Seven Barian Emperors

The Seven Barian Emperors or Seven Varian Emperors (バリアン Barian Nanakō), are a group of elite Barians within the Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL anime, reincarnated by Don Thousand and led by Nash. They have a mission of collecting the "Numbers" and protecting their world against the menace of the Astral World as part of the Interdimensional War against the latter. For a while, because of the disappearance of Nash and Marin, the group was reduced to five members, with Dumon assuming control until their return.

During the invasion of Earth, Don Thousand, having been released from his prison by Vector, began conspiring with him against Nash and the other emperors by brainwashing Girag and Alito into becoming Vector's underlings and eventually devouring their souls along with Dumon's and Marin's to steal their powers. Thousand later betrays Vector and consumes his soul, along with Mizar's after defeating him in a brief Duel. Nash was then defeated by Yuma Tsukumo. The Seven Barian Emperors are shown to have been revived as humans and to have enrolled in Heartland Academy, following Astral's defeat.

Etymology
Members of the Seven Barian Emperors are loosely named after one of the stars of the Big Dipper: Dumon after Dubhe, Alito after Alioth, Mizar after Mizar, Girag after Merak, Vector after Phecda, Nash after Benetnasch and Marin after Megrez.

Abilities
While on Earth, Barian Emperors are forced to take on a human form, not knowing that this form was the one they had from the time they were humans, although Dumon apparently only needs to do this if his Baria Lapis is damaged. The only major resemblance between their Barian and human forms is their hair, which only changes color. As energy beings, they are tolerant to pain, even in human form; Girag was able to take a punch in the face from Fender without so much as a flinch. After the Human World and Barian World begins to merge, the Emperors were able to maintain their Barian forms on Earth.

They can travel from and to the Barian World using Overlay Networks and can also utilize the ability on Earth, vanishing and reappearing on a whim. Mizar showed the ability to fire energy balls for offensive purposes, though they do not cause lasting damage. These abilities can also be granted to humans. Vetrix, who made a contract with the Barians, was able to produce energy balls and use the aforementioned networks to travel.

The Seven Barian Emperors also possess the ability to Rank-Up their Xyz Monsters by the use of "Rank-Up-Magic Barian's Force", which lets them Summon "Number C" and "CXyz" monsters. These "Chaos" monsters originate from the Barian World and are produced there as "weapons" to defeat the "Numbers". While in human form, Barians cannot wield them, but they can use "Rank-Up-Magic Barian's Force" to brainwash humans into doing so for them. The brainwashing effect appears to vary depending on who does uses it; Girag's victims retain their personality but become obsessed with the Barian World, while Vector's victims are similar to sleeper agents, retaining their original personalities until the brainwashing activates at a later time, and when Alito controlled Nistro the latter was completely robbed of free will. In addition, if a Barian were to lose a Duel to a person using a "CXyz", they would vanish from existence, just as Astral would if he lost to a "Number". However, if one of the Seven Barian Emperors loses a Duel after Don Thousand's curse was lifted, they will lose their Barian form and will eventually revert back to their default form as a human; they also lose their abilities to Barian Battlemorph and use their "Over-Hundred Number".

Chaos Draw
The Chaos Draw, known as a Barian's Chaos Draw (バリアンズ・カオス・ドロー Barianzu Kaosu Dorō) in the Japanese version, is an ability used by Nash. It is the Barian counterpart to Shining Draw. When Nash used this ability, it resonated with all the other Emperors in their Duels and all of them obtained it. When this power is used, the user is surrounded by a reddish-purple column of light. Upon using it, all Barian Emperors Dueling at the moment drew "Rank-Up-Magic - The Seventh One". Each of them retained this ability and could then draw "The Seventh One" using it in future Duels.

Later, Nash was shown to draw other cards via this ability, including "Panther Shark", a card he had previously played.

History
The Seven Barian Emperors were once humans and each died tragically. The deity of the Barian World, Don Thousand reincarnated each of them as Barians, as their souls were connected to the "Mythyrian Number" cards, which had sealed Thousand's power. He also gave the "Over-Hundred Numbers" (with the Numbers seemingly matching the order) to those humans to suppress their original memories. All of them were supposed to go the Astral World but due to their Number 10Xs filling them with hatred they were sent to the Barian World.

Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL II
The Barians were at war with Astral World and sought to protect it from its envoy, Astral. One Barian, Mizar, specified that if they do not, then their own world will have "no future". For that reason, the Barians are bent on stealing the "Numbers" from him and find the location of "Numeron Code" - the "God Card" that created the world and can decide fate. Since they cannot gather the "Numbers" themselves, Vector began manipulating humans like Dr. Faker and Vetrix into doing so for them, as well as enacting his own plan to attack the Astral World directly.

With the defeat of both human pawns and Vector's disappearance, Dumon decided that they would have to intervene directly. To that end, Dumon sent Girag to Earth. On Earth, Barians can assume human form, though they do not decide their appearance and are unable to summon "CXyz" monsters. Following Girag's failed attempts to get Yuma's "Numbers", Dumon sends Alito to aid in his endeavor.

After the constant failures of Girag and Alito, Dumon decides to send Mizar to Earth, giving him three "Barian Sphere Cubes" which lets Barians collect "Numbers" themselves. Mizar's arrival was by a giant energy ball crashing into a forest, causing a deep crater. Mizar's attempt to defeat Yuma was interrupted by Kite Tenjo, who took over the Duel. Mizar ended up cancelling the Duel when the power of his "Number C107: Neo Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon" nearly destroyed the Barian Sphere Field.

Girag would then make another attempt, brainwashing a whole army of students, but Yuma was rescued by Alito, who wished to defeat Yuma himself. Alito deployed his Barian Sphere Cube, but was ultimately defeated by the power of ZEXAL. He was later ambushed, prompting Girag to take revenge, believing Ray Shadows had been the one to ambush him. Girag ended up Dueling "Ray" and Yuma at the same time in his own Sphere Field. "Ray" revealed his identity as a Barian Cosmic Crime Unit and gave Yuma "Rank-Up-Magic Limited Barian's Force", allowing him to defeat Girag with "Number C39: Utopia Ray V".

Vector, who was believed to be dead, eventually emerged on Earth and used "Rank-Up-Magic Barian's Force" to brainwash Brooke Walker, who Dueled alongside her husband Mayday against Yuma and Anna Kaboom. This ultimately failed as well.

Afterwards, Vector challenged Yuma to a Duel where he purposely lost and gave "Number 66: Master Key Beetle" to Astral while kidnapping "Ray Shadows". Yuma and the others headed to Sargasso to save Ray, where Vector awaited, along with Dumon and Mizar. It was there that Ray revealed himself as Vector during his Duel with Yuma, emotionally breaking the latter and causing Astral to lose trust in him, resulting in the use of Dark ZEXAL.

Dark ZEXAL recklessly attacked Vector's "Number 104: Masquerade" with "Number C39: Utopia Ray V" equipped with "DZW - Chimera Clad", taking damage in the process thanks to Vector's "Hundred-Over". At the last minute, Yuma and Astral separated from Dark ZEXAL after they recovered their trust in each other. This renewed trust allowed them to merge into ZEXAL II and create "Rank-Up-Magic Numeron Force" to Summon "Number C39: Utopia Ray Victory" and defeat Vector.

After Vector's Sargasso plan failed, he released Don Thousand and fused with him and began searching for the Mythyrian Numbers. To that end, he tells the remaining emperors of the seven Numbers that could help turn the tide of the war and reawakens Alito and Girag from their comas. Later then, Vector forms a brief alliance with the malevolent Number 96 at Don Thousand's behest, with the intent on absorbing it to obtain its power, while Dumon goes to investigate the missing two Barian Emperors, Nash and Marin, and learns the truth about their past lives.

After Astral's sacrifice to defeat Number 96, Vector absorbed what remained of its power and used it to create Fake Numbers to fuse the Human World and Barian World, in order to grant Don Thousand the power to destroy the Astral World.

Vector proceeded to restore Mr. Heartland to his human form and reincarnate Mr. Heartland's old mentor, as well as two of Mr. Heartland's old Dueling criminal partners as Barians so Mr. Heartland could have underlings to assist him in defeating Yuma, Shark, and Kite. However, all but Mr. Heartland were defeat by Yuma, Shark and Kite with the help of Trey, Quattro, and Quinton.

Later, Shark and Rio learned that they are really the two missing Emperors, Nash and Marin. Dumon awakened their memories and transported them to Barian World, where they returned to their Barian forms. Later, after resuming their positions as the group's leaders, they called for an emergency meeting. Vector was shocked to see that Nash and Marin had returned and were still alive. Dumon revealed that they ended up on Earth as humans. Nash confirmed that though they were enemies in the Human World, he was on their side now. To prove this, he told Vector to kill him should Vector sense any degree of betrayal. Vector suggested they attempt to assault Earth immediately, as Yuma and Astral were absent. Nash told Vector not to underestimate Yuma - there is no way he will not return. Nevertheless, he did consent to Vector's suggestion after bestowing new power to each of the other Emperors.

After Mr. Heartland was defeated, the Seven Barian Emperors arrived together on Earth in front of Yuma, where Shark revealed that he was Nash of the Barians, and the seven proceeded to use Barian Battlemorph. Then, while he and Yuma were arguing over the need for them to battle, the Barian Emblem reacted with the Emperor's Key, letting Yuma see Nash's past life and Nash see the events that Yuma had been involved with in the Astral World, to which he noted their responsibilities to the two worlds. After Yuma fainted, they were about to attack when Roku and Kaze arrived and pelted the Emperors with smoke bombs, allowing Yuma's entire group to escape. Nash ordered a chase, but each of the other Emperors except Vector were blocked by duelists Yuma had befriended in the past - Mizar by Anna and Nelson, Girag by Roku and Kaze, Alito by Nistro, Marin by Bronk, and Dumon by Dextra - and forced to Duel. Nash caught up with the car they had used to flee and found himself confronted by Quattro as the car sped away again. Quattro vowed to do what Yuma would do - reforge the bonds of friendships with a Duel, but Nash proclaimed they can never understand each other no matter how many times they Duel. Though they all initially had trouble against their opponents, the tide turned drastically when the Barian Emperors performed Chaos Draw.

Creating "Rank-Up-Magic - The Seventh One", they each Ranked Up their "Number 10X". One by one, the Emperors defeated their opponents, and sent them to the Barian World. As Quattro, the last of them, was sent to the Barian World, he remarked he'd be going to hell before Nash, who responded that he'd be joining Quattro there as soon as the conflict was over. The other Emperors regrouped and Nash ordered them to split and find the remaining "Number" holders - Yuma, Astral, Kite, Trey and Quinton.

Later, after Quinton and Trey left Yuma, Mizar found them and demanded they tell him where Yuma and Kite were. Quinton responded that they'd only tell him if he won against them in a Duel. As soon as Quinton Summoned "Number 9: Dyson Sphere", Dumon and Marin saw it in the sky and headed towards the area of the Duel. Trey and Quinton proceeded to use their bracelets to entrap the three Emperors within a Sphere Field, preventing anyone from exiting until the Duel was over. Meanwhile, Vector used the powers of Don Thousand to brainwash Alito and Girag into obeying him. Consequently, Girag told Nash that Yuma and Astral were heading to the Barian World. Upon hearing this, Nash quickly returned to the Barian World, telling Girag to do the same. However, while they were in transit, Girag suddenly betrayed Nash and restrained him, stating for Don Thousand's plans, the Barian Leader could not be allowed to face Yuma just yet. Mizar, in the meantime, brutally defeated Trey and Quinton, but not before it was discovered that the two had planned to sacrifice themselves to let Kite get to the moon, and Yuma to the Barian World itself. Thus, Mizar prepared to follow Kite.

Unknown to the rest of the Emperors, Vector put another plan in motion to steal their powers and become all powerful with the aid of Don Thousand. He challenged Dumon and Marin to a Duel in order to absorb their powers. Although the two of them fought hard, they were ultimately defeated and their souls were absorbed. Later Vector attempted to kill Yuma and Girag but Girag pushed Yuma out of the way and took the hit for him. As a result, Girag's, Alito's and Ponta's souls were absorbed into Vector. Vector was about to face off against Yuma, but he sensed Nash escaping from the prison he put him in and went to go Duel him.

On the moon, Mizar challenged Kite to one final showdown to decide the key to the Numeron Code and the right of becoming the true "Galaxy-Eyes" master. Even though Kite won, he conferred the title to Mizar. He was then entrusted with the key and told to follow his own path, as Kite died from his sustained injuries and lack of oxygen.

In the Barian World, Vector summoned the arena of his Number Ruins to use as a battleground for him and Nash, who raced through the Barian World and encountered the traitorous Barian Emperor. The two began their Duel, and eventually Yuma, Astral, and Tori arrived and watched the battle. Vector summoned the souls of Girag, Dumon, Alito and Marin and fully absorbed their powers, giving himself a tremendous boost in strength. After Nash managed to take control of "Number C65: King Overfiend" from Vector and boost its ATK to 3200, he used it to destroy Vector's "Number C104: Umbral Horror Masquerade". As a result of Vector's "Mythyrian Number" clashing with his "Number 10X" Vector's real memories were revealed; he was originally a kind prince, but was corrupted by Don Thousand. Yuma and Tori encouraged Vector to realize that his real self was kind just like "Ray Shadows". Vector feigned repentance and gave Nash an opportunity to defeat him. Nash relented and attacked, but Vector attempted to have Nash defeated although he failed and revealed his actions were a ruse and that he was aware that Don Thousand had tampered with his memories. Having enough of Don Thousand calling him a "pesky God" he used his new-found powers and incinerated Don Thousand, seemingly killing him. Vector then Summoned "Number C5: Chaos Chimera Dragon" which he can Summon after absorbing the souls of his fellow Emperors and almost defeated Nash with it, but he Summoned "Number C73: Abyss Supra Splash" and defeated Vector.

Even after losing the Duel, Vector tried using his newfound powers to destroy everything. However, his plan was interrupted by Don Thousand, who was revealed to be still alive. Thousand revealed he was free from Vector now and that the powers Vector believed to be his, are in fact from Thousand himself and attempted to absorb Vector. Vector tried to resist but was timely saved by Yuma, who grabbed his hand. Astral, Tori and even Nash warned Yuma to stop, with the latter adding that Vector will just betray Yuma again, but Yuma decided to trust Vector. Vector feigned his Ray Shadows persona again and attempted to drag Yuma with him, but Yuma did not relent and believed Vector can return to his "Ray Shadows" identity. Realizing the trust Yuma put on him, Vector sacrificed himself to save Yuma and was absorbed by Thousand.

Mizar emerged and gave Yuma "Number 100: Numeron Dragon" while telling Nash that the Barian Emperors were created by Don Thousand to complete his agenda and decided to face the Barian God, who revealed his true form. Mizar attempted a One Turn Kill on Thousand, but Mizar was quickly defeated by his own card and was absorbed by Thousand. Nash then cooperated with Yuma to defeat Don Thousand, but he revealed his control over the Numeron Code through the Field Spell "Numeron Network", which allowed him to alter his opponent's plays.

Don Thousand Summoned four "Numbers", "Number 1: Gate of Numeron - Ekam, "Number 2: Gate of Numeron - Dve", "Number 3: Gate of Numeron - Trini" and "Number 4: Gate of Numeron - Catvari" which, powered by "Numeron Network", almost defeated the duo with a One Turn Kill. When this failed, Thousand Summoned "Number C1: Numeron Chaos Gate Shunya" in another attempt to inflict 50,000 damage. However Astral arrived where the real form of Numeron Network resided and attempted to materialize it for Nash to destroy it, but at the expense of Astral's life, as the energy of the Numeron Code would implode on him, however Eliphas took Astral's place and gave him a card before perishing. After Nash managed to destroy "Numeron Network", Thousand Summoned "Number C1000: Numerronius the Divine Giant", which robbed the duo of their most powerful monsters. However the arrival of Kite's spirit allowed them to use "Number 100: Numeron Dragon", which they used to defeat "Numerronius". Finally, Thousand Summoned "Number Ci1000: Numerronius Numerronia" which almost guaranteed his victory, but a combination of "Utopia" powered by the effects of "Number 73: Abyss Splash" and "Numeron Dragon", allowed the monster to acquire 204,000 ATK points to defeat Thousand for good. Before vanishing, Don Thousand claimed that his true curse had not been lifted, and Nash took his "Numbers" and challenged Yuma to another Duel.

Nash explained that the Barian and Astral Worlds were about to collide and that Astral World in its current state was too weak to live by itself, and that he cannot allow the loss of the Barian World. He claimed that out of all the Emperors, he chose to be a Barian of his own will and that his very existence was the curse of Thousand, as he refuted Yuma's claims that cooperation between the two worlds was possible. Using the power of Thousand, Nash was able to Summon all the "Number C10X" monsters on each side of the field.

Eventually after an exhausting Duel, with Yuma gaining a new "Utopia" evolution, Yuma won and Nash died, eliminating the last of the Seven Barian Emperors.

After Yuma and Astral's final Duel, the group, among others, was revived by Astral using the Numeron Code. Rio and Shark returned as students of Heartland Academy, with Rio becoming a member of the disciplinary committee. She scolded Yuma for being late for class. Mizar, Girag, Alito and Dumon enrolled into Heartland Academy as well. While Vector himself was not seen attending the school, he became an ally and friend to Yuma once more, aiding him in his new quest to protect the Astral World alongside the others.