Cross Marian

Character Outline
Cross Marian was an Exorcist and General of the Black Order. Though technically a member of the European Branch, he was notorious for disappearing for years on end and expressed a great disdain for returning to Headquarters. He was the master of Allen Walker, and one of the only people who knew of Mana Walker's true intentions concerning the boy.

Appearance
Cross's most distinguishing features are his long, vibrant red hair and a Phantom of the Opera-esque mask on the right side of his face. He has a goatee the same shade of red as his hair. In the manga, when Allen is rescued by him during Noah's Ark Arc, he is seen to be wearing a skull, after which the skull shrinks back to a cross over his right eye, possibly due to a curse. He wears explorer type clothing and wears a hat, though he has been seen in a kimono when staying with Anita. He always carries his weapon on a holster on his leg.

Personality
Cross Marian was a womanizer who loved to gamble and drink. When he gambled, he made extravagant bets and, if he lost, he never paid, leaving Allen or someone else to do so. When he was training Allen, he forced his apprentice into battle with no time to prepare and taunted Allen as he fought to "help" him. He loved very few things: women, wine, money and beautiful things. When in battle himself, he acted cold and uncaring.

He was shown to be a gruff, demanding individual who was hard to please. In fact, he usually refers to Allen as "idiot apprentice" or stupid pupil in the English manga. Most of the Black Order consider Cross to be a great man, which he was. However, he was normally rude and tough on Allen. This could be because Allen was his apprentice and thus he had to be hard on him. Allen fears and hates him, which is hinted from the fact most of his flashbacks about Cross end with some kind of traumatizing (usually humorous) experience for him. Despite all this, Cross has shown a softness underneath his rough exterior for certain people such as Allen and Anita.

Personal Statistics

 * Education: 5
 * Affinity: 2
 * Battle Ability: 5
 * Mental: 5
 * Flexibility: 3
 * Vagrancy: 5

History
Before becoming an Exorcist, Cross was a Science Division member of the Black Order. It is unknown how he gained his Anti-Akuma Weapon, though it is likely he was found to be an Accommodator while working so closely to Innocence. Some time after becoming an Exorcist, he came to know Mana and Nea Walker, and after the death of both, Cross took Allen into his "care", training him to be an Exorcist and teaching him skills so the boy could help pay off his (Cross') surmounting debt.



Initially, Cross is only seen through flashbacks, the most important scene being after Allen's training was complete. Cross is revealed to have told Allen he was ready to become an Exorcist and left him with vague orders on how to get to the Black Order European Branch to officially join. When asked by Allen if he would be coming or not, Cross replied that he hated going to Headquarters and hit Allen on the head with a hammer, leaving him with Timcanpy and unconscious in India.

Afterwards, he went to Baron Arystar Krory III's castle and gave him a strange plant named Roseanne. The plant bit Krory and gave him the power of his Parasitic Innocence. He then went to China hunting the Millennium Earl and met a major ally of the Order, Anita. He stayed with Anita for a full year while tracking the Earl and eradicating the Akuma in the area.

Edo and Asian Branch arc
Cross left China for Japan and lands in Edo (Tokyo in modern times). Cross went into hiding to avoid being spotted by the Earl and Akuma. While doing what he could to reduce the sheer amount of Akuma while in hiding, he also watched the Earl's movements and knows the Ark is nearly ready to be used.

Noah's Ark arc
When his apprentice and his team, along with Tiedoll's team, faced off against the Noah clan, Cross watched from afar. When the Earl and the Noah enter the Ark, Cross entered, unseen, with them.

After the events of fighting with the Noah and facing off against Tyki Mikk, Allen was about to through the ark before Cross saved him and revealed himself. Cross then battled the maddened Tyki, unleashing The Grave of Maria and using her abilities to block those accompanying Allen (Lenalee Lee, Chaozii Han and Lavi) from Tyki's view as he fought a one-on-one fight with the Noah.

Cross overwhelmed Tyki during the fight with his amazing firing speed, the Noah eventually falling from the injuries he received during his previous fight with Allen, as well as the fight with Cross. Before Cross could finish Tyki off, the Earl intervened and saved Tyki. Cross and the Earl exchanged a few words, revealing they know one another well, before the Earl disappeared with Tyki into Road's door and left Cross and the others to deal with the crumbling of the Ark.

Cross brought Allen and Lenalee to the room where the Akuma Egg was being held, giving Allen vague orders to stop the download of the Ark before using his sorcery to transport Allen to a room with a piano. When Allen hesitated, unsure of what to do, Cross shouted at Allen over their communicators, telling Allen to play the piano in the room, Lenalee giving Allen words of encouragement. While Allen initially was more focused on Cross close proximity with Lenalee, worried he would do something perverted, he eventually used the musical score hidden within Timcanpy to stop the download of the Ark while Cross protected Lenalee by slowing the download in their area with his magic.

After the download of the Ark was stopped, Allen and Lenalee are shocked by Cross' knowledge of the Ark, Allen just about to question his master before Lavi started shouting for Allen to "come and get it" over the communicators, Lavi trying to lure Allen out of hiding with the promise of food.

Afterwards, while Allen, Kanda, Chaozii and Lavi explored the Ark, Cross stayed with Lenalee in the room with the piano as she tended to Krory, Cross preparing to flirt with Lenalee and commenting on what a shame it was that she'd lost her hair. After Lenalee remarked that Anita had said the same thing, a sad look crossed Cross' face as he reflected on how Anita hadn't listened to him when he'd told her not to follow him. Allen and the other boys then ran into the room, having remembered that Cross was a womanizer and that leaving the General and Lenalee alone was a mistake.

When the Cross unit and the Tiedoll unit reunited and prepared to head back to Asia Branch via the Ark, Cross was about to escape with Lenalee embracing him, begging him not to leave. Cross found himself unable to deny Lenalee, while Lenalee was just thinking about not wanting to chase after him again.

Invasion of Headquarters arc
While the younger Exorcists recovered from the injuries in the medical ward, the inspector Malcolm C. Lvellie held a meeting with the heads of the Order's Branches, the Supervisor Komui Lee and the Generals. It became known that Cross is one of the people who have the will of the Fourteenth Noah, and Lvellie questioned Cross about Allen's role in restoring the Ark, accusing Cross of knowing what Allen was and picking him up purely for that reason. Lvellie then revealed that Allen would be facing an Inquisition.

While Komui managed to buy time by requesting that Lvellie give him a full explanation in the form of a written report, Cross invited Lvellie to do whatever he wanted with Allen. The Inspector assured him he would, then ordered Cross to remain in Headquarters, assigning attendants to keep an eye on him.

Not one to take being detained laying down, Cross abused his attendants, making them spend their own pocket money to buy him expensive foods and wines and enjoying what he received with a distant Klaud Nine by his side. When Allen found Cross and attempted to question him, Cross' attendants dragged Allen away, telling Allen that he was forbidden to speak to the General.

Shortly after, the Noah Lulu Bell and an army of Level 3 Akuma invade the European Branch Headquarters, using the Earl's black Ark. Lulu Bell is soon joined by several Skulls who begin to inspect Science Division scientists, and just as Reever Wenhamm is about to be killed trying to defend his men, Allen Walker and Bookman intervene, starting to fight the Akuma forces.

Allen, Bookman and the scientists who are still able to move and make talismans attempt to stop the Akuma from stealing the Akuma Egg, but they are overwhelmed. The Egg is just about to be taken when the Generals, along with Noise Marie and Miranda Lotto, arrive, Miranda using her Innocence to reverse the time of the black Ark taking the Egg and holding it in place as the Generals, Cross Marian included, start to fight.

After the fight and just as it seemed the Generals had managed to stop the Akuma forces, Miranda Lotto is captured by Lulu Bell, who took her water form to cut off Miranda's oxygen and force her to stop her invocation. Cross and the other Generals initially attempt to fight Lulu Bell off, but when it became obvious that they couldn't hit her, they turn, instead, to destroying the Egg, despite the fact that they might kill Miranda doing it. Cross hesitated for a moment, but agreed to the plan and prepared Judgment.

The General's attack severely damaged the Egg as it sank into the black ark, and as the Generals watch it, Winters Socalo remarked that Cross is heartless for firing while 'he' was down there. Cross simply replied that he hadn't tried to hit him, and that 'he' was the 'transcendent' one, the scene changing to show Allen protecting Miranda and delivering one final hit to the Egg while fleeing.

Allen flatly remarked to Cross that what he had done "wasn't very nice", to which Cross replied that he had faith in Allen, revealing that Cross had known Allen had jumped into the line of fire to save Miranda but had fired, anyway.

Before anyone can relax, a Level 4 Akuma is born. After it attacks Allen, it uses its scream to debilitate the others in the area, Cross summoning Maria and having her use her Carte Garde to control his body. The Level 4 then attacks General Froi Tiedoll's Maker of Eden, which is protecting the injured scientists, and collapses the entire floor, the Generals, Cross included, disappearing into the hole.

The Level 4 then turned its attention to Komui Lee, and as Lenalee Lee and Allen Walker fight to protect him, Lenalee's Dark Boots evolve, allowing her to fight evenly with the Level 4. When the Akuma attempted to throw Lenalee and Allen off of itself, Cross reappeared, intervening with Maria's Carte Garde and making it stay still long enough for Lenalee to kick Allen's sword through the Akuma's stomach.

Cross then ordered Komui to cancel the evacuation, stating he wanted to turn the Akuma into a specimen. After sending Komui off to deal with the problems in the rest of the building, Cross proceeded to help Allen and Lenalee fight the Akuma, using Judgment to shoot it five times and remarking that one bullet was for everyone the Akuma had killed, while the other four were for ruining his clothes.

The Akuma attempted to flee, but Generals Nine and Socalo blocked off its only exit, and as Hevlaska closed the door to her chambers and locked the Akuma inside, Lenalee delivered the final blow and destroyed its body.

When a piece of the Akuma's face landed beside Cross, still alive and taunting them, Cross shot it, covering his actions with the pretense of an accidental sneeze that made him squeeze the trigger. As the people in the building began to pull themselves together and mourn, the long fight over, Cross spoke to Lvellie, telling him that he would tell everything he knew about the Fourteenth as long as he was allowed to talk to Allen.

Disappearance of Cross Marian arc
After Cross left with Lvellie for Central, Headquarters is moved to a new location. It is there that Allen and Cross meet again, in a room heavily guarded by CROW members and with Allen's body bound by CROW talismans.

Even though they knew they were being monitored, Allen and Cross talked, Cross telling Allen about Mana Walker's older brother, the Fourteenth Noah. Cross then revealed that when Mana adopted Allen, Mana had implanted the Fourteenth's will within Allen, making Allen the Fourteenth's successor. The fact that Allen knew the song to control the Ark is considered evidence enough of the Fourteenth's attempt to return to the world.

When Allen seemed to go into shock from this revelation, Cross struck him, making Allen snap back to attention enough to ask questions. Cross then told Allen as the Fourteenth awoke in his mind, Allen would slowly lose control and be completely consumed by the Noah.

When Allen asked him if when Mana had told Allen that he loved him he meant him, Allen, or him, the Fourteenth, Cross replied that, after the Fourteenth's death, Mana seemed to lose touch with reality. Cross then mulled that he hadn't thought that the Fourteenth would choose a child, and that he honestly wished he had picked someone other than Allen. As he embraced Allen, this thought led him to the conclusion that he wouldn't be able to make fun of Tiedoll anymore, making reference to the fact that General Froi Tiedoll cares very much for all of his apprentices, and that Cross has come to care for Allen, as well.

Cross then asked Allen what he would do if he (Cross) told him (Allen) that he would kill someone he cared for when he became the Fourteenth.

The rest of Allen and Cross' conversation is not seen until later, during a flashback as Lvellie and Komui review the recorded session of Allen and Cross' meeting.

Through this flashback, it is revealed that after dropping the bombshell on Allen that he would kill someone he cared for, Cross abruptly attempted to walk off, remarking that there was another side to the war.

When Allen head-butted Timcanpy and sent the golem sailing to smack into the back of Cross' head, Cross turned back on Allen to attack him, in return, while the CROW members in the room attempt to hold them back from one another. With the time he had bought, Allen told Cross that when he had joined the Black Order that he had promised Mana that he would keep going, and that that promise was one that he, Allen, had made, not the Fourteenth, and that he would not let the Fourteenth have his body.

After that, Cross returned to his room, where he reminisced that coming to the Order had apparently done Allen some good. There was then a knock at his door, and Cross was seen drawing his Innocence, Judgment. The scene briefly shifted to Allen, who wakes from a nap with Lenalee and Johnny thinking of his master, and when the focus shifted back to Cross he was sitting limply in his window, a large amount of blood spattered against the windowpanes, Judgment laying on the floor beside him.

Outside of Cross' room, his attendants woke from naps they didn't remember laying down for, immediately attempting to check on Cross. When they received no answer from his room, one opened the door and stepped inside, freezing when he saw an apparently dead Cross Marian. The attendant then shut the door and ordered the other attendant to go for help, and while the second ran off the first charged back into Cross' room with his gun drawn upon hearing a crash.



The attendant was stunned to see Cross' body gone, the window broken and his mask and Judgment left behind, and it is said that on that day, Cross Marian disappeared again.

A later investigation, performed by Komui and Hevlaska, revealed that Judgment no longer recognizes Cross as its Accommodator. Komui's new secretary, Brigitte Fey, Klaud Nine, Winters Socalo and Froi Tiedoll are all present for this analysis. When Klaud suggested that Cross abandoned Judgment for fear of becoming a Fallen One, Brigitte asked that the Generals not tell anyone about the findings.

When Tiedoll asked Komui if it was possible for Cross to have escaped, Komui remarked that all of the blood at the scene of the crime had belonged to Cross, and that judging from the amount of blood lost and the gunshot to the side of Cross' mask that wounds of that magnitude would have been fatal. Tiedoll then passively suggested the attack was planned by Central.

In Cross' room, Allen and Lvellie have met, Lvellie studying the scene and Allen pursuing Timcanpy, who has apparently been returning to the room often to mourn. Lvellie and Allen accuse one another of the incident, but as it happens Lvellie knew that it wasn't Allen who had attacked Cross, but someone from Central, though he does not know who.

Phantom Thief G arc
Later, Allen discovered a recorded message Cross had left for him on Timcanpy, Cross' voice saying:

"Allen... I've been wondering, do you like Tim? I said to look after him for me... but I always intended to give him to you. I've told Tim that he can do as he pleases.

''You may not want to listen to someone like me who carries the will of the Fourteenth... but if you think either of us is forcing you to walk a certain path... I want you to know that's not true.''

''A path forms behind you as you walk. The earth you step on is compressed, leaving a print. You're the only one who can make your path. So stop walking in Mana's shoes. Walk in your own... if you haven't given up.''"

After listening to the message with Howard Link, Allen remarked that the recording sounded like Cross' will, which makes him angry because that type of behavior wasn't like Cross at all.

Seed of Destruction arc
Much later, during Allen's confrontation with the sentient Innocence 'Apocryphos' (at the time disguised as the unnamed Cardinal), Apocryphos casts images into Allen's head and shows him what happened to Cross the night he disappeared. Disguised at the unnamed Cardinal, Apocryphos is shown holding Cross' own Innocence, Judgment, to Cross' head, Cross remarking that he should have noticed his mistake sooner.

It is revealed that Cross questions how the Fourteenth can be within Allen, since the Fourteenth died over thirty years prior to the storyline (twenty+ years before Allen's birth). It is unknown if he has found out the answer to this as of yet.

Powers and Abilities
Skilled Marksman: Cross is shown to be skilled with his gun-like Innocence in all of its forms and can fire his gun rapidly, to the point where a Level Four Akuma couldn't see more than one shot out of six.

Scientist: Before becoming an Exorcist, Cross was a scientist who worked for the Black Order.

Sorcery: Cross is noted to be quite skilled and well-versed in magic, able to use spells. With these spells, he has been seen binding Skull sorcery, disguising himself as a Skull, transporting people from one location to another, and binding the Innocence of a deceased Exorcist, Maria, to himself, allowing him to use her Anti-Akuma Weapon. The incantations Cross has been seen using are the same as the ones Skulls have been seen using, though the final command ("Take Effect, Bind" in Cross' case and "System Conversion, Arise" in the Skull's case) seems to change the intent of the spell.

Akuma Modification: It is revealed by Bookman that Cross has the unique ability to convert Akuma, making them work under his orders. The method of this conversion however is unknown, and converted Akuma who slip out of Cross' control and back under the Earl's influence automatically self-destruct, destroying their soul.

Innocence


Judgment (断罪者 (ジャジメント), Jajimento): This equipment-type Innocence takes the form of a large caliber autorevolver. Cross is able to fire several bullets in rapid succession, often emptying his rounds in a split-second. A symbol in form of a cross can be seen wherever these bullets hit (even on barriers).
 * Bullets of Condemnation: These bullets do not stop until they have hit their target, even if they are embedded in something else along the way.
 * Arrow Of Original Sin (原罪の矢, Genzai no ya): Forms the shape of a demon-like bow around Judgment as a cross symbol appears in front of it.
 * Sin Annihilation Level: Cross can temporarily boost his synchronization rate with Judgment to increase the damage dealt with his attacks. He is seen using the "Triple Damage" level against Lulu Bell.

Grave of Maria (聖母ノ柩 (グレイヴ・オブ・マリア), Gureivu obu Maria): This parasitic-type Innocence doesn't belong to General Cross himself, but to Maria, an Exorcist with a parasite type Innocence. It has been remarked by Allen that Cross is able to use magic to control Maria's corpse during a fight therefore allowing him to also use her Innocence. It takes the form of a large, flattened coffin wrapped with a long chain. When the chain is removed, the coffin opens to reveal a beautiful woman in a fancy dress with a large bow tied over her eyes, which makes it slightly reminiscent of a butterfly. This 'woman' is in fact the corpse of Maria. Lavi has pointed out that Cross Marian's use of the "Grave of Maria" anti-Akuma weapon is unorthodox and forbidden.


 * Magdala Curtain (聖母ノ加護 (マグダラ・カーテン), Magudara kāten), Maria uses her song to create illusions that can conceal the presence of others.


 * Carte Garde (脳傀儡 (カルテ・ ガルテ), Karute garute) which allows her (or Cross) to control the person's movements by affecting the brains of both humans and Akuma.

Trivia

 * Cross likes visiting the red light districts, good women and expensive wine (Romanée-Conti) and dislikes dirty bastards.
 * Cross's favorite wine is Romanée-Conti. It is often priced anywhere between $500 - $24,000 per bottle, depending on vintage. It is considered to be one the finest and most expensive red wines in the world.
 * In the oneshot Zone it is shown that while Cross does possess two pieces of Innocence, he lacked Grave of Maria, instead having one that was similar to Allen's Cross. In addition, the method he used to convert Akuma is explained as his grafting parasitic Innocence to them, as is the case with Robin.