3
intelligence
2
speed
2
durability
1
energy
6
fighting skills
4
strength

Biography

Biography

From Centauri IV to the Stars

When Astro came across Yondu while studying Centauri IV’s fauna and geography, he was in the middle of Hakta, a rite of passage for Zatoan males approaching manhood. Angered that this human was intruding on his sacred retreat, Yondu attacked, but was repelled by Astro’s latent mutant abilities that manifested in the form of a psychokinetic force blast. After the astronaut conveyed his peaceful intentions, the two began an unlikely friendship based on mutual respect with Yondu becoming Vance’s guide for the rest of his planetary survey.

Tragedy struck when the Brotherhood of the Badoon nearly wiped out or enslaved all of Earth along with its colony planets of Centauri IV, Mercury, Jupiter, and Pluto, all of which were a part of the United Federation of Earth. Yondu and Vance attempted to escape Centauri IV but were captured by Badoon forces. Astro was promised that his life would be spared if he would just prove his loyalty and kill Yondu. The astronaut pretended to agree but with one whistle from Yondu, the Zatoan’s sound-sensitive Yaka arrow sent the Badoon troops into a panicked frenzy, allowing the two friends to escape. They soon joined forces with a large-framed militiaman known as Charlie-27 and crystalline scientist Martinex T’Naga. Both were the last survivors of Jupiter and Pluto. They all reached safety thanks to the unseen help of Starhawk (Stakar Ogord), whose intent was to bring all these heroes together from the start. These were the first Guardians of the Galaxy, with Yondu, Charlie-27, Martinex, and Ogord among their initial ranks.

Warrior by Nature

Yondu is best known for his Yaka arrows that answer to his whistling call to action, but he is also incredibly strong; as a Centaurian of above-average physical prowess, he is able to lift nearly 900 pounds. He also possesses incredible stamina, speed, durability, agility, reflexes, and acute senses of smell and hearing that surpass those of humans. Trained in the mystic ways of the Zatoan people, Yondu is blessed with a sixth sense that puts him in tune with nature and allows him to form a limited empathic link with living beings, animals and plants yielding stronger bonds. By using this power, Yondu can calm a person down via a hypnotic trance or sense their unspoken intentions. By placing himself in a trancelike state, he can replenish his inner strength and even manipulate the weather. While in this trance, he can communicate with his god Anthos or bring about visions in flame, which he then interprets for others.

In terms of physical weapons, Yondu prefers his aforementioned arrows (carrying around 20 at a time) as well as axes, bolos, daggers, flails, hatchets, maces, morning stars, scythes, spears, and swords due to his mistrust of modern technology. Nevertheless, he came to use it more while part of the Guardians, particularly starship operations, simple diagnostic devices, two-way communicators, and homing devices. The arrows are made of Yaka (or trillite) metal that is extremely receptive to sound and only found on Centauri IV. Since the substance is extremely rare, Yondu makes a habit of retrieving the 15-inch arrows from his fallen victims. He is noted as once saying, “More than once I have felled a foe not by my aim…but by my whistle.”

The Centaurian language was comprised of grunts, clicks, and whistles, so speaking English was a bit of a challenge for him. It took him years of hard effort to learn English and even then, he had to rest his throat often after speaking it. Yondu’s trademark fin or crest is known as a Tahlei and is made up of compressed hair follicles. These crests serve some sort of purpose in Centaurian mating rituals.

Constellation of Connections

By working with the likes of time-traveling heroes from Earth-616 like Captain America, The Thing, Sharon Carter, and the Defenders, the Guardians of the Galaxy are able to overthrow the Badoon in Earth-691. Despite his new comrades, however, Yondu seeks peace and solitude in the woodlands on Earth, but soon realizes the planet holds no future for him. Struggling with a will to live, he rejoins a newly-established Guardians of the Galaxy who fashion themselves as a band of space explorers, rather than as protectors. After returning to Centuari IV, Yondu communes with the planet in a mystic ritual, reaffirming his faith and will to live despite the annihilation of his people.

More allies to join the team are Starhawk’s wife Altea (whose body was turned into energy) and the flame-haired sharpshooter Nikki, who is also the last survivor of Mercury. They all adopt the derelict space station Drydock as their new mobile headquarters.

Galactic Guerillas

Early adversaries include the cosmic anti-life entity Karanada, an aspect of the star-spanning Topographical Man; the Reavers of Arcturus; and the cyborg super-criminal Korvac. For Korvac, the Guardians receive help from none other than Thor Odinson from Earth-616. This is around the time that Yondu begins wearing special Centaurian earrings (Kospah) and garb (Habaktu), feeling that he has greatly progressed in his mystical and martial studies to levels of advancement befitting his kind.

height

6'2"

weight

210 lbs.

gender

Male

eyes

Blue

hair

Red (crest)

Universe, Other Aliases, Education, Place of Origin, Identity, Powers, Group Affiliation
  • Universe

  • Other Aliases

  • Education

  • Place of Origin

  • Identity

  • Powers

  • Group Affiliation

A Seeker Becomes a Guardian

While perusing an ancient Centaurian tome called the Book of Antag, Yondu discovered clues leading to Captain America’s long-lost (not to mention legendary) shield. This pushed the Guardians to look for the object, particularly Vance, who was a major Cap fan.

They eventually found it, but not before the ruthless mercenary team called Force, including a female Centaurian called Photon, a mutant who could fire destructive beams of energy out of her eyes. The search for Cap’s shield had a major impact on Yondu as it brought him into contact with Photon, who provided a chance to repopulate his species. However, she had been raised to hate her own kind, and her rejection of Yondu left the Zatoan devastated. Considering suicide, Starhawk talked him out of taking his own life by assuring him that his life would hold great meaning in the future. The next time he saw Photon, he wasn’t so sentimental and wounded her badly, but lost his hand in the process. It would be replaced with a mechanical one that could store shrunken weapons, which could be enlarged as needed. Unfortunately, this prosthetic gave him a nearly uncontrollable blood lust.

A Seeker Becomes a Guardian

Unable to properly use his traditional Centaurian weapons, Yondu handed over his Khacta dagger to Charlie-27 and, surprisingly, gave his Yaka arrows to Photon, who was beginning to become curious about her heritage. While the two did not end up saving their people, they reached a level of mutual understanding and parted amicably. Still broken up about her rejections, he spurned the romantic advances of the Guardians’ human ally, Tarin. Nevertheless, he’d soon have a vision from his god Anthos that he was not the last Centaurian alive. As it turns out, a tribe of the planet’s cave-dwellers, Kikahee, had survived the Badoon purge. Both Yondu and the Kikahee were overjoyed at seeing fellow Centaurians still alive. As a result, Yondu restored his hand and quit the Guardians to be the spiritual leader of his people.

His absence from the group didn’t last forever as a history-altering event accidentally caused by the Guardians’ latest time-travel mission resulted in the Badoon conquering the Centaurians centuries earlier than before and creating a hybrid Badoon-Centaurian race that now dominated Yondu’s planet. Starhawk prophesized that Yondu would play a major part in the Guardians’ next mission, but Yondu agreed to help only if the timeline was restored. It was and he aided the Guardians in their clash with various cosmic forces over the fate of the Protégé. He was instrumental in their defeat of arch-demon Mephisto during this crisis. Moved by this victory and a Soul Vision he received from Anthos regarding his destiny, Yondu rejoined the Guardians.

Yondu Full Report

In Earth-616, Yondu (modeled after his appearance in the MCU) is a leading member of the space pirates called the Ravagers. He and his crew found Peter Quill (aka Star-Lord) stranded out in space with Peter attempting to steal their ship. The kid from Earth got pretty far, even knocking out Yondu, but the Ravagers subdued him in the end. Yondu offered him two options of execution, but Quill asked if he could join the crew. Udonta wasn’t crazy on the idea, but saw a bit of himself in this young man who did not have a place to call home. Yondu agreed to bring Star-Lord on as a cleaning boy and Peter resolved to learn all he could from his new family.

Yondu finds Quill