About
UniverseMarvel Universe
Real Name
Kurt Wagner
Aliases
"Fuzzy Elf", formerly Gainsborough
Identity
Secret (known to British authorities)
Occupation
Adventurer; former priest, circus performer
Citizenship
Germany
Place of Birth
Bavaria, Germany
Known Relatives
Azazel (father), Raven Darkholme (Mystique, mother), Graydon Creed (half-brother, deceased), Nils Styger (Abyss, half-brother), Kiwi Black (half-brother), other half-siblings (deceased), Margali Szardos (foster mother), Rogue (foster sister), Jimaine Szardos(Magik, Amanda Sefton, foster sister), Stefan Szardos (foster brother, deceased), Talia Wagner (Nocturne, alternate timeline daughter)
Group Affiliation
X-Men; formerly Neyaphem, Excalibur, N-Men
Education
College-level courses at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters
Height
5'9"
Weight
161 lbs.
Eyes
Shining yellow, no visible pupils
Hair
Indigo
Powers
Nightcrawler is a mutant who can teleport by opening a portal into another dimension, travelling through it via an unconscious direction-finding sense, and returning to his own dimension. When teleporting, Nightcrawler leaves behind a small portion of the atmosphere of the other dimension that escapes with a muffled “bamf” sound and smells of brimstone. On returning, his power automatically displaces any extraneous liquids and gases.
Nightcrawler can easily teleport north south along Earth's magnetic lines of force. However, teleporting east west against them or teleporting vertically is more difficult. Under optimal conditions, Nightcrawler can teleport 2 miles east west, 3 miles north south, and 2 miles vertically if he exerts himself. Nightcrawler's momentum is retained when teleporting, so he arrives with the same inertia he left with. He can reduce this by teleporting short distances in the opposite direction.
Nightcrawler has a limited unconscious extrasensory ability that prevents him from teleporting into any area that he cannot see or has not seen in the past, as doing so runs the risk of injury or death by materializing partially or entirely within a solid object.
Through practice, Nightcrawler has increased the mass he can teleport with him, though the limit to the amount of weight he can carry when teleporting and the distance over which he can teleport with such additional loads are unknown. Teleporting with Nightcrawler often leaves a passenger feeling weak and nauseous.
Nightcrawler is also able to cling to solid surfaces via his hands and feet. He can also render himself nigh-invisible in shadows by manipulating the ever-present portal to the dimension he teleports through so as to bend light around himself.
Abilities
Nightcrawler is an Olympic-class acrobat thanks to his flexible spine that allows him to perform contortionist-like feats and to go long periods in a semi-crouching position without injury. He is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant and a master at fencing, which he can even perform with his tail, which is strong enough to support his entire body weight.
Weapons
Nightcrawler formerly wielded a pair of swords.
Paraphernalia
Nightcrawler occasionally uses an image inducer to disguise his true appearance with a holographic form.
First Appearance
Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975)
Origin
Uncanny X-Men #428 (2003); Uncanny Origins #8 (1997)
Significant Issues
Killed foster brother (X-Men Annual #4, 1980); first joined X-Men (Giant-Size X-Men #1, 1975); first used image inducer (Classic X-Men #4, 1986); first blended with shadows (X-Men #102, 1976); first encountered Mystique (X-Men #141, 1981); injured by Marauders (Uncanny X-Men #211, 1986); co-founded Excalibur (Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn, 198 cool ; regained full powers (Excalibur #37, 1991); formed N-Men (Excalibur #45, 1991); learned Mystique is mother (X-Men Unlimited #4, 1994); rejoined X-Men (Uncanny X-Men #360/X-Men #80, 199 cool ; first seen studying for priesthood (X-Men #100, 2000); first encountered Supreme Pontiff (Uncanny X-Men #400, 2001); quit priesthood (Uncanny X-Men #419, 2003); learned Azazel is father (Uncanny X-Men #432, 2003)
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