RAIN FALLING WEST

Real Name: Rain Falling West

Identity/Class: Human (possible magic user);
    Native American (Keewazi)

Occupation: Factory worker;
    possible shaman

Group Membership: Keewazi nation

Affiliations: She-Hulk (Jen Walters)

Enemies: Carlton Beatrice

Known Relatives: (See comments) Roberta Wingfoot (mother, or possibly step-mother), William Wingfoot (step-father, or possibly father), Wyatt Wingfoot (half- or full brother), Wynona Wingfoot (sister; half-, step- or full?), Roberta Elk Step (grandmother), Miriam (aunt, or great aunt, or step-father's sister, or something...), Silent Fox (step-father's father, or grandfather, or something...);
    Black Eagle (possibly an alias of William Wingfoot, or possibly this was her true father, or another step-father?)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
    formerly the Keewazi Indian reservation in Oklahoma, USA

First Appearance: Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#1 (1989)

Powers/Abilities: While Rain did not demonstrate mystical abilities, she had strong abilities to sense the presence and nature of magic, and the powerful Carlton Beatrice considered her "too powerful to toy with." She had knowledge and experience of Keewazi magic, especially "woman's medicine," which generally referred to magic involving the soul.
    Rain was friendly, generous, helpful, and confident. She was an experienced equestrian and seamstress.

Height: Approximately 5'11" (she looked to be halfway between Wyatt and Roberta)
Weight: 145 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black

 

 

History:
(Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#1 (fb) - BTS) - As a young girl, Rain Falling West posed for a photograph with her grandmother, Roberta Elk Step, and brother, Wyatt Wingfoot.

(Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#1 (fb) - BTS) - Like many of her generation in the Keewazi tribe, Rain Falling West never worked in the oil business (which was once the foundation of a thriving local economy); instead she worked at the factory just outside of town.

 

 

 

(Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#1) - As Rain Falling West returned home with a bag of groceries, her grandmother, Roberta Elk Step, already fading away as she was being summoned to the astral plane by Carlton Beatrice, told Rain she would have to see to supper as she would be occupied for a time; she cautioned Rain not to let it burn.
    Not sure what to think, Rain responded, "Yes, ma'am."

    Later, with Wyatt drawn to become engaged with Jen Walters (aka She-Hulk) via a misunderstanding of the bond generated by Roberta' mystic basket, Wyatt and Jen traveled to the Keewazi reservation, where he introduced Jen to Rain and Roberta. Meeting Jen, Rain surmised, "She'll do."
    At dinner, which Rain served, Roberta told Wyatt, as the "True Chief" of the Keewazi, only he could halt a powerful evil of ancient prophecy, after which Roberta revealed her past history with Carlton Beatrice and the threat he currently presented.

(Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#2) - Rain gave She-Hulk a garment formerly worn by Wyatt's father, which Rain had altered; Rain complimented Jen on how it looked, noting she must be sick of her leotards, but She-Hulk explained that she loved the leotards. Moving forward, Rain explained to She-Hulk the nature of the basket (its mystic properties linking together those things that belonged together), Wyatt's recent vision quest, and Jen's link to Wyatt (she was his spirit guide and completed him). In mid-discussion, Carlton Beatrice summoned She-Hulk to an astral plane

(Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#2 - BTS) - Beatrice tried to coerce She-Hulk into surrendering the basket to him; however, upon learning She-Hulk knew he could only use the basket if it were given willingly to him and that she could not be bluffed, Beatrice dismissed her back to the Earthly plane.

(Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#2 (fb) - BTS) - Roberta sensed a disturbance at the local factory; she sent Wyatt to investigate, and sent Rain to protect Wyatt.

(Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#2) - Rain and Wyatt encountered She-Hulk as Beatrice cast Jen back to Earth, and they traveled together to the factory where they found many soulless Keewazi (whose souls Beatrice had claimed); as they approached, Rain sensed a coldness. Rain localized the chill to Carlton's factory, and noted that Beatrice had already begun his work. The trio entered the factory, and Beatrice's soulless victims herded them into Beatrice's office. When Jen again refused Beatrice's request that she give him the basket, Beatrice wondered if this would change if he had a bargaining chip: Beatrice noted that Rain was too powerful to toy with, as of yet; She-Hulk's will was too strong to easily subvert; but Wyatt was unprepared to face a challenge. After Beatrice stole Wyatt's soul, She-Hulk -- remembering Rain's description of the basket's abilities -- took the container holding Beatrice's "soul wafers" and dumped it into the basket, which released the souls as butterflies that rejoined with their host bodies. However, Beatrice held Wyatt's soul and threatened to consume it unless She-Hulk gave him the basket willingly. Despite Rain's advice that Wyatt must be sacrificed to protect the soul of the world, She-Hulk was unwilling to leave Wyatt as he was, and she gave the basket to Beatrice, figuring she could always get it back later. Upon receiving the basket, Beatrice graciously dropped Wyatt's "soul wafer" into it, and Wyatt's soul was restored to him, after which Beatrice vanished with the basket; distraught, Rain cried out as Beatrice vanished.

(Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#2) - Roberta Elk Step met with Wyatt, Rain, and She-Hulk as they departed the factory. Realizing this was his fault for not accepting the training to oppose Beatrice, Wyatt accepted his grandmother's offer to learn the medicine of their tribe; they vanished to some mystic plane.

(Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#2 (fb) - BTS) - Beatrice had his political allies rescind the treaty that created the Keewazi reservation, forcing the Keewazi to leave so Carlton Industries could properly exploit the land's valuable trace metals.

(Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#2) - Arriving at the reservation as her people were departing, and learning what Beatrice had done, Rain noted, "Where the Native American is concerned...there is no law." She-Hulk began destroying Beatrice's construction equipment. When She-Hulk found an elderly Keewazi sitting in the destruction site, she tried to convince him to leave, but Rain explained that, having lived there his whole life, he would not live without his home; she counseled She-Hulk to leave him with his dignity.  Soon after, She-Hulk was subdued and captured via high-tech weaponry by Beatrice's men. Rain watched helplessly as She-Hulk was taken away, unconscious and in chains.

(Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#2) - Roberta and Wyatt returned shortly after She-Hulk's capture, noting that what Wyatt had learned of "woman's medicine" may be sufficient to do what he must. However, after Rain revealed that they had lost their land, Roberta was broken. Noting she had no home and no more strength to fight, and that there was nothing else left for her to do, Roberta collapsed to her knees, told Wyatt to lead their people, and then fell over, dead.

(Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#2 - BTS) - She-Hulk escaped her captors and was hospitalized.

(Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#2) - Rain explained to She-Hulk that her Avengers' status was all that had kept She-Hulk from being arrested for her actions against Beatrice's men and equipment. Still injured, She-Hulk nonetheless joined Wyatt in opposing Beatrice. Rain accompanied Wyatt and She-Hulk to the reservation, but while soulless Keewazi guarding it (their souls reclaimed by Beatrice) allowed Wyatt and She-Hulk to enter, Wyatt stated that they wouldn't let Rain in; the soulless ones locked the gate after Wyatt and She-Hulk, barring Rain's passage (though it is unclear whether that was Beatrice's or Wyatt's influence).

(Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#2 - BTS) - Combing their male and female energies, Wyatt and Jen reversed Beatrice's spell -- using the basket to perform the ceremony that would wed him to the Earth's feminine energy, which would make him husband to the world's soul -- and sent the many souls already gathered into the basket back to their homes.

 

 

(Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#2) - Rain told Wyatt his father would be very proud of him. Wyatt vowed to someday return his people to their homeland, which would allow his grandmother to rest in peace. As he said this, Roberta's face formed in a cloud and looked down upon him with a smile. That may well have been symbolic, but as she's a mystic, it's possible it was really her manifesting and watching over Wyatt.

 

 

Comments: Created by Dwayne McDuffie, Robin D. Chaplik, and June Brigman.

    Roberta, when speaking to her grandson, mentions Wyatt's "Aunt Miriam." This would seem to indicate that Miriam was of a younger generation than Roberta and thus was either her daughter or her niece-by-marriage. However, if Miriam was Roberta's sister, then that would make her Wyatt's great-aunt and Roberta may have just chosen to use the more general term of "aunt" instead of the more specific "great-aunt."
--Donald Campbell
     The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Update#1 (2010) noted Miriam as Wyatt's aunt. That does not directly contradict the above discussion; that entry also notes a Roberta as Wyatt's mother (in addition to Roberta Elk Step being his grandmother). Additionally, as Roberta has gray hair when Miriam had black hair, and as Carlton overpowered and slew Miriam but fled from fear of Roberta Elk Step's power, it would certainly seem that Roberta Elk Step was a generation older than Miriam.

    I had long assumed that Roberta was went to have been Silent Fox's wife (Wyatt's paternal grandmother). I re-read this story four times in writing this profile, the last two as part of a meticulous panel-by-panel review for Roberta's profile and the one for her basket, and then again for Rain's profile, during which it seemed to me that since Roberta and "Wyatt's aunt" Miriam had the mystic power, that they were likely direct familial relations.
    More significantly, the basket was an engagement gift given to William Wingfoot by Roberta (Wyatt's mother, not Roberta Elk Step). I would take that to indicate that the basket had come from Roberta Elk Step's family, with Roberta (Wyatt's mother) giving it to William because she was Roberta Elk Step's daughter (although we don't know for sure that Roberta Elk Step had the basket before Wyatt's mother, Roberta, gave it to William. Additionally, Roberta Elk Step referring to William Wingfoot as Wyatt's father, as opposed to "my son," is weak supportive evidence for William being her son-in-law.
Conversely, Roberta Elk Step referencing "your Aunt Miriam," as opposed to "my daughter," would logically be because Roberta Elk Step had at least two daughters. But, all of the above is ultimately just an interpretation on repeated review of the issues. Nothing concrete or irrefutable.
        Also, given Rain's greater height than Wyatt in the picture from their youth, it would seem likely that Rain is Wyatt's older sister, though it could be they were very close in age, and she hit a growth spurt while he was a late bloomer...
    It's also worth noting that Wyatt's sister, Rain Falling West, doesn't refer to William as "our father" but as "your father" when talking with Wyatt. She also refers to "Wyatt's father" when talking with She-Hulk. This could mean that she and Wyatt were half-siblings who had different fathers. If Rain is younger than Wyatt, then her mother could have married another man (Black Eagle?) after William died and that man could be her father. Or Wyatt's parents may have divorced before William died and his mother could have then married another man and they had Rain.--Donald Campbell
    Nonetheless, my thoughts would thus be that the relationships should be thus:

Roberta Wingfoot (mother), William Wingfoot (step-father), Wyatt Wingfoot (half-brother), Wynona Wingfoot (sister; half-, step- or full?), Roberta Elk Step (grandmother), Miriam (aunt), Silent Fox (step-father's father);
    ...and who knows about Black Eagle?

Further comments in the field of relatives courtesy of Donald Campbell:

We know only these three things:

  1. Silent Fox and Roberta Elk Step were both Wyatt's grandparents but it was never stated that they were co-parents of the same child.
  2. The fact that the position of chief would have passed from Silent Fox to William and then to Wyatt means that Silent Fox was William's father.
  3. Roberta referred to Miriam as Wyatt's "aunt" (which could mean great-aunt).

    Aside from that, there's a lot of uncertainty, including the names of whoever were Wyatt's other two grandparents (and which grandparents they were). It's worth noting that, aside from Roberta Elk Step and Miriam, Silent Fox had mystic power as well. Roberta and Miriam both practiced "female medicine" together so that doesn't necessarily mean that they were blood relatives, just that they were both women. Miriam could have been Silent Fox's sister (thus William's aunt and Wyatt's great aunt) or his daughter (thus William's sister and Wyatt's aunt). Whoever Miriam was, she and Roberta were close enough that Carlton feared the latter's vengeance for what he had done to Miriam. Did he kill Miriam or "just" steal her soul? I don't think it was made clear in the story.

    How Wynona Wingfoot fits into the picture is less clear since she has the Wingfoot family name but called Black Eagle her father. Possibly he's her step-father?

    Again, there's just so much uncertainty. So far, we have been seen seven members of Wyatt's family (Silent Fox, Roberta Elk Step, Miriam, William Wingfoot, Rain Falling West, Wyatt and Wynona Wingfoot) out of (at least) ten. Of the other three, Wyatt's mother has been mentioned (and named Roberta in official texts) but nothing is known about the other two grandparents. Of the seven "Wingfoot" relatives, at least five have (or had) mystical power but it's not been revealed if either William or Wynona had/have any powers. William may have had mystical potential but if so he apparently never chose to develop it (just as Wyatt didn't until circumstances forced him to do so).

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Rain Falling West should be distinguished from:

images: (without ads)
Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#1, story pg. 1, panel 3 (face, with groceries)
        pg. 14, panel 4 (photograph with young Wyatt and Rain);
        pg. 34, panel 4 (full body, serving dinner)
    #2, story pg. 1, panel 2 (face, unobscured);
        pg. 4, panel 6 (on horseback);
        pg. 27, panel 3 (with dying Roberta);
        pg. 40, panel 4 (Roberta's face looking down from a cloud)

Appearances:
Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony#1-2 (1989) - Dwayne McDuffie (script), Robin D. Chaplik & Dwayne McDuffie (plot), June Brigman (penciler), Stan Drake (inker), Gary Barnum (assistant editor), Bobbie Chase (editor)

Last updated: 07/09/14

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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