Odion Ishtar
Odion, known as Rishid in the Yu-Gi-Oh manga and Japanese anime, is the adoptive older brother of Marik Ishtar and Ishizu Ishtar. Throughout the series, he remains fiercely loyal to Marik, even enduring mistreatment. In the Singaporean dub, he has been referred to by multiple names, including Rishid, Rishido, and Odion.
| Names | Odion, Rishid (リシド, Rishido) |
| Gender | Male ♂ |
| Race | Human |
| Occupation | Duelist, Tombkeeper, Rare Hunter |
| Origin | Yu-Gi-Oh! Chapter 160: Marik Strikes!, マリク動く！！ Mariku Ugoku!! lit, Marik Moves!! (April 28, 2000, tankōbon volume) |
| Alignment | Neutral |
| Age | 25 |
| Created By | Kazuo Takahashi (Japanese: 高橋 一雅) |
| Personality Type | ISFJ, 6w7 (Enneagram) |
| Voice Actors |  Japanese: Konta, Sakura Nogawa (child)
|
Appearance
Odion has dark skin, green eyes, and a primarily bald head, with a single long black ponytail extending from the back of his head. He wears golden earrings shaped like ankhs and has a distinct marking—portrayed as a tattoo in the dub and a carving in the original—of hieroglyphics running down the left side of his face. This marking extends from just above his left ear to below his chin, passing through his eye. However, in some scenes, it appears as if it only touches his eye and ear rather than cutting through them.
For most of the Battle City tournament, spanning season 2 and the latter half of season 3, Odion wears a purple hooded cape adorned with the Eye of Anubis on the hood, fastened with a gold chain—the same cape originally worn by Marik Ishtar. Beneath the cape, he wears a long-sleeved dark purple sweatshirt, black pants, and two large dark belts. He retains this outfit in season 5 at the Egyptian airport, albeit without the cape. During the Battle City finals, when posing as Marik, he carries a fake Millennium Rod to maintain his disguise.
Personality
Odion is typically reserved and composed, remaining devoted to Marik despite suffering mistreatment. His unwavering loyalty stems from three key reasons: (
- Mr. Ishtar regarded him as a servant to the tomb-keeper heir, Marik;
- Odion constantly worked to suppress Marik’s alter ego, Yami Marik, preventing it from taking over his body;
- he made a solemn promise to Mrs. Ishtar on her deathbed to protect his adoptive siblings.
During his Duel with Joey Wheeler, Odion adopted a louder and more arrogant demeanor to maintain his masquerade as Marik. However, his true self emerged in rare moments—most notably after regaining consciousness following his match against Joey. Weak but determined, he desperately pleaded with both Yami Yugi and Joey to save Marik from his dark half before losing consciousness again. Later, near the climax of the final Duel between Yami Marik and Yami Yugi, he spoke out once more, helping Marik regain control of his body.
Despite being forced to partake in villainous acts under Marik’s orders, Odion consistently displayed a respectful and honorable nature. During his Duel with Joey, he courteously referred to him as “Mr. Wheeler,” a stark contrast to Seto Kaiba, who dismissively called him “Wheeler.” Even after Joey won the match, Odion graciously acknowledged the Duel as an honor.
Following Battle City, Odion, Marik, and Ishizu returned in season 5 to meet Yugi and his friends at the Egyptian airport. While there were few scenes showcasing his interactions with Marik, Odion remained as quiet and devoted as ever.
Biography
Background
Odion is the adoptive brother of Marik Ishtar and Ishizu Ishtar. As an infant, he was abandoned in the desert and later discovered by the tombkeeper’s wife, who took him in and raised him as her own. While Odion's adoptive mother loved him deeply, his father viewed him only as a servant. Since the tombkeeper’s lineage required a male heir, Mrs. Ishtar suggested making Odion the successor, as they had no children at the time. Though Mr. Ishtar was initially reluctant, believing only a biological son should inherit the role, he ultimately agreed after his wife insisted that fate had brought Odion to them.
However, when their firstborn child was a girl, Ishizu, Odion’s mother continued to push for his initiation into the tombkeeper’s tradition. Odion willingly accepted, believing this would solidify his place in the family. But just before his twelfth birthday (tenth in the Japanese version), Marik was born, and their father immediately declared him the rightful heir. Tragically, Mrs. Ishtar died during childbirth (implied in the original but omitted in the dub), with Odion holding her hand as she passed. Her final request was for him to protect his younger siblings.
Though Odion and Marik shared a close bond, Odion initially resented Marik for being the true heir. When Marik was bitten by a cobra and fell gravely ill, their father blamed Odion for allowing harm to come to his son and severely beat him. Ordered not to leave Marik’s side until he recovered, Odion secretly took a dagger into Marik’s room, intending to kill him in his sleep (this was edited out in the dub, along with Odion's resentment). However, when Marik murmured "brother" in his sleep, Odion was overwhelmed with emotion, realizing that despite their lack of blood relation, Marik truly saw him as family. This moment erased his resentment toward Marik but not his longing to be a tombkeeper.
When Mr. Ishtar prepared to forcibly conduct the tombkeeper’s initiation on Marik, the boy confided in Odion that he was terrified. Odion pleaded with their father to be chosen instead, but his request was harshly denied. When Marik was taken away for the ritual, he cried out for Odion, but Odion remained silent, knowing he could not intervene. Fearing for his brother and desperate to prove his loyalty, Odion performed his own ritual, carving hieroglyphics onto his face with a knife (tattooed in the dub). This mark later played a crucial role in suppressing the darkness that took root in Marik during the ceremony, forming Yami Marik.
When Marik and Ishizu later sneaked away to visit the surface world, Odion stayed behind to cover for them. When their father discovered their absence, he brutally beat Odion. Marik and Ishizu returned home to witness the aftermath, with their father still whipping Odion. Overwhelmed by rage and grief, Yami Marik emerged for the first time. In his fury, he seized the Millennium Rod and killed his father (banishing him to the Shadow Realm in the dub). Odion later awoke to see Shadi, who warned them of the Pharaoh’s impending return. To protect Marik from the truth of his actions, Odion falsely told him that Shadi was responsible for their father’s death.
As a Rare Hunter
Odion remained steadfastly by Marik’s side, even after Marik turned against the tombkeepers. Knowing that abandoning him could cause Yami Marik to resurface, Odion became his second-in-command within the Rare Hunters (known as the Ghouls in the original). When Marik arrived at Battle City, he instructed Odion to win 12 Locator Cards—enough for both of them to qualify for the finals. To conceal his true identity, Marik entered under the alias Namu, while Odion pretended to be Marik. Neither Yugi nor Kaiba had ever seen Marik in person, making the deception plausible. Additionally, Marik provided Odion with a fake Millennium Rod and a counterfeit copy of The Winged Dragon of Ra, though Odion was unaware of this.
During Yami Yugi’s Duel against Yami Bakura, Odion attempted to use the fake Millennium Rod to force the spirit from Bakura’s body, hoping to make Yami Yugi forfeit rather than harm his friend. However, the plan failed when Yami Bakura regained control and turned against Marik.
Odion then dueled Joey Wheeler, maintaining the façade of being Marik. As the Duel progressed, Joey’s friendship with Yugi and love for his sister Serenity reminded Odion of his own bond with Marik. Despite following Marik’s orders, Odion dueled with honor, even respectfully addressing Joey as "Mr. Wheeler"—a stark contrast to Seto Kaiba’s dismissive attitude. Joey began to suspect that Odion was not the real Marik, as he displayed far more integrity than the sadistic Rare Hunter leader.
Odion eventually drew The Winged Dragon of Ra and was horrified, knowing he was unworthy to wield it. Marik, fearing his deception would be exposed, demanded that Odion summon the God card. Though reluctant, Odion complied, believing that controlling Ra would finally prove his worth as a tombkeeper. However, the combination of his lack of a true Millennium Item and the fact that Ra was a counterfeit triggered the god’s wrath. Lightning struck both him and Joey, but while Joey barely managed to stay conscious, Odion did not attempt to evade the attack and was struck down. Just before losing consciousness, he realized with horror that Yami Marik was awakening. In his final moments, he confessed to Joey that he was not the real Marik and acknowledged the Duel as an honor.
Battle City Aftermath
As Yami Marik took control, Odion was left comatose. Throughout the rest of the tournament, Yami Marik repeatedly returned to his bedside, attempting to kill him (banish him to the Shadow Realm in the dub), but was unable to finish the job for various reasons.
During the final Duel between Yami Marik and Yugi, the true Marik's spirit, weakened but still present, reached out to Odion. Thanking him for his unwavering loyalty, Marik’s fading spirit awakened Odion. Struggling to his feet, Odion made his way to the top of Duel Tower and called out for Marik to fight his dark half. With Odion’s encouragement and Yugi’s Ragnarok card, Yami Marik was ultimately destroyed, allowing Marik to reclaim his body.
Millennium World
After the events of Battle City, Odion returned to Egypt with Marik and Ishizu. Together, they guided Yugi and his friends to the Tablet of Lost Memories, where Yami Yugi was required to relive his past and enter the World of Memories.
Ceremonial Battle
After Yami Yugi regained his memories, Odion, Marik, and Ishizu accompanied him and his friends to the Shrine of the Millennium Stone to witness the Ceremonial Battle, where Atem—the Pharaoh’s true self—departed to the afterlife.
Deck
Odion utilizes an Egyptian-themed Trap Deck, which is built primarily around powerful Trap Cards to handle various situations. This strategy, known as "Trap Hell," is designed to control the flow of the duel and overwhelm opponents. His signature card is the Field Spell Temple of the Kings, which grants him the ability to activate Trap Cards on the same turn they are Set, while also restricting the number of Spell and Trap Cards his opponents can play. Additionally, it allows Odion to summon his strongest monster, Mystical Beast Serket.
Odion’s dueling style is defensive and passive, relying heavily on Traps to protect himself and counter his opponent’s moves. He typically remains on the defensive, only becoming aggressive once his Trap Monsters, Embodiment of Apophis, are summoned. During the Battle City Finals, Odion's Deck also contained a counterfeit version of The Winged Dragon of Ra, placed there by Marik, although Odion was hesitant to use it.
Odion’s "Trap Hell" strategy consists of two key components. First, he uses numerous Trap Cards to neutralize his opponent's plays—whether blocking monster attacks or negating Spell Card effects—rendering them unable to effectively respond. This strategy not only disrupts their gameplay but can also cause direct damage. The second component is the psychological pressure Odion applies: by consistently neutralizing his opponent’s moves and revealing unexpected Trap Cards, he forces them into a state of frustration. Opponents are either too afraid to act or become impatient, leading them to make reckless decisions. For example, Joey almost lost a duel because he grew frustrated with Odion’s strategy of repeatedly setting Traps and passing his turns.
It’s worth noting that Odion has accumulated a number of off-screen victories with his "Trap Hell" Deck. Notably, after collecting twelve additional Locator Cards for both himself and Marik, he ensured their entry into the Battle City finals.
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