Watchuki
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The Watchuki are a race of of ape-like humanoids that lived in the Himalayas that appear in the 12th episode of Hanna-Barbera's animated series Godzilla, titled "The Sub-Zero Terror".
Name
The Watchuki are referred to as "Watchuka" by the native Ten Sing after passing by numerous banners near their territory. Dr. Quinn Darian also refers to them as such after learning the name from Ten Sing. Shortly thereafter, the Watchuki who kidnapped and disguised himself as Ten Sing revealed the name of their people to be "Watchuki". He also used the name "Snowmen" when referring to what humans called them in superstitions and fables.
Design
The normal-sized scientist Watchuki resemble stout Abominable Snowmen with snow white fur (a brighter white under their eyes), red sclera with red irises and black pupils, visible nostrils around the fur near their mouths which also resemble mustaches, two-toed furred feet, and patches of dark green skin around their pectorals, portions of their stomach, armpits and inner areas of the biceps and hands. They also have light clothing: a white harness wrapped around their waists and shoulders that has a yellow strap in the middle. The warrior Watchuki instead resemble the Great Watchuka, albeit much smaller than the giant. However, they still tower over the normal Watchuki and humans. The main Watchuki that leads the Calico crew and Dr. Rourke around uniquely possesses boots after stealing them from Ten Sing; he also briefly wears a fur coat before taking it off after revealing himself to them. He later abandons the boots after bringing them to the village.
Origins
The Watchuki, sometimes called the Snowmen, were a species of ape-like humanoids living in the Himalayas. Thousands of years ago, humans drove the Watchuki high into the mountains, where they would remain and become the subject of local superstition. There, they discovered a jungle growing in a dormant volcano and used geothermal power to maintain a thriving civilization hidden within it. They mined gems and developed relatively advanced technologies and weapons during their exile as they kept their large warriors in cryogenic stasis, and prepared for their return to the surface world to wage war on the humans and take back their mountainous lands. It is posited by Dr. Quinn Darian that their xenophobic attitude led to their being forced into the mountains in the first place, but never confirmed.
History
- Godzilla (TV 1978) [episode 12]
Godzilla
"The Sub-Zero Terror"
While traveling through the Himalayas, members of the Calico crew and an acquaintance, Dr. Rourke, were forced to enter the forbidden territory of the Great Watchuka after a series of mishaps. During the trip, a local traveling with them, Ten Sing, was briefly separated from the lot. The group later reunited with an individual they believed to be Ten Sing, who led them into a mysterious valley with a tropical climate, at which point the individual they thought to be Ten Sing was revealed to actually be a yeti-like Watchuki in disguise. The Watchuki took the group hostage, detailing the origins of their people and plans to fight back against humanity using a growing army of warriors. Alongside Ten Sing, who they captured earlier, the Watchuki froze Quinn, Pete, and Dr. Rourke in blocks of ice. Elsewhere, Majors and Brock also discovered the Watchuki's hidden world and prepared to leave so they could report their findings, only for Godzooky to inadvertently expose them. While being pursued, Majors attempted to summon Godzilla with the Godzilla Signal before he was frozen as well. Godzooky helped Brock hide in a crevice before he too was frozen in a block of ice.
Brock later infiltrated the Watchuki's lair, stole one of their weapons, and managed to unfreeze the lot. In doing so however, Brock accidentally unleashed a group of larger Watchuki warriors as well. During their escape, the group was confronted by the Great Watchuka itself, who took Quinn hostage. At last, Majors successfully summoned Godzilla, who climbed into the valley to battle the Great Watchuka. The battle of the behemoths accidentally reactivated the valley's volcano, endangering the crew and the Watchuki. Fortunately, Godzilla soon defeated the Watchuki's champion before the others managed to escape the valley. To prevent the Watchuki from escaping, Godzilla slammed a giant stone into the mouth of the valley to seal the Watchuki people inside, presumably killing the Great Watchuka and all of the Watchuki by burning them to death in the lava.
Technology
The Watchuki possess rod-like weapons that allow them to freeze their foes solid in blocks of ice; they also used this technology to keep their volatile warriors in cryogenic stasis. These weapons can also unfreeze targets.
Trivia
- Another race featured in the series, the Frios aliens, possess similar freezing technology to that of the Watchuki.
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