Little is known about the past of the cannibalistic sorcerer Mauvais save that he attempted to conquer Canada during the French-Indian War in the mid-1700’s, an endeavor opposed by the Inuit Gods. Later, during the French Revolution of 1789, the gods caused Mauvais’ downfall, cursing him to an immovable existence and imprisoning him in the remote island prison Le Prison de la Morte.
Centuries later, the superhuman prison called “The Cage” was constructed atop the ruins of the French prison, and two guards discovered Mauvais’ still-immobile form. Hoping to kill the mutant adventurer Wolverine, who had been sentenced to the Cage after being framed for murder, the guards awakened Mauvais and bargained with him to kill Wolverine in exchange for his freedom. Wolverine was drugged and taken to Mauvais, who restored his mystic energies by consuming pieces of Wolverine’s flesh. Mauvais teleported away before Wolverine was rescued, but not before eating one of Wolverine’s eyes as a parting warning.
Weeks later, Mauvais enthralled the quasi-vampire Bloodscream and the feral mutate Vermin, both of whom subsequently clashed with Wolverine. After their defeat, Mauvais infiltrated the set of the reality television series “Stay Alive” by slaying and taking the form of the show’s host. Traveling to the show’s set in the Canadian Arctic, Mauvais revealed his true nature and began slaying the contestants. Witnessing the carnage on television, Wolverine headed north and confronted Mauvais. The two fought until Mauvais attracted the monstrous Wendigo to the scene. Slaying the Wendigo and consuming its heart, Mauvais became the Wendigo himself and, retaining control of the beast’s persona, savagely beat Wolverine. The timely arrival of the Canadian super-team Alpha Flight saved Wolverine, and together the heroes weakened Mauvais enough for the Inuit Gods to exile their old enemy to the dimension of the ancient Great Beasts.
