MARIKO YASHIDA

Publication Date: 25th Jul 2013
Written By: sixhoursoflucy.
Image Work: sixhoursoflucy.
Alternate Versions

ALTERNATE VERSIONS

The Mariko Yashida of Earth-2109 was not only a mutant who went by the name Sunfire, but she was also a lesbian whose sexual orientation caused a rift between her and her parents. This reality’s Mariko was chosen by the Timebroker to serve on the dimension-hopping Exiles. Throughout her many travels with the team, her teammate Morph developed a massive crush on  her before realizing she was gay. Mariko eventually formed a short-lived romantic relationship with the Mary-Jane Watson of another reality, who served as that world’s Spider-Woman. Eventually, Mariko’s dangerous adventures got the best of her, and she died saving a group of civilians from a collapsing building.


In the dismal Age of Apocalypse timeline, Mariko Yashida was a member of the High Human Council, one of the last human groups standing that opposed Apocalypse’s despotic reign. Unlike some of her fellow councilman, Mariko was less enthusiastic about the plan to nuke North America in order to eliminate Apocalypse’s primary stronghold. She was particularly suspicious of her peer Brian Braddock—suspicions that ended up being well-founded. Mariko also knew that reality’s Wolverine from her youth, when he worked for her father, Lord Shingen. She owed him a debt of gratitude for saving her from some thugs as a teenager, and later, when Mariko was a bit older, her relationship with Wolverine blossomed into a sexual one. Mariko eventually gave birth to Wolverine's daughter, a mutant girl named Kirika who later joined that reality's X-Men.


In the Mutant X timeline, Mariko actually married Wolverine and they had two children together. Sometime after the birth of their second child, Logan disappeared. Unbeknownst to Mariko, Logan was going through a stage of feral regression and become a part of the Pack - a group of lupine mutants who had lost touch with their humanity. Mariko and her children were taken hostage at one point by her husband’s old ally Sabretooth. With the help of Havok's team The Six, Logan was brought to his senses in time to intervene and rescue his family. They were happily reunited after years of separation.


Mariko actually married Wolverine as intended in the reality depicted in What If..? (2nd series) #43. Despite their nuptials, things did not end well for Mariko in the end. Together with Wolverine by her side and the surprising aid of her half-brother, the Silver Samurai, Mariko waged a war on the criminal underworld in an attempt to free Clan Yashida of its criminal ties. Her role as the leader of Clan Yashida made her a target for the Kingpin, who had his own agenda to gain control of the Yakuza by acquiring Clan Yashida. Though Logan served as her champion and confronted the Kingpin in single combat, Mariko was assassinated at the Kingpin's behest by her brother, the Silver Samurai. Following her death, Logan broke all ties with Clan Yashida and turned control of the family's interest over to Mariko's cousin, Sunfire.

Alternate Versions