Mariemaia Khushrenada is a young child who appears in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz as the figurehead leader of the Mariemaia Army. She is the daughter of Treize Khushrenada and Leia Barton, born in the After Colony year 189. Her mother died when she was only two years old, and she was subsequently raised by her grandfather, Dekim Barton. Dekim indoctrinated Mariemaia from a very young age, teaching her that as Treize's daughter, it was her destiny to become the ruler of the Earth Sphere. She was groomed to believe she would fulfill her father's wishes by conquering the world, and she fully internalized this identity, acting with extreme confidence and a prideful, dignified demeanor that seemed far beyond her years. Behind this imperious facade, however, her childish vulnerability occasionally appeared, most notably in her deep attachment to a music box left to her by her mother. Her primary motivation throughout the story is to claim her perceived rightful place as the sovereign of Earth, driven by a combination of her grandfather's manipulation and a genuine, albeit misguided, desire to honor the legacy of the father she never knew. In the story, she serves as the public face of the Mariemaia Rebellion in December of AC 196, a coup attempt by the Barton Foundation against the Earth Sphere Unified Nation. She broadcasts a declaration of war, kidnaps Vice-Foreign Minister Relena Darlian to eliminate opposition, and leads her army to occupy the ESUN capital of Brussels. While she appears to be the leader, she is in reality a puppet controlled by Dekim, who intends to rule through her. Her critical role in the plot is that of a manipulated child used as a political and military symbol to rally former soldiers loyal to Treize. Key relationships include her grandfather Dekim Barton, whom she trusts completely but who views her as a disposable tool; Relena Darlian, who serves as a captive and later a moral foil; and Lady Une, a former subordinate of her father. Her development is the central arc of her character. After the Gundam pilots, particularly Heero Yuy, break through the presidential shelter, she experiences genuine fear for the first time. When Dekim attempts to kill Relena, Mariemaia takes the bullet meant for her, an act that signifies her breaking away from her grandfather's control. She survives the wound and, after the rebellion is crushed, is taken into the custody of Lady Une, who becomes a mother figure. In the aftermath, she is shown in a wheelchair visiting Treize's grave, having recognized the errors of her ways and becoming much more humble. She is freed from her grandfather's manipulation and is finally able to live as a child rather than a political tool. In terms of notable abilities, Mariemaia possesses no combat or leadership skills of her own; her primary asset is her lineage as Treize's daughter, which she uses to command loyalty and inspire the army that fights in her name. Her true strength lies in her capacity for change and her final, self-sacrificing act of choosing to protect another person over her own ambition.