Editing Yami Marik (section)

=== Yu-Gi-Oh! ===

==== Background ====
Yami Marik was "born" from Marik Ishtar's immense pain and suffering during his forced initiation ritual to become a Tomb Keeper at the age of ten. This brutal event scarred Marik and gave rise to his dark alter ego. A year later, after Marik’s forbidden trip to the surface, he returned home only to find his father torturing Odion (or preparing to exile him in the dub) as punishment for allowing Marik’s departure. The sight of Odion’s suffering enraged Marik, allowing Yami Marik to seize control of his body for the first time.

Thanking his father for handling Odion, Yami Marik resisted any punishment directed at himself and claimed the Millennium Rod. When his father ordered him to relinquish the item, Yami Marik used its power to smash him against the wall. Ignoring Ishizu's protests, he froze her in place before murdering his father (or sending him to the Shadow Realm in the dub). Yami Marik then attempted to kill Odion, but Odion's presence calmed Marik, sealing Yami Marik back within his subconscious.

==== Battle City ====
Yami Marik resurfaced during the Battle City quarter-finals after Odion fell unconscious during his duel with Joey Wheeler. With Marik’s Deck deemed insufficient, Yami Marik modified it, adding new cards and unlocking ''[[The Winged Dragon of Ra]]'s'' hidden powers.

In his quarter-final duel, Yami Marik faced [[Mai Valentine]] in a Shadow Game where life points corresponded to memory loss. This mechanic had little effect on him but devastated Mai. She briefly gained the upper hand by summoning ''Ra'', but it remained in Sphere Mode, leaving her vulnerable. Yami Marik activated ''Ra'', dismantled her defenses, and attacked, though [[Joey Wheeler|Joey]] and Yami Yugi’s intervention prevented her death. Instead, Yami Marik trapped Mai’s soul, subjecting her to a slow and agonizing torment (or banished her to the Shadow Realm in the dub).

Joey Wheeler, determined to rescue Mai, sought to duel Yami Marik. Meanwhile, Yami Marik observed the duel between Ishizu and [[Seto Kaiba]]. Marik's attempt to regain control upon seeing Ishizu was thwarted as Yami Marik suppressed him further. Though Ishizu initially appeared to have the advantage, the Millennium Rod revealed a vision of Priest Seto's past to Kaiba, prompting him to summon ''Blue-Eyes White Dragon'' and secure victory.

After the quarter-finals, Yami Marik confronted Yami Bakura and the real Marik's soul in a duel not sanctioned by the tournament. Yami Bakura temporarily gained control of ''Ra'' using ''Exchange'', but Yami Marik countered with ''Joyful Doom'' and later introduced ''Ra’s'' Point-to-Point Transfer ability. This raised ''Ra’s'' ATK to 8549, allowing him to win. Despite Yami Bakura’s vow for revenge, Yami Marik claimed the Millennium Ring as a trophy and wore it around his neck for the rest of the tournament.

Yami Marik then attempted to kill Odion again but was thwarted when Ishizu moved him to safety, warned by Marik's soul.

==== Virtual World ====
During the Virtual World arc, Yami Marik initially remained aboard the airship, observing events. Growing impatient, he decided to take action, determined that no one else would harm Yugi before he could. Exploring [[Noah Kaiba]]'s fortress, Yami Marik encountered advanced security systems that frustrated him, though he easily destroyed the guard robots using the Millennium Rod.

Eventually, he destroyed the main power generator, releasing Kaiba’s airship. He later found the console controlling Noah's satellite missile but recklessly destroyed it, rendering the missile unstoppable. Fortunately, he and the rest of the group escaped on the airship.

==== Battle City Finals ====
The airship arrived at KaibaCorp Island, home to the Duel Tower where the Battle City finals and semi-finals would take place. The match-ups for the semi-finals were determined through a four-way Battle Royale Duel. While Yami Marik initially expressed indifference about his opponent, he ultimately aimed to face Yugi. However, both Kaiba and Joey maneuvered to ensure Yami Marik would duel Joey. Yami Marik was the first to be eliminated, followed shortly by Joey. As they ascended the tower, Yami Marik ominously warned Joey to prepare for his fate.

In his semi-final duel against Joey, Yami Marik transformed the match into a Shadow Game, linking the duelists to their monsters so they could feel the pain inflicted on them. He maintained control using the effects of "Helpoemer" in his Graveyard, which stole cards from Joey's hand, and the "Coffin Seller" Trap Card, which drained Joey’s Life Points. Joey countered with "Question," summoning "Jinzo" to neutralize Yami Marik's traps, turning the tide of the duel. However, Yami Marik summoned "Lava Golem" to Joey's field to eliminate "Jinzo" and further weakened Joey using "Plasma Eels." Joey fought back with "Gilford the Lightning" but fell when Yami Marik unleashed "The Winged Dragon of Ra" and activated its Egyptian God Phoenix effect. Despite the powerful attack, Joey stood firm and summoned "Gearfried the Iron Knight," ready to claim victory. Tragically, Joey collapsed from the Shadow Game's toll before he could attack, allowing Yami Marik to win by default. Stunned by how close he came to defeat, Yami Marik quickly recovered and gloated as he departed to rest.

Following his recovery, Yami Marik observed Yugi's duel against Kaiba with interest, noting their strategies and planning his next move. He was especially intrigued by the summoning of both Egyptian God Cards during the duel and the Millennium Rod's activation, revealing Priest Seto's memories. After Yugi's victory, Yami Marik eagerly anticipated the final Shadow Game against Yami Yugi.

Before the final duel, Yami Marik demanded the Millennium Rod reveal its secrets, but when it didn't respond, he angrily discarded it. Seizing the opportunity, Téa Gardner, controlled by a fragment of Marik's soul, retrieved the Rod and temporarily subdued Yami Marik. Marik attempted to assert control over his dark half but was interrupted by Ishizu and Yami Yugi's arrival. Yami Marik retreated, mocking them as he prepared for the final duel.

The final duel between Yami Marik and Yami Yugi was a high-stakes Shadow Game. If [[Yugi Muto|Yugi]] lost, both he and Yami Yugi would be destroyed, while if Yami Marik lost, Marik would fade away. Yami Marik quickly discarded "Ra," baiting Yugi into summoning "[[Slifer the Sky Dragon]]," only to destroy it with "Ra's" Egyptian God Phoenix effect. The duel reached its climax when Yami Marik summoned "Ra" again, using its Point-to-Point Transfer effect to boost its power. However, Yugi countered with "Fiend's Sanctuary," forcing Yami Marik to attack himself. This weakened him, but he revived "Ra" and continued his assault.

As Yugi prepared to destroy "Ra" using "Ragnarok," Odion arrived and urged Marik to confront his responsibilities as a Tomb Keeper and accept his past. Empowered by Odion's words, Marik overpowered Yami Marik, allowing Yugi to destroy "Ra." This act sealed Yami Marik's fate. Marik regained control of his body and forfeited the duel, reducing his Life Points to zero and erasing Yami Marik permanently.

==== Waking the Dragons ====
Yami Marik briefly appeared in Mai Valentine's nightmares at the start of the Waking the Dragons arc, influencing her decision to ally with [[Dartz|Doma]]. He also reappeared as a spirit in the Valley of Lost Souls when Yami Yugi ventured there.