Mariah is an extremely attractive, long-legged woman with dark skin and short, light-colored hair. Her main attire consists of a miniskirt and hood, along with gloves, dark pantyhose, bow-knotted leather shoes and sunglasses on her head. Despite her revealing outfit, she conceals an impressive arsenal of bolts, screws, knives and other metal objects to throw at her magnetized victims. Her design in the anime shows off her midriff contrary to the manga.
Mariah is one of the few characters shown to smoke.
Color Schemes
The series is known for alternating colors between media, the information presented below may or may not be canon.
Colored MangaSFC GameHeritage for the FutureAnimeEyes of Heaven
Skin(Tan. Lavender lipstick.)
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Blue)
Outfit
(Lavender hood, white undershirt and gloves, purple pantyhose and shoes with pink bowknot)
Skin(Tan)
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Gray)
Outfit(Red hood, black undershirt)
Skin(Brown. Purple lipstick.)
Hair(White)
Eyes(Blue)
Outfit
(Red hood and shoes, gray undershirt and gloves, navy blue skirt)
Skin(Light Brown)
Hair(White)
Eyes(Yellow)
Shirt(Yellow with orange stripes near rack.)
Outfit
(Velvet hood and shoes, brown gloves, black skirt, dark pantyhose)
Skin(Brown)
Hair(White-tinted violet)
Eyes(Yellow)
Shirt
(Beige with orange-brown stripes near rack.)
Outfit
(Maroon hood, brown gloves, bluish-black skirt, dark pantyhose, and pink shoes)
In the spin-off Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak, Mariah's appearance and outfit have changed. Mariah has long hair, with two long bangs on each side of her face. She's kept her sunglasses and habit of smoking. She now wears a dark revealing and form fitting dress with a low cut that goes down to her abdomen and reveals most of her legs. She still wears a pantyhose and gloves. Moreover, she has a light colored coat which she wears loosely, revealing her shoulders. She has a choker and ankle rings made of interlaced lozenges and a belt made of large rings. Her high heels also have a lozenge decoration at the top.
Personality
Flirting with Joseph
Mariah comes off as a calm, cool-headed person. Like most Stand Users, Mariah has great confidence in her Bastet, notably in that everyone will eventually succumb to it given time. However, she easily loses her cool whenever things don't go according to plan; in such cases, she's been shown to contort her face and bite her lip comically out of frustration and anger. Mariah is quite devious and has worked out many ways in which she could render her power truly dangerous. Mariah keeps on her many metallic objects, from nuts and bolts to metallic wires, to use them as projectiles in a pinch or exploit the magnetism to tie up her targets into dangerous machinery. She's also adept at baiting her targets to dangerous locations such as train tracks or places under power lines so that she could expose them to deadly hazards.
Mariah has a bit of a sleazy streak. On occasions, she likes to talk suggestively, saying for instance that "You always want to touch what's off-limits". The few relationships she talks about have also centered on the men's appearance, revealing that she's also superficial. She notably complimented Joseph Joestar and confessed that she found him very attractive for a man his age and that, if he was a few decades younger, they would have been a great couple; she nonetheless tried to kill him without second thoughts because it would please DIO, whom she considered much more attractive.
She also has a very distinctive "Oho ho ho ho ho!" laugh, which she does when she has her opponents helplessly trapped in the magnetic power of her Stand.
In the spin-off Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak, Mariah is shown to have survived and tried to move on from DIO. However, she confesses that she still has nightmares of DIO ordering her to go defeat the Joestars while she can only grovel and say she is sorry. Even after ten years, Mariah cannot stop herself from calling DIO "Lord DIO" in her dreams and she is aware that DIO still has a grip on her mind. She also reveals that she wasn't aware or fully aware of DIO's atrocities and that it felt good for her to be at DIO's beck and call. It went to the point that even though Mariah thinks she was being controlled, she feels that she willingly submitted to him.
In the spin-off, Mariah has settled down with Kenny G.. She also has some friendship with Boingo, as she states that she wanted to "give Hol Horse a good beating" because he exploited Boingo back then. Finally, Mariah seems to entertain a difficult relationship with Hol Horse himself, tolerating his presence but not trusting him or liking him in the slightest.
Along with the other Egypt 9 Glory Gods, Mariah is deployed by DIO once the heroes reach Egypt to assassinate them. In Luxor, Mariah places her Bastet on a rock while Joseph is isolated in the toilets. Once he gets out, he notices Bastet and, thinking that it is a mere strangely placed electrical outlet, tries to touch it, only to be shocked. Joseph is now magnetized and metallic objects begin to be attracted to him.
The next morning, Mariah stays in the hotel where the Joestar Group is in to keep the effect of the magnetism on. Joseph eventually realizes his condition but is alone. She ambushes Joseph on an escalator and uses metallic wires to entangle Joseph's hands to the machinery of the elevator, threatening to crush his hands. In doing so, she reveals her identity. When Muhammad Avdol comes to deactivate the escalator, Mariah has already placed Bastet near the stop button, also shocking Avdol. Joseph spots Mariah hiding behind a pillar and they begin to pursue her into the women's bathroom and then the streets, giving Avdol's magnetism time to grow. Thus, Joseph and Avdol are stuck together.
Mariah disappears and waits for Joseph and Avdol to find her. After trying to separate themselves, Joseph and Avdol accidentally roll down a slope where Mariah awaits them. She baits them into stepping on metal train tracks, just as a train approaches. When the train passes, Mariah assumes that she's won but she then discovers that Avdol has dug a hole underneath the train, frustrating her to no end. Magician's Red melts the train, allowing the pair to confront her. Joseph ties Mariah's neck with Hermit Purple and tries to choke her but she reveals that she's stuffed her bra with nuts and bolts which are attracted towards Joseph and Avdol. They have to protect themselves from the hail of projectiles coming onto them, allowing Mariah to slip away once again. However, Joseph devises a strategy.
After separating themselves again, Joseph and Avdol begin to chase Mariah through the streets of Luxor and split up to surround her thanks to a map created by Hermit Purple. On their way, they gather many metallic objects that are stuck to them. However, Mariah then reveals that she's baited them near power lines. Throwing a knife, she cuts the lines, which are then attracted to the pair. Although Avdol's Magician's Red can melt the cables, his magnetism gets so strong a truck flies at him and threatens to crush him. For his part, Joseph has a hard time keeping the cables away. Confident in her victory, Mariah reveals that she finds Joseph attractive for a man his age, leading Joseph to beg her for mercy. However, Mariah refuses as DIO is more attractive than Joseph for her.
However, Joseph has accounted for the whole battle and unveils his stratagem. He lets go the pavement and lets himself fly toward Avdol. The mass of metal violently closes on Mariah, taking her out and, according to Avdol, breaking a few bones. Mariah is retired.
The information below derives from a source not written by Araki. As such, it may or may not be considered canon.
In the spin-off, Mariah says that DIO didn't implant a flesh bud in her.
It is revealed that Mariah survived her ordeal and that the Speedwagon Foundation contacted her and then explained to her the magnitude of DIO's atrocities then apparently left her be. Ten years after the events of Stardust Crusaders, Mariah has settled down with Kenny G.. They have a hideout in the middle of Cairo, an abandoned bar camouflaged by Tenore Sax.
In March 1999, Hol Horse meets Mariah at her hideout. Mariah informs Hol Horse that the OingoBoingo brothers want to see him, though Hol Horse is only interested in contacting Boingo. Mariah asks if Hol Horse still has nightmares of DIO, which he denies. However, Mariah points out the three wristwatches on Hol Horse and says that he's developed a superstition. She explains how she still has nightmares of the vampire on a regular basis and that a part of her is left unfulfilled without DIO's control. Hol Horse tries to console Mariah, but she suddenly gets angry when he calls DIO a conman and those who fall for a con "fools", taking it personally. She stomps on Hol Horse and summons Bastet which shocks Hol Horse. The cowboy is almost impaled by a dozen swords flying at him, but a door thankfully blocks them. Mariah calls off her attack, as she only wanted to teach Hol Horse a lesson for taking advantage of Boingo years ago, and lets Hol Horse and Boingo plan the next step of their mission.
Look at you and your dirty mind! Sorry to disappoint you but my breasts aren't growing...it's your magnetism getting stronger! I confess...I stuffed my bra...with weapons!
Joseph Joestar. I'll tell you this because you're going to die. You're very dreamy for a man your age. I only knew you for about ten minutes or so but you were so smart and funny. And soooo clever! You have the experience that younger men don't. You're really quite charming. We're decades apart, but I think we would have made a good couple.
"What are you crying about, Mariah? Go and defeat the 'Joestars'". He gives me those orders, and I can't bring myself to say anything other than "I'm sorry", over and over. I just keep grovelling to him like those are the only two words I know. I wonder why... That vampire's been dead for ten years, and the Speedwagon Foundation told me about all the terrible things he did... So why do I still call him 'Lord DIO' in those dreams...? I don't have the conviction... To say that I wasn't the 'real me' when I was being controlled by him.
Mariah is one of the boss enemies in the game. The events from her arc appear in the game with one differing detail—instead of fighting alone and confined to Joseph and Avdol, Mariah attacks the whole group alongside Hol Horse.
Mariah makes her playable debut on the Capcom game, being included in the second version of the game. She appears as a playable character with a style based on ranged traps.
Her game style is focused on middle-long range, keeping the enemy away with her moveset. Even without an active Stand, her Bast no Jiryoku, when activated, instead of summoning Bast, will place a magnetism-trap on the screen (always near her). If the opponent gets hit by this trap, their "magnetism" level will rise one level (with 8 being the maximum), making all Mariah's attacks stronger. She's one of the only characters in the game to fight at middle-long range, the other being Hol Horse.
Most of her moves are based on the objects she uses in the fight against Joseph and Avdol, such as knives, forks and electrifying energy cables. During her first super move, she uses the magnetism on the opponent to attract the screws, nuts, and bolts hidden in her bra and damages the enemy. During her second super move, she performs a rising uppercut on the opponent, launching them into the air and attracting a lot of metal objects, causing massive damage. It ends with a car smashing the opponent (the same car that defeated her in the story).
Along with Midler, Mariah is one of the only two playable female characters in the game. Mariah is also one of the special characters in the game that do not turn into a child when hit by Alessi's Stand; instead she turns into the old woman that Joseph encounters during his and Avdol's battle against Mariah.
Mariah is one of several characters from Part 3 to possess a Metal Striker. Her FINISH MOVE makes several metal items (such as hammers and screws) attack the opponent, followed by a giant car coming in to crush them (not unlike her method of special attack in the Capcom fighting game).
Mariah was confirmed for the game alongside Avdol.
As a Stand User, Mariah is one of many characters with wildly varied abilities that grant her uniqueness in battle. Instead of the conventional Normal Attacks that take the form of melee combos, Mariah will throw out a metal wire that paralyzes opponents.
Style Action - You always want to touch the things you're told not to.: Mariah conjures Bastet in front of her with a snap of her fingers, either on the floor or on a wall as a trap. Opponents that come in contact with Bastet are inflicted with its magnetism. A Magnetic Gauge displays which of the two opponents have been magnetized, and the current level of the magnetism's strength on them. Beginning at "Lv 1", the Magnetic Gauge eventually progresses to "Lv 2", then "Lv MAX".
The magnetic force will just keep on increasing...: If both opponents are magnetized and within range of each other, they will increase the rate at which both their Magnetic Gauges fill. If they come in contact with each other, they will both be stunned and left open to further attack.
Until it crushes your body...: While the magnetism is in effect, metal objects will frequently come out of nowhere and attack affected opponents as projectiles. Once an object hits an opponent, it will stick to them, reducing their movement speed. As the Magnetic Gauge fills, the size and strength of the metal objects increase depending on the level, as well as their ability to slow the targets. At Lv 1, clusters of nuts and bolts will start appearing; At Lv 2, bicycles will start appearing; At Lv MAX, cars will start appearing.
What are you drooling over?: Mariah launches nuts and bolts from her shirt as high-speed projectiles in a wide cone. Opponents hit will be sent flying. While an opponent is magnetized, the projectiles will home in on and follow them closely.
Unfortunately, you have to die.: Mariah throws three knives straight forward, or at a downward angle if performed in mid-air. If she is locked on, she will throw them straight at her target. While an opponent is magnetized, the knives will home in on and follow them closely.
EX - What are you drooling over?: Mariah is invincible during the skill's execution.
EX - Unfortunately, you have to die.: Mariah throws five knives.
Dual Heat Attack -You little turds!: Mariah inflicts Bastet's magnetization on the opponent by summoning it at their feet. Standing up, she unleashes the nuts and bolts from her shirt in a projectile attack that knocks them off-balance. A car seemingly comes out of nowhere, flies at them from above, and crushes them. It then explodes as Mariah guffaws.
JoJolities
You always want to touch the things you're told not to.: Mariah must connect her Style Action 3 times. (200 Points)
This is what's inside my pocket.: Mariah must perform a combo with at least 30 hits. (200 points)
Heh heh heh... You won't be able to move for much longer now.: Mariah must retain a magnetization effect for 20 counts of the battle timer. (300 Points)
I'll never let you catch me!: Mariah must survive the first 20 counts of the battle timer without taking damage. (500 Points)
You looked pretty handsome out there.: Mariah must Retire an opponent with a Dual Heat Attack. (800 Points)
Mariah appears in Diamond Records as a playable character in both the Action Battle and Tactical Battle game modes. She has a couple unlockable statues under the 'Tactical' type, ranging from 5 stars to 6 stars. Mariah's moveset in both game modes is comprised of various attacks inspired by the anime, using the ability of her stand Bastet. Some of her attacks diverge from her canon abilities by having her use objects as projectiles without the requirement of activating the magnetism first.
MovelistStatuesVideos
Moveset
Mariah's basic attack string is a combination of up to five various attacks using a knife. In Tactical Battle, this is cut down to only three hits.
Mariah summons Bastet on the ground, if an opponent walks into it, they will be caught under her magnetism for a certain period of time. While under the effects of magnetism, all projectiles on the stage will be attracted to the affected opponent, including their own. In Tactical Battle, this move acts as a simple debuff move.
Mariah sends three knives flying towards opponents. (Unlockable)
Mariah throws a knife in the air, and electrical wires come falling down, blasting an electrical charge over a wide area of affect. In Tactical Battle, this hits all opponents present on the stage.
Mariah sends beads from her skirt flying towards opponents, stunning anyone hit temporarily. (Unlockable)
Mariah taunts her opponents before a car is dropped on them that explodes. In Tactical Battle, this hits all opponents present on the stage.
AI Mariah enemies can attack the player by sending nuts and bolts towards them, which she had been hiding in her shirt. This skill is not used in any of her playable statues.
5-star (Tactical)
Max LVL Stats:9996 HP/5292 ATK/7350 DEF Max LVL Tree Stats:13596 HP/7692 ATK/21150 DEF
6-star (Tactical)
Max LVL Stats:20200 HP/10700 ATK/14900 DEF Max LVL Tree Stats:29200 HP/23300 ATK/29300 DEF
During a fight, Mariah uses moves that are loosely based on those featured in Stardust Crusaders.
Style/Specials/Etc
Magnetization Gauge
Passive
Exclusive to Mariah is a two-meter gauge that affects the strength and properties of various skills, as well as her HHA. It is filled when Mariah lands "If you're not allowed to touch something, it makes you want to touch it more..." or as long as the opponent is within range of her magnetic aura. However, it will slowly deplete on its own once the opponent is outside of Mariah's magnetic aura.
The Magnetization Gauge begins at "Lv 1", and eventually progresses to "Lv 2", then "Lv MAX". At Lv MAX, the gauge will not begin depleting for a few seconds even if the opponent moves outside of Mariah's magnetic aura.
If you're not allowed to touch something, it makes you want to touch it more...
ON GROUND WHEN DOWNED
With a snap of her fingers, Mariah briefly summons Bastet on the ground a set distance in front of her. If the opponent touches it, regardless if they block it or not, they'll become Magnetized and begin the Magnetization process. Bastet can strike a downed opponent, allowing for easy magnetization after knocking them down.
If the opponent is already Magnetized when they touch Bastet again, the Magnetization Gauge will increase by half of a level, or a quarter of the whole gauge.
The magnetic force will just keep on increasing...
Automatic while the opponent is Magnetized
While the opponent is Magnetized, Bastet's magnetic aura becomes visible around Mariah, visually represented as purple ripples emanating outwards from her feet.
While the opponent remains within the zone of aura, the Magnetization Gauge will gradually build on its own. However, if the Magnetic Gauge empties, this ability will cancel.
Special Moves
Sorry, but you'll have to die now.
+ // ON GROUND IN AIR OK
Mariah throws three knives forward as homing projectiles, traveling across the entirety of the battle arena without expiring. The attack button inputted affects the homing power and damage of the knives while inversely affecting their flight speed. If performed in mid-air, Mariah will throw the knives at a downwards angle. (Flash Cancel comboable)
The damage of this skill increases with each level of the opponent's Magnetization.
The electricity will char you to a crisp!
+ // ON GROUND TRAP
Mariah throws a projectile knife upwards, severing a power line that then hangs onto the battlefield as a live wire. The knife can also strike the opponent themselves if they're close to or above Mariah while stilling severing the power line, functioning as an anti-air attack that knocks them back (Flash Cancel comboable). The attack button inputted determines the trajectory that she throws the knife and affects where the cut power line appears:
Light (): Mariah throws the knife directly upwards; The power line appears behind her.
Medium () & Heavy (): Mariah throws the knife at an upwards angle; The power line appears a set distance away from her.
While the power line hangs, the electrified end will automatically be drawn towards the opponent if they're within range, shocking them before disappearing. This skill cannot be used again until the power line disappears. (Comboable)
The number of hits delivered by the power line as well as its homing power increases with each level of the opponent's Magnetization.
Heh heh heh... Enjoy...
+ // ON GROUND
Mariah lets loose one of the metallic wires on her skirt, causing it to fly forward as a high-speed projectile. This is a low attack that cannot be blocked standing, and if it connects, the wire wraps around the opponent, binding them and leaving them vulnerable to attack for a short period. (Comboable)
The length of time the opponent remains bound by the wire increases with each level of Magnetization.
You can't follow me anymore.
+ // ON GROUND WHEN DOWNED
Mariah points forward, causing several metallic objects to incidentally fly in from above the screen, aimed at the opponent. The effect of this skill is determined by the attack button inputted:
Light (): The objects fly in almost immediately. (Comboable)
Medium (): The objects fly in after a few seconds. (Comboable)
Heavy (): The skill instead becomes a feint, with Mariah pointing but with no projectiles actually appearing, allowing her to act instantly.
The objects summoned by this skill change with each level of the opponent's Magnetization.
Lv 1: Several cans are summoned, hitting the opponent multiple times.
Lv 2: A bike is summoned, hitting the opponent once for moderate damage.
Lv MAX: A dense clump of different objects is summoned, hitting the opponent in a single, heavy hit that launches them into the air.
Throw
You were one fine specimen.
2 ATK buttons at close range or ON GROUND
Mariah pushes the opponent onto Bastest placed on the ground. As they're stunned by the ensuing electric shock, a barrel flies in and knocks them away.
Despite being an attack involving Bastest and magnetizing the opponent, this does not actually raise the Magnetization Gauge.
Heart Heat Attack / Great Heat Attack
What are you drooling over?
+ 2 ATK Buttons ON GROUND
Mariah's bust seemingly expands as she cheekily asks the opponent what they're imagining. Suddenly, nuts and bolts stored in her top fly out as high speed projectiles and rapidly pelt the opponent for an extended period not unlike a machine gun, the wild spray of projectiles covering a very large range in front of her.
The damage dealt by this HHA increases with each level of the opponent's Magnetization.
You little turds!
+ 3 ATK Buttons, or ON GROUND
Furious, Mariah makes her infamous twisted expression while screaming profanities, and summons Bastet on the ground where it delivers a potent electromagnetic shock. If the opponent is caught, they're paralyzed by the magnetism as Mariah throws a knife upwards to sever an electrical line, causing the two live wires to be attracted to and electrocute them. She follows up by firing nuts and bolts from her shirt at them which are soon assisted by increasingly larger objects such as trash cans and bicycles. With the magnetism reaching maximum power, two cars fly in from opposite sides of the opponent and crash into them, before violently exploding as Mariah faces away and guffaws. Throughout the attack, Mariah comments at how her magnetism only gets worse and worse until her target is slowly crushed.
Upon connecting, this GHA immediately sets the Magnetization Gauge to Lv MAX afterward.
In the manga, Mariah's name in Japanese was originally spelled as "Maraiya" (マライヤ) in the WSJ publication of Part 3. It was changed to "Maraia" (マライア) in the tankobon release; however, the original spelling could still be seen on her Stand and Retired card. These mistakes were fixed in later publications.
In the English dub of SC Episode 29, Mariah is mentioned as being of Egyptian citizenship, though her actual nationality is unknown.
References
↑N'Doul's Geb - Vol.6 "Shueisha Jump Remix Stardust Crusaders Edition" p.132 The Secret of JOJO Characters