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Not part of Riordanverse
The following article/section is from the Race to the Sun continuity under Rick Riordan Presents and not the Riordanverse canon. |
“ | Death is always a possibility, but this is your destiny. You must put a stop to this enemy, and not only for your sake, but also for your people. If you are brave enough, and determined enough, I will do what I can to help. Are you willing to try? | ” |
–Mr. Yazzie telling Nizhoni she must save her family and people, in Race to the Sun. |
Theodous Alvin Yazzie, more commonly known as Mr. Yazzie, is a stuffed na’ashó’iidich’izhii, or horned toad, who guides Nizhoni Begay and her companions on their quest to Spider Woman.
History[]
For centuries, Mr. Yazzie has guided the most recent inheritors of the powers of the hero twins, Monsterslayer and Born for Water.
When Nizhoni Begay was ten, she bought him when she was at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture.
Race to the Sun[]
After Nizhoni Begay is grounded for supposedly attacking Mr. Charles, he comes to life. He tells her she is destined to become a monster slayer and that to save her family, she must go to the House of the Sun to get the right weapons to take out Mr. Charles. She agrees and he jumps on her face to wake her up.
The following day when Mr. Charles kidnaps her father, she stuffs him into her backpack and runs back to school. When she, Mac, and Davery are on the Amtrak to Gallup, he comes to life again and informs them they are descendants of Changing Woman and her sons, the hero twins Monsterslayer and Born of Water. He explains Mr. Charles's plans and what he is, he warns them that they could fail and die but the three accept the quest before the train, which had its path altered by the holy people to reach Spider Woman faster, has arrived.
They arrive at Sisnaajiní, the easternmost mountain of Dinétah, the traditional Navajo homeland and he tells the children they are there to find a perfect white shell for Spider Woman before moving on to the other three mountains to find items there. He starts to hibernate due to the snowy conditions and Nizhoni puts him in her sweatshirt to warm him up. Soon after the group comes across Rock Crystal Boy, the holy person warms him up to wake him and calls him grandfather as a sign of respect before taking the four back to his hogan to warm up. When they tell him they are looking for a perfect white shell for Spider Woman, Rock Crystal Boy brings them to a pile of shells the size of a three-story house. As they search the pile Nizhoni finds the shell and a large black bird lands close to them. He, after a moment to remember, introduces the children to her and calls her Łizhin, the herald of Dibé Ntsaa, the northernmost mountain. She says her mountain’s guardian, Black Jet Girl, is missing and requests Nizhoni to come with her. After he stresses the threat a single lack of guardian poses to the homeland, he sends Mac and Davery to the other two mountains to get the offerings as Łizhin calls the other guardians to take them there. He goes with Mac to Tzoodził.
When they arrive they have trouble finding Turquoise Boy and when they do a storm arrives. As Dólii makes a sharp turn he loses his grip and Mac is forced to abandon the turquoise to save him. When they reach Canyon de Chelly, they tell the others what happened and try to cheer up Mac. Nizhoni offers her necklace to replace it and they head to Spider Woman. When they reach Spider Woman’s trailer he is asleep. He stays in Spider Woman’s trailer as the three take the trials to reach the House of the Sun.
When Nizhoni reaches the house of the sun he greets her and introduces her to Jóhonaa'éí, the holy person who lives at the house of the sun. As Nizhoni explains what happened during her trials he elaborates it for the holy person. When she says Mac and Davery are missing, they tell her the two are in the lost and found but she must train to use her weapon, Nizhoni refuses and they let her see the boys after she gets her weapon. After Jóhonaa’éí creates the weapons he complains that most are not traditional but the Merciless One says they have to change with the times. When Nizhoni asks why the holy people can’t fight the monsters themselves, Mr. Yazzie explains that monsters are a human problem. When they reach the lost and found and find Bethany Begay, Mac, Davery, and other inheritors of the hero twin’s powers encased in amber. He tells Nizhoni they failed the trials and let the monsters grow stronger. When Jóhnaa’éí enters he tells Nizhoni she can fight the Bináá' yee aghání herself or sit back and let the others fight. She chooses the later and the others are freed. He and the sun go around helping each of the heroes calm down. When the guardians and heralds arrive, he goes outside with the others and learns the monsters have escaped. He joins in the aerial forces and rides Dólii with Mac and Turquoise Boy. When he says Nizhoni can fight as she only had to be willing to sit aside to free the others, they head for Shiprock. After the battle he returns to the others with Mac, his father, and Spider Woman. He joins them as they head to Bethany’s mother’s house for flatbread and listens to Mac talk about hot Cheetos.
Appearance[]
Mr. Yazzie is a palm-sized horned toad plushy.
Personality[]
Mr. Yazzie is well spoken and knowledgeable, however he is also somewhat forgetful.
Etymology[]
- Theodous is derived from the name “Theodore” which means “god’s gift.”
- Alvin is derived from an Old English surname meaning “old friend”.
- Yazzie is a surname of Navajo origin meaning “little”.
Trivia[]
- Mr. Yazzie is the second character in the imprint to be a sentient object, the first being Gum Baby in the Tristan Strong Trilogy.
Race to the Sun | |
Books: | Race to the Sun |
Main Characters: | Nizhoni Begay | Mac Begay | Davery Descheny | Mr. Charles | Mr. Yazzie |
Secondary Characters: | Bethany Begay | Mr. Rock | Ms. Bird | Rock Crystal Boy | Black Jet Girl |
Minor Characters: | Coach | Adrien Cuttlebush | Mr. Begay | Darcy | Maya | Bethany Begay's mother | Bethany Begay's father | Eugene |
Navajo Holy People: | Spider Woman | Jóhonaa'éí | Turquoise Boy | Yellow Corn Girl |
Magical Creatures: | Bináá' yee aghání | Łizhin | Dólii | Tsídii | Łigai |
Related Content: | Rebecca Roanhorse | Rick Riordan Presents | The Demon Drum |