NIGHTCRAWLER

 

NIGHTCRAWLER

Real Name: Kurt Wagner

First Appearance: Giant Size X-Men (Vol. 1) #1, May 1975

Powers: Nightcrawler’s mutant powers include superhuman agility/dexterity, teleportation, and abnormal physiology. He has a number of unique physical traits, most of which he inherited from his parents, Azazel and Mystique. Kurt's entire body is covered with blue velvet fur, he has iridescent yellow eyes that increase his night vision, pointed ears, fangs, only two fingers and an opposable thumb on each hand and only two toes on each foot plus a third digit which extends from the back of his heel. This third digit is highly dexterous and gives him opposable feet, allowing him to wrap them around and grab objects with superhuman dexterity. He has a highly flexible spine which gives him superhuman agility and acrobatic prowess. His prehensile tail is dexterous enough that he can hang from it on a trapeze or fence with it just as well as with his regular hands. Nightcrawler can cling to solid objects on contact, apparently through some natural suction ability concentrated onto his hands and feet, enabling him to cling to walls and scale vertical surfaces.

Nightcrawler's body is constantly linked to an invisible wormhole-like effect, connecting him to the Brimstone Dimension. Normally, the only effect this wormhole has is absorbing the light from his immediate environment. As a result, Kurt's already-dark blue fur appears to be constantly cast in shadows. When he actually enters an area of shadow or subdued light, Kurt's body can appear to vanish entirely, becoming transparent and blending in with the darkness. When mentally triggered, the wormhole effect becomes active and transports him into the Brimstone Dimension. Nightcrawler then subconsciously travels a short distance within that realm before reappearing on Earth an instant later and some distance away. He can teleport himself, his clothing, and a certain amount of additional mass from one location to another. He consciously determines his point of return. The transit through the Brimstone Dimension is completely intuitive and Kurt is not even aware of his time there. Both his entrances and exits are marked by a burst of flame, the stench of brimstone, and a sudden implosion of air which creates a "BAMF!" noise.

Nightcrawler's teleportation limits are defined by the direction he's traveling in, since the Earth's magnetic ley lines can affect his transits. By teleporting north-south (along the ley lines), Kurt can jaunt 3 miles at a time. Teleporting east-west (against the lines) enables him to jaunt only 2 miles. A strictly vertical teleport straight up and down is the most difficult, and can only cover 1 mile of distance. The future Sentinel known as Nimrod once scrambled Kurt's system electromagnetically, creating a constant disruption effect which prevented Nightcrawler from teleporting more than once in a 24 hour period without risking incredible pain and the possibility of re-emerging inside a solid object. Ironically, months later, Doctor Doom attempted to perform the same attack on Nightcrawler not knowing it had already been done, and accidentally cured Kurt of his limitation.

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. He is fluent in both German and English and is a former ordained priest.