OWAYODATA

Real Name: Nayenezghani

Occupation: God of the Hunt and Protector of the Cheyenne Indians, mentor of Red Wolf

Legal Status: Citizen of Shipolo

Identity: The general populace of Earth is unaware of Owayodata except as a Native American Spirit. He is well known to the Cheyenne Indians.

Other Aliases: Wolf-God, Great Spirit of the Cheyenne, Great Manitou, Sosondowa (Iroquois name), Hokewingla (Dakota), Pokanghoya (Hopi), Uyuuyewe (Sia), Wakan Tanka,

Place of Birth: somewhere in the former Navaho Territory

Marital Status: Married

Known Relatives: Manabozho (father), Onatah (mother), Chibiabos, Wabasso, Coyote (uncles), Yolkai-Estsan (aunt), Hino, Hotamintanio (brothers), Omamama (sister), Tawa (half-brother), Pawa (half-sister), Glendenwitha (wife), Hasteoltoi (daughter), Anpa (sister-in-law), Wildrun (deceased), Johnny Wakely (deceased), Will Talltrees (possible descendants)

Group Affiliation: The Anasazi (Native American Gods),

Base of Operations: Shipolo and Ka' Kai-Bia near the Cheyenne Reservation in Arizona

First Appearance: (name only) Avengers I #80, (actual) Marvel Spotlight #1 

History: Nayenezghani is the son of Manabozho, Great Spirit of the Anasazi, an extra-dimensional race of beings worshipped as gods by the Native Americans, and his wife, Onatah, the corn-goddess. As young gods, Nayenezghani and his brother, Thobadzistshini (later Hotamintanio) were given enchanted weapons to defend the gods and protect earth from their eternal enemies, notably the Anaye, demonic entities that threatened mortal man, and the Anamaqkui, maligned spirits from the underworld. Many of the Anaye over several centuries were destroyed in order to make the world safe for mortals, but a few apparently continued to exist. Nayenezghani later became the god of the hunt for many of the Native Americans who worshipped him under various names. As Sosondowa, he was wooed by Anpa the dawn-goddess, but instead married her sister, Glendenwitha, the star-goddess, and took her home to Shipolo, the realm of the Native American gods, to hide from Anpa's wrath. As the wolf-god, Owayodata, he became the protector of the Cheyenne Indians and began a custom of making over their greatest warriors in his image.

According to tradition, Owayodata had descended to earth several hundred years ago and empowered a great warrior named Wildrun to become his presence on earth and serve as an exemplar to all warriors. He often sent him after treats to mortals or to the lands of the Native Americans. Wildrun became the first Red Wolf afterward in a long line of successors, and when he died, Owayodata appeared to carry his spirit or “soul” into heaven. All the following men to carry the mantle of Red Wolf were suspected to be descendants of Wildrun including Johnny Wakely in the Nineteenth Century. The most recent Red Wolf is Will Talltrees, who often arrived at Owayodata’s sacred mound at Ka Kai-Bai, near the Cheyenne Reservation in Arizona, where Owayodata often appeared in person to Talltrees. It is not clear whether previous Red Wolf’s also utilized the site, but whenever Talltrees needed spiritual guidance or suspected Owayodata desired his presence; he always arrived at the site. At one point, Talltrees moved to Phoenix and lived as a construction worker named Thomas Thunderhead. He also fell in love with Jill Tomahawk, and wanted to marry her, trying to shirk his responsibility as Red Wolf, but Owayodata manifested in order to remind him that he had devoted himself to a life of sacrifice and peace keeping, and could not afford the love of a woman or the companionship of friends, and that it was his destiny to carry his responsibility alone. Regranted his costume and wolf-guide, Lobo, Talltrees broke up with Jill and departed Phoenix.

Sometime later, Red Wolf was hovering near death on an operating table after a brutal fight with the Bengal and took a mental trip to the spirit realm of his ancestors where he met with Owayodata. Admitting his guilt over some things he did in Vietnam, Talltrees was informed by Owayodata that his guilt over the past was why he had been chosen to carry the mantle and that it was his best weapon in becoming a more righteous warrior. Talltrees afterward came to terms with his guilt and chose to live.

In recent years, Owayodata’s fellow gods, Coyote, Hotamintanio, and Calumet of the Anasazi approached Owayodata to aid them in battle against all Americans, particularly the descendants of the Europeans who had taken the ancestral lands of their worshippers, whom they called “white man.” Backed by the spirits of millions of slain Native Americans, the three gods took Owayodata hostage to keep him from interfering with their plans, but Red Wolf and Black Crow working in tandem with Doctor Strange subsequently rescued him. Strange vanquished the rogue gods from Earth with a spell, but Owayodata continues to watch over Red Wolf from his native realm.

Height: 6’ 5”

Weight: 475 lbs.

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Brown

Unusual Physical Traits: On Earth, Owayodata often appears as a man with the head of a wolf, or as a wolf of extra-ordinary physical size.

Strength Level: Owayodata possesses superhuman strength enabling him to lift (press) over 65 tons under optimal conditions.

Known Superhuman Powers: Owayodata possesses the conventional powers of the Anasazi or Native American Gods. Like all Anasazi, he is extremely long lived: he has aged very slowly since reaching adulthood and cannot die by any conventional means. He is immune to all Earthly diseases and is resistant to conventional injury. If he were somehow wounded, his godly life force would enable him to recover with superhuman speed. It would take an injury of such magnitude that it dispersed a major portion of his bodily molecules to cause him a physical death. Even then, it might be possible for a god of significant power, such as Manabozho and Wabasso or for a number of Native American gods of equal power working together to revive him. Owayodata also possesses superhuman strength and his godly metabolism provides him with far greater than human endurance in all physical activities. (Anasazi flesh and bone is about three times as dense as similar human tissue, contributing to the superhuman strength and weight of the Native American gods.)

Owayodata is physically stronger and more powerful than the typical Native American god, with the exception of deities such as Hino, Hotamintanio and Manabozho. He has incredible stamina and can track any prey relentlessly without having tiring. He has exceptional senses on par with Manabozho and can see through “the veil of the world,” perceiving stimuli and senses on a level bordering on clairvoyance. He can use all his senses at once and smell scents and detect the presence of all living things. Possibly the best tracker among his race, he can be a relentless pursuer and a formidable hunter.

Owayodata also seems to be able to tap into and manipulate undefined mystical energies, enabling him to cross dimensions, augment the powers of his followers and transform into a wolf or a god with the head of a wolf. He can see and perceive the perceptions of wolves and command them to follow his bidding. Primarily, he manifests his powers through his mortal champions.

Weaponry: Owayodata is proficient with a knife and a bow and arrow.

Limitations: It is believed that Owayodata in the modern era can only affect Earth through his champion, Red Wolf.

Comments: Thanks to Michael Hoskins (Prime Eternal) of the Marvel Appendix for his help in compiling his MU appearances.

Owayodata's mythological past is pieced together from Navaho, Iroquois, Dakota and Cheyenne myths. Since his birth is described in Navaho legends, Nayenezghani may be his earliest name.

Updated: 02/19/07

 

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