Originally Posted by
Legerd
I know that many First Nations gods changed into animals, hell a lot of gods from all over the world did, but it never made sense to me that a god meant to be a champion for her pantheon had as her main power, ie: her main method of attack, the ability to transform into animals. As I said, in her human form she was far more powerful and didn't run the risk of going feral. If she had been simply a mortal Inuit with the mystical or mutant ability to change into animals with the limitations she had then I'd be okay with it, but she was meant to be a champion, a warrior sent by the other gods to fight their battle against their greatest foes. And when you look at how powerful the Great Beasts were you have to ask what was she supposed to do against them? "Oh no it's Tundra, I better transform into a polar bear and start clawing him now, 'cause I'm gonna be at it for awhile."
She should have been more like Wonder Woman, a skilled warrior armed with some mystical weapons given to her by the gods designed to take advantage of the weaknesses of the Great Beasts. A bow that fired arrows that could burn or freeze an opponent; a spear that could summon storms or stir the seas; a shield that could deflect the mightiest blows and a club that could shatter glaciers or the Canadian Shield with one blow. Add to that a fur cloak whose mystical properties allow her to survive in any environment from the crushing depths of the ocean to the airless vacuum of space and she'd have been a kick ass hero.
Yes, Byrne only designed AF to be able to go up against the X-men, but that didn't mean he couldn't have fleshed out Snowbird later on. It was a missed opportunity IMO, and nothing has been done with her since, other than what FVL did, to improve her. Honestly, I'd love to see her revamped as a warrior-god and given a solo mini in which she has to destroy the Great Beasts once and for all, I think that would sell and it would be a new, empowered female-oriented title.