended a turn, leaving himself defenseless to a finishing strike from Rishid, Marik assumed Rishid had won. However Jonouchi called Rishid out on not being Marik. Jonouchi saw Rishid as a respectable opponent who fought fairly and could not feel the same hatred towards Rishid as he did to Marik. Dark Yugi was also suspicious and noted an obvious difference in strategy between Rishid and the Duelists brainwashed by Marik. To maintain their deception, Marik instructed Rishid to demonstrate he possessed a God card, by using "Ra" to finish the Duel. He insisted that Rishid was a true member of the clan of Tomb Guardians and would be able to control the counterfeit. Rishid remained hesitant, as he did possess the blood of the clan, but Marik finally convinced him by saying that his late father would accept Rishid as his son, if he could do this.[54]

Marik struggles to contain Dark Marik.

Although Marik thought Rishid had succeeded at first, the real "Ra" in his Deck began to emit an aura of anger. The "Ra" that Rishid Summoned turned into a black mist, which shot bolts of lightning onto the Duel field, striking both Rishid and Jonouchi. Before falling unconscious Rishid made a mental plea for Marik to not awaken Dark Marik. However with Rishid no longer able to restrain him, Dark Marik took control of Marik's body.[17]

Marik appeared in a dream Rishid had while unconscious. He was led away by his father, who gave Rishid a disapproving look for failing to command god, due to never having the blood of their clan. After Jonouchi was declared the winner of the Duel, he woke Rishid up for a few seconds, long enough for him to try and warn Dark Yugi about Marik's other self.[55]

Dark Marik declared Rishid to be Marik's shadow and himself to be the person who casts that shadow, identifying himself as another personality within Marik.[55]

Kaiba VS Ishizu
Dark Marik imprisons Marik.

Ishizu was aware that the Millennium Tauk's power to predict the future should not be used to gain an advantage in a Duel. However she chose to disobey this and offer her life to the gods as punishment, in order to save Marik.[56]

When Ishizu revealed herself as the eighth finalist for her Duel with Kaiba, Marik gained a brief moment of control of his body, before being quickly suppressed by Dark Marik. As Ishizu gazed at Dark Marik and communicated her intentions to destroy him and save Marik, Dark Marik revealed that he had confined Marik within a prison built from his own fear and pity.[12]

Dark Marik was aware that Marik was curious about Seto Kaiba's connection to the Millennium Rod, but figured that mystery would not be solved when he expected Kaiba to lose.[57] However the Rod began to react its as implanted memories of Seto triggered a vision, showing Kaiba how to win the Duel.[58]

After the Duel, Ishizu told Yugi's friends the history of the Ishtar family. Since Marik was able to access the memories of people he had brainwashed, he heard Ishizu's story through Anzu and learned that Dark Marik was the one who had killed his father.[59]

Dark Bakura VS Dark Marik
Marik teams up with Dark Bakura to face Dark Marik.

Through Anzu, Marik returned the Millennium Ring to Ryo Bakura, allowing Dark Bakura to take control again. Since a part of Marik had been implanted in Bakura, when he brainwashed him, Marik was able to communicate with Dark Bakura, without needing a separate body. He got Dark Bakura to confront Dark Marik, to prevent him from killing Rishid. Although Dark Bakura was not interested saving Rishid, he complied in order to see the Seal of Memories on Dark Marik's back and take the Millennium Rod. As ones chosen by the Millennium Items, they agreed to settle their dispute with a Shadow Game, in the form of a game of Duel Monsters, where the loser would die.[60]

Dark Bakura was prepared for the Duel because Marik had told him the abilities of "The Sun Dragon Ra" and the other cards in his Deck. However Dark Marik had considered the Deck built by Marik to be weak and had since made a number of changes.[59]

Marik spoke to Dark Marik and asked if he was the evil self that he had created. Dark Marik replied that he was and described himself as the embodiment of Marik's darkest desires and claimed that Marik should thank him for taking away his guilt. Marik assert that he had learned that Dark Marik was the one who killed their father. Although Dark Marik admitted it, he said that Marik was also responsible, a fact which Marik started to then take responsibility for.[59]

When Dark Bakura questioned the patricide, Marik told him about his father's death five years previous and what Shadi had said. This surprised Dark Bakura who knew Shadi should have been dead at the time. Ready to pay penance for his crimes, Marik was okay with Dark Bakura killing Dark Marik, which would also result in his own death.[59]

Marik came up with a strategy to make "Ra" powerless. Since its ATK and DEF were determined by the number of Sacrifices used to Summon it, he suggested Dark Bakura send the card to the Graveyard at an early stage, preventing it from being Sacrifice Summoned.[61] However this plan backfired, as it allowed Dark Marik to easily Summon "Ra" with "Monster Reborn". Marik had thought that would be pointless because it gave "Ra" 0 ATK and due to Spell Cards limited effect on God cards, it would return to the Graveyard at the end of the turn. However the Millennium Rod had revealed an ability of "Ra" to Dark Marik, which it had not revealed to Marik. Dark Marik transferred all but one of his Life Points to the ATK of "Ra", allowing him to win the Duel.[62]

After the Duel, Marik took full control of Anzu's body and asked Ishizu to help move Rishid's body to save him from Dark Marik.[63]

Duel Tower

Dark Marik retained full control of Marik's body and progressed to the final Duel of the Battle City tournament, where he faced Dark Yugi. Dark Marik turned the Duel into a Shadow Game, where apparitions of Yugi and Marik appeared next to their respective counterpart personalities. As a player lost Life Points, the body of their other personality would disappear, resulting in their death at 0 Life Points. Marik was initially unconscious while this happened.[64]

This Shadow Game gave Dark Marik a clear edge, for when the pharaoh lost Life Points, Yugi's body would fade away, and when Dark Marik lost Life Points, the original Marik would fade away. As Marik realized his mistakes of making people suffer, he spoke out through Anzu, begging the pharaoh for his forgiveness and asked him to defeat Dark Marik, even if it meant he would die. While they Dueled, Rishid woke up and made Marik realize he had to accept his responsibility for being a tomb guardian. With this confidence, Marik overpowered his evil self and made him the victim of the Shadow Game, and then forfeited, destroying Dark Marik. Marik gave the pharaoh the Millennium Rod and the "Ra" card.

Marik then revealed the tomb guardian's initiation. The carving of the pharaoh's memory onto the back of a tomb guardian on his back. Fulfilling his duty as a tomb guardian, Marik returned to Egypt to start a new life.

Rite of the Duel

Marik, Ishizu and Rishid led Yugi and the gang to the tomb where Yugi and Atem faced each other in the Rite of the Duel. Atem lost and passed on to the afterlife. Marik escaped when the tomb collapsed afterwards.

Deck

When Marik controlled the Doll, he used a "Slime" Deck, focused on Summoning and strengthening "Slifer the Sky Dragon"

Duels

Event Outcome Chapters
VS — Ishizu Ishtar Lose
VS — Dark Yugi
(through the Doll) 		Battle City Lose
VS — Yugi Mutou
(through Brainwashed Jonouchi) 		Battle City Draw

References

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g Takahashi, Kazuki (2002). "Chapter 1: Character Directory". Yu-Gi-Oh! Character Guidebook: The Gospel of Truth (in Japanese). Shueisha. p. 66. ISBN 4-08-873363-0.
  2. ↑ a b c d Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 165 (Duelist Duel 106): "The Tablet of Memories"
  3. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 277 (Duelist Duel 218): "The End of Alcatraz"
  4. ↑ a b c d Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 201 (Duelist Duel 142): "Warriors Assemble"
  5. ↑ a b c d e f Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 231 (Duelist Duel 172): "Out of the Past"
  6. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 233 (Duelist Duel 174): "Duel in the Dark!"
  7. ↑ a b c d e f Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 214 (Duelist Duel 155): "The Cursed Bloodline!"
  8. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 222 (Duelist Duel 163): "The Rise of Ra!"
  9. ↑ a b Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 223 (Duelist Duel 164): "The Depths of Darkness!"
  10. ↑ a b c Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 232 (Duelist Duel 173): "The Clan of Darkness!"
  11. ↑ a b c Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 160 (Duelist Duel 101): "Marik Strikes!"
  12. ↑ a b Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 225 (Duelist Duel 166): "Kaiba Declares War!"
  13. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 227 (Duelist Duel 168): "The Waiting Grave"
  14. ↑ a b c d Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 191 (Duelist Duel 132): "The Place of Destiny"
  15. ↑ a b c Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 151 (Duelist Duel 92): "Rare Hunters!"
  16. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 147 (Duelist Duel 88): "The Lost Cards"
  17. ↑ a b Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 216 (Duelist Duel 157): "God's Judgement!"
  18. ↑ a b Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 170 (Duelist Duel 111): "Nearer to God"
  19. ↑ a b Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 171 (Duelist Duel 112): "Fight of the Millennium!"
  20. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 154 (Duelist Duel 95): "To Destroy a Deck"
  21. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 155 (Duelist Duel 96): "Millennium Battle"
  22. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 159 (Duelist Duel 100): "Behold the God!"
  23. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 160 (Duelist Duel 101): "Marik Strikes!"
  24. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 172 (Duelist Duel 113): "Summon the Nightmare"
  25. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 174 (Duelist Duel 115): "The Combo of God!!"
  26. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 175 (Duelist Duel 116): "A Duelist's Power"
  27. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 176 (Duelist Duel 117): "God Falls!?"
  28. ↑ a b Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 177 (Duelist Duel 118): "Attack that Opponent!"
  29. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 178 (Duelist Duel 119): "Each Other's Duel!"
  30. ↑ a b Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 179 (Duelist Duel 120): "Full Strength!!"
  31. ↑ a b c Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 204 (Duelist Duel 145): "The Thing in the Dark"
  32. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 180 (Duelist Duel 121): "Return of the Sea Scourge"
  33. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 181 (Duelist Duel 122): "Conquer the Sea!!"
  34. ↑ a b Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 183 (Duelist Duel 124): "The Reason for Dueling"
  35. ↑ a b c Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 202 (Duelist Duel 143): "The Eight Finalists"
  36. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 184 (Duelist Duel 125): "Arena of Death!!"
  37. ↑ a b Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 190 (Duelist Duel 131): "Where Jonouchi Waits"
  38. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 192 (Duelist Duel 133): "The Unwanted Duel!!"
  39. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 193 (Duelist Duel 134): "Heart Attack!!"
  40. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 194 (Duelist Duel 135): "The Card of Pride"
  41. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 196 (Duelist Duel 137): "The Last Piece of the Puzzle"
  42. ↑ a b c Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 196 (Duelist Duel 137): "The Last Piece of the Puzzle"
  43. ↑ a b c Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 198 (Duelist Duel 139): "Friends till the End"
  44. ↑ a b Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 199 (Duelist Duel 140): "The Treasure"
  45. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 200 (Duelist Duel 141): "The Courage to See"
  46. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 224 (Duelist Duel 165): "The Future is Now"
  47. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 203 (Duelist Duel 144): "The First Enemy!"
  48. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 207 (Duelist Duel 148): "One-Turn Kill"
  49. ↑ a b Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 208 (Duelist Duel 149): "The Line of Fire"
  50. ↑ a b c Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 209 (Duelist Duel 150): "Jonouchi's Revenge!"
  51. ↑ a b c Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 213 (Duelist Duel 154): "The Unexpected Card!"
  52. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 210 (Duelist Duel 151): "The Trap in the Temple!"
  53. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 212 (Duelist Duel 153): "Those Who Inherit the Duel"
  54. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 215 (Duelist Duel 156): "The Proof of the Clan!"
  55. ↑ a b Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 217 (Duelist Duel 158): "Darkness Awakens!"
  56. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 226 (Duelist Duel 167): "The Chosen One"
  57. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 229 (Duelist Duel 170): "The Eyes of Memory"
  58. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 230 (Duelist Duel 171): "Shatter the Future"
  59. ↑ a b c d Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 234 (Duelist Duel 175): "Evil vs. Evil!"
  60. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 233 (Duelist Duel 174): "Duel in the Dark!"
  61. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 235 (Duelist Duel 176): "The Crumbling Darkness"
  62. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 236 (Duelist Duel 177): "The Dark God is Born!"
  63. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 237 (Duelist Duel 178): "The Eve of Battle"
  64. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 265 (Duelist Duel 206): "Showdown in the Heavens!"
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