Black Maria

Black Maria is a Demon in the series.

History
Black Maria refers to the Black Madonna, or Black Virgin, which is a depiction of the Virgin Mary which has brown or black skin. There are 3 distinct categories of depictions referred to as "Black Madonnas":
 * Depictions of Virgin Mary reflecting the appearance of the local Christian community; these include both Madonnas from areas where Christianity was present since antiquity (Ethiopia, Egypt etc.) and those from areas where it was introduced under colonial influence within the past 500 years.
 * Depictions of Mary which were not originally black but turned black due to damage (for example detoriation of certain pigments or accumulation of soot on the surface of a statue).
 * Miscellanous examples which do not fit into either of these categories, like many Madonnas from Eastern Orthodox churches or the Madonna of Częstochowa.

It's likely that many of the Madonnas in the third category were simply a result of medieval contacts with cultures responsible with the first category of depictions, and the belief that due to living closer to areas where biblical figures were said to live they captured them the most accurately in art. Some researches note that pilgrims to certain sanctuaries in Europe likely perceived dark-skinned Madonnas as more "authentic." A similar claim is known from Poland, where the country's most notable Christian icon, the Black Madonna of Częstochowa, is traditionally regarded as the work of one of the apostles passed down for centuries rather than a mundane medieval painting.

Ean Begg, an esotericist relying mostly on Jungian analysis and pseudohistorical sources such as Robert Graves' "White Goddess," as well as other Jungian authors, claimed that Black Madonnas may have grown out of pre-Christian earth goddess traditions and that their dark skin may be associated with ancient images of these goddesses and the color of the fertile earth. Begg also attempted to link them to the underworld and to sexual rites. However, the goddesses proponents of this theory often bring up in relation to Black Madonnas weren't generally depicted in such a manner. While Isis was regarded as a mother goddess by Egyptians as well as by other cultures which incorporated her into their religious beliefs (like the Romans), she was more a "queen mother" than "mother earth." It is, however, possible that certain types of Isis' cult images, namely these showing her with baby Horus, influenced Christian art. While Artemis and Cybele were both associated with nature, they weren't generally depicted with particularly dark skin in art, and the understanding of their "great goddess" role in Anatolian and Hellenic religion varied.

Appearances

 * Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE: Entity Race
 * Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey: Lady Race
 * Shin Megami Tensei IV: Lady Race
 * Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse: Lady Race
 * Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Lady Race
 * Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers: Entity Race
 * Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth: Priestess Arcana
 * Shin Megami Tensei Trading Card: Card Summoner: Lady Race
 * Devil Survivor Overclocked: Megami Race
 * Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker: Megami Race
 * Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2: Lady Race

Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE
Black Maria was implemented in October 2015 as part of the The Die is Cast questline. She can be fused in a double-fusion of Anat and Jeanne D'Arc.

Shin Megami Tensei IV
Black Maria was formerly the Lady Danu who ruled over the fairies. Due to religious persecution and the threat of the Fairy race being destroyed completely, the Lady Danu had no choice but to merge with an interpretation of the Virgin Mary to become Black Maria as a way to save her beloved children.

When Nozomi summons her, at the request of the fairies, Black Maria reveals that she cannot return to being the Lady Danu. However, as a compromise, she names Nozomi as her successor and passes down the powers Nozomi will need to fulfill her role as the next Lady Danu. With this completed, Black Maria bids Nozomi and Flynn farewell as she returns to her duties as Black Maria.

Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse
Black Maria can teach Nanashi the Mediarama, Bufudyne, Ziodyne, Megidola and Dekaja skills through her Demon Whisper. She benefits from learning Ice, Electricity, healing, Almighty, ailment and support skills.

Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers
Black Maria is necessary in order to fuse Zeed into the Hero Jeanne d'Arc.

Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker
Black Maria is one of the downloadable demons in the game, and can only be fused using Remiel and Isis.

Trivia

 * Black Maria's design is based on Jean Delville's The Idol of Perversity, a painting unrelated to the Black Madonna phenomenon.