Martin Empire
The Martin Empire is a fictional group of villains in the anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, appearing between episodes 106-130. The Martin Empire's members serve as the main antagonists of first half of the series' third season, though the group's creator went on to be the season's chief antagonist following the empire's downfall.
History
Following a personal tragedy, Professor Thelonius Viper was sent on a mission to another country to research an unspecified target, but the plane he and his companions were traveling aboard crashed, with Viper emerging the only survivor. Nonetheless, he carried out his objective and was successful in locating his target–the severed hand of the Duel Monster Yubel–which entered into a pact with him to resurrect his son from the dead.
From the onset of the third year, Viper calls for an exhibition match between Jaden Yuki and Jesse Andersen at Duel Academy. Unbeknowst to the two combatants, they are fitted with special wristwatches known as Bio-Bands (Dis-Belts), designed to measure emotions, intensity, concentration, and decision making during Duels. Their true function, however, is to sap Duel Energy from those that wear them following the end of a Duel, regardless of whether one defeats his opponent or not. This gathered energy is then transferred to a chamber within Viper's hideout, the lab where Wheeler (SAL) was trained, to fuel Rick's revival.
To jumpstart his project, Viper declares that students of all dormitories must participate in Survival Duels (Dis-Duels), competitions wherein duelists are to carry Bio-Bands as means of assessing their fighting spirit. If a Bio-Band judges that a certain duelist lacks said fighting spirit, he or she will be demoted, and furthermore expelled if motivation does not improve. As a result of the Survival, a large number of students are injured and hospitalized after having their Duel Energy absorbed.
Eventually, Viper's intentions begin drawing concern from Academy staff, and Jaden and co. set out to stop him. Tracking him to the lab in the jungle, the group is exposed to various sorts of traps and defenses installed to prevent its advance. Jaden would go on to face and defeat Viper, though Yubel ultimately amassed enough strength to hurl Duel Academy into an alternate dimension—a desert plane with three suns and resident Duel Monster spirits. Preying on the loneliness of Marcel, Yubel takes control of the boy's body and begins targeting the school's students and faculty, transforming many into zombie slaves to recruit more partners, and obtains the Sacred Beast Cards.
Members
- Yubel
- Martin Kanou / Marcel
- Professor Cobra / Professor Thelonius Viper
- Three Masked Knights
