History
The taotie [饕餮] are voracious beasts originating from Ta-Lo, the world of the Xian, the Taoist gods. When Chieftain Xin (leader of the Qilin Riders) was fighting his grandson Shang-Chi on the Mauna Kea summit of Hawaii, Xin placed a few drops of Shang-Chi's blood into a mystical bronze cauldron, or ding [鼎]. The cauldron then produced a trio of taotie tasked with tracking down and attacking anyone from the familial bloodline of Zheng Zu. Shang-Chi, Sister Dagger and Sister Staff killed one taotie while the other two fled. The second taotie tracked down Falo, a descendant of Zheng Zu coincidentally living on Hawaii, and attacked him but was stopped by Shang-Chi and his sisters. The taotie became stronger and duplicated itself after consuming some of Sister Staff's blood. Shang-Chi and Sister Staff smeared some of their blood on the taotie clones, tricking them into attacking each other and destroying themselves.[1] The third taotie tracked down and attacked Brother Sabre in his cell at the Vault. Despite consuming enough of Brother Sabre's blood to create two clones of itself, the third taotie was destroyed when Shang-Chi and his siblings removed the masks from it and its clones.[2]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
The taotie are powerful, sharp-toothed beasts capable of relentlessly tracking certain familial bloodlines. They are capable of getting stronger and producing identical clones of themselves after ingesting the blood of their targets.[1]
Weaknesses
Taotie will blindly attack anyone possessing the blood of their targets, even if said blood is smeared on its allies or on each other.[1]
The taotie are outfitted with protective head masks. When these masks are pried from their heads, the taotie disappear in a puff of smoke.[2]Notes
The taotie are noted to have metallic breath.[1]