Marik Ishtar

Marik Ishtar (マリク・イシュタール) is a major character in Yu-Gi-Oh!. He is the leader, and founder of the Rare Hunters. He is the younger brother of Ishizu Ishtar, and heir to the Tomb Keepers. Marik was formerly the main villain of the Battle City arc. After the defeat of Odion, Marik's alter ego, Yami Marik takes over his entire body and replaces him as the serie main villain. Later on in the Dawn of the Duel arc, Marik redeems himself and fulfills his birthright as a Tombkeeper. Marik is often considered to be one of the foremost adversaries in the series.

Background
Marik was born on the day of December 23rd. Marik's family has guarded the tomb of the Pharaoh for generations, and two Millennium Items (the Millennium Rod and Millennium Necklace) were passed down on to Marik and his older sister. Marik was mostly forbidden to leave the Pharaoh's tomb due to his father's fear that the freedom and marvels of the outside world would further divert Marik's attention from his heritage. Marik no longer wanted to become a Tombkeeper, so his adoptive brother asked if he could take Marik's place but was refused. When Marik was forced to take the initiation ritual to become a full Tombkeeper, Marik spawned his second personality, from the pain he endured.

A year later, Marik and Ishizu took a forbidden trip to the surface but their father found out and attempted to kill Odion. When they returned their father was angry at them. In the midst of his father's torture of Odion, Marik blanked out, and his second personality Yami Marik emerged for the first time to resist his father's punishment and claimed the Millennium Rod for himself. Ignoring his father's orders to put it down, Yami Marik used its powers to smash him against the wall. When Ishizu protested to stop, she suffered the same strike. Yami Marik then proceeded to kill his father. After Yami Marik was sealed away in Marik's body by Odion, Marik believed it was the Pharaoh that had killed his father.

As a teenager, Marik was the leader of the Rare Hunters organization as he wished with the Millennium Rod to obtain the three Egyptian God Cards so that he could unlock their power for himself, gain the title of "Pharaoh" and set his family free from the duty of the Tombkeepers (In the English version, he wants the God Cards and the Millennium Puzzle, so he can unlock the Pharaoh's power for himself and use it to rule the world). He also had a hidden agenda to get revenge on Yami Yugi's soul for killing his father as he mistakenly believed that it was the Pharaoh's fault. Although he and his Rare Hunters uncovered "The Winged Dragon of Ra" and "Slifer the Sky Dragon" from where Maximillion Pegasus had hidden them, they were unable to uncover "Obelisk the Tormentor", which was taken by Ishizu and given to Seto Kaiba.

Personality
As a child, Marik was an innocent boy who desired to see the outside world, despite his clan's laws forbidding him from doing so, and was willing to sneak out to fulfill his desire. He cared for his sister Ishizu Ishtar very much and also considered Odion to be his older brother, despite not being blood related.

Marik bore a grudge towards Yami Yugi because he was forced by his own father to guard the family's carving with his life via a ritual of having carvings (in the Japanese version and the original manga) or tattoos (in the English version) onto his back which brought intense pain during and after the ritual which robbed him of his freedom.

With the intense pain and his hatred towards the Pharaoh, he spawned his second personality Yami Marik to deal with the pain. A year later when his father brutally tortured Odion for helping Marik and Ishizu to sneak outside, Marik was unconscious while Yami Marik killed his father, and woke up with no recollection of his father's murder. Immediately afterwards, he sees his sister had come to warn him about the dangerous path he had taken. Marik thought that the loyalist murdered his father, leading to Marik's betrayal of the clan to get revenge against the Pharaoh.

While leading the Rare Hunters in his quest for world domination and freedom, Marik became cruel and uncaring, willing to brainwash people to do his bidding, force them to cheat, and use cruelty on his behalf, the victims included Bandit Keith and Strings. He was not above using death to punish his subordinates for failure, such as Arkana and Lumis, nor did he care about sacrificing Rare Hunters to test the fake "The Winged Dragon of Ra" cards which produced severe injuries and death. He even threatened his sister Ishizu with the Millennium Rod for getting in his way and ordered Odion to use the fake Ra card against his will. He still retained his love for his family, despite his mistreatment of them.

Appearance
Marik's usual outfit consists of a long purple cape with a gold chain at the front, the same outfit worn by the Rare Hunters, as well as a sleeveless black shirt and beige combats. He wears gold earrings, neckwear, armbands, and bracelets all up his wrists. His white blonde hair is neatly arranged as Marik.

As a civilian, he still wears the gold earrings, neckwear, armbands, and bracelets all up to his wrists. Including a sleeveless purple shirt, black pants, and black shoes. While in Battle City, he often wears a KaibaCorp Duel Disk on his left arm.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist Manga
During Battle City, Marik and his Rare Hunters hacked into Battle City's computer system and entered themselves in the tournament. After the Pharaoh defeated the weakest Rare Hunter, Marik used the Millennium Rod to take over the Rare Hunter's body to introduce himself to the Pharaoh. After the Pharoah defeated Arkana, Marik used the Millennium Rod to take over Arkana's body to introduce himself to Yugi Muto, the Pharaoh's vessel. While arriving at Domino City, Marik used the Millennium Rod to have a Rare Hunter use Slifer against the Pharoah but the Pharaoh defeated the Rare Hunter and took Silfer as his prize.

When he was getting ready to brainwash Joey, Yami Bakura stood in his way, telling him to hand over the Rod. Instead, they made a deal where if Bakura obtains Slifer for him and defeat Yami Yugi, he would give him the Millennium Rod. Yami Bakura then stabbed himself in the arm and gave control back to his host, Ryo Bakura. He showed the injured Bakura to Joey, Solomon, and Tea, gaining their trust and taking the guise of Namu. While Kaiba and the Pharaoh dueled Mask of Light and Mask of Dark, Marik used his Millennium Rod to brainwash Joey and Tea. After Kaiba used Obelisk to defeat Umbra, Marik used the Millennium Rod to take over Mask of Light's body and brag about having Yugi's friends. Having a Rare Hunter hold Tea hostage, the deadly duel between the Pharaoh and Joey went through much to Kaiba's horror. In the midst of the duel, Yugi took over for the Pharaoh much to Marik's anger as he wanted to see the Pharaoh's demise not his teenage vessel's. When Marik forced Joey with the Millennium Rod's full power, Joey was able break free with his willpower.

Marik, Bakura and Odion took places in the quarter-finals. Marik took the guise of Namu while Odion pretended to be "Marik" as nobody had actually met him in person and known his true name (sans Yami Bakura, since although Tea, Joey, and Ryo Bakura technically met him, he pretended to be a boy named Namu). After Bakura was defeated by the Pharaoh in the first quarter-final match, Marik had Odion use a counterfeit Ra card in his quarter-final against Joey. When Joey suspected that he was not dueling the real Marik, as Rishid had been dueling with honor while Marik was cruel, sadistic and as by far as Jonouchi was concerned, a dirty cheater; Marik ordered Rishid to use the counterfeit Ra to "show" he's Marik but Ra was angered by this and wrathfully struck both duelists with lightning, ultimately rendering Odion and Joey unconscious. After Joey defeated Odion, the latter reveals to the Pharaoh and Joey that he is really Marik's servant while Marik began to suffer sudden headaches.

After Odion was further rendered unconscious, Marik revealed himself to everyone. Suddenly, Marik cried out in pain as his darker personality gained control of his body. While Ishizu dueled Kaiba in the fourth quarter-final match, Marik tried to call out to Ishizu but his dark personality trapped Marik in a "prison" built out of his own fear and pity. During his sister's duel with Kaiba, the Millennium Rod began activating on its own, causing Yami Marik to wonder why. Through Tea's mind, Marik listened to Ishizu's story of how he became evil and created his darker side, thus beginning to reform himself. After the quarter-finals, his reformed soul confronted his other self, claiming that he would make up for everything he had done and apologizing to his father, before a Duel with him. In this Duel, Marik teamed up with Yami Bakura to stop him, but failed when Yami Marik used Ra's other abilities, which were unknown to Marik. However, Marik (through Tea) warned Ishizu to hide Odion from Yami Marik in order to save his life.

In the final duel between Yami Marik and the Pharaoh, their weaker selves were the victims of the Shadow Game being played. As the duel went on, Yami Marik became the dominant host of Marik's body while the real Marik's soul slowly faded out of existence. This Shadow Game gave him a clear edge, for when the Pharaoh lost Life Points, Yugi's body would fade away, and when Yami Marik lost Life Points, the original Marik would fade away.

As Marik realizes his mistakes of making people suffer, he speaks out through Tea, begging the Pharaoh for his forgiveness and asks him to defeat Yami Marik, even if it meant he would die. While they dueled, Odion woke up and made Marik realize he had to accept his responsibility for being a Tombkeeper. With this confidence, Marik overpowered his evil self and made him the victim of the Shadow Game, and then forfeited, destroying Yami Marik. Marik gave the Pharaoh the Millennium Rod and the Ra card. Marik then revealed the Tombkeeper's initiation. The carving of the pharaoh's memory onto the back of a tomb guardian on his back. Fulfilling his duty as a Tombkeeper, Marik returned to Egypt to start a new life.

Marik, Ishizu and Odion led Yugi and the gang to the tomb where Yugi and Atem must face for the Ceremonial Battle. Atem loses, so he passes on to the afterlife. He later escapes the collapsing tomb.

Battle City arc
During Battle City, Marik and his Rare Hunters hacked into to Battle City's computer system and entered themselves in the tournament. After the Pharaoh defeated the weakest Rare Hunter, Marik used the Millennium Rod to take over the Rare Hunter's body to introduce himself to the Pharaoh. After the Pharoah defeated Arkana, Marik used the Millennium Rod to take over Arkana's body to introduce himself to Yugi Muto. Wanting something done right, Marik used the Millennium Rod to have a Rare Hunter use Slifer against the Pharoah to win the Millennium Puzzle from him but the Pharaoh defeated the Rare Hunter and took Silfer as his prize. While Kaiba and the Pharaoh dueled Lumis and Umbra, Marik used his Millennium Rod to brainwash Joey Wheeler and Téa Gardner. After Kaiba used Obelisk to defeat Umbra, Marik used the Millennium Rod to take over Lumis's body and brag about having Yugi's friends.

Having a Rare Hunter hold Tea hostage, the deadly duel between the Pharaoh and Joey went through much to Kaiba's horror. In the midst of the duel, Yugi took over for the Pharaoh much to Marik's anger as he wanted to see the Pharaoh's demise not his teenage vessel's. When Marik forced Joey with the Millennium Rod's full power, Joey was able break free with his willpower. Later, Marik teamed up with Yami Bakura in a verbal transaction consisting of Marik's relinquishment of the Millennium Rod if Yami Bakura defeats the Pharaoh.

Marik, Bakura and Odion took places in the quarter-finals. Marik took the guise of Namu while Odion pretended to be "Marik" as nobody had actually met him in person (sans Yami Bakura). After Bakura was defeated by the Pharaoh in the first quarter-final match, Marik had Odion use a counterfeit Ra card in his quarter-final against Joey. When Joey suspected that he was not dueling the real Marik, as Odion had been dueling with honor while Marik was cruel, sadistic and as by far as Joey was concerned, a dirty cheater; Marik ordered Odion to use the counterfeit Ra to "show" he's Marik but Ra was angered by this and wrathfully struck both duelists with lightning, ultimately rendering Odion and Joey unconscious.

After Joey defeated Odion, the latter reveals to the Pharaoh and Joey that he is really Marik's servant while Marik began to suffer sudden headaches. After Odion was further rendered unconscious, Marik revealed himself to the Pharaoh, Joey, Kaiba, Téa, Tristan Taylor, Duke Devlin, Mokuba Kaiba, Serenity Wheeler and Mai Valentine. Suddenly, Marik cried out in pain as his darker personality gained control of his body. While Ishizu dueled Kaiba in the fourth quarter-final match, Marik tried to call out to Ishizu but his dark personality trapped Marik in a "prison" built out his own fear and pity. After the quarter-finals, Marik's reformed soul teams up with Yami Bakura to stop Yami Marik, but failed when Yami Marik uses Ra's other abilities, which were unknown to Marik. However, Marik (through Téa) warned Ishizu to hide Odion from Yami Marik in order to save his life.

Battle City Finals arc
In the final duel between Yami Marik and the Pharaoh, their weaker selves were the victims of the Shadow Game being played. As the duel went on, Yami Marik became the dominant host of Marik's body while the real Marik's soul slowly faded out of existence. This Shadow Game gave him a clear edge, for when the Pharaoh lost Life Points, Yugi's body would fade away, when Yami Marik lost Life Points, the original Marik would fade away. As Marik realizes his mistakes of making people suffer, he speaks out through Téa, begging the Pharaoh for his forgiveness and asks him to defeat Yami Marik. While they dueled, Odion woke up and made Marik realize he had to accept his responsibility for being a Tombkeeper. With this confidence, Marik overpowered his evil self and forfeited, destroying Yami Marik. Marik gave the Pharaoh the Millennium Rod and the Ra card.

Marik then revealed the Tombkeeper's initiation. The carving of the pharaoh's memory onto the back of a tomb guardian involves using either a hot dagger (In the manga and Japanese version), or a tattoo (in the English ersion, although the dagger was still seen in the flashback) on his back. Fulfilling his duty as a Tombkeeper, Marik returned to Egypt to start a new life.

Dawn of the Duel arc
He was seen guiding Yugi and the others to the pharaoh's tomb tablet, to help Yami Yugi regain his long lost memories.

Ceremonial Battle arc
In the Millennium World arc, Marik, Ishizu, and Odion lead Yugi and his friends to the tomb of the Pharaoh in order for Yugi and Yami Yugi (aka Atem) to have a final duel in order to determine whether Atem will move on to the afterlife or remain in the present. Atem loses, allowing him to pass on to the afterlife. After he left, the Millennium Items sank into the ground and the tomb collapsed. Marik and the others managed to escape and Marik and his family end up staying in Egypt.

Video Games
Marik Ishtar appears in the following video games:
 * Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters Coliseum
 * Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links
 * Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium Duels

Knownable Relatives

 * Mr. Ishtar (Father/dead)
 * Mrs. Ishtar (Mother/dead)
 * Odion (Adopted Older Brother)
 * Ishizu Ishtar (Older Sister)
 * Priest Karim (Past Incarnation/dead)
 * Yami Marik (Evil alter ego)

Trivia

 * His birthday is December 23, and his bloodtype is B.
 * His favorite food is Koshary. While his least favorite food is a Meat dish.

Voice Actresses & Actors

 * Japanese : Tetsuya Iwanaga (Teenager)
 * Japanese voice actress : Akiko Kimura (Child)
 * English : Jonathan Todd Ross (Both)

all information on Marik Ishtar came from http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Marik_Ishtar