Yuri Watanabe was a captain in the New York Police Department (NYPD) and an ally and strong supporter of Spider-Man's like her late friend and mentor
Jean DeWolff. However, she was shown to be frustrated with how the justice system and the police were unable to deal with powerful and wealthy criminals who could always find a way to escape justice for their crimes. Shortly thereafter, a new vigilante, the Wraith (an identity originally taken by Jean's brother
Brian DeWolff), starts targeting
Mister Negative's criminal syndicate. During one such attack, the Wraith unmasks to reveal DeWolff's face, although this is later revealed to be one of the
Chameleon's masks stolen from police evidence. It is later revealed that the Wraith is Yuri pretending to be DeWolff's ghost to scare the criminals of New York, using a costume in imitation of Spider-Man to achieve the results she sought. Wraith later accompanies forensic expert
Carlie Cooper on a visit to Grand Tauró, where they pursue underworld financier Antoine Morant, searching for information on the secret bank account of the
Superior Spider-Man (
Otto Octavius's mind in Spider-Man's body). Carlie and the Wraith catch up with Morant shredding some documents out of fear. Carlie recovers one of the documents, discovering that all of the Superior Spider-Man's equipment and technology for the Arachnauts, as well as the order for Spiderlings, are being paid for using the secret account, putting Carlie one step closer to finding the evidence needed to prove the new Spider-Man's true identity. After Carlie is kidnapped by the original
Goblin King (
Norman Osborn), Yuri investigates Octavius hoping to find Carlie's whereabouts. She confronts Octavius during the Goblin Nation's attack for info on Carlie but is knocked out by the transformed Carlie. She then aids the
Avengers and their ally Cardiac against the Goblin Knight with assistance from Peter Parker who eventually regains his place as Spider-Man from Octavius. In the "Spiral" storyline, Yuri's faith in the justice system is shattered when crime boss
Tombstone is released from prison after gunning down one of her friends during a shootout with the police. She receives photographic evidence from Mister Negative that Judge Howell, who signed off on Tombstone's release, received a favor in return and arrests the judge without contacting the NYPD after obtaining more evidence as the Wraith with Spider-Man. She continues to receive tips from Negative on where big crime lords such as
Hammerhead and the second Goblin King (
Phil Urich) are meeting so she and Spider-Man can take them down. Spider-Man notices Yuri is being more brutal in her approach and believes Mister Negative is using her. This is later proven right when Negative begins to take over the territories of his incarcerated rivals and tries to frame the Wraith as a murderer. When Howell dies in prison from a stab wound, Yuri's superior confiscates her badge and she is dismissed from the force. After a fight with the
Circus of Crime, she realizes she has been playing into Negative's hands and kills one of his men, declaring that "Watanabe the cop" no longer exists and that only the Wraith is left. When she attempts to kill Negative, Spider-Man tries to convince her to change her ways. She decides that killing criminals rather than arresting them is more fulfilling and attacks her former ally, but Spider-Man knocks her out and goes on to defeat Negative himself. Spider-Man later finds Yuri has abandoned her costume, but kept her Wraith mask. == Powers and abilities ==