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Mystique (comics)
Encyclopedia
Mystique is a fictional character associated with the Marvel Comics
' franchise X-Men
. Originally created by artist David Cockrum and writer Chris Claremont
, she first appeared in Ms. Marvel
#16.
Throughout most of her history, Mystique has been a supervillain
, founding her own Brotherhood of Mutants
and assassinating several important people involved in mutant affairs. Mystique herself is a mutant
, a shapeshifter
whose natural appearance includes blue skin and yellow eyes. At one point, she mentions that she is over 100 years old. Mystique is the mother of the villain Graydon Creed
, the X-Men hero Nightcrawler
, and adoptive
mother of the hero Rogue
. She is forced to abandon Nightcrawler, but raises Rogue for a number of years, and the two women have mixed feelings towards one another.
Despite Mystique's history of crime, she works with the X-Men's Professor X
in a short-lived series. She is later voted straight into the X-Men.
Actress Rebecca Romijn
portrayed Mystique in first three of the X-Men films
. In the 2011 film, X-Men: First Class
, Jennifer Lawrence
plays the role of Mystique (with Romijn making a cameo appearance
). In 2009, Mystique was ranked as IGN
's 18th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.
. Writer Chris Claremont
saw Cockrum's design, dubbed the character "Mystique", and with Cockrum's permission, she first appeared in Ms. Marvel
No.16 (May 1978).
Former X-Men writer Claremont has stated that he originally intended Mystique and Destiny
to be Nightcrawler's
biological parents (with Mystique having morphed into a man for the act of conception), but Marvel didn't agree, because at that time the Comics Code Authority
and Marvel policy prohibited the explicit portrayal of gay or bisexual characters. Much later, the two were confirmed to have been a couple.
is stated to have occurred somewhere around "the dawn of the 20th century."
and Rachel Summers
, who had time travel
ed from the future and sought to prevent a plot by Nazi
agents Baron Wolfgang von Strucker
and Geist
, "Ghost", a member of Nazi intelligence, and their ally Amahl Farouk, Shadow King
. The three had conspired to question the rights of the British Monarch
to the throne and then to replace him with Oswald Mosley
of the British Fascist Party
, a likely ally for Nazi Germany
. Irene and Raven contacted an acquaintance of theirs, called Logan
, to help the time travelers. Irene and Raven advised Shadowcat and Logan against proceeding in their contemplated assassination of Adolf Hitler
and other prominent leaders and officials of the Nazi Party. Raven was laconic in only stating: "All of us have learned to kill, Logan. But more importantly, we have learned not to kill. And to know the difference."
At some point, Raven reportedly lost contact with Irene. She managed to locate her working as an archivist in the Alamogordo
nuclear research facilities in New Mexico
. Raven was uncertain of Irene's motivation, but apparently trusted her enough not to press for answers.
Raven meets Victor Creed, the man known as Sabretooth
. At the time, she uses the identity of deceased German secret agent Leni Zauber. Both Leni and Victor had been assigned with the assassination of a scientist in East Berlin. Raven completes the mission in place of Leni, and then she and Victor have to hide in a safe location for a while. They became lovers, but she soon fakes her death in order to leave him.
The result of this short-lived affair is reportedly the birth of Graydon Creed
, her earliest known child. A number of stories report that soon after his birth, Raven gives him up for adoption. Others depict Mystique making arrangements for him from a distance. Graydon reportedly spends most of his childhood in a boarding school. Raven keeps track of his activities until he reaches adolescence. Being the child of two mutants, Graydon assumes he is a mutant himself. However, he eventually proves to be a Homo Sapien instead of a Homo Superior. Raven is disappointed and soon abandons him. Graydon grows to hate his parents, and eventually extends his hatred to all mutants. He later becomes leader of the mutant-hating organization Friends of Humanity
, and then a politician. Graydon, at the height of his political ascension, was assassinated by an unknown shooter. The shooter was later revealed to be a time traveling version of Mystique, as part of a convoluted time paradox involving Jean Grey
, Iceman
, Toad
, and Juggernaut
.
, but the exact events were uncertain. Much later another writer, Chuck Austen
, eventually revealed that the father was a demonic-looking mutant from biblical times called Azazel
.
At that time, Raven is married to Baron
Christian Wagner; older sources give his name as Count
Eric Wagner, an affluent member of German nobility
. He proves to be a loving husband, but rather disappointing as a lover. His infertility
adds to their marital problems. Raven starts using her shapeshifting powers in order to secretly have sexual encounters with others. She is apparently both seeking sexual satisfaction and attempting to conceive another child. She is eventually seduced by fellow mutant Azazel.
Azazel states that he is ruler of "an island nation off the coast of Bermuda
: La Isla des Demonas," The Island of Demon
s. He is apparently a fellow shapeshifter, and also has the power of teleportation
. He is later revealed to also have the power of immortality
and to be the father of an ancient race of mutants known as the Neyaphem, active since at least 2000 BC. His natural form is that of a young man with black hair, yellow eyes, red skin, and a pointed tail. He later claimed to have been posing as a demon and to have used many aliases: "Because I am Semihazah, Duma, Keriel, Mastema
, Beliar
, Gadreel, and Beelzebub
. And most commonly called Satan
." Many of these aliases have also been claimed by several notable true demons of the Marvel Universe.
Raven soon becomes pregnant. Her husband becomes suspicious and his own father suggests a blood test to verify if the child is his. Mystique uses a dagger to murder him and then buries him. She eventually gives birth to a young boy with black hair, yellow eyes, blue skin, and a pointed tail. The locals consider the mother and child to be demons, and attempt to kill them. Mystique manages to escape but abandons her second known son. He is found and raised by Gypsy sorceress Margali Szardos
and named Kurt Wagner.
, who had run away from her home in rural Caldecott County, Mississippi
. The girl was living alone in a wooded area, brandishing a shotgun and trusting no one when Mystique found her. Destiny foresees that Rogue will be important to them and Mystique seeks her out, gains her trust, and takes her in. She and Destiny raise the girl over approximately a decade, and Mystique grows to be very protective of her.
Mystique had concealed her superhuman powers and criminal intentions so well over the years that, as Raven Darkhölme, she is able to rise rapidly through the United States Civil Service to the trusted position of Deputy Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the United States Department of Defense
. This position gives her access to military secrets and to advanced weaponry, both of which she uses for her own criminal and subversive purposes.
In this position, she attempts the theft of the Centurion weaponry from S.H.I.E.L.D.
She also beat Ms. Marvel
's lover Michael Barnett to death, and sought to kill Ms. Marvel.
To help her in her criminal activities, Mystique organizes her own incarnation of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants
, which originally consisted of herself, Avalanche
, the Blob
, Destiny, and Pyro
. This incarnation of the Brotherhood first gains notoriety when it attempts to assassinate Senator Robert Kelly
, a notoriously anti-mutant politician. The X-Men battle the Brotherhood and thus thwart the assassination attempt, thereby averting a series of events which would have resulted in the death of most super-powered humans, and the subjugation of North America by the mutant-hunting robots, the Sentinels
(as chronicled in the "Days of Future Past
" storyline). The Brotherhood later clashed with the X-Men on other occasions.
Rogue is trained by Mystique and eventually joins the Brotherhood. Her mutant power is the ability to absorb the psyche, memories, personality, strengths, and any skills or powers of whomever she touches. Rogue proves to be a powerful member of the team. She goes on many missions with the Brotherhood and, with her help, the team is almost able to defeat the Avengers
.
On a mission with the Avengers, Rogue fights Carol Danvers, Ms. Marvel
. Rogue tries stealing Carol's powers, but Carol fights too hard and Rogue ends up absorbing Carol's memories and powers permanently, while Carol is left an empty shell. Professor X
avier later restores Carol's memories, but not the emotions that went with them. Rogue, meanwhile, feels like she is losing her mind, grappling with Danvers' psyche and at times not knowing which memories are really hers. Feeling like she is in danger of losing control of herself, Rogue runs away from home and seeks help from the X-Men, hoping that Professor X will be able to treat her. While the other X-Men are initially hesitant in accepting their former enemy, Xavier welcomes her and gives her a spot on the team.
Worried that Rogue has left because Xavier has brainwashed her, Mystique goes to rescue her, leading an attack on the X-Men. Rogue stops her, saying that she has left of her own free will. Mystique is doubtful and hurt, but Rogue ultimately convinces her by saying that Xavier was probably the only person who could help with her powers and give her a chance at a normal life, as she feared the absorbed personality of Carol Danvers would otherwise drive her insane. Mystique grudgingly agrees and lets Rogue stay with the X-Men. Though she remains close to Rogue, coming to help her at times, Mystique comes to resent Xavier.
Mystique is captured by Carol Danvers at the Pentagon at one point. She leads the Brotherhood in clashes with Dazzler
, and leads the Brotherhood in battle with the X-Men as well. Mystique later visits Forge
, and protests Henry Peter Gyrich
's use of Forge's neutralizer.
. Believing that the times have become too dangerous for the Brotherhood to continue its criminal activities, Mystique goes to Doctor Valerie Cooper
, special assistant to the head of the National Security Council
, and offers the Brotherhood's services to the government. Cooper agrees to convey the offer to the President on the condition that the Brotherhood passes a test she imposes: the capture of Magneto
. The Brotherhood, now renamed Freedom Force
, succeeds in bringing Magneto to the authorities, though only because he voluntarily surrenders to them so he can go on trial for his crimes and soon afterward officially enter the government's employ.
In return for entering government service as Freedom Force's leader, Mystique and her team receive a presidential pardon
for all criminal charges against them, but the pardon would be revoked if any member of Freedom Force were found committing a crime.
Mystique leads Freedom Force in capturing the Avengers on behalf of the federal government. She clashes with X-Factor
in seeking to arrest Rusty Collins
. With Freedom Force, she fights the X-Men in Dallas, and is present at the X-Men's apparent demise
. With Freedom Force, she battles Cyclops
and Marvel Girl
. With Freedom Force she seeks to arrest Rusty Collins again, and battles the New Mutants
. She finally succeeds in capturing Collins as well as Skids
. She leads Freedom Force against the Reavers
on Muir Island
. On this particularly disastrous mission, Freedom Force loses two of its members, Stonewall
and Mystique's lover Destiny. The death of her lover leaves Mystique psychologically scarred, and she never truly recovers.
Mystique is later nearly killed by Dr. Valerie Cooper, who is under the Shadow King
's mental control. She then impersonates Dr. Valerie Cooper. Mystique is eventually discovered impersonating Dr. Cooper, and saves Xavier's life by killing the Shadow King's human host, Jacob Reisz. She finally reconciles with Rogue. In time, she comes to terms with Destiny's death. She teams with Spiral
and Wolverine
in thwarting Mojo
's near-destruction of the universe. Mystique later briefly stays as a guest at Xavier's mansion
. She begins going insane, and leaves the mansion under the care of Forge.
for his murdering of Destiny. Mystique has an implant put in her skull by Forge
in order for the government to be able to keep track of her. She is then forced to become a member of the government-sponsored team X-Factor
after being arrested for trying to blow up a dam. In truth, Mystique had been trying to save the dam, which the U.S. Government wanted to destroy so that they could blame it on mutants. She joins coincidentally to the departure of X-Factor member Wolfsbane
. Her membership leads to tension with her teammates when Sabretooth is added to the team months later as a sleeper agent
, for the main purpose of killing Mystique before she could uncover the truth about the conspiracy she had discovered. She slowly develops a romantic relationship with team-leader Forge (though he later thought that she was just using him).
Part of the conspiracy involves Mystique's son Graydon Creed running for President, under an anti-mutant platform.
At the same time, both Graydon and Mystique learn that her lover Destiny had married and had children during one of the couple's separations. Irene's children are now adults with their own children, one of which is a mutant. Graydon has the mutant teen savagely beaten by members of the Friends of Humanity, as a warning towards his mother. Mystique is furious and wants to kill her son, but stops when she is given a message that Graydon's backers want her to kill him and turn her son into a martyr.
Mystique then seeks to save her son from being betrayed by his backers, but fails miserably. Graydon dies and his death ushers in a new wave of anti-mutant violence. Ultimately, Sabretooth acts on his orders to kill the members of X-Factor as "Operation Zero Tolerance" is activated. Even though she could have left her teammates to die, Mystique attacks Sabretooth, an act of intervention that distracts Sabretooth long enough to keep him from finishing off the already injured team. Mystique then flees the scene after arranging for the members of X-Factor to receive emergency medical treatment for the wounds Sabretooth inflicted.
Mystique goes into hiding, taking the identity of the senator's wife Mallory Brickman, using her husband's influence to set the FBI on Sabretooth. She prevents Rogue from giving up her mutant powers and she continues her investigation of the U.S. Government over her son's death, leading to her aiding Toad and his most recent incarnation of the Brotherhood of Mutants on a mission to raid a government base. The mission fails thanks to Machine Man
, who fights the Brotherhood and forces the team to flee. Mystique flees to Europe, at which point her life changes dramatically. While taking the form of a blonde haired woman during a trip to the beach, Mystique is confronted by a famous photographer who tells the mutant that he wants to make her the next big fashion model.
Amused, Mystique accepts and quickly becomes the fashion industry's newest top model. Using her money, Mystique moves back to New York and into an expensive penthouse apartment. At peace, Mystique buys a telescope and uses it to take in her penthouse's view of New York. This proves to be a huge mistake, as a nearby building is being used by Skrull
s loyal to Apocalypse
to build the machinery needed for an upcoming scheme of the villains. When one of the Skrulls catches Mystique by her window with her telescope, they assume the worst and frame Mystique for the murder of a Japanese diplomat. With help from Shadowcat and Rogue, Mystique is cleared and leaves town. However, before she leaves, Shadowcat finds one of Destiny's diaries, left there by Destiny herself before she died.
Arrested, Mystique's life is torn apart as the U.S. Government acts on their intelligence regarding Mystique, and uses it to destroy all of the alternate identities that Mystique has established over the years and arrange for Mystique to be unable to access any of the money she and Destiny had hidden away over the years. This causes Mystique to lose any self control she might once have had, as the loss of her powers and the loss of her freedom causes her to lash out at everyone around her. Most notably, Rogue feels the brunt of her mother's wrath as Rogue has no sympathy for Mystique's plight. The relationship sours most notably when Rogue refuses to tell Mystique that the X-Men are going to fight the High Evolutionary
, who was responsible for depowering all mutants, in order to restore everyone's powers. The X-Men defeat Evolutionary and restore everyone's powers, allowing Mystique to escape jail.
Mystique is later sent back in time by the original X-Factor's sentient ship. Raven finds that she is destined to be part of a great time paradox, where she finds herself with a time delay weapon, which she is about to program to kill Graydon. Mystique is confused, because she remembers that she set up the weapon, but never got around to programming it. After some deliberation, she decides to activate the weapon to kill Graydon. Mystique's sanity is further damaged by the revelation that her lover and soulmate Destiny was one of the founding members of the anti-mutant conspiracy Mystique had dedicated countless years to fighting, and had willfully withheld medical treatment to mutant children that would have resulted in them not growing up deformed due to their mutations.
This led to Raven once again going mad, due to the futility of her mission to change the world for the better. Raven becomes nihilistically obsessed with death and genocide, as she reforms the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants for another assassination attempt on Senator Kelly, and kidnaps Moira MacTaggert
and impersonates her in order to access her research on the Legacy Virus
. While not the gifted scientist that Moira was, Mystique's insanity and experience with bio-terrorism allows her not only to use samples of Moira's Legacy Virus infected blood to create a biological weapon that would infect humans and not mutants, but most importantly, allows her to come up with a cure for the Legacy Virus after repeated readings of all of the doctor's research which, when filtered through Mystique's insane mind, results in her being able to pick up on insights that Moira had missed when researching.
The assassination attempt on Kelly ends in failure, when the mutant villain Pyro betrays his teammates to save Kelly's life. Mystique blows up MacTaggert's research facility, fatally injuring the doctor. Mystique then shoots Moira's foster daughter Wolfsbane with a prototype of Forge's neutralizer gun, depowering her.
Rogue arrives and confronts her mother. When Mystique reveals her plan to Rogue of using a modified form of the Legacy Virus on the humans, Rogue realizes that her mother is ill and tries to help her. Mystique pretends to accept Rogue's help before stabbing her in the gut.
As Mystique confronts the other X-Men, Rogue's healing factor revives her. Sneaking behind Mystique, Rogue uses the bone claws she had absorbed from Wolverine and stabs her in the back.
Mystique is hospitalized, where she tells the X-Men that Destiny had predicted a dark future for mutant-kind, and that the future Destiny foretold kept on unfolding despite all that Mystique had done to prevent it. She believes that the only way to save them is to get rid of the humans, for a planet of mutants might survive, while mutants divided against each other and with humanity shunning them as outcasts would be doomed.
Mystique is sent to prison, but quickly escapes. She then allies herself with Martinique Jason
, the daughter of the original Mastermind
, in an attempt to wrest control of the military organization known as the X-Corps
from its founder, Banshee
. Outfitted with a device that gives her the ability to generate an electrical charge, Mystique creates the identity of a supervillain named Surge and joins the X-Corps. While Mastermind's daughter mind-controls the other members of the organization, Mystique brings Banshee's organization down and slits his throat, leaving him in critical condition.
is later forced to make Mystique his secret agent, as his previous one, Prudence Leighton
, has died and Mystique is the only one suitable enough to complete the missions. Xavier poses as Magneto to rescue Mystique from the Department of Homeland Security and from execution at the hands of Johny Kitano
, Special Magistrate for Homo Superior crimes against humanity, and a mutant himself.
At this time, Mystique claims that there is an imposter out to frame her, taking control over the Brotherhood and sending them on their recent missions (the assassination of Moira and the infiltration of X-Corps). Whether she is speaking the truth has not been revealed. The two never truly trust each other, but as long as Mystique completes the missions without killing anybody, Xavier keeps her safe from the authorities, who are out to execute her. Working with Xavier is Forge, with whom Mystique had a brief romance while she was in X-Factor.
One of Xavier's enemies, the Quiet Man, who is actually Prudence Leighton inhabiting the body of her assassin, contacts Mystique and offers to give her an interference transmitter which would keep her safe from the authorities, the same type of device Xavier is using, if she killed Xavier. Creating a plan that would free her from both men, Mystique pretends to try killing Xavier while secretly working with the mutant thief Fantomex
, after alerting Forge to stop her at the last moment. Her plan is to have the Quiet Man see this and believe that she really has attempted to kill Xavier and is still working for him. However, the other X-Men also believe that Mystique has tried killing Xavier and seek her out.
Rogue manages to track her down. She disowns her adoptive mother, saying she has tried to forgive Mystique for stabbing her, but that this is too much. She goes on to say that Mystique isn't her mother, that she is a monster. Mystique tries apologizing to Rogue for how she has hurt her, but Rogue is distraught with rage and attacks her foster mother. Mystique manages to escape by blowing up the house and going through the window, changing her form to shield her fall.
Mystique goes to the Quiet Man, who is planning on having her killed due to outliving her usefulness. After a battle, Mystique kills the Quiet Man, saves her former field-handler Shortpack
, and discovers the Quiet Man's interference transmitter has been a fake all along. Later, Forge catches Mystique trying to steal his interference transmitter. After some angry words, he smashes it and tells her he never wants to see her again. The two share a sad goodbye kiss and Mystique leaves. After Mystique is gone, Forge realizes that she had already switched his transmitter for the fake one.
's training squad, the Chevaliers. She attempts to seduce Rogue's boyfriend Gambit to break them up so she can set her daughter up with a young mutant named Augustus, a man with whom she believes Rogue could be the happiest.
Though severely tempted by "Foxx's" advances, Gambit resists. Mystique ultimately reveals herself to him, telling him that she is trying to relieve the tension between him and Rogue (because of the two being unable to touch due to her ability to absorb someone's essence upon skin-to-skin contact). Mystique then metamorphoses into Rogue and tells Gambit that he would not be cheating on Rogue if he had sex with her in Rogue's form.
When the telepath Emma Frost
discovers who Foxx really is, the X-Men confront Mystique. Mystique tells them that she had been lonely and wants to join the X-Men. Emma also discovers that Gambit had known who Foxx really was all along, and a furious Rogue believes the two have been having an affair. Mystique would not reveal if she and Gambit did anything, but tells Rogue that if he truly loves her he would not have been tempted, and that she deserves better than him. Gambit denies anything had happened.
Later, the X-Men vote and decide to have Mystique join them on a probationary status (though Rogue is one of the ones who vote against her joining). Meanwhile, Nightcrawler asks her to leave for a while regardless of the vote, saying that he needs more time adjusting to the idea of her being a member first. Mystique ultimately agrees and leaves. However, after M-Day
, she joins the X-Men
and brings Augustus (Pulse) along with her. Both have been crucial in the latest downfall of Apocalypse. Rogue believes that Mystique's transformation is yet another act.
bullets into his aquatic body. After the Hecatomb battle on Providence, Rogue's team (sans Cable
) return to Rogue's former childhood home in Caldecott County, Mississippi, which Mystique owns for some downtime. Mystique consummate
s her flirtation with Iceman, and even alerts the X-Men, who come to treat Rogue's illness, that there are intruders in the area. Only after Lady Mastermind
drops her illusions do the X-Men realize that it is an all-out attack, and that both Lady Mastermind
and Omega Sentinel
(the latter being possessed by Malice) have defected sides. During the Marauders' initial ambush, Mystique prevents Scalphunter
from shooting Rogue. She then reveals herself as a traitor as well when she shoots her adopted daughter and, standing over her body, orders the remaining Marauders
to kill the X-Men.
. When Sinister approaches Mystique as she is with the comatose Rogue, Mystique shoves Sinister onto Rogue, killing him through fatal skin-to-skin contact. Then, in keeping with the words of the Destiny Diaries, she touches the baby's face to Rogue's, believing that this will heal her foster daughter. While the baby is not affected by Rogue's power, to Mystique's surprise, Rogue does not awaken as the Destiny Diaries predicted. Believing their plan to have failed, Mystique and Gambit cry at Rogue's bedside.
As they grieve, Rogue finally awakens. After hearing all that Mystique has done, and sick of her manipulations, Rogue says she's tired of people getting hurt whenever Mystique is around, and tries to kill her with her touch. When Mystique is merely rendered unconscious, Rogue discovers that the baby's powers have restored her own to normal. The baby's touch has purged her of the Strain 88 virus and all the residual psyches she had absorbed over her life, including Hecatomb. However, she now has the consciousness and the memories of the one person she wants nothing more to do with: Mystique. Sickened by what she has absorbed, Rogue tells Gambit that she needs to be alone, and leaves.
. Instead, he drops a gun and leaves in the sunset, leaving Mystique to scream and curse behind him.
to the hospital and injects him with a fatal dose of a toxin created by Mister Sinister
. Hospital staff try to get to Iceman, but they are held back by Mystique while Iceman expels the toxin from his system. Afterward, Mystique attacks Iceman in a truck and sets the truck ablaze with Iceman in it. Iceman steps out of the fire unharmed and disarms and immobilizes Mystique, but she escapes moments later after turning her body into her child form. In the final issue of Manifest Destiny, Mystique impersonates Iceman and stands on top of the Golden Gate bridge threatening to blow it up. Iceman arrives and discovers the reason for Mystique doing this is Wolverine
telling her that she will die alone. After a heated conversation, Iceman freezes the bomb, Mystique punches him and jumps off the bridge into the water. Her body is not found, but Iceman tells Cyclops and Hank McCoy
that he knows that she is not dead and thanks her for what she did for him.
's Dark X-Men
, posing as Professor Charles Xavier for P.R.
purposes. Osborn has her injected with nanite
s and kept on a short leash; should she try anything, Osborn would turn her into a human bomb. After the defection of Emma Frost
, Namor, and Cloak and Dagger
, Mystique begins leading the remaining members of the team (Mimic
, Dark Beast
, and Omega) under the public guise of Jean Grey
, as no one could prove Jean had actually died, but mainly to hurt those who had caused her great harm. A mission arranged by Osborn has Mystique (in her Jean Grey guise) facing a resurrected Nate Grey
.
Mystique is then shot by a hit-man named Lord Deathstrike. Despite being shot, and badly wounded, Mystique manages to patch herself and escape on a motorcycle before Lord Deathstrike can finish the task. Wolverine & Lord Deathstrike are in hot pursuit of Mystique throughout the San Francisco streets simultaneously. As she is involved in a shootout with Lord Deathstrike, Mystique is impaled from behind by Wolverine who demands she tell him where he can find The Red Right Hand. Mystique pulls the pin out of a grenade, places it on Wolverine and moves out of the way just before it explodes then further warns him of the Red Right Hand's setup in Mexico as he heals from the blast.
Lord Deathstrike shoots Mystique in her right shoulder as they continue face off while Wolverine heals. Yet, before Deathstrike can finish her off, Wolverine cuts the telephone pole that Lord Deathstrike was standing on which sends him crashing into a windshield of an automobile. Wolverine then gets a call from his ally Maverick stating The Red Right Hand can be found in Mexico. Mystique, riddled with bullets, shoots Lord Deathstrike in the head but it doesn't affect him as he is in a ghost-like, non-corporeal state and phases into the solid ground beneath them.
Mystique then confronts Wolverine and claims that her role in his recent exile to hell was something she doesn't regret. She then continues to disparage him, stating that his own pursuit of her for her crimes is hypocritical seeing as how he's killed and betrayed many in his years. She claims the only reason she is helping him is in honor of her deceased son Nightcrawler and his devotion to Wolverine, nothing else. Mystique insists that he for once listen to what she has to say but he states that he's heard enough and walks toward her with his claws popped. Perturbed, Mystique draws a pistol and curses him out then is quickly gutted by Wolverine and finally killed, her body lying in a pool of blood.
Lord Deathstrike collects Mystique's body and auctions it off to the highest bidder. Her corpse is sold for 5 million to group of ninjas. It is implied these are possibly agents of league of assassins known as "The Hand
" given their reputation for restoring fallen warriors. They are not in the traditional red garb but "The Hand" has on occasion been shown to wear black or white uniforms.
shapeshifter
with the ability to psionically shift the formation of her biological cell
s at will to change her appearance and thereby assume the form of other humans. She can also alter her voice to duplicate exactly that of another person. Originally, it was clearly stated that Mystique's powers were limited to appearances only; she could not assume the powers of the people she morphed into or alter her body to adapt to different situations. In addition, she cannot change her overall body mass when taking on the appearance of a person larger or smaller than she is.
Her body is not limited to purely organic appearances. She has the ability to create the appearance of clothes out of her own body. Mystique is shown in at least one instance transforming a metallic part of her costume into a functioning blaster pistol. Whether this is a function of her powers or of the costume piece itself is unclear. She can transform part of her body into a separated, clear and hard substance that appears to be glass, as she does when she appears to be wearing glasses.
As a shape-shifter, Mystique is able to constantly alter and rejuvenate her body's cells and thereby retain her youthful appearance despite being alive for over one hundred years.
This changes in 2001's X-Men Forever miniseries, in which Mystique is exposed to dangerous levels of radiation in order to save the life of Toad
. The process morphs Mystique's appearance to match her more reptilian physique from the 2000s
film trilogy
, and boosts her powers so that she can now morph her body into taking certain desired physical traits depending on her situation at the time. Examples of this new ability include night vision
, wing
s on her back, talons
in her fingers, and natural body armor
. She can even compress nearly two-dimensional like a sheet of paper to glide on air currents, similar to Mister Fantastic
, which she uses to survive an explosion. She has moved her vital organs out of place in order to survive a gunshot to her torso. She has, once with strain, given herself two heads and four arms to facilitate a gun fight on two fronts, as well as shapeshifted into herself as a child. She is also now able to hold a shape when knocked unconscious.
Damage to her biological tissue is known to heal at a relatively fast rate and she can form a resistance to poison
s upon contracting them. Recently she has stated that her body mass is not fixed and can change when she does. While she retains her advanced powers, she now appears in her old form without scales. Her powers grant her immunity to diseases, enhanced agility, and agelessness.
Mystique is a cunning strategist in terrorist and commando operations, and adept at martial arts and information technology. She has a talent for finding, stealing, and understanding cutting edge weaponry. She is a talented actress. She has some natural resistance to telepathic intrusion and wears devices to prevent her mind from being read by telepathy. Furthermore, with over a century's experience in posing as other people she has picked up the uncanny skill of being able to identify people posing as others based on body language
and changes in behavioral cues.
ever since the events of "X-Men: Messiah Complex
". She converses with Rogue. She also requests that Rogue turn over control of their body. Eventually she is erased by Professor Xavier.
's agents, the Pale Riders and the Shadow King.
"How does [history] judge the part we play here and now in protecting the remnants of mutant-kind?" He says "History is short on specifics" and that it only remembers broad movements, not individuals. She hints at wanting to know how she is remembered, and he comments that her name did survive in a database of his time. Her name is synonymous with traitor, comparing her name to Judas Iscariot
. However, he does add that the information from his time is part of his history, as it was 2,000 years old.
In the Earth-797 reality, Mystique is apparently a man and goes by the name of Raphael-Raven Darkholme (and his alias is Mystiq). Much like the main Mystique, he has a relationship with Destiny but due to his gender has a child with her (Claremont's original plan for Nightcrawler's origin). They are both killed in unknown circumstances and Raphael often goes to their grave sites. On such an occasion, he is about to be attacked by soldiers when the Exiles' Sabretooth, who had been stranded on this Earth, saves his life. Saying he is in his debt, he joins the Exiles when they come to pick up their teammate.
, Mystique is an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
and a member of its elite unit, the Red Guard, alongside Jessica Drew
, Toad, and her children Rogue and Nightcrawler. She's also involved in an affair with Wolverine, the Red Guard's leader. When this unit, in pursuit of their former leader, attacks the heroes 'awakened' by Layla Miller
, the entire squad is restored. With all of reality against them, any personal history is set aside, and Mystique fights alongside the rest of the 'awakened' without incident.
, in order to get close to and bite Quicksilver
. She is also shown fighting alongside zombie versions of Avalanche, Blob, and Pyro taking a direct blast from Cyclops
to the face.
Universe, Mystique is the former lover of Charles Xavier. However, during their stay in the Savage Land with Magneto, the young Emma Frost comes under the tutelage of Xavier, and shortly thereafter he dumps Mystique for Frost. Ever since then, Mystique has held great resentment toward Xavier, which in turn makes her loyal to Magneto. She teams up with Forge and helps Magneto escape the Triskelion by taking his place in the prison cell before she is replaced by Mastermind and Stacy X and given a new assignment. She is hinted to be one of the few who actually knows how Xavier's darker side operates, stating "We all bought into Xavier's dream until we got a look at the sick brain behind it." It is later revealed that Emma Frost named Xavier's cat after Mystique, after the feline partially destroyed the decor of his office. She briefly appears in Ultimates 3, impersonating the Black Widow to distract Tony Stark
until knocked out by the Wasp.
Mystique is posing as Dark Beast and pretending to work with Mister Sinister
. When Sinister murders Rogue she kills him. Gambit later asks her to look after his and Rogue's children when he goes off into space.
limited series' first issue. She is leading a group of thieves who attack the old monk/Professor X
. They are scared away by Hitome/Cyclops. The other thieves are Avalanche
and Pyro
. In the fourth issue, she appears as Anna/Rogue
's mother, a voodoo priestess.
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...
' franchise 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...
. Originally created by artist David Cockrum and writer Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont is an award-winning American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on Uncanny X-Men, far longer than any other writer, during which he is credited with developing strong female characters, and with introducing complex literary themes into superhero...
, she first appeared in Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel is the name of a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and designed by artist Gene Colan, the non-powered Carol Danvers debuted as a member of the United States Air Force in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 and as Ms. Marvel—a...
#16.
Throughout most of her history, Mystique has been a supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
, founding her own Brotherhood of Mutants
Brotherhood of Mutants
The Brotherhood of Mutants, originally known as the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, is a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain team devoted to mutant superiority over normal humans. They are among the chief adversaries of the X-Men...
and assassinating several important people involved in mutant affairs. Mystique herself is a 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...
, a shapeshifter
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
whose natural appearance includes blue skin and yellow eyes. At one point, she mentions that she is over 100 years old. Mystique is the mother of the villain Graydon Creed
Graydon Creed
Graydon Creed is a fictional character created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Brandon Peterson. The character is an enemy of the X-Men and first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #299 .- Fictional character biography :...
, the X-Men hero Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler (comics)
Nightcrawler is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Universe. He has been associated with both the X-Men and Excalibur, originally appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, he debuted in Giant-Size X-Men #1...
, and adoptive
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
mother of the hero Rogue
Rogue (comics)
Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10...
. She is forced to abandon Nightcrawler, but raises Rogue for a number of years, and the two women have mixed feelings towards one another.
Despite Mystique's history of crime, she works with the X-Men's Professor X
Professor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
in a short-lived series. She is later voted straight into the X-Men.
Actress Rebecca Romijn
Rebecca Romijn
Rebecca Alie Romijn is an American actress and former fashion model. She is best known for her role as Mystique in the X-Men films, and for her recurring role as Alexis Meade on the television series Ugly Betty.-Early life:...
portrayed Mystique in first three of the X-Men films
X-Men (film series)
The X-Men film series consists of superhero films based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. The films star an ensemble cast, focusing on Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, who is drawn into the conflict between Professor Xavier and Magneto , who have opposing views on humanity's...
. In the 2011 film, X-Men: First Class
X-Men: First Class
X-Men: First Class is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics starring the X-Men.-Publication history:The original series was an eight-issue limited series. It began in September 2006 and ended in April 2007. It was written by Jeff Parker and penciled by Roger Cruz...
, Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Shrader Lawrence is an American film and television actress. She has had lead roles in TBS's The Bill Engvall Show and in the independent films The Burning Plain and Winter's Bone, for which she received critical acclaim and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress...
plays the role of Mystique (with Romijn making a cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
). In 2009, Mystique was ranked as IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's 18th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.
Production
Mystique was originally created by artist Dave CockrumDave Cockrum
David Emmett Cockrum was an American comic book artist known for his co-creation of the new X-Men characters Nightcrawler, Storm, and Colossus...
. Writer Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont is an award-winning American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on Uncanny X-Men, far longer than any other writer, during which he is credited with developing strong female characters, and with introducing complex literary themes into superhero...
saw Cockrum's design, dubbed the character "Mystique", and with Cockrum's permission, she first appeared in Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel is the name of a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and designed by artist Gene Colan, the non-powered Carol Danvers debuted as a member of the United States Air Force in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 and as Ms. Marvel—a...
No.16 (May 1978).
Former X-Men writer Claremont has stated that he originally intended Mystique and Destiny
Destiny (Irene Adler)
Destiny is a Marvel Comics fictional character, known as an adversary of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne, the character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #141...
to be Nightcrawler's
Nightcrawler (comics)
Nightcrawler is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Universe. He has been associated with both the X-Men and Excalibur, originally appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, he debuted in Giant-Size X-Men #1...
biological parents (with Mystique having morphed into a man for the act of conception), but Marvel didn't agree, because at that time the Comics Code Authority
Comics Code Authority
The Comics Code Authority was a body created as part of the Comics Magazine Association of America, as a tool for the comics-publishing industry to self-regulate the content of comic books in the United States. Member publishers submitted comic books to the CCA, which screened them for adherence to...
and Marvel policy prohibited the explicit portrayal of gay or bisexual characters. Much later, the two were confirmed to have been a couple.
Destiny
Despite the fact that Mystique's exact age remains unknown, her earliest meeting with her lover DestinyDestiny (Irene Adler)
Destiny is a Marvel Comics fictional character, known as an adversary of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne, the character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #141...
is stated to have occurred somewhere around "the dawn of the 20th century."
Early espionage activities and contacts
The decades-long quest of Mystique and Destiny apparently required them to constantly travel. They encountered ShadowcatKitty Pryde
Katherine Anne "Kitty" Pryde is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 and was created by writer-artist John Byrne....
and Rachel Summers
Rachel Summers
Rachel Anne Summers is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne for Marvel Comics....
, who had 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...
ed from the future and sought to prevent a plot by Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
agents Baron Wolfgang von Strucker
Baron Strucker
Baron Wolfgang von Strucker is a fictional character created for Marvel Comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #5...
and Geist
Geist (Marvel Comics)
Geist was a supervillain first appearing in Wolverine #17. He was a cyborg, but had no superpowers. He was encased in a metal shell simply to survive, because he was so old.-Fictional character biography:...
, "Ghost", a member of Nazi intelligence, and their ally Amahl Farouk, Shadow King
Shadow King
The Shadow King, also known as Amahl Farouk, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shadow King exists as an entity of pure psychic energy that feeds on the hatred of humanity...
. The three had conspired to question the rights of the British Monarch
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
to the throne and then to replace him with Oswald Mosley
Oswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet, of Ancoats, was an English politician, known principally as the founder of the British Union of Fascists...
of the British Fascist Party
British Union of Fascists
The British Union was a political party in the United Kingdom formed in 1932 by Sir Oswald Mosley as the British Union of Fascists, in 1936 it changed its name to the British Union of Fascists and National Socialists and then in 1937 to simply the British Union...
, a likely ally for Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. Irene and Raven contacted an acquaintance of theirs, called Logan
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, to help the time travelers. Irene and Raven advised Shadowcat and Logan against proceeding in their contemplated assassination of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and other prominent leaders and officials of the Nazi Party. Raven was laconic in only stating: "All of us have learned to kill, Logan. But more importantly, we have learned not to kill. And to know the difference."
At some point, Raven reportedly lost contact with Irene. She managed to locate her working as an archivist in the Alamogordo
Alamogordo, New Mexico
Alamogordo is the county seat of Otero County and a city in south-central New Mexico, United States. A desert community lying in the Tularosa Basin, it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains. It is the nearest city to Holloman Air Force Base. The population was 35,582 as of the 2000...
nuclear research facilities in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. Raven was uncertain of Irene's motivation, but apparently trusted her enough not to press for answers.
Sabretooth
Sabretooth (comics)
Sabretooth is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne. The character first appeared in Iron Fist #14...
. At the time, she uses the identity of deceased German secret agent Leni Zauber. Both Leni and Victor had been assigned with the assassination of a scientist in East Berlin. Raven completes the mission in place of Leni, and then she and Victor have to hide in a safe location for a while. They became lovers, but she soon fakes her death in order to leave him.
The result of this short-lived affair is reportedly the birth of Graydon Creed
Graydon Creed
Graydon Creed is a fictional character created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Brandon Peterson. The character is an enemy of the X-Men and first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #299 .- Fictional character biography :...
, her earliest known child. A number of stories report that soon after his birth, Raven gives him up for adoption. Others depict Mystique making arrangements for him from a distance. Graydon reportedly spends most of his childhood in a boarding school. Raven keeps track of his activities until he reaches adolescence. Being the child of two mutants, Graydon assumes he is a mutant himself. However, he eventually proves to be a Homo Sapien instead of a Homo Superior. Raven is disappointed and soon abandons him. Graydon grows to hate his parents, and eventually extends his hatred to all mutants. He later becomes leader of the mutant-hating organization Friends of Humanity
Friends of Humanity
The Friends of Humanity are one of the many anti-mutant hate groups in the Marvel Universe. Notable anti-mutant activists such as one time presidential-hopeful Graydon Creed and the robotic Bastion were among its members.-History:...
, and then a politician. Graydon, at the height of his political ascension, was assassinated by an unknown shooter. The shooter was later revealed to be a time traveling version of Mystique, as part of a convoluted time paradox involving 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...
, Iceman
Iceman (comics)
Iceman is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 1 #1, ....
, Toad
Toad (comics)
Toad is a Marvel Comics supervillain, an enemy of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men #4 ....
, and Juggernaut
Juggernaut (comics)
The Juggernaut is a fictional character that appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men #12 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....
.
Nightcrawler
For several years Mystique was also reported to be the mother of NightcrawlerNightcrawler (comics)
Nightcrawler is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Universe. He has been associated with both the X-Men and Excalibur, originally appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, he debuted in Giant-Size X-Men #1...
, but the exact events were uncertain. Much later another writer, Chuck Austen
Chuck Austen
Chuck Austen is an American comic book writer/artist, TV writer and animator. In the comics industry, he is known for his work on War Machine, Elektra, Action Comics, and the X-Men franchise, and in television, he is known for co-creating the aniamted TV series Tripping the Rift.-Early life:Austen...
, eventually revealed that the father was a demonic-looking mutant from biblical times called Azazel
Azazel (Marvel Comics)
Azazel is a comic book character in the Marvel Comics and is the biological father of Nightcrawler. His first appearance was in Uncanny X-Men #428, during "The Draco" storyline, written by Chuck Austen...
.
At that time, Raven is married to Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
Christian Wagner; older sources give his name as Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
Eric Wagner, an affluent member of German nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
. He proves to be a loving husband, but rather disappointing as a lover. His infertility
Infertility
Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term...
adds to their marital problems. Raven starts using her shapeshifting powers in order to secretly have sexual encounters with others. She is apparently both seeking sexual satisfaction and attempting to conceive another child. She is eventually seduced by fellow mutant Azazel.
Azazel states that he is ruler of "an island nation off the coast of Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
: La Isla des Demonas," The Island of Demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
s. He is apparently a fellow shapeshifter, and also has the power of teleportation
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
. He is later revealed to also have the power of immortality
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
and to be the father of an ancient race of mutants known as the Neyaphem, active since at least 2000 BC. His natural form is that of a young man with black hair, yellow eyes, red skin, and a pointed tail. He later claimed to have been posing as a demon and to have used many aliases: "Because I am Semihazah, Duma, Keriel, Mastema
Mastema
Mastema an angel who persecutes evil in Hebrew folklore. He carries out punishments for God. He tempts humans and tests their faith. He asked God to permit him to have demons as his subordinates. In the Zadokite Fragments and the Dead Sea Scrolls, he is the angel of disaster, the father of all...
, Beliar
Belial
Belial is one of the four crown princes of Hell and a demon in the Bible, Jewish apocrypha and Christian apocrypha...
, Gadreel, and Beelzebub
Beelzebub
Beelzebub -Religious meaning:Ba‘al Zəbûb is variously understood to mean "lord of flies", or "lord of the dwelling". Originally the name of a Philistine god, Beelzebub is also identified in the New Testament as Satan, the "prince of the demons". In Arabic the name is retained as Ba‘al dhubaab /...
. And most commonly called Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
." Many of these aliases have also been claimed by several notable true demons of the Marvel Universe.
Raven soon becomes pregnant. Her husband becomes suspicious and his own father suggests a blood test to verify if the child is his. Mystique uses a dagger to murder him and then buries him. She eventually gives birth to a young boy with black hair, yellow eyes, blue skin, and a pointed tail. The locals consider the mother and child to be demons, and attempt to kill them. Mystique manages to escape but abandons her second known son. He is found and raised by Gypsy sorceress Margali Szardos
Margali Szardos
Margali Szardos, also known as Margali of the Winding Way, Red Queen or Fata Morgana, is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Uncanny X-Men Annual #4, and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Romita, Jr.Margali is...
and named Kurt Wagner.
Rogue
Mystique later becomes the adoptive mother of the girl RogueRogue (comics)
Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10...
, who had run away from her home in rural Caldecott County, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. The girl was living alone in a wooded area, brandishing a shotgun and trusting no one when Mystique found her. Destiny foresees that Rogue will be important to them and Mystique seeks her out, gains her trust, and takes her in. She and Destiny raise the girl over approximately a decade, and Mystique grows to be very protective of her.
Mystique had concealed her superhuman powers and criminal intentions so well over the years that, as Raven Darkhölme, she is able to rise rapidly through the United States Civil Service to the trusted position of Deputy Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
. This position gives her access to military secrets and to advanced weaponry, both of which she uses for her own criminal and subversive purposes.
In this position, she attempts the theft of the Centurion weaponry from S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
She also beat Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel is the name of a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and designed by artist Gene Colan, the non-powered Carol Danvers debuted as a member of the United States Air Force in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 and as Ms. Marvel—a...
's lover Michael Barnett to death, and sought to kill Ms. Marvel.
To help her in her criminal activities, Mystique organizes her own incarnation of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants
Brotherhood of Mutants
The Brotherhood of Mutants, originally known as the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, is a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain team devoted to mutant superiority over normal humans. They are among the chief adversaries of the X-Men...
, which originally consisted of herself, Avalanche
Avalanche (comics)
Avalanche is a Marvel Comics supervillain and an enemy of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne, he first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #141 ....
, the Blob
Blob (comics)
The Blob is a Marvel Comics supervillain, an adversary of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men #3 ....
, Destiny, and Pyro
Pyro (comics)
Pyro is a fictional character in Marvel Comics and an enemy of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne, he first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #141 ....
. This incarnation of the Brotherhood first gains notoriety when it attempts to assassinate Senator Robert Kelly
Robert Kelly (comics)
Robert Edward Kelly is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. He most often appears in Marvel's X-Men and X-Men-related comic books. He is a prominent United States Senator who began his career on an anti-mutant platform, and as the X-Men team is made up entirely of mutants, his role...
, a notoriously anti-mutant politician. The X-Men battle the Brotherhood and thus thwart the assassination attempt, thereby averting a series of events which would have resulted in the death of most super-powered humans, and the subjugation of North America by the mutant-hunting robots, the Sentinels
Sentinel (comics)
Sentinels are a fictional variety of mutant-hunting robots, appearing in the Marvel Comics Universe. They are usually portrayed as antagonists to the X-Men. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, they first appeared in The X-Men #14 .According to Marvel canon, Sentinels are programmed to locate...
(as chronicled in the "Days of Future Past
Days of Future Past
"Days of Future Past" is a popular storyline in the Marvel Comics comic book The Uncanny X-Men issues #141 and #142, published in 1981. It deals with a dystopian alternate future in which mutants are incarcerated in internment camps...
" storyline). The Brotherhood later clashed with the X-Men on other occasions.
Rogue is trained by Mystique and eventually joins the Brotherhood. Her mutant power is the ability to absorb the psyche, memories, personality, strengths, and any skills or powers of whomever she touches. Rogue proves to be a powerful member of the team. She goes on many missions with the Brotherhood and, with her help, the team is almost able to defeat the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
.
On a mission with the Avengers, Rogue fights Carol Danvers, Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel is the name of a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and designed by artist Gene Colan, the non-powered Carol Danvers debuted as a member of the United States Air Force in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 and as Ms. Marvel—a...
. Rogue tries stealing Carol's powers, but Carol fights too hard and Rogue ends up absorbing Carol's memories and powers permanently, while Carol is left an empty shell. Professor X
Professor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
avier later restores Carol's memories, but not the emotions that went with them. Rogue, meanwhile, feels like she is losing her mind, grappling with Danvers' psyche and at times not knowing which memories are really hers. Feeling like she is in danger of losing control of herself, Rogue runs away from home and seeks help from the X-Men, hoping that Professor X will be able to treat her. While the other X-Men are initially hesitant in accepting their former enemy, Xavier welcomes her and gives her a spot on the team.
Worried that Rogue has left because Xavier has brainwashed her, Mystique goes to rescue her, leading an attack on the X-Men. Rogue stops her, saying that she has left of her own free will. Mystique is doubtful and hurt, but Rogue ultimately convinces her by saying that Xavier was probably the only person who could help with her powers and give her a chance at a normal life, as she feared the absorbed personality of Carol Danvers would otherwise drive her insane. Mystique grudgingly agrees and lets Rogue stay with the X-Men. Though she remains close to Rogue, coming to help her at times, Mystique comes to resent Xavier.
Mystique is captured by Carol Danvers at the Pentagon at one point. She leads the Brotherhood in clashes with Dazzler
Dazzler
Dazzler is a Marvel Comics superheroine, associated with the X-Men. She first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #130 ....
, and leads the Brotherhood in battle with the X-Men as well. Mystique later visits Forge
Forge (comics)
Forge is a fictional character in the , a superhero associated with The X-Men.A mutant with an unsurpassed brilliance in technology, Forge has had a lengthy career as a government weapons contractor. He shared a romantic relationship with Storm, and a brief affair with Mystique which led him to...
, and protests Henry Peter Gyrich
Henry Peter Gyrich
Henry Peter Gyrich is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Avengers Vol. 1 #165 and was created by Jim Shooter and George Pérez.-Fictional character biography:...
's use of Forge's neutralizer.
Freedom Force
Later, anti-mutant sentiment among normal humans rises and the federal government launches its own covert anti-mutant program, Project WideawakeProject Wideawake
Project: Wideawake is a fictional United States government program in the Marvel Comics universe. Its purpose is detecting and capturing mutants employing the robots known as Sentinels.-History:...
. Believing that the times have become too dangerous for the Brotherhood to continue its criminal activities, Mystique goes to Doctor Valerie Cooper
Valerie Cooper
Valerie "Val" Cooper is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe who currently works for the Office of National Emergency. She is most notable for her work as the liaison for mutant affairs in the United States government.-Publication history:...
, special assistant to the head of the National Security Council
United States National Security Council
The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...
, and offers the Brotherhood's services to the government. Cooper agrees to convey the offer to the President on the condition that the Brotherhood passes a test she imposes: the capture of Magneto
Magneto (comics)
Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
. The Brotherhood, now renamed Freedom Force
Freedom Force (comics)
Freedom Force is the name of two teams within Marvel Comics' universe.The original was a supervillain team, though they occasionally acted in a heroic capacity as well. It was a government-sponsored team originally composed mainly of Mystique's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants...
, succeeds in bringing Magneto to the authorities, though only because he voluntarily surrenders to them so he can go on trial for his crimes and soon afterward officially enter the government's employ.
In return for entering government service as Freedom Force's leader, Mystique and her team receive a presidential pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
for all criminal charges against them, but the pardon would be revoked if any member of Freedom Force were found committing a crime.
Mystique leads Freedom Force in capturing the Avengers on behalf of the federal government. She clashes with X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
in seeking to arrest Rusty Collins
Rusty Collins
Russell "Rusty" Collins, formerly known as Firefist, is a fictional character, a superhero from Marvel Comics.-Publication history:Created by Bob Layton and Jackson Guice, Rusty Collins first appeared in X-Factor #1 ....
. With Freedom Force, she fights the X-Men in Dallas, and is present at the X-Men's apparent demise
Fall of the Mutants
"The Fall of the Mutants" was a comic book crossover event by Marvel Comics spanning January to March 1988. It spanned three issues each of The Uncanny X-Men , X-Factor , and The New Mutants ; unlike most crossovers however, the various titles' storylines did not intertwine, but were instead linked...
. With Freedom Force, she battles 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...
and Marvel Girl
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...
. With Freedom Force she seeks to arrest Rusty Collins again, and battles the New Mutants
New Mutants
The New Mutants are a group of teenaged mutant superheroes-in-training published by Marvel Comics. They have been the main characters of three successive comic book series, which were spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise....
. She finally succeeds in capturing Collins as well as Skids
Skids (comics)
Skids is a Marvel Comics mutant. Created by writer Louise Simonson and artist Jackson Guice, she first appeared in X-Factor vol. 1 #7 .-Morlocks:...
. She leads Freedom Force against the Reavers
Reavers (comics)
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe the Reavers are a team of criminal cyborgs. The most significant team of Reavers were dedicated to the destruction of the mutant X-Men, and a number of them especially wanted to take revenge on one particular X-Man, Wolverine. The name was originally used by...
on Muir Island
Muir Island
Muir Island is a small, fictional island off the northern coast of Scotland in the Marvel Comics universe. It plays a prominent role in the X-Men comics and its related series.-History:...
. On this particularly disastrous mission, Freedom Force loses two of its members, Stonewall
Stonewall (comics)
-Louis Hamilton:Stonewall and his allies, Crimson Commando and Super Sabre, were all super-powered U.S. veterans of World War II. The trio wished to continue their government service after the war by combatting communism during the Cold War, but they were rebuffed by the U.S. government and forced...
and Mystique's lover Destiny. The death of her lover leaves Mystique psychologically scarred, and she never truly recovers.
Mystique is later nearly killed by Dr. Valerie Cooper, who is under the Shadow King
Shadow King
The Shadow King, also known as Amahl Farouk, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shadow King exists as an entity of pure psychic energy that feeds on the hatred of humanity...
's mental control. She then impersonates Dr. Valerie Cooper. Mystique is eventually discovered impersonating Dr. Cooper, and saves Xavier's life by killing the Shadow King's human host, Jacob Reisz. She finally reconciles with Rogue. In time, she comes to terms with Destiny's death. She teams with Spiral
Spiral (comics)
Spiral is a fictional character, a supervillainess in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in the Longshot miniseries by Ann Nocenti and Art Adams.-Fictional character biography:...
and Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
in thwarting Mojo
Mojo (comics)
Mojo is a Marvel Comics supervillain, primarily an enemy of the X-Men and one of its members, Longshot. Mojo is one of the "Spineless Ones," an alien race that is immobile without advanced technology. He is a slaver who rules the Mojoverse, a dimension where all beings are addicted to his...
's near-destruction of the universe. Mystique later briefly stays as a guest at Xavier's mansion
X-Mansion
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, the X-Mansion is the common name for Professor Xavier's mansion. It is the base of operations and training site of the X-Men and the location of a school for mutant teenagers, the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, formerly Xavier's School for Gifted...
. She begins going insane, and leaves the mansion under the care of Forge.
X-Factor
Mystique resurfaces several months later, in a failed attempt to kill LegionLegion (Marvel Comics)
Legion is a Marvel Comics character, created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bill Sienkiewicz.David is the mutant son of Charles Xavier and Israeli Holocaust survivor Gabrielle Haller...
for his murdering of Destiny. Mystique has an implant put in her skull by Forge
Forge (comics)
Forge is a fictional character in the , a superhero associated with The X-Men.A mutant with an unsurpassed brilliance in technology, Forge has had a lengthy career as a government weapons contractor. He shared a romantic relationship with Storm, and a brief affair with Mystique which led him to...
in order for the government to be able to keep track of her. She is then forced to become a member of the government-sponsored team X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
after being arrested for trying to blow up a dam. In truth, Mystique had been trying to save the dam, which the U.S. Government wanted to destroy so that they could blame it on mutants. She joins coincidentally to the departure of X-Factor member Wolfsbane
Wolfsbane (comics)
Wolfsbane is a Marvel Comics superheroine, associated with the X-Men.A Scottish mutant, Wolfsbane possesses the ability to transform into a wolf or into a transitional state somewhere between human and wolf...
. Her membership leads to tension with her teammates when Sabretooth is added to the team months later as a sleeper agent
Sleeper agent
A sleeper agent is a spy who is placed in a target country or organization, not to undertake an immediate mission, but rather to act as a potential asset if activated...
, for the main purpose of killing Mystique before she could uncover the truth about the conspiracy she had discovered. She slowly develops a romantic relationship with team-leader Forge (though he later thought that she was just using him).
Part of the conspiracy involves Mystique's son Graydon Creed running for President, under an anti-mutant platform.
At the same time, both Graydon and Mystique learn that her lover Destiny had married and had children during one of the couple's separations. Irene's children are now adults with their own children, one of which is a mutant. Graydon has the mutant teen savagely beaten by members of the Friends of Humanity, as a warning towards his mother. Mystique is furious and wants to kill her son, but stops when she is given a message that Graydon's backers want her to kill him and turn her son into a martyr.
Mystique then seeks to save her son from being betrayed by his backers, but fails miserably. Graydon dies and his death ushers in a new wave of anti-mutant violence. Ultimately, Sabretooth acts on his orders to kill the members of X-Factor as "Operation Zero Tolerance" is activated. Even though she could have left her teammates to die, Mystique attacks Sabretooth, an act of intervention that distracts Sabretooth long enough to keep him from finishing off the already injured team. Mystique then flees the scene after arranging for the members of X-Factor to receive emergency medical treatment for the wounds Sabretooth inflicted.
Mystique goes into hiding, taking the identity of the senator's wife Mallory Brickman, using her husband's influence to set the FBI on Sabretooth. She prevents Rogue from giving up her mutant powers and she continues her investigation of the U.S. Government over her son's death, leading to her aiding Toad and his most recent incarnation of the Brotherhood of Mutants on a mission to raid a government base. The mission fails thanks to Machine Man
Machine Man
Machine Man is a fictional character, an android superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character was created by Jack Kirby for 2001: A Space Odyssey #8 , a comic written and drawn by Kirby featuring concepts based on the eponymous Stanley Kubrick film and Arthur C. Clarke novel...
, who fights the Brotherhood and forces the team to flee. Mystique flees to Europe, at which point her life changes dramatically. While taking the form of a blonde haired woman during a trip to the beach, Mystique is confronted by a famous photographer who tells the mutant that he wants to make her the next big fashion model.
Amused, Mystique accepts and quickly becomes the fashion industry's newest top model. Using her money, Mystique moves back to New York and into an expensive penthouse apartment. At peace, Mystique buys a telescope and uses it to take in her penthouse's view of New York. This proves to be a huge mistake, as a nearby building is being used by Skrull
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
s loyal to 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...
to build the machinery needed for an upcoming scheme of the villains. When one of the Skrulls catches Mystique by her window with her telescope, they assume the worst and frame Mystique for the murder of a Japanese diplomat. With help from Shadowcat and Rogue, Mystique is cleared and leaves town. However, before she leaves, Shadowcat finds one of Destiny's diaries, left there by Destiny herself before she died.
Breakdown
Mystique then reaches a breakthrough regarding her investigation of the U.S. conspiracy against mutant-kind, but fate causes Mystique to suffer a massive blow. While gaining the critical intelligence on the identity of those who were involved in her son's death and the attempt to kill her via Sabretooth, Mystique suddenly loses her powers while pretending to be a man in a busy office workplace.Arrested, Mystique's life is torn apart as the U.S. Government acts on their intelligence regarding Mystique, and uses it to destroy all of the alternate identities that Mystique has established over the years and arrange for Mystique to be unable to access any of the money she and Destiny had hidden away over the years. This causes Mystique to lose any self control she might once have had, as the loss of her powers and the loss of her freedom causes her to lash out at everyone around her. Most notably, Rogue feels the brunt of her mother's wrath as Rogue has no sympathy for Mystique's plight. The relationship sours most notably when Rogue refuses to tell Mystique that the X-Men are going to fight the High Evolutionary
High Evolutionary
The High Evolutionary is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The High Evolutionary was first mentioned in The Mighty Thor vol. 1 #133 , and first appears in The Mighty Thor vol. 1 #134 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
, who was responsible for depowering all mutants, in order to restore everyone's powers. The X-Men defeat Evolutionary and restore everyone's powers, allowing Mystique to escape jail.
Mystique is later sent back in time by the original X-Factor's sentient ship. Raven finds that she is destined to be part of a great time paradox, where she finds herself with a time delay weapon, which she is about to program to kill Graydon. Mystique is confused, because she remembers that she set up the weapon, but never got around to programming it. After some deliberation, she decides to activate the weapon to kill Graydon. Mystique's sanity is further damaged by the revelation that her lover and soulmate Destiny was one of the founding members of the anti-mutant conspiracy Mystique had dedicated countless years to fighting, and had willfully withheld medical treatment to mutant children that would have resulted in them not growing up deformed due to their mutations.
This led to Raven once again going mad, due to the futility of her mission to change the world for the better. Raven becomes nihilistically obsessed with death and genocide, as she reforms the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants for another assassination attempt on Senator Kelly, and kidnaps Moira MacTaggert
Moira MacTaggert
Dr. Moira Kinross MacTaggert is a fictional character appearing in X-Men stories in the Marvel Comics universe. She works as a geneticist and is an expert in mutant affairs. Olivia Williams played a minor role of Dr. Moira MacTaggert in X-Men: The Last Stand...
and impersonates her in order to access her research on the Legacy Virus
Legacy Virus
In the fictional Marvel Universe, the Legacy Virus was a devastating plague that ripped through the mutant population, killing hundreds and mutating so that it affected baseline humans as well....
. While not the gifted scientist that Moira was, Mystique's insanity and experience with bio-terrorism allows her not only to use samples of Moira's Legacy Virus infected blood to create a biological weapon that would infect humans and not mutants, but most importantly, allows her to come up with a cure for the Legacy Virus after repeated readings of all of the doctor's research which, when filtered through Mystique's insane mind, results in her being able to pick up on insights that Moira had missed when researching.
The assassination attempt on Kelly ends in failure, when the mutant villain Pyro betrays his teammates to save Kelly's life. Mystique blows up MacTaggert's research facility, fatally injuring the doctor. Mystique then shoots Moira's foster daughter Wolfsbane with a prototype of Forge's neutralizer gun, depowering her.
Rogue arrives and confronts her mother. When Mystique reveals her plan to Rogue of using a modified form of the Legacy Virus on the humans, Rogue realizes that her mother is ill and tries to help her. Mystique pretends to accept Rogue's help before stabbing her in the gut.
As Mystique confronts the other X-Men, Rogue's healing factor revives her. Sneaking behind Mystique, Rogue uses the bone claws she had absorbed from Wolverine and stabs her in the back.
Mystique is hospitalized, where she tells the X-Men that Destiny had predicted a dark future for mutant-kind, and that the future Destiny foretold kept on unfolding despite all that Mystique had done to prevent it. She believes that the only way to save them is to get rid of the humans, for a planet of mutants might survive, while mutants divided against each other and with humanity shunning them as outcasts would be doomed.
Mystique is sent to prison, but quickly escapes. She then allies herself with Martinique Jason
Mastermind (Martinique Jason)
Martinique Jason , also known as Mastermind, is a fictional mutant supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in Wolverine/Gambit: Victims #1 as a 'dead' woman in an illusion, and in issue #2 as herself. She was created by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale...
, the daughter of the original Mastermind
Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde)
Mastermind is a Marvel Comics supervillain, an adversary of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men #4 . He was given his "real name", Jason Wyngarde, by Chris Claremont and John Byrne.The original Mastermind was a mutant with the power to...
, in an attempt to wrest control of the military organization known as the X-Corps
X-Corps
The X-Corps is a fictional team created by Marvel Comics. Whether they were good or bad was left up to debate, even within the X-Men, but the team acted as a mutant police force created by former X-Man Banshee, in Uncanny X-Men #401...
from its founder, Banshee
Banshee (comics)
Banshee is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero who operates as a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Werner Roth, Banshee first appeared in X-Men #28 ....
. Outfitted with a device that gives her the ability to generate an electrical charge, Mystique creates the identity of a supervillain named Surge and joins the X-Corps. While Mastermind's daughter mind-controls the other members of the organization, Mystique brings Banshee's organization down and slits his throat, leaving him in critical condition.
Double agent
Charles XavierProfessor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
is later forced to make Mystique his secret agent, as his previous one, Prudence Leighton
Prudence Leighton
Prudence Leighton is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe. Prudence, originally a female, was murdered by Steinbeck, a pyrokinetic mutant. She used her ability to possess his body, taking on the codename Agent 16, and also the Quiet Man...
, has died and Mystique is the only one suitable enough to complete the missions. Xavier poses as Magneto to rescue Mystique from the Department of Homeland Security and from execution at the hands of Johny Kitano
Johny Kitano
Johny Kitano is a fictional character, an agent of the United States government, in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in the second issue of the now-cancelled series Mystique, which focused on the terrorist mutant shapeshifter of the same name.-Fictional character biography:Not much is...
, Special Magistrate for Homo Superior crimes against humanity, and a mutant himself.
At this time, Mystique claims that there is an imposter out to frame her, taking control over the Brotherhood and sending them on their recent missions (the assassination of Moira and the infiltration of X-Corps). Whether she is speaking the truth has not been revealed. The two never truly trust each other, but as long as Mystique completes the missions without killing anybody, Xavier keeps her safe from the authorities, who are out to execute her. Working with Xavier is Forge, with whom Mystique had a brief romance while she was in X-Factor.
One of Xavier's enemies, the Quiet Man, who is actually Prudence Leighton inhabiting the body of her assassin, contacts Mystique and offers to give her an interference transmitter which would keep her safe from the authorities, the same type of device Xavier is using, if she killed Xavier. Creating a plan that would free her from both men, Mystique pretends to try killing Xavier while secretly working with the mutant thief Fantomex
Fantomex
Fantomex is a fictional superhero associated with the X-Men in titles published by Marvel Comics. Fantomex first appeared in New X-Men #128 and was created by Grant Morrison and Igor Kordey....
, after alerting Forge to stop her at the last moment. Her plan is to have the Quiet Man see this and believe that she really has attempted to kill Xavier and is still working for him. However, the other X-Men also believe that Mystique has tried killing Xavier and seek her out.
Rogue manages to track her down. She disowns her adoptive mother, saying she has tried to forgive Mystique for stabbing her, but that this is too much. She goes on to say that Mystique isn't her mother, that she is a monster. Mystique tries apologizing to Rogue for how she has hurt her, but Rogue is distraught with rage and attacks her foster mother. Mystique manages to escape by blowing up the house and going through the window, changing her form to shield her fall.
Mystique goes to the Quiet Man, who is planning on having her killed due to outliving her usefulness. After a battle, Mystique kills the Quiet Man, saves her former field-handler Shortpack
Shortpack
Shortpack is a fictional character, a telepathic mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe. His first appearance was in Mystique #3, created by Brian K. Vaughan and Jorge Lucas.-Biography:...
, and discovers the Quiet Man's interference transmitter has been a fake all along. Later, Forge catches Mystique trying to steal his interference transmitter. After some angry words, he smashes it and tells her he never wants to see her again. The two share a sad goodbye kiss and Mystique leaves. After Mystique is gone, Forge realizes that she had already switched his transmitter for the fake one.
Joining the X-Men
Mystique later infiltrates the X-Men, posing as a young girl named Foxx and joining GambitGambit (comics)
Gambit is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero that has been a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared briefly in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 , weeks before a more comprehensive appearance in Uncanny X-Men #266...
's training squad, the Chevaliers. She attempts to seduce Rogue's boyfriend Gambit to break them up so she can set her daughter up with a young mutant named Augustus, a man with whom she believes Rogue could be the happiest.
Though severely tempted by "Foxx's" advances, Gambit resists. Mystique ultimately reveals herself to him, telling him that she is trying to relieve the tension between him and Rogue (because of the two being unable to touch due to her ability to absorb someone's essence upon skin-to-skin contact). Mystique then metamorphoses into Rogue and tells Gambit that he would not be cheating on Rogue if he had sex with her in Rogue's form.
When the telepath Emma Frost
Emma Frost
Emma Grace Frost is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 , and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne....
discovers who Foxx really is, the X-Men confront Mystique. Mystique tells them that she had been lonely and wants to join the X-Men. Emma also discovers that Gambit had known who Foxx really was all along, and a furious Rogue believes the two have been having an affair. Mystique would not reveal if she and Gambit did anything, but tells Rogue that if he truly loves her he would not have been tempted, and that she deserves better than him. Gambit denies anything had happened.
Later, the X-Men vote and decide to have Mystique join them on a probationary status (though Rogue is one of the ones who vote against her joining). Meanwhile, Nightcrawler asks her to leave for a while regardless of the vote, saying that he needs more time adjusting to the idea of her being a member first. Mystique ultimately agrees and leaves. However, after 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...
, she joins the 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...
and brings Augustus (Pulse) along with her. Both have been crucial in the latest downfall of Apocalypse. Rogue believes that Mystique's transformation is yet another act.
Marauders
Mystique is a great assistance in the battle against the Children of the Vault, killing Sangre by pumping thermiteThermite
Thermite is a pyrotechnic composition of a metal powder and a metal oxide that produces an exothermic oxidation-reduction reaction known as a thermite reaction. If aluminium is the reducing agent it is called an aluminothermic reaction...
bullets into his aquatic body. After the Hecatomb battle on Providence, Rogue's team (sans 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...
) return to Rogue's former childhood home in Caldecott County, Mississippi, which Mystique owns for some downtime. Mystique consummate
Consummate
Consummation or consummation of a marriage, in many traditions and statutes of civil or religious law, is the first act of sexual intercourse between two individuals, following their marriage to each other...
s her flirtation with Iceman, and even alerts the X-Men, who come to treat Rogue's illness, that there are intruders in the area. Only after Lady Mastermind
Lady Mastermind
Lady Mastermind is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared as Regan Wyngarde in X-Treme X-Men #6 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Salvador Larroca....
drops her illusions do the X-Men realize that it is an all-out attack, and that both Lady Mastermind
Lady Mastermind
Lady Mastermind is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared as Regan Wyngarde in X-Treme X-Men #6 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Salvador Larroca....
and Omega Sentinel
Karima Shapandar
Omega Sentinel is a fictional character associated with the X-Men and its spinoff Excalibur. She first appeared in X-Men Unlimited, vol...
(the latter being possessed by Malice) have defected sides. During the Marauders' initial ambush, Mystique prevents Scalphunter
Scalphunter (Marvel Comics)
Scalphunter is a fictional mutant villain character in the Marvel Comics Universe. His first appearance was in Uncanny X-Men #210. This character was created by Chris Claremont, John Romita, Jr...
from shooting Rogue. She then reveals herself as a traitor as well when she shoots her adopted daughter and, standing over her body, orders the remaining Marauders
Marauders (comics)
The Marauders is a team of fictional supervillain characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Romita, Jr., the team first appear in Uncanny X-Men #210 The Marauders is a team of fictional supervillain characters in comic books published by...
to kill the X-Men.
Messiah Complex
Mystique remains with the Marauders during the hunt for the first new mutant baby, but is revealed to have murdered Sinister in a plot involving the baby and Rogue's killing touch. She also appears to be working with Gambit, who, like her, has plenty of ulterior motives to want to betray Mister SinisterMister Sinister
Mister Sinister is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #221 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri....
. When Sinister approaches Mystique as she is with the comatose Rogue, Mystique shoves Sinister onto Rogue, killing him through fatal skin-to-skin contact. Then, in keeping with the words of the Destiny Diaries, she touches the baby's face to Rogue's, believing that this will heal her foster daughter. While the baby is not affected by Rogue's power, to Mystique's surprise, Rogue does not awaken as the Destiny Diaries predicted. Believing their plan to have failed, Mystique and Gambit cry at Rogue's bedside.
As they grieve, Rogue finally awakens. After hearing all that Mystique has done, and sick of her manipulations, Rogue says she's tired of people getting hurt whenever Mystique is around, and tries to kill her with her touch. When Mystique is merely rendered unconscious, Rogue discovers that the baby's powers have restored her own to normal. The baby's touch has purged her of the Strain 88 virus and all the residual psyches she had absorbed over her life, including Hecatomb. However, she now has the consciousness and the memories of the one person she wants nothing more to do with: Mystique. Sickened by what she has absorbed, Rogue tells Gambit that she needs to be alone, and leaves.
Get Mystique
Mystique is the focus of the next Wolverine story arc, appropriately titled "Get Mystique." The story begins with a brief flashback revealing that Logan and Mystique first met in Mexico in 1921. Back in the present day, Wolverine is in the Middle East tracking Mystique, presumably to kill her for betraying the X-Men in Messiah Complex. Mystique evades Logan by blowing up a Mosque in Tehran, then travels over the border to Afghanistan. There she impersonates Wolverine and kills a local village girl, tricking the villagers into going after Wolverine. Mystique does not appear to be suffering from any lasting effects from being touched by Rogue. It is hinted at that Mystique's recent betrayal is not the only reason Logan is out to kill her, as they apparently have a common history of friendship, love, and, ultimately, betrayal. After a heated fight, Wolverine manages to wound Mystique, but he chooses to deny her the mercy blowCoup de grâce
The expression coup de grâce means a death blow intended to end the suffering of a wounded creature. The phrase can refer to the killing of civilians or soldiers, friends or enemies, with or without the consent of the sufferer...
. Instead, he drops a gun and leaves in the sunset, leaving Mystique to scream and curse behind him.
Manifest Destiny
Mystique shows up again, posing as Bobby Drake's ex-girlfriend Opal Tanaka. It is not explained how she survived her battle with Wolverine. She sets off a bomb inside of Bobby's Blackbird before shooting him and kicking him out of the plane. Later, she follows IcemanIceman (comics)
Iceman is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 1 #1, ....
to the hospital and injects him with a fatal dose of a toxin created by Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #221 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri....
. Hospital staff try to get to Iceman, but they are held back by Mystique while Iceman expels the toxin from his system. Afterward, Mystique attacks Iceman in a truck and sets the truck ablaze with Iceman in it. Iceman steps out of the fire unharmed and disarms and immobilizes Mystique, but she escapes moments later after turning her body into her child form. In the final issue of Manifest Destiny, Mystique impersonates Iceman and stands on top of the Golden Gate bridge threatening to blow it up. Iceman arrives and discovers the reason for Mystique doing this is Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
telling her that she will die alone. After a heated conversation, Iceman freezes the bomb, Mystique punches him and jumps off the bridge into the water. Her body is not found, but Iceman tells Cyclops and Hank McCoy
Beast (comics)
Beast , Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy, is a comic book character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the mutant team of superheroes known as the X-Men...
that he knows that she is not dead and thanks her for what she did for him.
Utopia and Dark X-Men
Mystique is later revealed to be a part of Norman OsbornGreen Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
's Dark X-Men
Dark X-Men
The Dark X-Men are a Marvel Comics comic-book team. They made their debut during the crossover between Dark Avengers and Uncanny X-Men written by Matt Fraction, as part of the broader Dark Reign storyline. Each member but Namor has been handpicked by then–H.A.M.M.E.R...
, posing as Professor Charles Xavier for P.R.
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
purposes. Osborn has her injected with nanite
Nanorobotics
Nanorobotics is the emerging technology field of creating machines or robots whose components are at or close to the scale of a nanometer . More specifically, nanorobotics refers to the nanotechnology engineering discipline of designing and building nanorobots, with devices ranging in size from...
s and kept on a short leash; should she try anything, Osborn would turn her into a human bomb. After the defection of Emma Frost
Emma Frost
Emma Grace Frost is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 , and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne....
, Namor, and Cloak and Dagger
Cloak and Dagger (comics)
Cloak and Dagger are a fictional comic book superhero duo in the . They were created by writer William "Bill" Mantlo and designed by artist Edward Hannigan.-Publication history:...
, Mystique begins leading the remaining members of the team (Mimic
Mimic (comics)
Mimic is a Marvel Comics fictional character who was briefly a member of the X-Men in the 1960s. He was then the first character to be added to the team after the original line-up and the first X-Man who was not a mutant....
, Dark Beast
Dark Beast
Dark Beast , sometimes known as the Black Beast, is a Marvel Comics supervillain, an alternate reality evil version of the X-Men’s Beast...
, and Omega) under the public guise of 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...
, as no one could prove Jean had actually died, but mainly to hurt those who had caused her great harm. A mission arranged by Osborn has Mystique (in her Jean Grey guise) facing a resurrected Nate Grey
Nate Grey
Nathaniel "Nate" Grey is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those related to the X-Men franchise...
.
Get Mystique: Final Repose
Wolverine, having returned from hell and retrieved his possessed body from a demonic force, targets Mystique after finding out she was responsible for sending his soul there at the behest of The Red Right Hand. Having tracked down Mystique's black market surgeon in San Francisco, Wolverine interrogates him about Mystique's whereabouts, to which he replies that Mystique was expecting him to show up and didn't think Wolverine would be inclined to listen. The surgeon states that he doesn't know where Mystique is, but that she claimed she was going to call him. On cue, the phone beside Wolverine begins to ring. When he picks up the phone, Mystique orders him to not go after The Red Right Hand, warning that he is being set up. Wolverine cuts the conversation short and says that Mystique has set him up for the last time before briskly hanging up.Mystique is then shot by a hit-man named Lord Deathstrike. Despite being shot, and badly wounded, Mystique manages to patch herself and escape on a motorcycle before Lord Deathstrike can finish the task. Wolverine & Lord Deathstrike are in hot pursuit of Mystique throughout the San Francisco streets simultaneously. As she is involved in a shootout with Lord Deathstrike, Mystique is impaled from behind by Wolverine who demands she tell him where he can find The Red Right Hand. Mystique pulls the pin out of a grenade, places it on Wolverine and moves out of the way just before it explodes then further warns him of the Red Right Hand's setup in Mexico as he heals from the blast.
Lord Deathstrike shoots Mystique in her right shoulder as they continue face off while Wolverine heals. Yet, before Deathstrike can finish her off, Wolverine cuts the telephone pole that Lord Deathstrike was standing on which sends him crashing into a windshield of an automobile. Wolverine then gets a call from his ally Maverick stating The Red Right Hand can be found in Mexico. Mystique, riddled with bullets, shoots Lord Deathstrike in the head but it doesn't affect him as he is in a ghost-like, non-corporeal state and phases into the solid ground beneath them.
Mystique then confronts Wolverine and claims that her role in his recent exile to hell was something she doesn't regret. She then continues to disparage him, stating that his own pursuit of her for her crimes is hypocritical seeing as how he's killed and betrayed many in his years. She claims the only reason she is helping him is in honor of her deceased son Nightcrawler and his devotion to Wolverine, nothing else. Mystique insists that he for once listen to what she has to say but he states that he's heard enough and walks toward her with his claws popped. Perturbed, Mystique draws a pistol and curses him out then is quickly gutted by Wolverine and finally killed, her body lying in a pool of blood.
Lord Deathstrike collects Mystique's body and auctions it off to the highest bidder. Her corpse is sold for 5 million to group of ninjas. It is implied these are possibly agents of league of assassins known as "The Hand
Hand (comics)
The Hand is a fictional supervillainous organization in the Marvel Comics universe.The Hand is an order of evil mystical ninja who are heavily involved in organized crime and mercenary activities such as assassination plots. The Hand covets power above all other objectives. They are primarily based...
" given their reputation for restoring fallen warriors. They are not in the traditional red garb but "The Hand" has on occasion been shown to wear black or white uniforms.
Powers and abilities
Mystique is a mutantMutant (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...
shapeshifter
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
with the ability to psionically shift the formation of her biological cell
Cell (biology)
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....
s at will to change her appearance and thereby assume the form of other humans. She can also alter her voice to duplicate exactly that of another person. Originally, it was clearly stated that Mystique's powers were limited to appearances only; she could not assume the powers of the people she morphed into or alter her body to adapt to different situations. In addition, she cannot change her overall body mass when taking on the appearance of a person larger or smaller than she is.
Her body is not limited to purely organic appearances. She has the ability to create the appearance of clothes out of her own body. Mystique is shown in at least one instance transforming a metallic part of her costume into a functioning blaster pistol. Whether this is a function of her powers or of the costume piece itself is unclear. She can transform part of her body into a separated, clear and hard substance that appears to be glass, as she does when she appears to be wearing glasses.
As a shape-shifter, Mystique is able to constantly alter and rejuvenate her body's cells and thereby retain her youthful appearance despite being alive for over one hundred years.
This changes in 2001's X-Men Forever miniseries, in which Mystique is exposed to dangerous levels of radiation in order to save the life of Toad
Toad (comics)
Toad is a Marvel Comics supervillain, an enemy of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men #4 ....
. The process morphs Mystique's appearance to match her more reptilian physique from the 2000s
2000s in film
This article is about 2000s decade in film.-Events:Thousands of full-length films were produced during the first decade of the 21st Century...
film trilogy
X-Men (film series)
The X-Men film series consists of superhero films based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. The films star an ensemble cast, focusing on Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, who is drawn into the conflict between Professor Xavier and Magneto , who have opposing views on humanity's...
, and boosts her powers so that she can now morph her body into taking certain desired physical traits depending on her situation at the time. Examples of this new ability include night vision
Night vision
Night vision is the ability to see in low light conditions. Whether by biological or technological means, night vision is made possible by a combination of two approaches: sufficient spectral range, and sufficient intensity range...
, wing
Wing
A wing is an appendage with a surface that produces lift for flight or propulsion through the atmosphere, or through another gaseous or liquid fluid...
s on her back, talons
Claw
A claw is a curved, pointed appendage, found at the end of a toe or finger in most mammals, birds, and some reptiles. However, the word "claw" is also often used in reference to an invertebrate. Somewhat similar fine hooked structures are found in arthropods such as beetles and spiders, at the end...
in her fingers, and natural body armor
Armour
Armour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object, individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat, or from damage caused by a potentially dangerous environment or action...
. She can even compress nearly two-dimensional like a sheet of paper to glide on air currents, similar to Mister Fantastic
Mister Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
, which she uses to survive an explosion. She has moved her vital organs out of place in order to survive a gunshot to her torso. She has, once with strain, given herself two heads and four arms to facilitate a gun fight on two fronts, as well as shapeshifted into herself as a child. She is also now able to hold a shape when knocked unconscious.
Damage to her biological tissue is known to heal at a relatively fast rate and she can form a resistance to poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
s upon contracting them. Recently she has stated that her body mass is not fixed and can change when she does. While she retains her advanced powers, she now appears in her old form without scales. Her powers grant her immunity to diseases, enhanced agility, and agelessness.
Mystique is a cunning strategist in terrorist and commando operations, and adept at martial arts and information technology. She has a talent for finding, stealing, and understanding cutting edge weaponry. She is a talented actress. She has some natural resistance to telepathic intrusion and wears devices to prevent her mind from being read by telepathy. Furthermore, with over a century's experience in posing as other people she has picked up the uncanny skill of being able to identify people posing as others based on body language
Body language
Body language is a form of non-verbal communication, which consists of body posture, gestures, facial expressions, and eye movements. Humans send and interpret such signals almost entirely subconsciously....
and changes in behavioral cues.
Absorbed by Rogue
A copy of Mystique's mind, including her memories and personality, exists within the mind of RogueRogue (comics)
Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10...
ever since the events of "X-Men: Messiah Complex
X-Men: Messiah Complex
"Messiah Complex" is a comic book crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics from October 2007 to January 2008, which ran through the various X-Men books....
". She converses with Rogue. She also requests that Rogue turn over control of their body. Eventually she is erased by Professor Xavier.
Age of Apocalypse
In the Age of Apocalypse timeline, Mystique is the ferrywoman to Avalon. It is her task to meet the refugees and make sure they meet the guide to Avalon, Cain. Though she works against Apocalypse, she is not much of a hero. She charges a heavy tariff to ferry the refugees to Avalon, taking all of their valuables. This plagues her conscience and she is reluctant to go to Avalon, as she feels that she is not fit to enter. Ultimately, she gets past her guilt to guide her son, Nightcrawler, to Avalon and find Destiny. She and her son form X-Calibre to defeat ApocalypseApocalypse (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...
's agents, the Pale Riders and the Shadow King.
Cable's Future
Mystique inquires of CableCable (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...
"How does [history] judge the part we play here and now in protecting the remnants of mutant-kind?" He says "History is short on specifics" and that it only remembers broad movements, not individuals. She hints at wanting to know how she is remembered, and he comments that her name did survive in a database of his time. Her name is synonymous with traitor, comparing her name to Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
. However, he does add that the information from his time is part of his history, as it was 2,000 years old.
Exiles
House of M
In the House of MHouse of M
House of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...
, Mystique is an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
and a member of its elite unit, the Red Guard, alongside Jessica Drew
Veranke
Veranke is a fictional character created by Marvel Comics who serves as the queen of the Skrull empire in the Marvel Universe. She plays a significant role in the events of Secret Invasion as she leads her empire to invade and conquer Earth....
, Toad, and her children Rogue and Nightcrawler. She's also involved in an affair with Wolverine, the Red Guard's leader. When this unit, in pursuit of their former leader, attacks the heroes 'awakened' by Layla Miller
Layla Miller
Layla Rose Miller, also known as Butterfly, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in House of M #4, and was created by Brian Michael Bendis and Oliver Coipel...
, the entire squad is restored. With all of reality against them, any personal history is set aside, and Mystique fights alongside the rest of the 'awakened' without incident.
Marvel Mangaverse
In X-Men Mangaverse, Mystique teams up with Nightcrawler and other Brotherhood members. Storm later kills her with a lightning bolt.Marvel Zombies
Mystique appears as a zombie twice in the Marvel Zombies universe. She is first shown disguised as Scarlet WitchScarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
, in order to get close to and bite Quicksilver
Quicksilver (comics)
Quicksilver is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
. She is also shown fighting alongside zombie versions of Avalanche, Blob, and Pyro taking a direct blast from 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...
to the face.
Ultimate Mystique
In the Ultimate MarvelUltimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and updated versions of the company's superhero characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. The imprint was launched in 2000 with the publication of the series...
Universe, Mystique is the former lover of Charles Xavier. However, during their stay in the Savage Land with Magneto, the young Emma Frost comes under the tutelage of Xavier, and shortly thereafter he dumps Mystique for Frost. Ever since then, Mystique has held great resentment toward Xavier, which in turn makes her loyal to Magneto. She teams up with Forge and helps Magneto escape the Triskelion by taking his place in the prison cell before she is replaced by Mastermind and Stacy X and given a new assignment. She is hinted to be one of the few who actually knows how Xavier's darker side operates, stating "We all bought into Xavier's dream until we got a look at the sick brain behind it." It is later revealed that Emma Frost named Xavier's cat after Mystique, after the feline partially destroyed the decor of his office. She briefly appears in Ultimates 3, impersonating the Black Widow to distract Tony Stark
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
until knocked out by the Wasp.
X-Men: The End
In the trilogy book series X-Men: The EndX-Men: The End
X-Men: The End is a 2004-2006 trilogy of miniseries detailing the last days of the X-Men and their adventures in a noncanon future, part of their The End series...
Mystique is posing as Dark Beast and pretending to work with Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #221 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri....
. When Sinister murders Rogue she kills him. Gambit later asks her to look after his and Rogue's children when he goes off into space.
X-Men Fairy Tales
Mystique appears briefly in the X-Men Fairy TalesX-Men Fairy Tales
The X-Men Fairy Tales is a 4-part mini-series that was created by ex-editor C. B. Cebulski, with art by Sana Takeda. It was published by Marvel Comics in 2006....
limited series' first issue. She is leading a group of thieves who attack the old monk/Professor X
Professor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
. They are scared away by Hitome/Cyclops. The other thieves are Avalanche
Avalanche (comics)
Avalanche is a Marvel Comics supervillain and an enemy of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne, he first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #141 ....
and Pyro
Pyro (comics)
Pyro is a fictional character in Marvel Comics and an enemy of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne, he first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #141 ....
. In the fourth issue, she appears as Anna/Rogue
Rogue (comics)
Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10...
's mother, a voodoo priestess.
External links
- Mystique at Marvel.com
- Mystique at UncannyXMen.net