Sasquatch I

{{Hero|
image=[[Image:Sasquatch.jpg]]
|character_name=Sasquatch
|real_name=Dr.Walter Langkowski
|debut=''Uncanny X-Men'' #120
|affiliations=[[Omega Flight III|Omega Flight]]
|past_affiliations=[[Alpha Flight]], [[Beta Flight]], [[Gamma Flight I|Gamma Flight]], [[Howling Commandos]]
|status=Active
|aliases=[[Tanaraq]], [[Box III]]
|relatives=[[Langkowski Veronica|Veronica Langkwoski]] (Wife), Unnamed son
|height=6'4", (as Sasquatch) 10'0
|weight=245 lbs, (as Sasquatch) 2000lbs
|eyes=Blue, (as Sasquatch) Red
|hair=Blonde, (as Sasquatch) Orange
|}}

==History==
[[Image:Sasquatch1_2.jpg|right]]A former All-Pro football player with the Green Bay Packers, Walter Langkowski became involved with [[Department H]]'s scientific department while working as a professor of biophysics at McGill University in Montreal. While attending Pennsylvania State University, Walter had gotten to know Bruce Banner (The [[Hulk]]) who had an influence on Walter, inspiring him to pursue his own studies in Gamma radiation.

When Walter learned how Gamma radiation had turned Banner into the [[Hulk]], Langkowski (already involved with [[Department H]]) attempted to replicate the process with himself as the test subject in a more controlled environment. Langkowski's experiments seemed to be successful as he discovered he had transformed into the 10-foot, orange fur form of Sasquatch. He assumed that the colouration difference between himself and the [[Hulk]] was due to sunspot activity over his northern research laboratory. In truth, the Gamma radiation was not what had given Walter his powers. The intense release of energy breached the mystical barrier between Earth and the [[Realm Of The Beasts]]. During the split-second dimensional breach, the essence of the [[Great Beasts|Great Beast]] [[Tanaraq]] escaped, taking refuge in the body of Walter Langkowski, thereby endowing him with the power of taking the [[Great Beasts|Great Beast]]'s form at will.

When Walt's fellow [[Alpha Flight]] member, [[Snowbird]] eventually learned the nature of his powers, she was forced to take action. [[Snowbird]] had been put on Earth by the [[Northern Gods]] to destroy the [[Great Beasts]] as they appeared. [[Snowbird]] took the form of an albino Sasquatch, and ripped out Langkowski's heart. In death, the spirit of [[Tanaraq]], fled to the [[Realm Of The Beasts]], dragging that of Walter with it. [[Alpha Flight]] crossed the dimensional barrier and brought back Langkowski's soul. Having no body within which to place the soul, [[Shaman]] transferred it into the robotic [[Box III|Box]] armour.

[[Image:Sasquatch1_3.jpg|left]][[Box I|Roger Bochs]] (designer of the [[Box I|Box]] armour) and Langkowski went looking for a mindless body in the [[Inter-dimensional Crossroads]]. The body they located turned out to be that of the [[Hulk]]. While trying to bring the [[Hulk]]'s body across the dimensional barrier, Langkowski's soul became trapped in the [[Inter-dimensional Crossroads|Crossroads]]. After some time, Walter came across the mindless body of [[Smart Alec]], an enemy of [[Alpha Flight]] that [[Shaman]] had shrunken and put into his [[Shaman's Pouch|medicine pouch]] (a door to all dimensions). Taking over the diminutive body, Walter used it to escape the nexus through [[Shaman's pouch]]. He emerged to find [[Snowbird]]'s dead body in the albino Sasquatch form possessed by the evil being [[Pestilence]]. Langkowski then moved back into the uninhabited [[Box III|Box]] armour to battle with [[Pestilence]] in the Albino Sasquatch form. He expelled the soul of Pestilence, and took over the newly vacated body of the Albino Sasquatch. When Walter switched back to human form, he was shocked to find out that he was now a woman. Since it had been the body of [[Snowbird]], it retained its female nature despite being the house for a male's soul. Walter then took on the name of Wanda Langkowski.

Some time later during a battle with the [[Dreamqueen]], Wanda had fallen under the evil demon's power and had stolen the [[Talismans Coronet|Talisman]]. At that point [[Snowbird]]'s spirit descended and restored Langkowski's body to that of a man, thereby breaking the control of the [[Dreamqueen]]. From that point on, Walter continued to serve with [[Alpha Flight]], now again able to take the orange form of Sasquatch. It is not known if he still bears a connection to [[Tanaraq]].

After [[Alpha Flight]] had been disbanded by the Canadian government, Langkowski was doing research at the North Pole, when he came upon the Frozen form of [[Guardian I|James MacDonald Hudson]]. With [[Guardian I|Hudson]], [[Shaman]], [[Northstar]], and [[Aurora]] they deposed the then corrupt [[Department H]], rejoining [[Alpha Flight]]. That version of [[Alpha Flight]] unfortunately did not last long.

Most recently, Langkowski has taken steps to form a new [[Alpha Flight]] with a host of new members. When he, along with the rest of Alpha Flight investigated a potential [[Plodex]] attack, they were all captured except for Sasquatch. Sasquatch led an All New, All Different [[Alpha Flight]] strike force he had assembled and freed his companions. The newly freed Alphans decided to transport the [[Plodex]] eggs back to the Plodex home world to give them a chance to build a fresh civilization.

Most recently, Sasquatch was involved in the battle against The [[Collective]]. He was seriously injured, but eventually healed and sadly was the only survivor of Alpha Flight. Shortly after, in America a [[Superhuman Registration Act]] was passed, and hordes of American super-humans began to flood the Canadian border to escape punishment. With the majority of Alpha Flight gone, the Canadian government did not possess the assets needed to deal with the countless invasion of super-humans. [[Brown Jeff|Jeff Brown]] member of [[C.S.I.S.]] worked with [[S.H.I.E.L.D.]] in forming a new team called [[Omega Flight III|Omega Flight]]. Walter was approached to lead this new team and was apprehensive at first, since he was not mentally well after Alpha Flight's defeat, but he eventually agreed as the country was in despair.

Not long after, he joined his resurrected teammates in fighting the corrupt Unity government.

==Powers/Abilities==
In his Sasquatch form, Langkowski possesses vast superhuman strength, highly agility and heightened endurance. Langkowski's Sasquatch form is 10 ft. in height and weighs approximately 2000 pounds.

As a former professional football player, Langkowski has highly athletic physical strength and endurance, though he is no longer in the peak condition of his life.

[[Image:Sasquatch1_4.jpg|right]]'''Durability:''' In his Sasquatch form, he is extremely durable, capable of taking armor-piercing machine gun fire and not be affected. Walter has taken tank blasts, energy blasts and various other attacks with little or no effect. He has even taken hits from [[Colossus]] without being fazed. Sasquatch has also taken six grenades directly to the face from [[DeadPool]] without even phasing him

'''Healing Factor:''' As well as having super strength, Sasquatch also has a healing factor that can quickly heal wounds. The uppermost limits of what the healing factor can do was never stated.

'''Intelligence:''' Langkowski is a Ph.D. scientist with experience dealing with many forms of experimental radiation and their mutagenic effects on life forms under controlled settings. He is a super-genius. He later became a professor of biophysics at McGill University in Montreal. Unlike the [[Hulk]], Walter keeps his intelligence while he transforms. He received a PH.d in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bachelors degree from Pennsylvania State University

'''Leaping Ability:''' Inferior to the [[Hulk]]'s leaping distances, but better at landing, Sasquatch can cover great distances in a single leap, the extent of which was never stated. He has great strength in his legs and it was said: "''and with that, what may well be the second strongest legs on the face of the Earth suddenly thrust their owner forward''" [Hulk Annual #8]

'''Radiation:''' Walter even in his human form is one of the infinitesimally small percentage of the Earth's populace that would not have a fatal reaction to gamma radiation. Whether he has immunity to all forms of radiation is to be seen

'''Reflexes:''' Sasquatch has enhanced reflexes even to a level of catching [[Northstar]] in mid-flight multiple times.

'''Senses:''' Sasquatch has heightened senses, such as taste, smell, hearing, and vision. Due to his mystical background it appears those who also have super senses have trouble registering Sasquatch, as he has snuck up on [[Wolverine]] on more than one occasion.

[[Image:Sasquatch1_5.jpg|left]]'''Strength:''' His strength is of an order inferior to the [[Hulk]] and has an upward limit of 70 tons. (Although, like most of the official Marvel strength statistics, this is incredibly low when compared to some of the feats of strength performed by the character). It was said he possessed "almost limitless strength" and even in his first appearance he threw a 250 ton DC-10 1000 feet in reverse, crashing into a building even while the engines were still. The engines were stated to produce 150,000 pounds of thrust and Sasquatch caught the plane in mid-air. Sasquatch has also been shown to catch a 6-story apartment building from falling over and once used a massive rock easily in excess of 70 tons to bulldoze several tons of earth and clay. He dragged a Destroyer ship and lifted it out of the water. He has gone toe-to-toe with various heavy hitters such as [[Hercules]], [[Juggernaut]] and went 30 minutes against the [[Hulk]] (in all three fights there were no winner). In Marvel Team-up #83, [[Thing]] admitted, "''Sheesh! You're bigger, stronger, talk better than me and played pro ball! There must be something I can beat you at''!". Later, Sasquatch even easily dominated Thing, while he briefly donned the Exo-suit that Mr. Fantastic made to ''"restore most of the strength he used to possess"'', yet Thing was easily overwhelmed. Walter was also temporarily in the new model of the [[Box III]] armor, with its strength being in the 85 tons range. When he came back as Sasquatch, he stated, "I'' once occupied the [[Box III|Box]] armor, too! Heather! I know its strengths! Its might's not half that of Sasquatch's, but [[Box III|Box]]'s power lies more than the armor's strength.''" In a [[Plodex]] ship, [[Alpha Flight]] became traped in a trans-spatial displacement trap, and an angry Sasquatch sent out a blow bringing all the realities together. [[Machine Man]] was shocked by his strength, "Sasquatch's sensational strength is almost beyond comprehension". He even defeated the [[Super Skrull]] using his might and intelligence, and Super Skrull was shocked by it's might "and realized with bone-chilling certainty that his full strength (Super Skrull) may not be sufficient". When dealt with rage or pain Sasquatch's strength increases until he is completely possessed by [[Tanaraq]], which Sasquatch's strength gets further amplified to unknown levels vastly higher than Sasquatch's base strength.<br>

[[Image:Sasquatch1_6.jpg|right]]'''Tanaraq:''' When Walter loses his control from [[Tanaraq]] either by great pain or rage, he could take over. [[Tanaraq]] subdued Walter's personality but retained all his intellect and knowledge. Tanaraq is a [[Great Beasts|Great Beast]], an immortal God banished to the [[Realm of The Beasts]] by the [[Northern Gods]]. It was stated that Tanaraq is even older than the world. About his power, Tanaraq states, "''I'm deathless as a fable. I'm mythology incarnate! How can you kill that which made the first men fear the darkness and the cold?''" The Great Beasts are immensely powerful. [[Shaman]] stated, "''any measures I would take would be stop gaps at best.''" When Tanaraq was banished back to the [[Realm of The Beasts]]: "''Is Tanaraq really beaten?''", to which Shaman replied, "''well...creatures like him can't be truly destroyed.''"

'''Thunder Clap:''' Much like what the [[Hulk]] can do, by clapping his hands really hard, he can cause massive vibrations and wind currents from his hands. With one clap, he put out a flaming Human Torch.

'''Transformation:''' Early on, changing from his human form into his Sasquatch form caused Langkowski physical discomfort. To alleviate the pain, Langkowski recited a slow mantra, which served the same purpose as yoga might, to calm the body and to divorce pain from the physical body. Through years of practice, he can now achieve his Sasquatch form with relatively little pain or effort.

==Respect Thread==
A thread specifically created listing Walter's greatest accomplishments in his career as well as stories that help define his character
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Click the footnote to view the thread:
[http://www.killermovies.com/forums/f98/t491529.html]

[[Category:Alpha Flight]]