Rishid Ishtar

Name: Rishid Odion Ishtar

Age: 25

Nationality: Egyptian

Special Skills: Loyalty, devotion

Likes: Marik, Ishizu, feeling that he belongs

Best Friends: Marik, Ishizu

Image Songs: Give Unto Me by Evanescence (Rishid to Marik)

Imperfection by Evanescence (Rishid to Marik)

Background: Rishid was abandoned as an infant and taken in by Mrs. Ishtar. She loved him as her own, although her husband could never accept him as his son. Nevertheless, with no heir, Mr. Ishtar finally consented that Rishid could be given the Tombkeeper's Initiation. The pain of the cruel ritual mattered little to Rishid; all he wanted was to feel like he truly belonged in the family.

When Mrs. Ishtar finally had Ishizu, Rishid looked after her as an older brother should and they grew close in those early years. Mrs. Ishtar died in childbirth with Marik four years later and Mr. Ishtar turned cruel and cold, treating Rishid as nothing more than a servant and forcing the belief on him that he could never be anything else.

Rishid tried to be protective of Marik just as he had Ishizu, but he couldn't help the dark feelings that Marik had taken away his only chance of really being considered one of the family. As a biological Ishtar, Marik was to be the heir of the Tombkeepers. When he was bit by a rattlesnake in spite of Rishid's best efforts, Mr. Ishtar went ballistic, attacking Rishid and threatening to gruesomely torture and kill him if Marik died. Rishid was overcome by hatred and anger and for one horrible moment, stood over the boy with a dagger. But when Marik regained consciousness and sorrowfully apologized to his big brother, Rishid was horrified. He wasn't a servant to Marik. Marik truly loved and adored him and thought of him as a brother. The dagger dropped and Rishid tearfully vowed to never betray Marik as long as he lived.

When Marik was old enough for the Tombkeepers' Initiation, he was terrified of the pain and didn't want to go through with it. Rishid wanted to take on Marik's pain and have the ritual himself to spare him, but Mr. Ishtar was outraged at the very suggestion and again abused Rishid. Unable to do anything else, Rishid finally decided to carve markings into his face to share Marik's pain. This selfless act quelled Yami Marik from emerging as Marik lay in horrific pain after the ritual.

A year later, when Marik longed to see the outside world for just one day, Rishid agreed to cover for him and Ishizu and try to keep Mr. Ishtar from finding out. It was in vain, however, and Mr. Ishtar had had enough of Rishid. Marik and Ishizu returned to find Mr. Ishtar viciously whipping Rishid to his death. That snapped Marik and Yami Marik emerged, killing Mr. Ishtar and moving to kill Rishid too, until Rishid regained consciousness and brought Marik back to himself.

Shadi then appeared as Marik discovered Mr. Ishtar's dead body, cryptically telling Marik that this was the Pharaoh's will and he would soon return. Marik ended up believing that the Pharaoh had killed Mr. Ishtar, even after the family's 3,000 years of service to him, and he determined in outrage to go after the Pharaoh for revenge. Ishizu and Rishid, though horrified, feared what would happen if Marik learned the truth. Rishid decided to go with Marik and try to keep Yami Marik at bay while Ishizu worked to find a way to bring Marik back to himself before something irreparable was done.

The dark acts Marik committed tore and twisted Rishid's heart, and as he sank further into his rage, he became less and less the sweet brother Rishid loved. But he was still not as horrific as Yami Marik, and Rishid continued to pray that that great evil would not emerge.

Those prayers were in vain, however, and when Rishid was struck down by the Egyptian God Ra after playing a fake Ra card, Marik snapped again and Yami Marik emerged. He ran rampant while Marik was kicked out of his own body and gradually lost the will to live. Only when Rishid reclaimed consciousness after Marik sadly visited him to say Goodbye was Marik able to regain his will and overpower Yami Marik.

Ishizu and Marik both made it clear that they still saw Rishid as their brother, and Rishid was overcome. They have lived together as a family ever since, first back in Egypt and now back in Domino City.

Personality: Rishid is endlessly devoted to Marik and shares a special bond with him that no one else can penetrate, although they each share a special bond with Ishizu as well. Rishid is a complicated and dark character in that he let Marik go on his revenge-driven quest, yet feared that far worse damage would be done if he tried to stop it or tell Marik the truth. He has since learned that it is better not to withhold the truth, as it was only after learning what had happened that Marik was able to begin climbing back to the light. Marik, however, says that had he learned the truth as a child, it might have had the dark end that his siblings feared.

Differences between the timelines: None, really.