Ishizu Ishtar ( manga ) Ishizu Ishtar ( イシズ ・ イシュタール " Ishizu Ishutāru " ) , rendered Ishizu Ishutarl in the bunkoban , is a character appearing in the " Yu - Gi - Oh ! " manga . This is the original depiction of Ishizu Ishtar . Ishizu is from a family of Tomb Guardians , tasked with helping the pharaoh recover his memories , when he returns . She works for the Egyptian supreme council of antiquities and possessed the Millennium Tauk , which gave her the power of foresight . Ishizu became disconnected from her brother , Marik and the family servant Rishid , after Marik ' s hatred manifested into the destructive entity , Dark Marik . Ishizu aimed to defeat Dark Marik and save Marik at any cost . As part of her plans , she persuaded Seto Kaiba to host to Battle City tournament , despite foreseeing his failure in the tournament . However Kaiba defeated her in the tournament against her prediction . This made her optimistic that the future could be changed and she was able to convince Kaiba to help Dark Yugi defeat Dark Marik . Ishizu recognized Dark Yugi as the pharaoh . She Marik and Rishid aided him in traveling to Egypt to conduct the Ceremonial Battle , to pass on the afterworld . Biography . Childhood . Ishizu came from a family of Tomb Guardians , extending back to the first Tomb Guardian , who served Pharaoh Atem ' s family . The family protected a prophecy foretelling the return of the pharaoh , who would be identified by his wielding of the stone slab s of the three gods . Ishizu ' s family also protected two of the Millennium Items , the Rod and Tauk for generations . Their duties involved passing the items onto the pharaoh in time , as they were necessary for him to reawaken his memories . Her family lived in an underground tomb , with little connection to the rest of the world . Her parents needed a male heir to conduct the Rite of the Tomb Guardians and were immensely disappointed when she was born . When she was four , her brother Marik was born and their mother died giving birth . Ishizu grew up on good terms with Marik and the family servant , Rishid . She and Marik , played " Duel Monsters " and Ishizu won at least one of their games , using a Deck – Graveyard switching strategy . Ishizu stood nearby and prayed when the Rite of the Tomb Guardians ritual was conducted on Marik . Family tragedy . Marik , having never been outside yearned to see what it was like . He , Ishizu and Rishid made plans for him to sneak out . Marik faked a fever and pretended to be asleep . After their father fell asleep , he and Ishizu snuck outside , after sunrise for two hours , while Rishid stayed behind to take care of things . Ishizu showed Marik a street and explained what a motorcycle was , when Marik saw one in a book . Before returning to the tomb , they bumped into Shadi , who warned them that their fate would be a tragedy splitting their family , which was the will of the pharaoh . Ishizu tried asking Shadi who he was , but he disappeared among the crowd . Marik pointed out how Shadi ' s Millennium Key resembled the Millennium Items their family was guarding , but Ishizu reminded him that they were not to talk about those items in the outside world and insisted that Marik forget everything he saw outdoors , including Shadi . When Ishizu and Marik returned to their home , Ishizu noticed a rope device that triggered when the door was opened , which their father had used to notice they had left . They found their father punishing Rishid , but cutting his back with a hot knife . Believing he had killed Rishid , he prepared to similarly cut Marik . However Rishid ' s impairment allowed Marik ' s alter ego , Dark Marik , to emerge . Dark Marik took the Millennium Rod and used its power to immobilize their father and pin him against a pillar . When Ishizu attempted to intervene , he similarly pinned her to a pillar . Ishizu realized that this was not Marik ' s true self and shut her eyes as Marik proceeded to murder their father and cut the skin off his back , which bore the Seal of Memories , and drop it on Rishid ' s back . Dark Marik was suppressed after Rishid regained consciousness . Ishizu stood by Rishid , as they watched Marik weep over her father ' s body and be told by Shadi that his death was the will of the pharaoh . Ishizu regarded Dark Marik as the " devil , who brought tragedy to [ their ] family " and took it on herself to destroy him , and save Marik , even if it meant playing the bloodletting Shadow Game s and using the power of the Millennium Tauk to cheat . For her crimes for which she was prepared to offer her life to the gods as punishment . Ishizu became the secretary general of the Egyptian supreme council of antiquities . The council had been tasked by Maximillion J . Pegasus with hiding the three " Duel Monsters " God cards . Dark Marik ' s organization , the Ghouls , stole two of the cards , but Ishizu was able to keep one of them , " The God of the Obelisk " , safe . Battle City . Prior events . The Millennium Tauk gave Ishizu the ability to see into the future . She foresaw a turn - by - turn account of her Duel with Kaiba , which resulted in Kaiba ' s loss due to his use of " The God of the Obelisk " . Ishizu traveled to Japan to oversee the dynastic exhibit , The Art of Egypt . This took place in Domino City Museum and showcased stone slabs , depicting ka battles , from which " Duel Monsters " originated . She invited Seto Kaiba to the museum and showed him the slabs . Kaiba was astonished to see that the depicted nameless pharaoh resembled his classmate , Yugi Mutou . Although Ishizu claimed not to know who Yugi was . She told Kaiba about the God cards and tasked him with retrieving them from the Ghouls , through hosting a " Duel Monsters " tournament . To bait the Ghouls into coming , she gave him one of the God cards " The God of the Obelisk " . Kaiba asked what if he acquired the three God cards , but refused to let them go , to which Ishizu replied that she trusted him . Secretly she gave it to him in anticipation of it leading to his defeat , after which she would reacquire the card and face Dark Marik later in the tournament , which she saw as her last chance to destroy him . She felt bad for deceiving Kaiba , but was willing to do what it took to save Marik . With the Millennium Tauk , Ishizu predicted Dark Yugi would visit the museum . When he arrived with Anzu Mazaki and saw the slabs , she approached him . She told him that a great battle would soon be taking place and that he must gather the seven Millennium Items to regain his memories . Seeing Ishizu ' s own Millennium Item , Dark Yugi asked if she was an enemy . She denied being an enemy , but said that the enemy who was about to appear possessed the last Millennium Item , Dark Yugi was to encounter . Battle Ship . Ishizu took part in Kaiba ' s Battle City tournament and was the last to qualify as one of the eight finalists . She abstained from attending lottery selections determining the pairings for the quarterfinals , as she had already predicted their results . Ishizu did not attend any of the first three quarterfinals , leaving her identity as a finalist a mystery to the other participants . Before the last quarterfinal , Kaiba expressed disinterest in the identity of his opponent , vowing to crush them regardless . However he was surprised when Ishizu was announced as his opponent . Ishizu informed him of the Tauk ' s prediction of the Duel and claimed Kaiba was inescapably fated to lose . Kaiba laughed at how she urged him to host the tournament to disband the Ghouls and now plans on defeating him , but admired her boldness . Kaiba regarded her claims as superstitious and declared that he would deal an iconic defeat with the power she gave him . Dark Yugi and Anzu also recognized Ishizu from the museum . Anzu wondered if the Tauk ' s prediction meant Ishizu ' s victory was guaranteed , but Dark Yugi said he would not succumb to fate , if he were in Kaiba ' s position . Ishizu ' s appearance caused Marik ' s ego to momentarily emerge , before being suppressed again by Dark Marik . During Ishizu and Kaiba ' s Duel , Dark Marik recognized Ishizu ' s strategy as one she had used to defeat Marik . Ishizu glanced at Dark Marik and corrected herself on referring to him as " Marik " , calling him " the evil thing that dwells within [ Marik ] " . They silently communed via the Millennium Rod . Ishizu stated her intentions to defeat him and Dark Marik asked if she really believed it was possible . Ishizu allowed Kaiba to send a large portion of her Deck to her Graveyard , via " Crush Card " and " Virus Cannon " , after which she used " Exchange of the Spirit " to switch the contents of each player ' s Deck with their Graveyard . She continued to predict and counter Kaiba ' s moves . Finally , she allowed him to use her monsters as Sacrifices to Summon " The God of Obelisk " , having secretly planted " Blast Held by a Tribute " in one of them . This would cause " Obelisk " to self - destruct on attacking . Kaiba prepared to attack , but reconsidered on being shown a vision of Kisara and a stone slab for The White Dragon . Instead he Sacrificed " Obelisk " to Summon " Blue - Eyes White Dragon " , escaping the " Blast Held by a Tribute " and winning the Duel . Ishizu congratulated Kaiba on changing his future and deemed him to now be the true owner of " The God of the Obelisk " . She thanked him for showing her the light of hope . Knowing the future could be changed , she was hopeful that the despairing future shown by the Millennium Tauk may not have to be . Kaiba replied that a person who simply accepts their future has no light . Worried about Mai Kujaku , who had fallen into a coma in her Duel with Dark Marik , Ishizu asked Yugi Mutou and his friends , if she could visit her . In Mai ' s room Shizuka Kawai was distraught by the suffering she had been witnessing . Ishizu informed her that war and suffering had been common for thousands of years , as past events repeat themselves , but people will still extend their arms eager to see the bright future they are hoping for . Yugi deduced that Ishizu must be Marik ' s sister and asked her why Marik was trying to kill them . She then told him of her family ' s tragedy . While discussing the idea of Yugi and Katsuya Jonouchi Dueling , Shizuka suggested they ask Ishizu to look into the future to see who would win . Ishizu said that the Millennium Tauk had lost its power , since the future had changed in her Duel with Kaiba . She appealed for Yugi and Jonouchi to do what it took to return Marik to his former self . Fulfilling one of her duties as a Tomb Guardian , she gave the Millennium Tauk to Yugi , since he would need all seven Millennium Items to reawaken the pharaoh ' s memories . After Ishizu parted ways with Yugi and his friends , Anzu followed her and asked what would happen to Dark Yugi after the seven Millennium Items are placed in their slab . She replied that he will have a place to return to . During the night , Ishizu was visited by Anzu , who was possessed by Marik . Marik asked her to help save Rishid , who Dark Marik planned on killing . Ishizu then moved Rishid ' s unconscious body to a different room . Duel Tower . The remaining rounds of the Battle City tournament took place in the Duel Tower . Ishizu remaining in the Battle Ship at first , watching over Rishid . While looking at the tower through the window , during Dark Yugi and Kaiba ' s Duel , Ishizu saw " Slifer the Sky Dragon " and " The God of the Obelisk " battling . She noted that the " Battle of the Gods " had begun , which she believed had been foretold by Tablet of the Pharaoh ' s Memories , and that Dark Yugi must win that Duel to regain his memories . After Kaiba lost his Duel against Dark Yugi , Ishizu met him in the tower and asked if believed Dark Yugi could defeat Dark Marik in the finals . Kaiba replied that the probability was extremely low , but it was no longer his concern . He informed her that he planned to blow up the Alcatraz island and that they could leave on the Battle Ship before then . As he walked away , Ishizu told him that Dark Yugi needed his help . Kaiba was disinterested , so Ishizu asked if he had translated the prayer of the dead on the memory tablet . She explained that it was a dedication to the pharaoh , signed by his friend , Seto , who resembled Kaiba , but Kaiba remained unwilling to help . He commented on how Ishizu had planned on defeating him to save Marik from Dark Marik , but with the latest developments Dark Yugi was now her only hope . Ishizu said that he may be right , but she has long been prepared for the worst . Kaiba realized that she was willing to die , as the island self - destructed , if she could not save her brother . This reminded him of when he did the same for Mokuba Kaiba in a Duel . Kaiba then returned to the Duel field to give Dark Yugi the card , " Devil ' s Sanctuary " , but claimed he did it to disprove the existence of miracles and the power of friendship . During Dark Yugi and Dark Marik ' s Duel , Marik accepted that his father ' s death was caused by Dark Marik and not the pharaoh , Dark Yugi . He possessed Anzu to convey this message and that he was prepared to die for his actions , so that Dark Marik could be defeated . He apologized to Ishizu and asked why she had not told him the truth about their father ' s death . He figured she knew it was their family ' s fate for him to fight the pharaoh in Battle City . Ishizu said that the only fate she wanted for him was to keep living , even if he had become consumed by revenge . Unable to keep Dark Marik at bay , Marik reaffirmed that he must die in order to get rid of Dark Marik , despite objection from Ishizu . Marik informed her that the Duel was a Shadow Game , where either he or Yugi would be sacrificed to the darkness , if their other self lost . Rishid succeeded in helping Marik overcome Dark Marik and when Dark Yugi defeated " The Winged God Dragon of Ra " , Ishizu was relieved to see Marik in primary control of his body , while Dark Marik had become the sacrifice . Marik surrendered the Duel , destroying Dark Marik , to which Ishizu thanked Dark Yugi . Marik hung his head in shame , as Ishizu and Rishid approached him . Ishizu reminded him that their family had lived in darkness for thousands of years and said it had been his destiny to end that . She said that revenge should not last thousands of years or even a lifetime and suggested that their family may have been given the duty of guarding the pharaoh ' s memories , so that the pharaoh could teach them that lesson . Marik asked her if their family could live outside of the dark . She replied that she , Marik and Rishid were Tomb Guardians and family no matter where they live . Rishid , who had long yearned to be considered a member of the family was surprised and thankful to hear that . To fulfill their duties as Tomb Guardians , Marik showed the Seal of Memories on his back to Dark Yugi . Ishizu explained that the depicted hieroglyphics contained the prophecy foretelling the pharaoh ' s return and the pharaoh could be identified , as he would wield the stone slabs of the three gods . With the God cards , being the modern form of the stone slabs and now being in Dark Yugi ' s possession , Ishizu said this was proof of him being pharaoh and that he deserved to know the truth of his lost memories . Having conducted their duties and with their family reunited , Ishizu , Marik and Rishid returned to Egypt to start a new life . Ceremonial Battle . After hearing that Yugi had collected all of the Millennium Items , with the exception of the Millennium Key and Scales , Ishizu sent mail to Yugi with instructions on where to go for Atem ' s final test , as pharaoh , and included a photo of the Door to the Underworld . Her distant relatives from another clan of Tomb Guardians brought the Key and Scales to the Shrine of the Underworld . Ishizu , Marik and Rishid made plans for Yugi and his friends to travel to the Valley of the Kings by plane . However after Cairo National Airport was closed due to a sandstorm , Ishizu had the government provide a ship to take them across the Nile . She suspected the sandstorm may have a special meaning , since in ancient Egypt , it was believed that a ship was used to send the pharaoh and others to the afterworld . Marik and Rishid brought Yugi , Jonouchi , Anzu , Hiroto Honda , Bakura , Ryuji and Sugoroku to the ship , where they met Ishizu , who welcomed them to Egypt . Yugi asked Ishizu about the photo she sent him . She explained that the depicted hieroglyphics around the Door the Underworld say how to open the door and sent the pharaoh ' s spirit to the underworld . She translated them as " Place the seven Millennium Items in the Tablet of the Pharaoh ' s Memories and use the pharaoh ' s name as the spell to open the door . " and Marik informed Yugi that they also mentioned a Ceremonial Battle , which the pharaoh must lose in order to pass on . The morning after the boat ride , Ishizu led Yugi and his friends to the Shrine of the Underworld and instructed Atem to place the Millennium Items into the stone tablet . The eye of the Door to the Underworld lit up and Ishizu explained that it would bare witness to the Ceremonial Battle and judge the truth of the pharaoh ' s defeat . She then witnessed Yugi and Atem splitting into two separate bodies to face each other in the Ceremonial Battle . In the last turn of the battle , Yugi revealed he had " Monster Reborn " sealed in the " Gold Sarcophagus " , preventing Atem from using that card to revive " Slifer the Sky Dragon " from the Graveyard . Yugi ' s friends were surprised that he sealed that card , because it also stopped him from using it . Ishizu suspected it was Yugi ' s message to Atem , saying that the souls of the dead must not linger in the world of the living . When the Ceremonial Battle concluded with Atem ' s defeat and the Eye of Wadjet on the door began to react , Ishizu instructed Atem to say his name to the eye . With that the door opened . Ishizu felt sympathetic as Atem ' s friends made a final plea for him to stay , but eventually said goodbye . Once Atem left , the Tablet of the Pharaoh ' s Memories sunk into the depths of the Earth , along with the Millennium Items . The group promptly exited the shrine and Ishizu said that the role of the Millenninum Items had ended and the Door of the Underworld had closed forever .