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Why did Marduk fight Tiamat in the Enuma elish?

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Historical map showing ancient Mesopotamia with labeled locations of major archaeological and historical sites. Symbols and color codes indicate sites from the prehistoric era, Sumerian-Akkadian culture, Babylonian and Neo-Babylonian eras, Assyrian civilization, Hurrian era, late Persian, Greek, and Parthian eras, as well as marshland areas. The map covers the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, including present-day Iraq and surrounding areas.
Mesopotamian religion

In the Enuma elish, the conflict between Marduk and Tiamat serves as a foundational struggle between order and chaos.1

The tension originated from the rowdy, energetic behavior of the younger gods, which disturbed the primordial goddess Tiamat and her consort, Apsu. After Apsu was killed by the god Ea, Tiamat’s anger intensified, particularly after Marduk—born of Ea—began playing with the four winds, which further churned her waters.21

Driven by this annoyance and pressured by elder gods who felt disrespected by the younger deities, Tiamat formed an army of monsters to destroy them. After other gods failed to confront her, Marduk agreed to fight Tiamat on the condition that he be granted absolute authority over the pantheon.21

By defeating Tiamat, Marduk brought order to the universe, using her body to create the heavens and the earth. This victory established his role as the Lord of the Gods and solidified the divine status of his home city, Babylon.213