Martina Zoana Mel Navratilova
Martina Zoana Mel Navratilova is the princess of the kingdom of Zoana who, along with her father the king, plotted to capture Amelia. Lina, along with Gourry and Zelgadis, saved Amelia then used the Dragon Slave to destroy Martina’s castle and kingdom. Enraged, Martina ran off and learned magic so that she could take revenge on Lina. Later, Martina joins forces with Lina and company. Martina is fickle in her love affairs, obsessed with whatever man she happens to see first that day. At the beginning of the series she is hung up on Zelgadis, but her interests switch to Gourry and even Xellos as the series progresses, before settling on Zangulus. She is obsessed with her Lord Zoamelgustar, a monster (demon) god she actually made up. Martina specializes in curses.
She is a character that is exclusive to the T.V. series, as she doesn’t appear in the original light novels or the manga. In the Slayers NEXT episode where they play “Brass Racquets,” the announcer gives her full name which is based on tennis superstar Martina Navratilova.
She is usually an antagonist and comic foil for the other characters, but when Hellmaster Phibrizo “kills” her during the final battle, Martina uses her last moments to encourage Lina to keep fighting and save Gourry. She eventually marries Zangulus in a fake backdrop church, as her kingdom is still rebuilding after Lina’s Dragon Slave.
