Yeti (Weapon: PRIME)

YETI

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Human (mystical mutate)

Occupation: Cannibal; Government agent

Affiliations: General Clarke, Department K; Weapon: P.R.I.M.E. (Double Trouble, Killspree (formerly Killjoy), Tigerstryke; (previously including Grizzly (Theodore Winchester), Kane, Rictor))

Enemies: Arcade, Domino, Grizzly (Theodore Winchester), Hammer, Northstar, X-Force (Boom Boom, Cable, Cannonball, Copycat (posing as Domino),Feral, Shatterstar, Siryn, Warpath)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Wendigo

Base of Operations: Department K headquarters, Canada

First Appearance: X-Force I#11 (June, 1992) (see comments)

Powers/Abilities: Yeti appeared to have superhuman strength, though it's not for certain what level he is at. He also has a healing ability that allows him to survive various injuries, including having his chest clawed out. It can be assumed that he possesses any of the other powers and abilities possessed by the Wendigo. During his stint with Weapon: P.R.I.M.E., he also wore a sort of neck collar and nose-ring, of which at least the collar can be assumed to have placed him under the control of Department K. How this affected his powers is unknown.

History:

(X-Force I#11) - Yeti (unnamed) was seen with the rest of the Weapon: P.R.I.M.E. (PRototype Induced Mutation Echelon) team, preparing to go after Cable.

(X-Force I#12) - Referred to as Wendigo, Yeti was present again with the Weapon: P.R.I.M.E. team, while in the process of joining up with Cable's former friend Grizzly.

(X-Force I#13) - Now using the codename Yeti, attacked Cable and X-Force with the rest of the Weapon: P.R.I.M.E.. Yeti targeted X-Force member Feral, who proceeded to rip a large part of Yeti's chest out. The X-Force base detonated; while X-Force survived, Yeti was amongst those missing.

(X-Force I#19 - BTS) - Henry Gyrich reported Yeti as "missing" in action.

(X-Force I#22) - Along with a reformed Weapon: P.R.I.M.E., Yeti confronted Domino and Grizzly (secretly guided by Hammer), who had sneaked into Department K to steal data on Cable.

(X-Force I#23) - Yeti and Weapon: P.R.I.M.E. attacked Domino and Grizzly, who escaped through Department K's sewer system.

(Northstar I#1) - At Department K's base in St. John's, Newfoundland, Yeti and the rest of Weapon: P.R.I.M.E. were commissioned by General Clarke to take down Northstar. They attempted to ambush him as he was driving in a car, but it turned out to be a diversion. They tracked him to his home, but found him already gone. Finally, they found him, and Yeti got in one good punch, but Northstar evaded further attacks from him. When Tigerstryke and Yeti charged him from opposite directions, Northstar flew away at great speed and the two crashed into each other.

(Northstar I#3) - Along with the rest of Weapon: P.R.I.M.E., the Yeti journeyed to Zuyevo, Russia to confront Northstar. Weary from a previous battle, Northstar surrendered as a change in tactic, but surrounding circus members and audience (mind-controlled by assassin Arcade as part of an elaborate plot) attacked the invaders. Yeti fought the circus members who swarmed over him. Northstar helped Tigerstryke destroy the mind-control power source but then again escaped when Vindicator (Heather Hudson)--from a hiding spot--shut off the lights and neutralized Tigerstyke's armor.

Comments: Created by Rob Liefeld, Fabian Nicieza, and Mark Pacella

Yeti's origin and background can be considered a somewhat convoluted one. As there was no obvious attempts to establish who, or what, he was, it can be left to the readers to assume that he is most likely one of the various humans possessed by the mystical entity, the Wendigo. This theory is given credence by his original codename.. However, even that presents questions.

There is a possibility that he is the Wendigo that possessed Francois Lartigue in Incredible Hulk II#272. That particular Wendigo was taken in by the Canadian government to be cured by the Alpha Flight member Shaman. However, his fate is ultimately unknown.

Another Wendigo, possessing an unidentified man, debuted in Spider-Man I#8, less than a year (our time, not Marvel time) before Yeti's debut. During the same year, a Wendigo that was almost certainly NOT Lartigue encountered Jack Russell, the Werewolf By Night in Marvel Comics Pesents I#113.

While it could be possible that the Yeti was either of these versions of the Wendigo, captured by the Canadian government and forced to serve it using the harness on its neck, it's also possible that this is yet another Wendigo, with no connection to the others mentioned. At some point, it was believed that only one being could be possessed by the Wendigo at a time, but as seen in the alternate future in Wild Thing#0, several can exist at one time.

There's also the possibility that this creature is not actually a Wendigo, but the Inhuman known as Yeti that aided the First Line. There are similarities, but again, we're dealing with a giant ape-like creature with white fur, so there's going to be a lot of resemblance regardless of relation.

Yet another option is that the Yeti is none of the above. He could possibly be a mutant, or a mutate created by Department K, or any number of other things. That being said, in my personal opinion, I believe he is indeed a Wendigo who is under the control of Department K, as I believe the creators wanted to imply. His name originally starting out as "Wendigo" only to be changed to "Yeti" in mid-mission supports this (maybe Weapon: PRIME realized acknowledging they were using a magically-powered cannibal monster wouldn't be a great public relations moment). However, until he can be proven to be one and the same as any of the other Wendigos, this entry will deals only with his appearances as Yeti, and as a unique character.

As you can see, Yeti did not do much in his many appearances. In his five different appearances in X-Force alone, he only showed up on-panel at most eight times.

Weapon: PRIME (later spelled P.R.I.M.E.)? --What the H!@$# does that stand for?
For a Wendigo, he was quite verbose in his Northstar appearances.
--Snood

Given that the Handbooks have identified Weapon: P.R.I.M.E. to stand for PRototype Induced Mutation Echelon, it could be that Yeti is a different kind of Wendigo mutate, possibly a controllable mutation or he just looks like one.
--Grendel Prime

Madison notes: While a Wendigo speaking anything other than its name is rare, it has been seen before. The Wendigo that possessed Michael Fleet was able to speak the name of Fleet's lover Tamara, while Mauvais was able to speak fairly well (most likely due to his mystical strength). Perhaps the inhibitor collar Yeti wore pacified him to a point he retained some of his human mind, thus enabling his speech.

In Marvel Monsters: From the Files of Ulysses Bloodstone and the Monsters Hunters it was revealed that this Yeti was really a Wendigo.
--Markus Raymond

Profile by Madison Carter and Snood

CLARIFICATIONS:

YETI, so far as we know, should not be confused with any of the following:

Wendigo (Paul Cartier), fought Hulk and Wolverine, cured @ Incredible Hulk II#162

Wendigo (Georges Baptiste), the second man to become the Wendigo @ Incredible Hulk II#181

Wendigo (Francois Lartigue), fought Hulk and Sasquatch @ Incredible Hulk II#272

Wendigo, blamed for child killings, defended by Spider-Man and Wolverine, later targeted by Werewolf by Night @ Spider-Man I#8

Yeti, a Wendigo under the control of Weapon: PRIME @ X-Force I#10

Wendigo, unknown host, walked through realities @ Blaze II#3

Wendigo (Michael Fleet), former cryptozoologist, encountered several heroes, @ Marvel Fanfare II#2

Wendigo (Andre), consumed own fingers, slain by Mauvais @ Wolverine II#129

Wendigo (Lorenzo "Larry"), purposely brought on curse, encountered Captain Marvel (Genis) @ Captain Marvel V#2

Mauvais, attempted to control the Wendigo curse within himself @ Wolverine II#171

Wendigo, skinned by Sabretooth @ Sabretooth V#3

Wendigo, encountered Paul Patterson @ Marvel Team-Up III#6

Wendigo (unidentified host), member of Alpha Strike @ Alpha Flight IV#4

Wendigo, teacher at Hellfire Academy @ Wolverine & the X-Men I#20

Wendigos, of Earth-MC2, 12 boy scouts under curse @ Wild Thing#0

WENDIGO, a bizarre creature that briefly terrorized Spider-Man @ AMAZING SPIDER-MAN I#277

YETISilver Surfer I#1

YETI ( ) - Inhuman, First Line--Fantastic Four I#99,(named) Marvel: The Lost Generation#12

YETI - see COLD PEOPLE--Fantastic Four I#145

YETI - see GUARDIAN of the GATEWAY--Black Panther I#5

YETI - tribe of descendents of Cro-Magnon men, lived in Himalayas, discovered and led by Hiram Swenson --Man-Thing II#2

YETI (Migou)-race discovered by Shang-Chi --Master of Kung-Fu I#124

Yetrigar - immense semi-humanoid hominid, preserved in ice below alberta, canada, awakened by underground nuclear testing, grew to immense size from radiation, encountered and battled Godzilla and Red Ronin, buried under landslide in grand canyon, unearthed by mockingbird to distract avengers, defeated, sent to vault
--Godzilla#10

Abominable Snow-King (Torg) --Sub-Mariner I#55

Abominable Snowman , Carl Hanson, --Tales To Astonish I#13

ABOMINABLE SNOW MAN - see Susquatch--Hulk Comic#12/1 (UK)

or any other "Yeti", "Wendigo" or similar furry creatures

Appearances:
X-Force I#11-13 (June-August, 1992) - Rob Liefeld (#1-2) & Fabian Nicieza (writers), Mark Pacella (pencils), Dan Panosian (inks), Bob Harras (editor)
X-Force I#19 (February, 1993) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Greg Capullo (pencils), Harry Candelario (inks), Bob Harras (editor)
X-Force I#22 (May-June, 1993) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Greg Capullo (pencils), Kevin Conrad (inks), Bob Harras (editor)
X-Force I#23 (May-June, 1993) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Greg Capullo (pencils), Kevin Conrad & Harry Candelario (inks), Bob Harras (editor)
Northstar I#1 (April, 1994) - Simon Furman (writer), Dario Carrasco Jr. (pencils), Ian Akin & Jack Keefer (inks), Rob Tokar (editor)
Northstar I#3 (June, 1994) - Simon Furman (writer), Dario Carrasco Jr. (pencils), Tim Dzon & Danny Bulanadi (inks), Rob Tokar (editor)

First Posted: 12/08/2003
Last updated: 08/12/2004

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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