Marcus

Marcus is a temporary player character in the game Final Fantasy IX. He is a member of Tantalus and Blank's best friend, frequently referring to him as his brother and noting at one point, "There's only one man I call 'Bro'". He is also the lead actor in the play I Want to be Your Canary and plays a character of the same name.

Appearance and Personality
Marcus has a well-built physique and sports a more traditional pirate look. A light reddish bandana covers his entire head as well as the upper half of his face; however, his large nose, two sharp teeth protruding from his lower jaw, and pointed ears are visible. He wears a blue sleeveless shirt with a large collar and is torn at the bottom. A strip of white lace peeks out beneath a thick brown leather strap across his torso. He wears an equally wide brown leather belt with silver buckle over a pair of blue shorts with lacing on either side of his groin.

Brown ankle boots with white fur cover his feet. Brown buckled braces adorn both wrists, as well as a white band on his upper left arm and a hint of a brown band on his right shoulder. He has thick gray lines tattooed from his shoulders down to his knuckles. He carries a sword on his left hip. Like his fellow members of Tantalus, Marcus is a skilled thief and actor. He is a kind-hearted, loyal friend who is always ready to help anyone in need. He proves to be a capable leader who is willing to set aside any differences to solve a problem.

Story
Marcus is first seen on the Prima Vista as it arrives in Alexandria. He participates in the first fight against Baku and is next seen acting out his part in the play. The purpose of the play is to be a present for Princess Garnet's sixteenth birthday but also to act as a guise for Tantalus to kidnap her. However, the play is interrupted when Zidane, Garnet, and Steiner find their way onto the stage. Garnet has studied the play, so she acts out the part of Princess Cornelia, the female lead, with Marcus.

Steiner, who was supposed to improvise the part of Prince Schneider, gets frustrated and challenges Marcus, Zidane, Garnet, and Vivi, who also found his way onstage, to a fight. The Prima Vista escapes, but Queen Brahne destroys it, forcing it to land in the Evil Forest where Marcus helps the survivors of the crash.

Marcus regroups with Cinna and Baku, and the three eventually decide to rescue Blank, who has been petrified in the Evil Forest. In order to save him, they need the Supersoft, an item that can cure petrification. Only Doctor Tot in Treno has it. Marcus and Cinna travel there and meet Garnet and Steiner in South Gate. Marcus accompanies them to Treno. When they arrive, they find Baku is already there. He sets them up to rob Tot of his Supersoft, much to Steiner's frustration.

They get caught, but since Doctor Tot was Garnet's private tutor, he gives them the Supersoft. Marcus decides to return to Alexandria, so he can access the Evil Forest. Garnet and Steiner accompany him, as they are returning there as well. Upon arrival, they are captured by Zorn and Thorn. Marcus and Steiner are held captive in a suspended cage in the dungeons of Alexandria Castle, and Marcus decides to escape by sending the cage crashing down by rocking it back and forth. He makes his way to the Evil Forest and rescues Blank. They return to Alexandria just in time to save Zidane, Garnet, and Vivi from Zorn and Thorn and help them escape.

Marcus participates in the struggle against Brahne, along with Blank, Steiner, Beatrix, and Freya. Later, in Lindblum, Blank jokes that he and Marcus had to carry out the wounded bodies of the other three. Eventually, Ruby, Cinna, and Baku arrive. After Brahne's death, Ruby decides to open up a mini theater in Alexandria, and Marcus, Blank, and Cinna help her. They decide to take Vivi to the first show and use him as a decoy so that Ruby won't scold them for being late. Marcus and Blank also help patrol the streets of Alexandria at night.

After the destruction of Alexandria, all of Tantalus except Ruby return to Lindblum to rebuild their headquarters. Marcus briefly returns to Alexandria to help Zidane look for Garnet after Hilda is rescued but subsequently returns to Lindblum where he remains for the rest of the game. It is presumed that he goes to Alexandria in the ending to put on another play for Garnet.

Aside from the Tantalus meeting during Vivi's monologue, Marcus is the only member of the troupe not seen, and although the player is led to believe he is dressed in a black full body cloak, it is actually Zidane in disguise to reveal himself to Garnet that he survived the Iifa Tree.

In Battle


Marcus is a thief and thus has high Speed and physical attack power. Marcus equips swords as his main weapon, and he uses the same equipment as Zidane, minus the daggers and thief swords. He can wear the otherwise female only Lamia's Tiara.

Marcus shares the same character slots as Eiko, and any stats he has when he leaves the party are transferred to her, because Marcus's levels don't carry over. Therefore, the more the player levels up Marcus, the more powerful Eiko will be when she joins, regardless of what level she is.

Since Marcus is only a temporary character, he has no support abilities. He can Steal in battle, similar to the other thieves. Any successful steals from Marcus contribute to the attack power of Zidane's Thievery ability.

Etymology
Marcus's name may be a reference to Marcus Brutus in Shakespeare's . A fellow member of Tantalus, Cinna, is also a name of a character from the play.

Trivia

 * In the Dawn of Souls and subsequent remakes of the original Final Fantasy, Marcus is one of the automatic names the player can choose for the Monk job.
 * In the Italian version of the game, he speaks with a heavy German accent.
 * In the Spanish version of the game, he always uses "z" rather than "s", similar to the Andalusian accent.
 * In the German version of Final Fantasy IX, Marcus ends almost all of his sentences with "und so", meaning "and stuff".
 * "Marcus" is one of the names that player can give a monster in Final Fantasy XIII-2.

Marcus Marcus Markus