Nightcrawler

Powers and abilities

• Teleportation: jumps through a demonic dimension, leaving a puff of brimstone, and can carry others with him
• Spatial sense: instinctively avoids teleporting into solid objects
• Wall crawling: tiny suction pads let him cling to walls and ceilings
• Prehensile tail: a strong, agile tail he uses to grip, balance and fight
• Shadow blending: his dark fur lets him nearly vanish in darkness
• Superhuman agility: extraordinary reflexes and balance as a master acrobat
• Swordsmanship: an expert fencer who can wield a blade with his tail as well as his hands

Overview

Nightcrawler is the codename of Kurt Wagner, a German mutant teleporter and one of the most enduring members of the X-Men. Created by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum, he debuted in Giant-Size X-Men #1 as part of the international team that revived the franchise in 1975. Distinguished by indigo skin, yellow eyes, pointed ears and a prehensile tail, he is known for a swashbuckling wit and a devout Catholic faith that makes him one of Marvel's most explicitly religious heroes.

History

Born in the Bavarian Alps and raised by the sorceress Margali Szardos, Kurt grew up as a circus acrobat before superstitious villagers drove him out, at which point Professor Charles Xavier recruited him for a new team of X-Men. He became a core member of the group for decades, later relocating to Britain to co-found Excalibur, and eventually returned to serve as a teacher and mentor at the Xavier and Jean Grey schools. His later career has included a stint in the priesthood, a period spent dead and journeying in the afterlife before his resurrection, and a role on the mutant nation of Krakoa, where he explored the spiritual needs of mutantkind.

Family & Relationships

Kurt is the son of the shapeshifter Mystique and the demonic mutant Azazel, and counts Rogue among his adoptive siblings and Graydon Creed among his half-siblings; Trevor Chase is a half-nephew. He was raised alongside foster siblings Stefan and Jimaine Szardos, the latter of whom, as Amanda Sefton, became his longtime love. Within the X-Men his closest bonds include deep friendships with Wolverine, Colossus, and Kitty Pryde.

Teams & Affiliations

He is most closely identified with the X-Men, and was a founding member of Excalibur. He has also served with X-Force and various X-teams and schools as an instructor, and on Krakoa was associated with the mutant spiritual movement and the Legion he assembled around it.

Notable Facts

Nicknamed "fuzzy elf" and "Elf" by teammates, he has also gone by aliases including Spinnenmann, Bamf, and Herr Indigo. His hands and feet have only two fingers and two toes, and small teleporting creatures called Bamfs are named for the sound he makes. He has been a fixture of X-Men adaptations, appearing in animated series and in live-action films portrayed by Alan Cumming and Kodi Smit-McPhee.