Blaquesmith
Encyclopedia
Blaquesmith is the name of two characters in the Marvel Comics
universe. One is a mutant from the future and an ally of Cable
, the other is a man hired to impersonate the former when he was presumed dead.
mutant
character that first appeared in X-Men
: Prime (1995).
sisterhood, a group of warrior women opposed to the rule of Apocalypse
. In return for this deed, the Askani charged him with the task of mentoring the Chosen One of the Askani, the Askani'son, who happened to be Nathan Summers, later known as Cable
. Captured and imprisoned for rebellion, he found Nathan, another inmate who was captured by the New Canaanites. He told Nathan where the last Askani enclave was located, and together, they escaped from the jail. For unexplained reasons, Blaquesmith was forced to twist and corrupt his mortal form in order to train Nathan in the ways of the Askani. Nevertheless, he did so willingly. When Nathan, now using the alias Cable, travelled to the 20th century to stop the rise of Apocalypse, Blaquesmith travelled back in time as well to assist the hero. Unlike Cable, who was dependent on his spacestation Greymalkin
to travel in time, Blaquesmith could do so under his own power, he was even capable of sending other people through time by meditating.
Blaquesmith made his base inside a ship, docked at the Baltimore
Harbor. He would often provide Cable with technology and weaponry, though Cable also bought weaponry from Advanced Idea Mechanics
. Despite being longtime allies, Cable and Blaquesmith had their problems; Cable didn't fully trust Blaquesmith and Blaquesmith thought that Cable was not doing enough to stop Apocalypse. After the destruction of Greymalkin and the departure of Cable's other mentor, Professor
, Cable came to rely more and more on Blaquesmith. During the Onslaught
-conflict, Blaquesmith was apparently killed when his ship exploded.
Blaquesmith hadn't died though, but had been taken prisoner by the time-traveller Rama-Tut
. Rama-Tut's time-machine had been destroyed and he was stranded in the 20th century. He demanded that Blaquesmith built him a new one, but Blaquesmith was rescued by Cable. Pleased to see that Cable had now become more devoted to his mission, Blaquesmith returned to assist him, though he would have many arguments with Cable's friend and chronicler, Irene Merryweather
. During the Twelve, Apocalypse absorbed the powers of Twelve Mutants and had to take over a new host body. He took over the body of Cyclops
, Cable's father. Cyclops disappeared and Cable and Cyclops' wife Jean Grey
went to search for him. Blaquesmith decided that Apocalypse was too dangerous though, and hired the assassin Gauntlet
to hunt down the merged Cyclops/Apocalypse being. Gauntlet failed and Apocalypse was driven from Cyclops' body and destroyed, but Blaquesmith's involvement remained unknown.
After Apocalypse's demise, Cable and Blaquesmith started to look for a new mission in their life. They were forced to combat the Dark Sisterhood who wanted to kill Cable. During this battle, Blaquesmith was thought killed again, but his body was never found. Cable didn't seem to be too concerned as Blaquesmith had disappeared before.
An imposter tried to manipulate Cable for a short while (see below), but the real Blaquesmith returned and became a member of Cable's Underground Movement
, a group gathered to stop Weapon X
. The Underground failed and disbanded and Blaquesmith hasn't been seen since. It is not known if Blaquesmith retained his mutant powers after the M-Day
, though Endangered Species
reveals that mutants belonging to alternate timelines, such as Cable, were not depowered.
are telepathic and telekinetic in nature. In addition, he possesses the ability to time travel
, allowing him to make short jumps in time, send other people to the far future and act as an anchor for time-travellers. Blaquesmith is also a mechanic
al genius, which is possibly another part of his mutation.
He often carries a staff, both used as a walking stick and as a weapon.
character that first appeared in Soldier X #1 (2002). Initially thought to be Blaquesmith himself, he turned out to be an imposter.
Unlike the almost monastic Blaquesmith, Novotny was a hedonist and used the money he received from Singapore to indulge in food, expensive clothes and women. He sent Cable on a mission to rescue a missing girl, but didn't reveal his reasons for doing so. Afterwards, Cable went to Kashmir
, where he was told of a strange man in a town saying only the word "Askani". Cable went to find out and was confronted by a mad general and his troops. The General desired to fly, but was killed by his own men when Cable made his insanity clear to his men. Novotny appeared and confessed to Cable that he was not the real Blaquesmith. He explained Singapore's idea to turn Cable into the new messiah through the media. Cable surprisingly enough agreed with the idea. Novotny, now humble, asked him if he could teach him as well. Cable agreed and the two left.
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
universe. One is a mutant from the future and an ally of Cable
Cable (comics)
Cable is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an infant in Uncanny X-Men #201...
, the other is a man hired to impersonate the former when he was presumed dead.
Blaquesmith (Askani)
Blaquesmith is a fictional Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
mutant
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
character that first appeared in X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
: Prime (1995).
Fictional character biography
Born into a post-apocalyptic alternate future, Blaquesmith was the first male to be admitted into the AskaniAskani
The Askani are fictional characters, a fictional organization in the Marvel Universe in the future/alternate timeline designated as Earth-4935, also known as Earth Askani...
sisterhood, a group of warrior women opposed to the rule of Apocalypse
Apocalypse (comics)
Apocalypse is a fictional character who is an ancient mutant that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Factor #5 , created by writer Louise Simonson and designed by artist Walter Simonson...
. In return for this deed, the Askani charged him with the task of mentoring the Chosen One of the Askani, the Askani'son, who happened to be Nathan Summers, later known as Cable
Cable (comics)
Cable is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an infant in Uncanny X-Men #201...
. Captured and imprisoned for rebellion, he found Nathan, another inmate who was captured by the New Canaanites. He told Nathan where the last Askani enclave was located, and together, they escaped from the jail. For unexplained reasons, Blaquesmith was forced to twist and corrupt his mortal form in order to train Nathan in the ways of the Askani. Nevertheless, he did so willingly. When Nathan, now using the alias Cable, travelled to the 20th century to stop the rise of Apocalypse, Blaquesmith travelled back in time as well to assist the hero. Unlike Cable, who was dependent on his spacestation Greymalkin
Providence (comics)
Providence is a fictional island featured in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Providence, located in the South Pacific Ocean, southwest of Hawaii at 20°N 165°W, is an artificial island made of parts from Cable’s old space station Graymalkin...
to travel in time, Blaquesmith could do so under his own power, he was even capable of sending other people through time by meditating.
Blaquesmith made his base inside a ship, docked at the Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
Harbor. He would often provide Cable with technology and weaponry, though Cable also bought weaponry from Advanced Idea Mechanics
Advanced Idea Mechanics
A.I.M. is a fictional terrorist organization in the . The organization first appeared in Strange Tales #146 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
. Despite being longtime allies, Cable and Blaquesmith had their problems; Cable didn't fully trust Blaquesmith and Blaquesmith thought that Cable was not doing enough to stop Apocalypse. After the destruction of Greymalkin and the departure of Cable's other mentor, Professor
Ship (comics)
The fictional A.I. entity originally known as Ship has appeared in several incarnations in the Marvel Universe. At times controlled by both the X-Men and their enemies, the sentient Ship A.I. has been at the core of a Celestial starship, two space stations, and a techno-organic being.-Ancient...
, Cable came to rely more and more on Blaquesmith. During the Onslaught
Onslaught (comics)
Onslaught is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Man #15 , and was co-created by writers Scott Lobdell, Mark Waid, and artist Andy Kubert....
-conflict, Blaquesmith was apparently killed when his ship exploded.
Blaquesmith hadn't died though, but had been taken prisoner by the time-traveller Rama-Tut
Kang the Conqueror
Kang the Conqueror is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Avengers #8 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
. Rama-Tut's time-machine had been destroyed and he was stranded in the 20th century. He demanded that Blaquesmith built him a new one, but Blaquesmith was rescued by Cable. Pleased to see that Cable had now become more devoted to his mission, Blaquesmith returned to assist him, though he would have many arguments with Cable's friend and chronicler, Irene Merryweather
Irene Merryweather
Irene Merryweather, also known as the Chronicler, is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. A former reporter, she now acts as a friend and confidante of Cable and was formerly his Chief of Staff at Providence before its destruction.-Fictional character biography:Irene...
. During the Twelve, Apocalypse absorbed the powers of Twelve Mutants and had to take over a new host body. He took over the body of Cyclops
Cyclops (comics)
Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes...
, Cable's father. Cyclops disappeared and Cable and Cyclops' wife Jean Grey
Jean Grey
Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
went to search for him. Blaquesmith decided that Apocalypse was too dangerous though, and hired the assassin Gauntlet
Gauntlet (Inhuman)
Gauntlet is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a member of the Dark Riders, employed by Apocalypse, and is one of the Inhumans. He is fitted with a cybernetic gauntlet, high powered weapons, and wears a mechanical device over one eye, used for tracking and scoping out prey...
to hunt down the merged Cyclops/Apocalypse being. Gauntlet failed and Apocalypse was driven from Cyclops' body and destroyed, but Blaquesmith's involvement remained unknown.
After Apocalypse's demise, Cable and Blaquesmith started to look for a new mission in their life. They were forced to combat the Dark Sisterhood who wanted to kill Cable. During this battle, Blaquesmith was thought killed again, but his body was never found. Cable didn't seem to be too concerned as Blaquesmith had disappeared before.
An imposter tried to manipulate Cable for a short while (see below), but the real Blaquesmith returned and became a member of Cable's Underground Movement
Underground (comics)
The Underground was a short-lived team of superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. They appeared in the comic-series Weapon X.-Fictional team biography:...
, a group gathered to stop Weapon X
Weapon X
Weapon X is a fictional clandestine government genetic research facility project in the Marvel Universe conducted by the Canadian Government's Department K, which turns willing and unwilling beings into living weapons. The project often captures mutants and experiments on them to enhance their...
. The Underground failed and disbanded and Blaquesmith hasn't been seen since. It is not known if Blaquesmith retained his mutant powers after the M-Day
Decimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
, though Endangered Species
X-Men: Endangered Species
"Endangered Species" is a 2007 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. Starring the X-Men, it ran from June to October 2007. It begins with the Endangered Species one-shot written by Mike Carey and drawn by Scot Eaton....
reveals that mutants belonging to alternate timelines, such as Cable, were not depowered.
Powers and abilities
Blaquesmith's main superpowersSuperpower (ability)
Superpower is a popular culture term for a fictional superhuman ability. When a character possesses multiple such abilities, the terms super powers or simply powers are used...
are telepathic and telekinetic in nature. In addition, he possesses the ability to time travel
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
, allowing him to make short jumps in time, send other people to the far future and act as an anchor for time-travellers. Blaquesmith is also a mechanic
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
al genius, which is possibly another part of his mutation.
He often carries a staff, both used as a walking stick and as a weapon.
Blaquesmith (Nigel Novotny)
Blaquesmith (Nigel Novotny) is a fictional Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
character that first appeared in Soldier X #1 (2002). Initially thought to be Blaquesmith himself, he turned out to be an imposter.
Fictional character biography
When Blaquesmith was thought to be killed by the Dark Sisterhood, movie producer Jackie Singapore hired Nigel Novotny to impersonate him. Jackie Singapore was a very rich and powerful man and he wanted to turn Cable, now calling himself Soldier X, into a movie franchise and create a cult around him. Cable let him know that he wasn't interested before, so Singapore hoped that Cable would listen to his "mentor". Novotny had been a small town teacher with little success and saw this as an opportunity to do something great with his life. He underwent surgery to look like Blaquesmith.Unlike the almost monastic Blaquesmith, Novotny was a hedonist and used the money he received from Singapore to indulge in food, expensive clothes and women. He sent Cable on a mission to rescue a missing girl, but didn't reveal his reasons for doing so. Afterwards, Cable went to Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
, where he was told of a strange man in a town saying only the word "Askani". Cable went to find out and was confronted by a mad general and his troops. The General desired to fly, but was killed by his own men when Cable made his insanity clear to his men. Novotny appeared and confessed to Cable that he was not the real Blaquesmith. He explained Singapore's idea to turn Cable into the new messiah through the media. Cable surprisingly enough agreed with the idea. Novotny, now humble, asked him if he could teach him as well. Cable agreed and the two left.