Marco Bartoli

"Marco, infected with madness. He has violent mind."

- Chan Barkhang to Lara Croft

Son of Gianni Bartoli and final leader of the Fiamma Nera cult. He became leader after his father’s watery demise and will stop at nothing to get the Dagger of Xian.

Marco Bartoli is a ruthless, cunning and powerful man who is surrounded by men who are willing to sacrifice their lives for him because of his position and their devotion to the cult. Marco is passionate about ancient relics and knows very well the legends of mystical objects like the Dagger of Xian. He seeks the powers of these objects, and has spent his life doing so. When he was young, his father told him that he possessed the Seraph. Gianni left in his ship, the Maria Doria, once again but this would be his final journey. During his time as leader of the Fiamma Nera, Marco got rid of his father’s Qin Dynasty relics and left the devious traps installed around the mansion. He converted it into his Hideout and also made a similar use of the Opera House next door which his father used to work at. The Fiamma Nera had come a long way, it was now a big organisation with hundreds of followers and employees, lots of equipment, money and even an Offshore Rig. To avoid being recognised, Marco wears dark glasses when necessary.

In order to cover his tracks, a TNT is placed ready to be detonated at his hideout. But his men never get the chance to detonate it as Lara Croft kills them and relieves them of that duty. Next, the cult moves from Venice to an offshore rig on the ocean nearby. A Seaplane is ready to leave from the opera house but Lara stowaways aboard and overhears parts of Marco’s and co-pilot Fabio’s conversation. Fabio is worryingly unsure about the location of the Seraph and Marco ensures his loyalty by punching him in the gut and giving him a little history lesson. Distracted by Marco leaving the cockpit, Lara is knocked out by Eros, a mechanic. Lara is now a prisoner of the Fiamma Nera on an offshore rig. She’s not the only one as she discovers when overhearing an interrogation. Marco and another man are getting no information out of Brother Chan Barkhang, the son of the man who was responsible for Marco’s father’s death. Marco orders the other man to spill some blood and answers out of Brother Chan. No sooner has Marco left, Lara enters the changing room and kills two men before they can hurt their prisoner further. She approaches Brother Chan and he tells her his story, believing she is an angel come to take him. Lara begins to change into a wetsuit. Meanwhile, Marco is listening in on their conversation. Satisfied with the information Chan has spoken, he emerges on a platform above with a silencer. He kills Brother Chan with two shots. He attempts to shoot Lara too but she escapes to the depths 40 Fathoms below the rig.

The cult’s next move is to Tibet where an artefact called the Talion rests beneath the Barkhang Monastery. Waiting patiently at a campsite with his followers to protect him, Marco lets his other men attempt to wipe out all of the monks at the monastery. During the time in Tibet, Lara emerges at night and steals a jeep. Marco guesses that Lara must have the Talion in her possession. Marco and his men then give chase in another jeep and a truck. Lara manages to destroy the jeep, escape Marco and continue to China. Arriving later at the Temple of Xian in China, Marco discovers that the Dagger of Xian is still in its resting place and that something must have happened to Lara because she arrived first. Seeing no danger, Marco removes the dagger and stands on top of its pedestal conducting the ceremony while his four followers stand below. Lara, who had fallen deep into the temple, managed to get back up and witnesses Marco stabbing the Dagger of Xian into his heart without hesitation. His followers carry his body away through the legendary Floating Islands and into the Dragon’s Lair where Marco’s transformation will take place. Killing Fiamma Nera followers and Chinese warriors that have awoken to serve their new master, Lara finally reaches the lair in time to see Marco’s apparently lifeless body lift up slightly from the slab and explode outwards magically. A fearsome dragon is now before her. As a dragon, Marco uses his power of fire in an attempt to burn Lara to death but is wounded by Lara’s bullets. He falls to the stone floor. Before he can get back up, Lara removes the dagger from his scaly stomach and his body is reduced to bones. The cult’s final leader is dead and Lara escapes with the dagger.

Appearances

 * Tomb Raider II: Starring Lara Croft (First appearance)
 * Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Lost Cult (mentioned only)

Tomb Raider II

 * Opera House (cutscene)
 * Diving Area (cutscene)
 * Temple of Xian (cutscene)
 * The Dragon's Lair

Tomb Raider II
While piloting a seaplane with Fabio After exiting the cockpit and seeing Lara While talking about Brother Chan Barkhang
 * "Someday you will get a speeding ticket for that tongue, Fabio."
 * "Is your belief so fragile?"
 * "Relax, breathe deep. The gut, Fabio, has no more direction than a simple through and out."
 * "Honest perhaps, but not enlightened. When my father left when I was a boy, he confided to me that he was enlightened. Beckoned by something greater than impulse. He possessed the Seraph. But he was just a disciple in this design. His death plotting a path to be sought by the one, his son. You understand? Have faith Fabio, not gut-rot. We are searching the right place."
 * "Eros, have you... fixed that rail yet?"
 * "Blood or answers, I have no preference. He should spill a bit of both!"

Trivia

 * It isn't established in game whether the man on the title screen and in the final Tibet FMV is Marco Bartoli. However, scriptwriter Vicky Arnold confirmed that it is Marco.
 * It also isn't established that the villain in the concept art above is Marco Bartoli. But it's likely because Marco is the only member of the Fiamma Nera to wear a suit and the hairstyle is similar to Marco's. The only things missing are his glasses and the ceremonial piece that hangs over his shoulders.
 * Marco Bartoli is the only main villain not to have a conversation confrontation with Lara.
 * In the level file for Floating Islands, the dead body of Marco Bartoli with the Dagger of Xian stabbed into his heart can be found but went unused within the level.
 * Marco Bartoli was given a birth date and other new information regarding himself and the Fiamma Nera's history in Editions Atlas' Tomb Raider The Official Fact Files: Issue 12.

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