By [ad_1]
Ogin’s unique ability to channel the powers of other Yokai through her blood makes her one of the most powerful Yokai in Demon Days’ alternate Japan
WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Demon Days: Rising Storm by Peach Momoko, Zach Davisson, and VC’s Ariana Maher, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
Since her first appearance in Demon Days: Mariko (by Peach Momoko, Zach Davisson, and VC’s Ariana Maher), the mysterious Yokai Ogin has served as the central villain of the entire Demon Days saga. She has impeded Mariko Yashida’s quest to discover the truth about her past at every turn by sending ninja, other Yokai, and even Shinto gods to hunt down and capture her. The motivation fueling Ogin’s grudge against Mariko was one of Demon Days‘ greatest mysteries until the release of Demon Days: Rising Storm, where it was revealed that Ogin was Mariko’s estranged sister and the “Momoko-verse” counterpart of the longtime X-Men villain Kenuichio Harada, aka Silver Samurai.
Harada, who possesed powerful mutant abilities, expert swordsmanship skills, and a surprising blood relationship with Earth-616″s Mariko, served as one of Wolverine’s greatest enemies before his eventual reformation and death. The previews of the upcoming Demon Days: Blood Feud (by Momoko, Davisson, and Maher) released on Marvel Unlimited hint that Ogin is even deadlier than her Earth 616 counterpart. Ogin’s unique ability to channel the powers of other Yokai through her blood makes her one of the most powerful Yokai in Demon Days’ alternate Japan, and the recently-resurrected Silver Samurai of Earth-616 could be in a position to develop similar powers through his gruesome new role within the mutant nation of Krakoa.
Born the illegitimate son of Shingen Yashida, head of the powerful Yashida Clan, Keniuchio was left to fend for himself from a young age and began studying the blade, becoming a skilled samurai and establishing himself as a mercenary for hire. During his training, Keinichiro took on the title of Siler Samurai after discovering that he was a mutant with the ability to generate a silvery tachyon field over his body that could be extended onto his sword, granting it the ability to cut through almost any substance. Eventually, Silver Samurai was hired as a bodyguard for Ophelia Sarkissian’s Madame Hydra, leading him to battle heroes like Spider-man and Black Widow.
Silver Samurai attempted to seize control of the Yashida Clan from his half-sister Mariko, only to be thwarted by Mariko’s lover Wolverine, establishing a bitter rivalry between the two mutants that would last for years to come. Silver Samurai was one of only a few X-Men villains able to stand against Wolverine in one-on-one combat, and his desire to kill the love of Logan’s life made their feud a much more personal affair than many of the X-Man’s other rivalries. However, as time went on, Silver Samurai came to see the error of his ways and made amends with both Wolverine and Mariko before she was assassinated by the Hand, serving as the leader of the Yashida clan in her stead before he was killed by a rival clan.
Ogin’s role as the Silver Samurai of the “Momoko-verse” has been subtly foreshadowed throughout Demon Days through her choice of attire and grudge against Mariko. The revelation that she’s Mariko’s sister deepens her connection with her Earth-616 counterpart. March’s Demon Days: Blood Feud is set to conclude Demon Days with a battle between the two sisters, and Marvel Unlimited’s previews of the issue have shown that Ogin can channel the powers of other Yokai by ingesting their blood. To ensure that she has access to this blood in combat, Ogin keeps several canisters of Yokai blood hidden in the hilt of her sword in an interesting inversion of Keniuchio’s ability to extend his mutant powers to his sword. The Yokai of Demon Days have been shown to possess many incredible powers, and Ogin’s ability to copy all of them makes her a deadly threat to her sister, who’s proven herself to be a very powerful warrior in her own right.
The sheer potential of Ogin’s abilities give her a clear edge over her Earth-616 counterpart, but there is a chance that Silver Samurai could develop a similar ability to channel the powers of the mutants thanks to his position as the master of the Krakoan Quarry, a gladiatorial arena where mutants can elect to battle one another in brutal combat. Krakoa’s unique psychic ecosystem can copy the powers of mutants, and although the chances of it happening are admittedly pretty slim, Silver Samurai could develop the ability to tap into those powers just like his Momoko-verse counterpart can.
Thankfully, even if Silver Samurai does acquire the ability to channel the powers of his fellow mutants, his deep sense of honor would likely prevent him from ever using them for evil. This is another element that separates Keniuchiro from Ogin, who steals the power of her fellow Yokai in pursuit of selfish revenge against a sister who never did anything to wrong her.
About The Author
[ad_2]
