Mahado (manga)

Mahado

Names
Corresponding card	Dark Magician
English	Mahado
Other	Dark Magician
Japanese Japanese マハード Rōmaji Mahādo
Personal
Birth	IV Akhet 15
Age	22
Height	1.83 m <br />6.004 ft <br />72.047 in <br />183cm
Weight	134.482 lb <br />61kg
Gender	Male
Blood type	O
Favorite food	Food with onions
Least favorite food	Lamb
Allegiance
Successor	Mana
Career
Occupation	High priest
Appearances
Manga debut	Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel 282 (Millennium World Duel 4): "Voyage into Memories"
Appears in Manga Yu-Gi-Oh! Books Yu-Gi-Oh! Character Guidebook: Millennium Book
Mahado (manga)

Priest Mahado is a character in the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga. This is the original depiction of Mahado, known as Mahad in the English anime.

Mahado was a sorcerer and high priest, tasked with guarding the royal tombs, while serving Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen and later Pharaoh Atem. He invested a deal of his magical abilities suppressing the evil powers of his Millennium Item, the Millennium Ring, making himself appear weaker. His guilt over past failures led to him facing Bakura, King of Thieves, alone with his powers unrestrained. During the Diaha, he gave his life to fuse his ba, with his ka, the Magus of Illusion. As a ka, he continued to serve Atem in his battles.

With the Egyptian Diaha, recreated through Duel Monsters, Mahado's ka form was represented by the "Dark Magician" card and human form, represented by "Palladium Oracle Mahad".

Biography

Ancient Egypt

Serving Akhenamkhanen

Mahado informs Akhenamkhanen of the Kul Elna massacre.

Mahado was a sorcerer in ancient Egypt. Due to his magical skills, he was summoned to become a high priest, serving Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen and acquired the Millennium Ring. The ring possessed a dark power, which he believed it had gotten by absorbing the evil of the last priest who wore it. He used his own power to suppress the evil powers of the ring, for the safety of everyone else. Due to the magic, he invested in this, his powers otherwise appeared significantly weaker, including the strength of his spirit ka, the Magus of Illusion.

At some point, Mahado took on Mana, as an apprentice sorcerer and would frequently tell her off for treating the palace like a playground.

The Millennium Ring granted Mahado knowledge of the Kul Elna massacre, conducted in the forging of the Millennium Items. He presented this knowledge to Akhenamkhanen, causing him to fall sick form the guilt and eventually die from his illness. Afterwards, Akhenamkhanen's son, Atem, inherited the throne.

Palace Diaha

Mahado senses Bakura's evil.

Five years after Mahado's joined the priesthood, Seto noted the recent influx of tomb defilement, following the trial of a graverobber. Since Mahado was in charge of guarding the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, Seto scolded Mahado for failing in his duties. Mahado apologized, but in mitigation claimed the auguries that he received from the Millennium Ring had been very erratic lately and with the vast increase of ka nesting in people's souls, he could not detect every sinner and evil intention. He then requested Atem's permission to enlist more troops to strengthen his guard.

When Bakura, King of Thieves entered the pharaoh's palace, the Millennium Ring began to react wildly, notifying Mahado of the presence of a great shadow power. Mahado took part in the ensuing Diaha with Bakura and summoned the Magus of Illusion. When Atem was vulnerable to Bakura's Diabound, Mahado prepared to protect him with the Magus of Illusion, but Seto lacked confidence in its power and summoned Battle Ox. Battle Ox created an opening, which Seto instructed Mahado to use to attack. He got the Magus of Illusion cast the "Curse of Illusions", restraining Diabound. Despite this the high priests still struggled to fight Diabound and were ordered by Atem to step down. Mahado then witnessed the revelation of Atem, as the chosen pharaoh, capable of wielding the three hidden gods, as he summoned Obelisk, forcing Bakura to retreat.

Mock Diaha

Seto, criticizing Mahado

In preparation for further attacks from Bakura, the high priests took part in mock Diaha to strengthen themselves. In one Diaha, Mahado was teamed with Isis and Kalim and they faced Akhenaden, Seto and Shada. Mahado summoned the Magus of Illusion and tried to use its "Curse of Illusion" on Seto's Duos, but Akhenaden summoned Dark Ushebti, which became the target of the spell. Mahado's team was ultimately defeated by Duos, which Seto strengthened through the sacrifice of his teammates' ka. After the Diaha, Seto criticized Mahado for having such a weak ka and called it unfit to guard the pharaoh's tomb.

Tomb Diaha

Security was tightened at Akhenamkhanen's tomb and Mahado arranged to use himself as part of a new trap for Bakura, willing to give his life because Atem had forgiven him. Without disclosing the details, he assured Atem and Siamun Muran that the tomb now had a trap that would stop any thief. Seto was not fully convinced and suggested that Mahado be stripped of his priesthood should the tomb got robbed again. Atem then asked that Mahado not to be blinded by guilt and just focus on fulfilling his duties.

As Mahado made his way to the tomb, he caught Mana hiding in a pot. She claimed to have come to see him off, which annoyed him since she was postponing her magic practice. Simon interrupted the two and brought up his suspicions that Mahado intended to face Bakura himself. He advising against this, believing Mahado's ka to be too weak. Mahado questioned Siamun on the capabilities of ka being enhanced by the strength of their hosts' heart and argued that his devotion to the pharaoh would strengthen his ka.

Mahado confronts Bakura.

Mahado guarded the inside of the tomb, while his troops were stationed outside. Before entering the tomb, he sensed Bakura's presence with the Millennium Ring. Bakura quickly dispatched the soldiers at the entrance and walked inside, where Mahado confronted him on a bridge. Outside Mahado's men blocked the entrance with a boulder and erected a stone slab. If Mahado were to die fighting, his soul would take form on the tablet. If that happened before the third sunrise, they were to leave the tomb sealed forever. Bakura was aware that a trap had been set, but followed though as he hoped to take the Millennium Ring from Mahado.

Mahado gives his life to merge with the Magus of Illusion.

Bakura summoned Diabound, which had grown since their previous battle. With no fear of bystanders being harmed, Mahado refocused his powers from suppressing the evil of the Millennium Ring to strengthening his ka. So the Magus of Illusion was significantly more powerful than when they last battled. Mahado had the magus dodge Diabound's attacks and strike back. He then transferred his heka to the ka, so it could attack again. The attack had some impact on Diabound, who disappeared into the walls. Bakura commended Mahado's strategies, before using his knowledge of the tomb to exploit the traps as weapons. Although Mahado was able to avoid the traps, it left him open to an attack from Diabound. Mahado managed to survive the attack and cast a single-use spell; as a spirit sorcerer he was able to give his life to merge his ba and ka. He allowed himself to be hit by one of the swinging axe traps and in death fused his soul with the Magus of Illusion, forming the Dark Magician. As Dark Magician, Mahado hit Bakura with his "Black Magic" attack, damaging both Bakura and Diabound and causing Bakura to fall into the tomb's abyss. Initially unbeknownst to Mahado, Bakura survived the attack and took the Millennium Ring.

Mahado's tablet, brought before Atem

Outside the tomb, the Dark Magician took form on the slab the soldiers had erected. When Atem and the high priests learned what had happened, they were unsure of the faith of Bakura and the Millennium Ring and Seto blamed Mahado for putting them in such a state. Mana wept in front of the slab and begged Atem to call Mahado's spirit from it, but Isis insisted Mahado be given time to rest and reminded her that her heka was not yet strong enough to see spirits. Out of respect to Mahado, Mana vowed to become an amazing magician.

Shrine of the Underworld Diaha

Mahado, as the Dark Magician, protecting Atem

During the Diaha with Bakura at the Shrine of the Underworld, Mahado appeared as the Dark Magician and repelled the ghosts that were attacking Atem. He assured Atem, who was distraught over learning of the Kul Elna massacre, that the massacre took place without Akhenamkhanen's knowledge. He confessed to bringing the news of the massacre to Akhenamkhanen, resulting in his sickness and death.

Mahado used his "Afterworld Warp" ability creating portals to absorb and redirect an attack from Diabound. Atem reminded him of Diabound's evasiveness, so Mahado directed the attack at a pillar, causing it to fall towards the Tablet of the Pharaoh's Memories. Bakura needed the tablet and coped their tactic, so he had Diabound to catch the pillar. With Diabound unable to use its wall-phasing ability without dropping the pillar, Mahado took the opportunity to hit it in the eye with a "Magic Blast" attack. Mahado attempted to strike again, but Diabound broke the pillar and used its fragments as a shield.

Mahado defeats Diabound.

When Diabound used its "Shadow Camouflage" ability to make itself invisible, Mahado used his "Thousand Magic Blasts" attack to pierce the ceiling, causing light from outside to expose Diabound's location. He then hit Diabound with a "Thousand Black Magic Blasts" attack. Diabound absorbed the souls of the Kul Elna ghosts, allowing it to create an aura, shielding itself from further attacks from Mahado. Diabound landed a hit on Mahado and was about to make a fatal strike, until the Dark Magician Girl, summoned by Mana, swooped in and saved him.

Mana was not at the level that her ka could battle, so she had Dark Magician Girl transfer her heka to Mahado. Mahado, in turn, used it to double the strength of Duos Dragon and began chanting a spell, while Duos Dragon battled Diabound. Although Duos Dragon was defeated, it managed to melt a hole in Diabound's shield, which Mahado used to attack full force with "Black Magic", destroying Diabound.

Atem and Seto's Diaha

Mahado, facing The White Dragon

Seto, possessed by Akhenaden, faced Atem in a Diaha, for the title of King. Seto summoned The White Dragon and with his ba too low to summon the gods, Atem summoned Mahado. Atem and Mahado were impressed by the power of the dragon's heka and understood the futility of trying to fight it. Instead Atem, instructed Mahado to attack the slab the dragon had been summoned from.

Mahado dodged The White Dragon's "Reign of Destruction" attack and fired a "Black Magic" attack at the opposing slab. However, he was too slow as the dragon's attack destroyed Mahado's slab, causing him to disappear.

Some time after Atem's death, Seto commissioned the creation of the Tablet of Memories, which depicted Atem and Seto's battle, including an illustration of Mahado, as the Dark Magician.

1990s

"Dark Magician" card

Egyptian Diaha were recreated through the Duel Monsters card game, which included a "Dark Magician" card, based on Mahado. Sugoroku Mutou possessed a copy of the card and passed it to to Yugi Mutou. Yugi along with Dark Yugi, the amnesic reawakened Atem, used the card in numerous Duels, including one against Pandora, who possessed two copies of the card.

Battle City

Seto Kaiba and Dark Yugi see a vision of Seto and Atem's Diaha

During Seto Kaiba's semifinal Duel against Dark Yugi, the destruction of their God cards triggered a vision, in which they saw the Diaha between Seto and Atem. The vision ended during the summoning of the White Dragon and Mahado. Kaiba and Dark Yugi then Summoned their corresponding cards, "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" and "Dark Magician". Dark Yugi believed they were fated to continue the battle.

Shadow RPG

When Dark Yugi played the Shadow RPG against Dark Bakura, in the twentieth century, he replayed his life as Pharaoh Atem. Events concerning Mahado were largely the same in the RPG as the past.

Unlike the original course of events:

• Dark Bakura used a time-freeze spell to give Akhenaden the opportunity to complete the Dark Contract to summon Zorc Necrophades. Akhenaden attacked Atem during the time freeze, but the spell ended just in time for Mahado to absorb the attack with "Afterworld Warp".
• Atem summoned Mahado to fight in the Diaha against Zorc Necrophades. Mahado and the Dark Magician Girl attacked Zorc head on with "Black Burning Magic", but the attack had little effect. He aided in fighting Zorc's Army of the Dead, but he and his allies were overwhelmed by the size of the army, until Exodia defeated it. After Exodia's defeat, Mahado continued to protect Atem and fight Zorc, until he disappeared when Atem's ba fell too low to sustain him.
• Yugi Mutou and his friends took part in a Diaha against Zorc. Yugi summoned Mahado, using the "Dark Magician" Duel Monsters card. This surprised Zorc, who had defeated Mahado moments earlier. Mahado and Red-Eyes Black Dragon battled Zorc, until the group refocused their efforts to helping Atem relearn his name.
• The Diaha with Seto, where Mahado's slab was destroyed took place after the defeat of Zorc Necrophades.

Ceremonial Battle

When Atem passed through the Door to the Underworld, his companions from ancient Egypt, including Mahado, stood at the other side.

Dark Side of Dimensions

During the final battle against Dark Diva, Atem returned (superimposed over Yugi) and, during his Draw Phase, created "Palladium Oracle Mahad", a new Duel Monsters card based on Mahado (as the card he grabbed glowed with golden light). Also, it is very strongly shown that Mahado's soul is embedded within the card, much like with "Dark Magician", as it kneeled before Atem when Summoned before attacking.

Ka

Mahado has used the following ka.

• Magus of Illusion
• Dark Magician (as combination of his soul and the Magus of Illusion)

Abilities

Mahado is capable of using heka and has performed the following spells.

• Afterworld Warp: By creating two portals, he is able to redirect attacks. This parallels the effect of "Magic Cylinder".
• Magic Blast: A powerful blast of magical energy
• Thousand (Black) Magic Blasts: A wave of magical explosions
• Black Magic: The special attack of "Dark Magician"

• 

  Afterworld Warp

• 

  Magic Blast

• 

  Thousand Black Magic Blasts

• 

  Black Magic

Diaha

Diaha	Opponents	Allies	Result
Diaha	Bakura	High priests Atem	Win
Diaha	Akhenaden Seto Shada	Isis Kalim	Lose
Diaha	Bakura		Win
Diaha	Bakura	Atem High priests	Win
Diaha	Seto	Atem	Lose
Diaha	Zorc Necrophades	Atem High priests	Win