Marco Lasso

Marco Lasso (マルコ・ラッソ) is a fictional character in the Shaman King manga and anime series. He is the captain of the X-Laws, only overruled by Iron Maiden Jeanne. Together with Jeanne and Lyserg Diethel, he is part of Team "X-I".

After becoming a real angel, Luchist Lasso referred to him as Michael, but it is unclear what this meant.

Appearance
Marco is an average-sized man, with blonde hair and blue eyes. He is usually seen wearing an X-laws uniform. He wears glasses because of his high astigmatism. They can break easily so he carries three spare pairs of glasses inside his shoulder pad, each with a varying degree of resistance.

When not in his X-Laws Uniform, Marco wears a simple white shirt, a necktie with a leaf pattern, black formal pants, and black leather shoes. He carries his "Marco Full Auto 9" in a patterned shoulder strap. He also has a white suit that he wears whenever he is driving Iron Maiden Jenne around.

Marco also has a personal battle uniform, that he wears beneath his X-Laws uniform. It consists of a pair of black boots and black shorts. His white dress shirt and cuffs are fully unbuttoned and he places his pistol strap underneath his shirt. When opening his shirt he also reveals a cross necklace. The battle uniform is used to create a stronger spirit and more perfect conditions for the Over Soul, which requires personal acknowledgment and permanent requirements.

Personality
Like most members of the X-Laws, Marco is extremely loyal to Jeanne and will stop at nothing to achieve what he believes will bring about Jeanne's ideals of a world free of corruption and evil. Like Jeanne, he tends to see issues in absolutes; something is either good or evil. Those who join the X-Laws are considered good and those who do not are automatically evil and with Asakura Hao.

However, he later came to change his views on the world. After fighting with Luchist twice Marco realized and acknowledged that true justice is love and that turning one's back to it is evil's true form.

When he first appeared he seemed very gentle but later, as commented by Luchist, it is revealed that he lacks flexibility and is very impatient which causes him to easily become annoyed and angry about the smallest things. When agitated and stressed he usually ends up crushing his own glasses and for that reason, he carries a set of three spare glasses in his shoulder patch.

The only thing that can calm him down seems to be Jeanne and in most rare cases, high-quality chocolate with a cup of coffee. He heavily believes in discipline, to the degree where he physically punished Lyserg when he was up too late or spoke against their plans. during fights, he has a tendency to give people several death sentences. He also has a great love for cars, which led him to form his own car dealership, named Super Marco LLC.

Abilities and Powers
As a human, he has above the average strength, as he is able to hurt Lyserg by just slapping him. He is able to use his handgun for a sort of fencing style, though not as capable as Luchist who easily bested and subdued him during both of their fights. As explained by Luchist Lasso it would seem he can create a more powerful spirit by using his own battle uniform instead of his X-Laws uniform.

His glasses are bulletproof as seen when one of the Ten Patch judges tried to impale Lyserg only to have his attack stopped by the glasses. Despite this, they break easily as seen when Luchist smashed them with his colt.

After becoming an angel, he gained a tremendous power to overwhelm Lucifer although the archangel was missing his parts taken by Luchist.

Spirit

 * See More: Michael

His Guardian Ghost is the Archangel Michael. It is originally a 92 Red Ferrari Testarossa, a car that was so important to Marco that it gained a spirit. this spirit was later fused with the spirit of the Archangel Michael, thus creating the powerful guardian ghost. while It uses the shamanic medium of a bullet fired by a 9mm modified Beretta 93R. Like all other archangels, it has the ability to shatter souls.

During his final battle, it is revealed that he can also use his glasses as a shamanic medium for his Over Soul to create a fake copy Over Soul of himself which was called O.S. "Fake Marco".

Past
Originating from Sicily, Italy and born on November 17, 1973, when Marco was young he lost his parents in an accident and was raised in a catholic church-orphanage. There he was raised by the reverend, Luchist Lasso. During that time he was called "Chibi Marco-Chan" and he was bullied. Towards the present time, Marco still feels grateful for his upbringing. It was because of Luchist, who allowed him to learn ballet and took him to car shows and he allowed him to go to the university and helped him create his own car company. Luchist also created the X-Laws that Marco would join.

Later on, when he became an adult, he and Luchist met Jeanne. At that time she was nothing but an orphan born with shamanic powers. They raised her, soon turning her into a savior and a holy person, making her believe that she was destined to destroy all evil.

Thanks to Luchist financing, Marco started and began managing a car company named Super Marco LLC that dealt with Supercars. At a time when Marco's company was on the verge of creating their very own sports car, however, Hao came and took everything away from him. For reasons unknown to Marco, Luchist decided to join sides with Hao after this event. It was at this time that Marco took over the X-Laws.

Travel Through America
Marco was first seen when Yoh wanted to talk with the defeated Boris only to find him Impalement by the sword of the Archangel Michael. When questioned what it was, Marco revealed himself and announced the name of his spirit Michael. Michael then shatters Boris' soul, leaving nothing behind. As the other six members of the X-Laws appear, Marco starts to preach about justice and the X-Laws and their mission to destroy the root of evil, which they believe to be Asakura Hao, and that for this reason, they have joined the Shaman Fight.

Marco reveals his name and tries to befriend Yoh, stating that they came because they believed that Yoh and his friends would not be able to defeat Hao´s followers alone. He then explains that every member of the X-Laws had suffered by Hao's hand and is therefore bonded together by their common goal to defeat him. At this time Hang Zang-Ching and Mohamed Tabarsi appears and mocks them. Marco notes that they aren't taking them seriously, noting that they are missing one man. Tabarsi informs them that he is busy with something else, at which point Bill Burton appears behind the X-Laws with his guardian ghosts ready to attack.

Announcing that there will be no pardon for those who ally with Hao and informing Bill that he deserves capital punishment, Marco and other X-Laws aim their weapons at him and attack Bill with all seven of their Archangels. They quickly defeat Bill and Marco prepares to end it but is stopped by Yoh, who disliked their methods. Both Yoh and Marco then start an argument over one another's morals. In the end, in order to prevent Marco from killing Bill, Yoh clashes with the sword of Michael which results in Harusame being broken. Seeing his bravery, Marco allows him to live and then leaves with the other X-Laws.

Marco is next seen comforting Lyserg Diethel who is sad about being so weak. Asking if he could kill Hao, Marco replies that he can, because he has the combined strength of the X-Laws with him. Telling Lyserg to stop crying, he notes how he was able to do well all alone until now and that Lyserg's parents would be proud of him. Still feeling inferior to Yoh, Marco asks Lyserg if he wants to become stronger.

Saying that if Lyserg meets their superior, he would be given the strength he desires, but then Marco also tells him to think about it and to contact the X-Laws when he is ready. Wishing Lyserg good luck, he and the other X-Laws depart.

Shaman Fights Second Round
Being part of the X-I team, Marco, was together with the newly recruited member Lyserg while their leader Iron Maiden Jeanne pitched against Team "Niles". When the fight starts he stands back and follows Jeanne's orders of letting Lyserg take care of the entire fighting. There he watches Lyserg annihilate two of Team "Niles" shamanic mediums and crushing the body of Anatel Pokki, alongside destroying his mask in the progress. However, as Lyserg prepares his final attack, something goes wrong and the Pendulum stops a mere inch from a fatal strike at Anatel. while Jeanne asks to be released from the maiden which he reveals that his shoulder amour holds the key to her maiden and then he released her. while he then watches the Niles get completely annihilated by Jeanne.

When Yoh visits Lyserg at the X-Laws ship Marco and his team confronts Yoh and later attacks him after he turns down Jeanne's invitation to join the X-laws, though unsuccessful.

At some point, Marco began doubting Lyserg's loyalty towards the X-Laws and decides to give him his own Archangel named Zelel, an archangel chained in the X-Laws Weapon Storage.

One night, Marco and the remaining X-Laws were visited by Yoh, who wanted Marco's permission to once again participate in the Shaman Fights. However, instead of arguing with them Yoh quickly revealed his resolve to fight with them. In return Marco was quick to decide that Yoh was allied with Hao and therefore his soul had to be destroyed, and together with Team "X-II" attacked Yoh, but Yoh easily dodged all of their attacks as he had used Hyoi-Gattai with Amidamaru.

Invading the Plants
After being transported to the Continent of Mu by the Patch Tribe, Team "Funbari Onsen", Team "The Ren" and Team "X-I" decided to forfeit the tournament saying that none of them were able to face Hao. which both Luchist and Opacho both agreed to this, thus making Hao the next Shaman King by forfeit. as the three remaining teams watched him walk into the plants led by Lip and Rap, the Ten Patch Priests and Goldva.

When Marco Asakura Yoh and Tao Ren and their respective teams proceeded to follow him a little later, they were all blocked in their path by Luchist. He proceeds to reveal his battle suit and summoned his Archangel. Recognizing his battle suit Marco declares that he would be his opponent. Before anything can happen Lyserg yells to Marco in fear, only for Marco to declare that the two had to finish the fight they started, a fight that was only between the two of them. He continues to tell him that he does not need to worry and reminding him of what he had already told him before. He reveals his Over Soul, his battle suit and yells that, as he had told Lyserg before "Justice Always Wins"

Marco and Luchist come to have a discussion about "Justice" that leads Luchist to reveal how the first time met Hao and how his original belief of justice changed. Both fighters attack each other with Luchist getting the upper hand by quickly destroying Marco's Over Soul seven times finally revealing Marco with no Over Soul and properly no Furyoku left. Crying, Luchist aims his colt at Marco and wished him goodbye, saying that he will see him again in the Great Spirit and watched as Lucifer's hammer shatter him.

Marco suddenly appears behind Luchist and grabs him while holding his gun to his chin. He reveals that he used his glasses as a medium for Michael to create an Over Soul of himself called O.S. "Fake Marco", which was shattered instead of himself. Marco threatens Luchist not to move or he would blow his head up and proceed to reveal his plan, knowing from the start that he had no chance against him. Marco begins to explain about his justice being that of love, revealing how he received the compassionate love of Iron Maiden Jeanne and realized that his justice was wrong. He yells that compassionate love is the answer to everything, even the one he received from Luchist.

Luchist then makes one final challenge, wanting to see how strong love is and makes Lucifer attack them both. He uses the bullet medium to kill both of them. While dying Marco makes an apology to Jeanne, saying that he had sinned, going against her ideas and going against his own "father" and going against her orders by sacrificing himself to kill Luchist. As he finally dies, his life flashes before his eyes and Marco remembers all the good times he had with Luchist. the spirit of himself and Luchist is seen talking to Yoh, who was questioned their own actions. Both of them say that it is because they do not know how to stop.

When Hao created a Black Hole within the Great Spirit, the X-Laws appeared in their 'Supercars' to protect the Soul Train.

Flowers
Hearing about Flower of Maize from Luchist Lasso, Marco decided to become stronger not only to lead the X-Laws, but also to expiate his actions. When Hao offered to resurrect him like the others, Marco refused and instead asked the new king to make him an angel. Hao told him that it is technically impossible to become an angel not only because their home stage, the Big Heaven, is the second highest within the Great Spirits where human spirits wouldn't reach regardless of numbers of rebirths, but also angels' "unlovely" characters including being extremely exclusive not to accept new members. However, Marco told Hao that he is ready to go through hundreds of rebirths and trainings in the hell, and Hao accepted and sent him to the hell. After his countless intentional rebirths, he became a real angel.

Gate of Babylon
In the 2001 anime, Marco went along with the plan to open the Gate of Babylon with Jeanne. There, he battled Hao and he lost. When Jeanne opened the door he was pulled in and was released later on.

His guardian ghost was given to Lyserg to fix Morphine. After Hao's defeat, he went back to his hometown Italy and enjoyed the rest of his life before the next fight was announced from the destiny star.

Trivia

 * A running gag throughout the manga and anime series involves Marco somehow destroying his glasses when he gets angry or shocked.
 * All of his clothes are Italian brand.
 * His childhood nickname by Luchist Little Marco (チビマルコ Chibimaruko) is a reference to Chibi Maruko-chan.