Black Mariah

Mariah Dillard, also known as Black Mariah, is a major villainess in the first season of the Netflix hit series Marvel's Luke Cage. She is a councilwoman and a powerful political figure, especially in the neigborhoods of Harlem. She is also the cousin of crime lord Cottonmouth and works with him.

She is portrayed by Alfre Woodard.

History
While visiting her cousin, Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes, in his nightclub Harlem's Paradise, she is informed by him that through his criminal operations, he will soon obtain a large sum of money which Mariah can use for her real estate project. Mariah implores Stokes not to waste his time with such low-life criminals and tells him that it is politics in which the true power lies. She also reminds him that a criminal empire can swiftly topple, as the empire of Wilson Fisk did.

An associate of Stokes comes to the table and is welcomed by Cornell and Mariah. They discuss business and Mariah is annoyed, claiming that Cornell is turning their families legitimate money illegal again. Stokes however replies that their project is hardly illegal, as it is protected by the constitution. It is revealed that Stokes is selling high-tech weapons to the man, who is a gang leader. The man agrees to the deal but later, during the exchange, both parties are attacked and shot by three other gangsters who escape with Cornell's money.

Mariah is deeply uncomfortable with the loss of the money, as it could potentially mean the end of her and her cousin'S career. More than once, she urges Cottonmouth to retrieve the money. Although she is still not happy with Cottonmouth's criminal empire, she more than gladly accepts the benefits, be it monetary or otherwise, she gains from them. During a garden party in Harlem, in which Mariah is also interviewed by a TV crew, Cottonmouth visits Mariah. She is uncomfortable with the two of them being seen together with media nearby but also tells him that she urgently needs the money her cousin promised her. Stokes again promises that the money will be there in time. After having captured one of the attackers, Cottonmouth gets half of the money back, which he brings to Mariah. However, she reminds him that that money is not nearly enough and that they urgently need the rest of the money too. The two have a brief dispute and Cottonmouth, Shades and Cottonmouth's assistant then leave the office.

Later, at the nightclub, Cottonmouth is informed by his henchmen that the other attacker has been found and eliminated. Cottonmouth wants to meet with them on the roof and Mariah comes with him, claiming she needs to be there. On the roof, they are informed that while the two managed to get the money, back, Cottonmouth's assistant also killed Pop, the owner of the barber shop where the boy was located and a sort of legend in Harlem. When he is told that Pops was killed in the attack, Cottonmouth grabs the assistant and throws him off the roof. He then hands Mariah the rest of the money. Although she is not happy with the murder, she takes the money nonetheless.

After Cottonmouth informs her that some of his safehouses have been hit and that he plans to store all of his cash in one fortified safehouse, Mariah advises against it as she sees it as idiotic to keep 'all your eggs in one basket'. Cottonmouth tells her that the building is secure and that nobody will be able to attack it. During their conversation, it is also made clear that while Mariah really cares about her in initiatives and plans to create affordable housing in the area, Cottonmouth sees her projects only as the 'loundry mat' for his money.