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Quote1 You have the wisdom of the gods, Snowbird, but you lack the life experience to make that wisdom serve you. Your form is of a woman grown, yet it is less than six years since I plucked you from the netherworld, a mere babe. There is a richness to life that you have not yet begun even to suspect. Do not deny yourself this fullness. Quote2
Shaman[src]

History

Early Life[]

Born from a great line of Sarcee mystics, Michael was not interested in learning his grandfather's arts, instead choosing to become a surgeon. When his wife Katheryn became sick, he vowed that he would find a cure for her. However, she soon died. His daughter Elizabeth became angry at him, and was taken in by the McNeils. Michael spent his time in the wild as a recluse. He was visited by his grandfather's spirit and learned the magical arts.[5] He also encountered a goddess and helped her deliver her child, Narya.[6]

Alpha Flight[]

James and Heather Hudson met Michael and Narya and invited them to join Alpha Flight. Michael joined partially because he was concerned with how the young Narya, who took the codename Snowbird, would be used. He took the name of Shaman, using both his mystic and medical talents.[citation needed]

Shaman and the team was sent by the Prime Minister to recapture the expatriate Wolverine. However following a brief battle Shaman and the team decided to allow him to continue his membership with the X-Men.[7] Sometime later Shaman and the team assisted Wolverine in a fight against the monstrous Wendigo in Northern Canada. Shaman used his magic to counteract the curse and cured the creature's condition, transforming him back into a human.[8]

After Sasquatch was killed by Snowbird, Shaman used the Great Key to transport the team to the Realm of Great Beasts. There they found Walter's spirit. With Boch's permission, Shaman placed it into the Box robot.[citation needed]

When reunited with his daughter Elizabeth, both Shaman and Snowbird realized she was fated to wear the talisman. He asked her to look into the pouch and then reach for something. She did, pulling the talisman which then affixed to her head. Elizabeth went on to join Alpha Flight as Talisman.[9]

Elizabeth was seemingly killed while on a mission to recover members of Alpha Flight lost in the interdimensional void opened when Delphine Courtney inverted Shaman's pouch. It was only through the intervention of the Beyonder that she was saved. Elizabeth was furious at her father as he had promised that no harm would come to her but she perceived him as abandoning her. His heart broken over his inability to save his daughter, much like he had with her mother. This crisis of conscience resulted in his inability to use the powers of the pouch.[10] Shaman travelled to the Northwest Territories to renew his skills and face several trials to prove his worthiness. As gifts for succeeding, his grandfather's spirit gave him new tools to act as the Shaman: an Eagle crest hat to call forth a familiar (Eaglet), and a staff by which to communicate with spirits.[11]

Shaman briefly had to use the Talisman of Power when Elizabeth foolishly summoned Pestilence. His passing of his tests meant he, too, was worthy enough to wear it.[citation needed]

Acting as Talisman made him distance himself from the others, as the warder of spirits cannot let other things get in the way of his or her mission. Later, Elizabeth reclaimed the talisman, seemingly having learned her lesson.[citation needed]

Shaman temporarily left the team to meet with the Arctic gods. He returned during the Infinity Crusade as many heroes battled the Goddess. [citation needed]

Shaman continued to be withdrawn, especially after briefly taking the team to the Land of the Dead in an attempt to see his wife again.[citation needed]

Shaman later served as an adviser to Gamma Flight while Elizabeth recovered from serious injuries.[citation needed]

After Department H dismantled Alpha Flight and then formed a new team with several new additions, Shaman found himself drawn to find Walter Langowski. The two then found the wounded Guardian in Antarctica. The three joined with Northstar and Aurora to confront their teammates about Department H's true plans. All eventually were reunited.[citation needed]

Shaman had trained a protege, Earthmover to take over much of his duties. He still continued to be involved with Alpha Flight. However, he was believed dead after their battle with the Collective. Shaman, Guardian, Vindicator and Puck were revealed to be deceased when they were seen in the Underworld, however due to the Chaos King warring on all reality, they were released and brought back to the land of the living (save for both Puck and Major Mapleleaf).[citation needed]

Since his return, Shaman has rejoined Alpha Flight in service of the Canadian Government.

Strange Academy[]

Shaman was invited to join the Strange Academy a magical school based in New Orleans. He became a lecturer and taught the class Premed Inter-Spiritual Studies where they learned medicine work through spiritual means.[12] When Doctor Strange was killed, Shaman was among the mystics of Earth who sensed the Sorcerer Supreme's death.[13]

Fall of X[]

After the attack on the third Hellfire Gala by anti-mutant terrorist group Orchis left most of Earth's mutant heroes dead, captured, or missing, the world's mutant diaspora would find itself subject to large-scale persecution.[14] Alongside his teammates, Shaman would be tasked by the Canadian government to arrest and apprehend Canada's mutant population. However, the team were secretly working to help save Canada's mutants, allowing Northstar, Aurora, Feedback, and Fang to evacuate them to the decommissioned Alpha Flight space station, from which they would be sheparded to safety on planet Chandilar by Marrina and Walter Langkowski. For this crime of treason, Shaman and the rest of his team would be arrested and incarcerated.[15]

Attributes

Power Grid[29]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Some Training:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/Multiple Types:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Enhanced:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Warp:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Gifted

Powers

Michael Twoyoungmen (Earth-616) from Alpha Flight Vol 1 25 001

Sarcee Sorcery/Sorcery: Shaman was a powerful magician trained in the use of the Sarcee people's nature-based magics, at a young age he was introduced to the wonders of multiple magics, and he learned the all, but stuck with Sarcee for its purity.

  • Astral Projection:[16] Shaman can astrally project his mind outside of his body, while doing so his body can still act indipendently from his mind.[17]
  • Mystical Bolts[16]
  • Fear Projection:[16] Shaman can trigger people's phobias.[18]
  • Healing[16]
  • Illusion Casting:[18] Shaman can conjure realistic illusions.[19]
    • Alter Appearance: Shaman can alter the appearance of himself and others.[20]
  • Cause Inducement
  • Exorcism[16]
  • Elemental/Weather Control: Shaman could affect weather, such as causing a blizzard. He could also use small elements within his pouch, such as creating a stone golem or a fire barrier.[16]
    • Cryokinesis: Shaman can generate and control ice.[19]
    • Pyrokinesis: Shaman can generate and control flames.[21]
    • Atmokinesis: Shaman is able to control all elements of the weather, he is able to summon crazy storms, conjure high winds, summon lightning, and create energy surges.
    • Electrokinesis: Shaman can summon storms to strike his enemies with lightning.[21]
    • Plant Control Shaman could cause vines to appear and entangle foes.[16] He can also control and reshape nearby plants.[22]
  • Natural Dimensional Nullification: Through the power of nature, he could nullify extra dimensional magics or return an extra dimensional being to its home dimension.
  • Restoration: Using his magic, Shaman could revert altered beings to their natural state. A special ritual could cure people possessed by the Wendigo.
  • Teleportation[16]: Shaman can teleport himself and others over vast distances.[18]
  • Energy Manipulation: Shaman has energy manipulation which allows him to produce energy and control it, shape it and absorb it, he also has sub abilities for his energy manipulation.
  • Energy Projection: He can use his magic and energy manipulation to convey energy and use it in her magical blasts
  • Energy Resistance: He is resistant to energy but not fully. He can take hits and absorb them but at some point his body will start to break down molecules, meaning he would have to leave the fight or anything blasting energy at him.
  • Time Travel:[16] Shaman can create portals to travel back in time.[23]
  • Flight: He could levitate and fly riding wind. He seemed to be mostly adept at flying vertically.[16]
  • Totems: Shaman could use various totems.
  • Commune with Animals
  • Commune with Spirits: He could request any spirits present in an area to assist him with the Spirit Staff.
  • Telepathy/Empathy: Shaman has mentally linked to his daughter. He could also detect the presence of evil.
  • Size Alteration: Shaman has shrunk Smart Alec to the point where he was only a few inches tall.[24]
  • Force Fields: Shaman can generate solid force fields.[25]

Abilities

He was a skilled surgeon, one of the best in Canada. He was fluent in a number of languages, including Inuit.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

  • Shaman's Medicine Pouch: This pouch was actually a void-like dimension containing various staves, powders and objects. Shaman placed his hand and retrieved an item when needed. As long as an item could 'fit' in the bag, he could use it. Items could be drawn into the bag. Shaman and Elizabeth could safely look into the pouch, but it was apparently a maddening sight to anyone who didn't have the magical skill to withstand its power.
  • Eagle's Crest: The eagle crest on Shaman's hat was a familiar called Eaglet.
  • Grandfather's Skull: Shaman kept his grandfather's skull as a focus.
  • Caribou Robe: Given to him by Elizabeth as a sign of passing his rites.
  • Sarcee Wristbands: Shaman formerly wore two Sarcee wristbands. By slapping the wristbands together, he could instantly change from his civilian attire into his Shaman costume.[26][verification needed]

Weapons

The Great Key, a long golden staff (usually kept in his mystical pouch). It served as a gateway to the Realm of Beasts when it was used at the Eye of the World.

Trivia

See Also

Links and References

  • uncannyxmen.net Spotlight On... Shaman
  • Ghost Rider Vol 2, No. 12 April 1991; (Cameo); Featuring: Ghost Rider
  • Over The Edge Vol 1, No. 2 December 1995; cameo; Featuring: Doctor Strange, Silver Dagger

References

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