Wraith (Yuri Watanabe)

Wraith (Yuriko "Yuri" Watanabe) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, typically in stories featuring the superhero Spider-Man. She was created as a replacement for Jean DeWolff, a police detective and member of Spider-Man's supporting cast who was killed off during the 1980s. Yuri was introduced as a captain in the New York Police Department (NYPD) who would occasionally work alongside Spider-Man to combat crime, although her disillusion with the justice system eventually prompts her to lead a double life as the vigilante Wraith. Sporting a costume in imitation of Spider-Man and utilizing a variety of tools, some of them taken from supervillains, Wraith would wage war on New York's criminals and, even though her methods are sometimes too brutal for Spider-Man's liking, the two have resumed their old partnership several times.

The character has been adapted from the comics into several other forms of media, most notably the Marvel's Spider-Man series of video games, in which she is voiced by Tara Platt.

Publication history
Yuri Watanabe first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #600 (July 2009) and was created by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr. She first appeared as Wraith in The Amazing Spider-Man #663 (June 2011).

Fictional character biography
Yuri Watanabe was a captain in the New York Police Department (NYPD) and an ally and strong supporter of Spider-Man's like her late friend and mentor Jean DeWolff. However, she was shown to be frustrated with how the justice system and the police were unable to deal with powerful and wealthy criminals who could always find a way to escape justice for their crimes.

Shortly thereafter, a new vigilante, the Wraith, starts targeting Mister Negative's criminal syndicate. During one such attack, the Wraith unmasks to reveal DeWolff's face, although this is later revealed to be one of the Chameleon's masks stolen from police evidence. It is later revealed that the Wraith is really Yuri pretending to be DeWolff's ghost to scare the criminals of New York, using a costume in imitation of Spider-Man to achieve the results she sought.

Wraith later accompanies forensic expert Carlie Cooper on a visit to Grand Tauró, where they pursue underworld financier Antoine Morant, searching for information on the secret bank account of the Superior Spider-Man (Otto Octavius's mind in Spider-Man's body). Carlie and the Wraith catch up with Morant shredding some documents out of fear. Carlie recovers one of the documents, discovering that all of the Superior Spider-Man's equipment and technology for the Arachnauts, as well as the order for Spiderlings, are being paid for using the secret account, putting Carlie one step closer to finding the evidence needed to prove the new Spider-Man's true identity.

After Carlie is kidnapped by the original Goblin King, Yuri investigates Octavius hoping to find Carlie's whereabouts. She confronts Octavius during the Goblin Nation's attack for info on Carlie but is knocked out by the transformed Carlie. She then aids the Avengers and their ally Cardiac against the Goblin Knight with assistance from Peter Parker who eventually regains his place as Spider-Man from Octavius.

In the "Spiral" storyline, Yuri's faith in the justice system is permanently shattered when crime boss Tombstone is released from prison after gunning down one of her friends during a shootout with the police. She receives photographic evidence from Mister Negative that Judge Howell, who signed off on Tombstone's release, received a favor in return and arrests the judge without contacting the NYPD after obtaining more evidence as the Wraith with Spider-Man. She continues to receive tips from Mister Negative on where big crime lords such as Hammerhead and the second Goblin King are meeting so she and Spider-Man can take them down.

Spider-Man notices Yuri is being more brutal in her approach and believes Mister Negative is using her. This is later proven right when Mister Negative begins to take over the territories of his incarcerated rivals and tries to frame the Wraith as a murderer. When Howell dies in prison from a stab wound, Yuri's superior confiscates her badge and she is dismissed from the force. After a fight with the Circus of Crime, she realizes she has been playing into Mister Negative's hands and kills one of his men, declaring that "Watanabe the cop" no longer exists and that only the Wraith is left. When she attempts to kill Mister Negative, Spider-Man tries to convince her to change her ways. She decides that killing criminals rather than arresting them is more fulfilling and attacks her former ally, but Spider-Man knocks her out and goes on to defeat Mister Negative himself. Spider-Man later finds Yuri has abandoned her costume, but kept her Wraith mask.

Powers and abilities
The Wraith primarily used technology obtained by the police from various Spider-Man villains, including a mask of Jean DeWolff's face from Chameleon to hide her true identity, equipment designed by Mysterio, and Mister Fear's Fear Gas. Her primary weapons are yellow elastic straps attached to her costume that wrap up her enemies and allow her to swing around the city similar to Spider-Man.

Reception

 * In 2021, Screen Rant included Wraith in their "Spider-Man: 10 Best Female Villains" list.

Television

 * Yuri Watanabe appears in Spider-Man (2017), voiced by Sumalee Montano. This version is the NYPD's Chief of Police.
 * Yuri Watanabe will be appearing in the upcoming Spider-Noir portrayed by Li Jun Li.

Film
An alternate reality variant of Yuri Watanabe from Earth-65 makes a minor appearance in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, voiced by Atsuko Okatsuka. This version is a member of George Stacy's anti-Spider-Woman task force.

Video games

 * Yuri Watanabe / Wraith appears as a playable character in Spider-Man Unlimited.
 * Yuri Watanabe appears in Insomniac Games' Marvel's Spider-Man game series, voiced by Tara Platt:
 * Introduced in Marvel's Spider-Man (2018), this version's father was arrested for taking bribes from Hammerhead, leading her to dedicate her career to bringing the crime boss down. In The City That Never Sleeps DLC, Watanabe is emotionally compromised after her department and Spider-Man's attempt to capture Hammerhead results in the deaths of many of her officers. Frustrated with Spider-Man's lack of progress, she goes on a violent quest for revenge against the crime lord. While trying to stop her, Spider-Man, with Mary Jane Watson's help, discovers Watanabe's past. Once she catches up to Hammerhead, she nearly shoots and kills him before Spider-Man narrowly redirects her shot. Despite being put on administrative leave for her actions, she refuses to give up her vendetta and goes into hiding. She later kills one of Hammerhead's enforcers and uses crime scenes connected to him to lead Spider-Man to the enforcer's body, where she tells him that she quit the police to become a vigilante, reasoning that the justice system does not work all the time.
 * Watanabe / Wraith appears as a boss in Marvel's Spider-Man 2. By this time, she has become Wraith and taken to killing criminals while locating cult leader Cletus Kasady, utilizing a kusarigama instead of elastic straps. Over the course of their search and fight with Kasady, Spider-Man and Watanabe form a begrudging partnership.