Nico Minoru
Encyclopedia
Nico Minoru is a fictional
comic book
character in the Marvel Comics
award-winning series, Runaways
. Created in 2003 by writer Brian K. Vaughan
and artist Adrian Alphona
, the character first debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 (July 2003) with most of the other main characters. Like every member of the original Runaways, Nico is the daughter of the super-powered villains calling themselves "the Pride
"; in her case, she is the daughter of dark wizards. Upon finding out, Nico runs away with the rest of the runaways but later discovers that she inherited her parents' magical aptitude. Whenever Nico bleeds, a powerful staff emerges from her chest, allowing Nico to bend magic.
By the second series, Nico is the de facto
leader of her unofficial and nameless superhero team, making her one of the few Japanese-American superhero team leaders. Nico's trademark is her elaborate and ornate Gothic wardrobe
. Nico is a sorceress
like her parents and great-grandmother before her and can cast nearly any spell imaginable with her Staff. Nico uses her talents to make up for her parents' villainous actions and to prevent anyone from assuming the Pride's
place at the top of Los Angeles
organized crime
.
battle-axe, the Staff re-emerges from her chest, which prompts Nico to use the phrase "Freeze", and freeze Stacey Yorkes. Nico is revealed to be a witch, and the Staff only emerges when she bleeds. Sometime after running off, Nico takes on the name Sister Grimm to escape the name her parents gave her, but drops it after a while. After team leader Alex outs himself as the mole and is defeated along with the Pride, Nico is accepted as the groups' leader.
In 2007, the magic-related crossover event Mystic Arcana
fills the gap between Runaways (volume 1) #17 and #18, during Nico's brief time at Father Flanagan's Home for Unwanted Goth Kids. The story begins with Nico dressed in plain clothing, stating that it's perhaps time to let go of the goth trend. She is soon talked into going to a nightclub
with her friends, where she meets her parents' old rival Marie Laveau
; Laveau seeks revenge on Nico's parents for stealing the Black Mirror, one of the four Cornerstones of Creation. After Laveau explains that she needs Nico's blood to activate the Black Mirror, Nico gives Leveau her blood, while also purging out the Staff of One. The two fight, and Nico easily wins. Nico attempts to bring back Alex Wilder
using the Mirror, however the spell fails, the Mirror shatters and the last page of the Darkhold is revealed behind the glass. Laveau takes it and flees, while Nico accepts her place as an outcast and with the Runaways.
Artist Dave Sexton revealed Nico was one of the four magic characters chosen for the story arc because each character relates to some elemental themes: Magik represents air and logic, the Black Knight
represents the Earth and tools, the Scarlet Witch
represents water and emotions while Nico represented fire and wands. As Nico must deliver blood in order to produce her Staff, fire and sacrifice prove to be very similar to Tarot's Minor Arcana suit of "wands". Although C.B. Cebulski wrote the Sister Grimm portion of Mystic Arcana, Runaways-creator Brian K. Vaughan
lent some assistance.
, is destroyed, Nico invites Victor to become a part of the team, much to the anger of some members, notably Chase. Nico reassures them that she is willing to "rip [Victor's] damn heart out" if necessary. After Chase ties Nico up before he attempts to sacrifice himself to the Gibborim
, Nico interprets it as a cry for help and leads the Runaways to intervene Chase's self-sacrifice. The Gibborim instead attempt to take Nico, revealing that Nico's soul is innocent, thus, suitable for the Gibborim's consumption. Victor rescues Nico and the two form a relationship. After defeating the Gibborim, Victor asks Nico what she's willing to do if Chase does something like this again; Nico responds by saying she is willing to "rip [Chase's] damn heart out" if necessary. After returning to their lair beneath the La Brea Tar Pits
, Xavin realizes she had publicly exposed their location, drawing the attention of Iron Man
and S.H.I.E.L.D.
Nico, stepping into her role as a leader, leads the Runaways in a cross-country escape from Iron Man and S.H.I.E.L.D.
. In a twisted turn of events, the Runaways end up time-displaced in 1907 New York, where Nico is kidnapped and brought to a woman named "the Witchbreaker". The Witchbreaker claims she is Nico's great-grandmother, and states she will teach Nico how to withstand more pain and, therefore, wield more magic with better proficiency. She wields a weapon similar to the Staff of One, with more adornments. When reunited with her comrades, a significant development to Nico's abilities is evident, where she is freely able to float, displays more proficiency and confidence in casting spells and able to use a spell with an effect more complicated than most of her others thus far. It is revealed that Nico had obtained the Witchbreaker's Staff. Little more information is given to how Nico and her ancestor's meeting had ended, though the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
's more recent edition says that Nico had "escaped" her. During this period, Victor falls in love with another girl, corrupting his relationship with Nico.
by the Skrulls, Nico and the other Runaways briefly remain in New York after returning from 1907, trusting that "hiding in plain sight" would be sufficient to conceal their own identities and that it would be best if they showed Klara
around her city in the future before they returned to Los Angeles. However, to their shock, an armada of Skrull ships attack New York and its civilians. Xavin
, trying to fool the invaders into thinking she intends to help them, uses a force field to knock out the Runaways; Nico and Victor are still conscious, however, and they attack Xavin, accusing her of being a traitor. Xavin reveals that she is trying to protect them and convinces them that the Skrulls are too dangerous for them to fight and pleading with them to flee to the Leapfrog. The Runaways eventually unite with the Young Avengers to assist against the invading Skrulls. Nico insists on leading her team to help the Young Avengers continue the fight against the Skrulls, refusing to "run away." However, Wiccan urges her to leave, claiming that if the Young Avengers lose, they will need the Runaways to save them.
realizes this in time, and Nico spearheads a massive escape from the returning Majesdanians. A short time later, the Runaways realize that having obeyed Nico, they broke the enchantment. Regardless, Xavin
shapeshifts into Karolina and leaves Earth, much to the other Runaways' great grief.
Later on, Nico uses the spell "Zombie Not" to turn an army of zombies back to humans; the spell, backfiring, turns the zombies into an actual "zombie knot", thus creating a one large zombie. The Runaways deduce that after the Witchbreaker tortured and trained Nico, Nico's magical abilities have been severely augmented. Val Rhymin
's magician informs Nico that the Staff of One carries tremendous magical ability and Nico, being young, should not use it. The magician steals the Staff from her, only to be killed after the Staff defends itself. A silent Nico takes her Staff back, and warns the other Runaways not to touch it.
Doctor Strange
, seeing as the search "is not done yet." Although the title went to Brother Voodoo
, her image appeared as one of the many candidates the Eye of Agamotto
considered to assume the role of the new Sorcerer Supreme.
Nico also makes a non-speaking cameo in Strange #4 (February 2010) as one of the powerful mages Dr. Strange asks to stop using their powers for an hour.
s, and the second time she attempted to cast a "Fumigation" spell, the staff teleported Nico and Karolina miles in the Los Angeles desert. The second limitation of the Staff of One is that it cannot be used to bring people back from the dead. Nico discovered this limitation when she tried to resurrect Alex Wilder, and explained why she could not magically revive the deceased future version of Gertrude Yorkes
. Tina Minoru, the Staff's owner previous to Nico, mentions that the Staff even made Dormammu
(a demonic entity with vast magical power far surpassing even that of the Sorcerer Supreme
) tremble and that it gave the wielder "[a]ll the power of the past, present and future" and would make its wielder "unstoppable." Tina is also able to do spells without saying them, as evident when she turns herself, Robert Minoru, and the Steins into their villain costumes. In Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways
, Nico successfully cast a tunneling spell using a Latin
phrase supplied to her by the Vision
, even without knowing its meaning.
Only Nico can summon the Staff, but initially, anyone could cast spells with it. When not in use the Staff retreats into her body, which Nico describes as "feel[ing] like I have something in my eye, but instead of my eye, it's...it's my soul." To summon the Staff, Nico sheds blood and automatically recites "When blood is shed, let the Staff of One emerge." Early in volume one, Nico would cut herself to release the Staff, often using Chase's switchblade
. As the series progressed, Nico found alternative ways to make herself bleed, including brushing her gums for extended periods of time and having Gert's deinonychus
Old Lace
bite her arm,; during her monthly menstrual cycle
, Nico does not need to cut herself to evoke the Staff. The Staff always emerges from the center of her chest, and passes through any clothing she is wearing without damaging it or Nico. However the Staff will damage anyone or anything directly in its way when ejected from Nico's body. For example, the Staff emerges after the vampire Topher begins to drain Nico's blood and pierces directly through the center of his chest. Nico cannot truly control what kind of effect her spells will have: she must conjure up painful memories to cast a spell, as well as imagining anything that makes her feel guilty. In the Mystic Arcana
series, Nico is said to have far greater magical potential than even she had realized, as the last living heir to the Clan Minoru; Nico overwhelms Marie LaVeau in a matter of moments, despite all of Marie's magical experience and power, and discovers that the roots of her family legacy are deeper than even she imagined, with her being the only person alive capable of unlocking the Black Mirror. Nico is told that she has stepped onto the Dark Path and that she and Marie shall meet again, "for all those who step onto the Dark Path are destined to travel that road together." On occasions, however, she has cast spells without resorting to the Staff, such as creating an image of Alex Wilder
in the palm of her hand. Time and space are also crucial limitations to the power of the Staff: all spells shown cast by it only have a temporary effect, and the effects of these spells weaken as the distance between Nico and the target increases.
In Runaways vol. 2 #17, it's revealed that if Nico steps into the path of the ashes of dead wizards, her powers will not work at all.
also questions how Nico is floating, apparently indicating that this was indeed not of the Staff's own magic. Nico can now cast a variety of spells without using her Staff, bringing her closer to her parents' abilities. It is unknown where the Staff of One is now, though her new staff, regardless of its precise origins, is summoned in exactly the same method as the former.
More recently, Nico's Staff has displayed an ability to defend itself. The Staff now reacts violently toward anyone other than Nico who attempts to use it, turning into a demon or dragon and devouring that individual.
Nico is Japanese American. She is also shown to be a very emotional person. She expresses feelings for Alex Wilder during their original getaway, but is hesitant to start a romance. After Alex saves her from a vampire attack some time later, she begins to date him. This pattern of clinging to people during stressful and/or intense situations follows Nico throughout the remainder of the series. Despite this, Nico proves her loyalty to the Runaways when Alex betrays the group and offers her a seat in the new world promised by the Pride's Biblical benefactors, the Gibborim
. She refuses Alex's offer brutally and helps usher her friends to safety. Nico is sent to Father Flanagan's Home for Unwanted Goth Kids. However, the group organizes a mass escape from their homes to begin life as full-time vigilantes; Nico is generally accepted as de facto team leader.
When Nico takes the leadership position, it proves she has the intelligence and courage to make difficult decisions. One notable example is a risky decision in leaving Xavin
to battle a resurrected Geoffrey Wilder herself saying "Xavin knew the risks". Nico also kisses Chase after he negotiates their way out of a potentially fatal situation with an interdimensional drug-dealer; this causes a falling out between Nico and Chase's girlfriend Gert, almost dissolving the team from the inside. Gert's untimely death sends Nico into the arms of Victor Mancha, with whom she reveals she has a habit of running to people when distressed. She suffered survivor's guilt
regarding Gert's death. Nico confronts her insecurities of the fact she couldn't be a steady girlfriend in a dream involving her deceased parents berating Nico for acting like a "slut" (for kissing Alex, Topher, Chase, and Victor). She kills her parents in the dream, a symbol of overcoming her insecurities. She begins a relationship with Victor, but the relationship is quickly ended mutually after Victor falls for another girl.
In the first volume, Nico and Alex share a brief relationship. She kisses him for the first time during the runaways' attempted rescue of Molly Hayes
; it's later revealed Alex was Nico's first kiss. She kisses and expresses love for Alex after he saves her from the vampire Topher; it is generally accepted that Nico and Alex are a couple at this point. Despite her professed love for Alex, Nico chooses to side with the Runaways after Alex reveals his plan to bring her to the Gibborim's new world with her parents, firmly establishing her dedication to the team and her strength of character. However, despite the betrayal, Nico demonstrates willingness to forgive when she unsuccessfully tries to resurrect Alex, and states that even though Alex was a traitor, he did not deserve death. It is also revealed that despite everything he did to the group, she still misses and loves him.
Karolina's feelings for Nico were hinted at throughout volume 1, ending with Karolina sheepishly blushing when Nico says she has sworn off boys. However, Karolina's feelings were not explicitly expressed until she attempted to kiss Nico. Nico immediately turned Karolina down; however, when Karolina decides to travel to her home planet Majesdane with Xavin
, Nico is distraught for losing her friend. Chase stops Nico from casting a spell to bring Karolina back to Earth, and later catches Nico strewing Karolina's clothes about her floor for remembrance's sake. After Karolina returns, Nico becomes overjoyed and hugs her, saying that she felt all alone with Karolina gone. Their friendship is an occasionally strained one, due to Karolina's unrequited feelings towards Nico and Nico's dislike of Karolina's fiance's gender switching.
Nico admits she provides a motherly role to Chase's rule-breaking persona. The pair maintain a strong respect for each other despite often disagreeing over major group decisions, including Gert's burial site and allowing Victor
to join the team. Chase cares for Nico's safety and well-being, as evidenced from when he comforted Nico after Karolina's departure, and when he took the Staff of One from Nico to destroy it to give her a normal life. After Chase bluffed their way out of a fatal encounter with the drug lord, Pusher-Man, Nico kisses him. This causes a rift in their friendship, and into Gert and Chase's relationship. Nico is also the only person that Chase bids farewell before leaving to sacrifice himself for the Gibborim, which Nico interprets as a cry for help. At this point, Chase and Nico's friendship appears more stable now that Chase moved past grieving for Gert. In Volume 3, issue 13, the two share a surprising and intimate kiss.
Gert and Nico had been close friends since birth. After Gert's death, Nico tells Victor (while crying) that Gert had set her My Little Pony
dolls in the forest because Gert thought they should be free, and Nico had knit a purple scarf for Gert's thirteenth birthday, prompting Gert to dye her hair that color. Nico also told Gert that should Nico get hurt, Gert would be leader. The pair's friendship briefly breaks after Gert discovered Nico's kiss with Chase after their encounter with the Pusher Man. Their falling out caused much friction in the group. Nico and Gert finally resolved their differences with a short bout of tossing insults. Despite Gert's cynical attitude, she rarely argued with Nico's decisions and was usually prepared to stand by her friend. Nico experiences survivor's guilt after Gert dies, knowing that Gert's murderer Geoffrey Wilder
had initially meant to kill Nico.
Nico explains that she seeks physical comfort after periods of stress. While Victor expresses feelings for Nico, she asks for time alone to clear her head and figure her feelings out, much like how she initially dealt with Alex and Karolina after each expressed feelings for Nico. However, Nico admits that Victor is genuinely a good guy and wouldn't mind being in a relationship with him. Victor calls Nico his girlfriend when he attempts to save her from Chase, and although she is in a hostage situation, Nico still lightly scolds Victor for calling her such. The two eventually become a couple. However, the relationship is brief as Victor falls for Lillie, a carefree girl from 1907. Trying to become a better person, Nico, seeing that Victor and Lillie are in love, steps aside, deciding to remain friends even after Lillie decides to stay in the past.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
character in the Marvel Comics
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...
award-winning series, Runaways
Runaways (comics)
Runaways is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series features a group of teenagers who discover that their parents are part of an evil crime group called the Pride. Created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, the series debuted in April of 2003 as part of Marvel Comics'...
. Created in 2003 by writer Brian K. Vaughan
Brian K. Vaughan
Brian Keller Vaughan is an American comic book and television writer. He is best known for the comic book series Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Runaways, and Pride of Baghdad, and was one of the principal writers of the television series Lost, during seasons three through five...
and artist Adrian Alphona
Adrian Alphona
Adrian Alphona is a Canadian comic book artist best known for his work on Marvel Comics' Runaways, which he co-created with writer Brian K. Vaughan....
, the character first debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 (July 2003) with most of the other main characters. Like every member of the original Runaways, Nico is the daughter of the super-powered villains calling themselves "the Pride
Pride (comics)
The Pride are a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain team, a criminal organization that controlled the Los Angeles area of the Marvel Universe. As they are the parents and the initial and more prominent foes the Runaways have faced, they are perhaps the team's greatest enemy to date...
"; in her case, she is the daughter of dark wizards. Upon finding out, Nico runs away with the rest of the runaways but later discovers that she inherited her parents' magical aptitude. Whenever Nico bleeds, a powerful staff emerges from her chest, allowing Nico to bend magic.
By the second series, Nico is the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
leader of her unofficial and nameless superhero team, making her one of the few Japanese-American superhero team leaders. Nico's trademark is her elaborate and ornate Gothic wardrobe
Gothic fashion
Gothic fashion is a clothing style worn by members of the Goth subculture; a dark, sometimes morbid, eroticized fashion and style of dress. Typical Gothic fashion includes dyed black hair, black lips and black clothes. Both male and female goths wear dark eyeliner and dark fingernails. Styles are...
. Nico is a sorceress
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
like her parents and great-grandmother before her and can cast nearly any spell imaginable with her Staff. Nico uses her talents to make up for her parents' villainous actions and to prevent anyone from assuming the Pride's
Pride (comics)
The Pride are a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain team, a criminal organization that controlled the Los Angeles area of the Marvel Universe. As they are the parents and the initial and more prominent foes the Runaways have faced, they are perhaps the team's greatest enemy to date...
place at the top of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
.
Character developments
In Brian K. Vaughan's original pitch for the series, Nico was called Rachel Messina. Her parents were still magicians, but posed as wealthy antique dealers; this cover story was ultimately used for Gert's time travelling parents. Nico's source of power was not originally going to be her mother's Staff, but Robert Minoru's spellbook.The Pride
Every year, Nico's parents join five other couples in a charity event; one year, Nico and the other kids spy on their parents. Nico is shocked to discover her father speaking an enchantment, and after witnessing the murder of an innocent girl by their parents ("the Pride"), Nico joins the others in their massive ransack to run away from their parents. While on the run, Nico encounters her parents. Her mother, wielding a large staff with a ball at the end ("the Staff of One"), reveals that she and Nico's father are dark wizards; she then attempts to jam the Staff into Nico's chest. Nico's body, curiously, absorbs it. After she is later cut by Dale Yorkes' SamuraiSamurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
battle-axe, the Staff re-emerges from her chest, which prompts Nico to use the phrase "Freeze", and freeze Stacey Yorkes. Nico is revealed to be a witch, and the Staff only emerges when she bleeds. Sometime after running off, Nico takes on the name Sister Grimm to escape the name her parents gave her, but drops it after a while. After team leader Alex outs himself as the mole and is defeated along with the Pride, Nico is accepted as the groups' leader.
Mystic Arcana
Mystic Arcana
Mystic Arcana is a 2007 Marvel Comics storyline published as a series of four one-shot titles. Each book in the series contains an individual main story followed by a back-up story whose plot continues through all four books. The main story in each book focuses upon a different fictional character,...
fills the gap between Runaways (volume 1) #17 and #18, during Nico's brief time at Father Flanagan's Home for Unwanted Goth Kids. The story begins with Nico dressed in plain clothing, stating that it's perhaps time to let go of the goth trend. She is soon talked into going to a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
with her friends, where she meets her parents' old rival Marie Laveau
Marie Laveau
Marie Laveau was a Louisiana Creole practitioner of Voodoo renown in New Orleans. She was born free in New Orleans....
; Laveau seeks revenge on Nico's parents for stealing the Black Mirror, one of the four Cornerstones of Creation. After Laveau explains that she needs Nico's blood to activate the Black Mirror, Nico gives Leveau her blood, while also purging out the Staff of One. The two fight, and Nico easily wins. Nico attempts to bring back Alex Wilder
Alex Wilder
Alex Wilder is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters. Like every member of the original Runaways, he is the son of evil...
using the Mirror, however the spell fails, the Mirror shatters and the last page of the Darkhold is revealed behind the glass. Laveau takes it and flees, while Nico accepts her place as an outcast and with the Runaways.
Artist Dave Sexton revealed Nico was one of the four magic characters chosen for the story arc because each character relates to some elemental themes: Magik represents air and logic, the Black Knight
Black Knight (comics)
The Black Knight is the alias of several fictional comic-book characters that appear in the Marvel Comics universe.The first is a medieval knight created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Joe Maneely. The second is a supervillain descendant of the original, created by writer-editor Stan Lee and...
represents the Earth and tools, the Scarlet Witch
Scarlet 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...
represents water and emotions while Nico represented fire and wands. As Nico must deliver blood in order to produce her Staff, fire and sacrifice prove to be very similar to Tarot's Minor Arcana suit of "wands". Although C.B. Cebulski wrote the Sister Grimm portion of Mystic Arcana, Runaways-creator Brian K. Vaughan
Brian K. Vaughan
Brian Keller Vaughan is an American comic book and television writer. He is best known for the comic book series Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Runaways, and Pride of Baghdad, and was one of the principal writers of the television series Lost, during seasons three through five...
lent some assistance.
As a fugitive
After being warned of a future threat named Victor Mancha, Nico and the Runaways find and abduct Victor to question him. After Victor's mother is murdered and father, UltronUltron
Ultron is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Avengers #54 , and was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema...
, is destroyed, Nico invites Victor to become a part of the team, much to the anger of some members, notably Chase. Nico reassures them that she is willing to "rip [Victor's] damn heart out" if necessary. After Chase ties Nico up before he attempts to sacrifice himself to the Gibborim
Gibborim (comics)
The Gibborim are a group of comic book characters in Marvel Comics' award-winning series, Runaways. They were created by author Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona...
, Nico interprets it as a cry for help and leads the Runaways to intervene Chase's self-sacrifice. The Gibborim instead attempt to take Nico, revealing that Nico's soul is innocent, thus, suitable for the Gibborim's consumption. Victor rescues Nico and the two form a relationship. After defeating the Gibborim, Victor asks Nico what she's willing to do if Chase does something like this again; Nico responds by saying she is willing to "rip [Chase's] damn heart out" if necessary. After returning to their lair beneath the La Brea Tar Pits
La Brea Tar Pits
The La Brea Tar Pits are a cluster of tar pits around which Hancock Park was formed, in the urban heart of Los Angeles. Asphaltum or tar has seeped up from the ground in this area for tens of thousands of years. The tar is often covered with water...
, Xavin realizes she had publicly exposed their location, drawing the attention of Iron Man
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,...
and 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....
Nico, stepping into her role as a leader, leads the Runaways in a cross-country escape from Iron Man and S.H.I.E.L.D.
The Witchbreaker
After escaping the authorities, the Runaways head to New York where Nico anxiously makes a deal with the KingpinKingpin (comics)
The Kingpin is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Kingpin is one of the most feared and powerful crime lords in the Marvel Universe. The character is a major adversary of Daredevil, the Punisher, and Spider-Man...
. In a twisted turn of events, the Runaways end up time-displaced in 1907 New York, where Nico is kidnapped and brought to a woman named "the Witchbreaker". The Witchbreaker claims she is Nico's great-grandmother, and states she will teach Nico how to withstand more pain and, therefore, wield more magic with better proficiency. She wields a weapon similar to the Staff of One, with more adornments. When reunited with her comrades, a significant development to Nico's abilities is evident, where she is freely able to float, displays more proficiency and confidence in casting spells and able to use a spell with an effect more complicated than most of her others thus far. It is revealed that Nico had obtained the Witchbreaker's Staff. Little more information is given to how Nico and her ancestor's meeting had ended, though the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is an encyclopedic guide which details the fictional universe featured in Marvel Comics publications...
's more recent edition says that Nico had "escaped" her. During this period, Victor falls in love with another girl, corrupting his relationship with Nico.
Secret Invasion
During the global shape-shifting alien invasionSecret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008....
by the Skrulls, Nico and the other Runaways briefly remain in New York after returning from 1907, trusting that "hiding in plain sight" would be sufficient to conceal their own identities and that it would be best if they showed Klara
Klara Prast
Klara Prast is a fictional character that appears in the Marvel Comics award winning series, Runaways. The character first appeared in volume 2, #27 and was created by writer Joss Whedon and artist Michael Ryan, the lone character Whedon had mentioned he would add when he began his tenure of the...
around her city in the future before they returned to Los Angeles. However, to their shock, an armada of Skrull ships attack New York and its civilians. Xavin
Xavin
Xavin is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She is a Super-Skrull in training, created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #7...
, trying to fool the invaders into thinking she intends to help them, uses a force field to knock out the Runaways; Nico and Victor are still conscious, however, and they attack Xavin, accusing her of being a traitor. Xavin reveals that she is trying to protect them and convinces them that the Skrulls are too dangerous for them to fight and pleading with them to flee to the Leapfrog. The Runaways eventually unite with the Young Avengers to assist against the invading Skrulls. Nico insists on leading her team to help the Young Avengers continue the fight against the Skrulls, refusing to "run away." However, Wiccan urges her to leave, claiming that if the Young Avengers lose, they will need the Runaways to save them.
Dead Wrong/Rock Zombies
Nico uses a spell ("scatter") to scatter a group of invading Majesdanians all over the planet. The spell, however, had unwanted side-effects: it emotionally scatters the Runaways. VictorVictor Mancha
Victor Mancha is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #1 . Like the original runaways, Victor has a supervillain for a parent; his father is the robot Ultron...
realizes this in time, and Nico spearheads a massive escape from the returning Majesdanians. A short time later, the Runaways realize that having obeyed Nico, they broke the enchantment. Regardless, Xavin
Xavin
Xavin is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She is a Super-Skrull in training, created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #7...
shapeshifts into Karolina and leaves Earth, much to the other Runaways' great grief.
Later on, Nico uses the spell "Zombie Not" to turn an army of zombies back to humans; the spell, backfiring, turns the zombies into an actual "zombie knot", thus creating a one large zombie. The Runaways deduce that after the Witchbreaker tortured and trained Nico, Nico's magical abilities have been severely augmented. Val Rhymin
Val Rhymin
Val Rhymin is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Terry Moore and artist Humberto Ramos, and debuted in Runaways #1 , at the start of the series' third volume. Val first appearead as a worker in a radio station...
's magician informs Nico that the Staff of One carries tremendous magical ability and Nico, being young, should not use it. The magician steals the Staff from her, only to be killed after the Staff defends itself. A silent Nico takes her Staff back, and warns the other Runaways not to touch it.
Dark Reign
At the 2009 Emerald City ComiCon, writer Brian Bendis implied that Nico might be one of the magicians sought by former Sorcerer SupremeSorcerer Supreme
Sorcerer Supreme or Sorceress Supreme is a title granted in the fictional Marvel Universe to the "practitioner of the mystic or magic arts who has greater skills than all others or commands a greater portion of the ambient magical energies than any other organism on a given world or dimension". By...
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
, seeing as the search "is not done yet." Although the title went to Brother Voodoo
Brother Voodoo
Brother Voodoo is a fictional character, a supernatural superhero in the Marvel Universe. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Gene Colan, he first appears in Strange Tales #169...
, her image appeared as one of the many candidates the Eye of Agamotto
Eye of Agamotto
The Eye of Agamotto is a fictional mystical item in the Marvel Comics universe. The artist Steve Ditko, drew inspiration from the real world charm called 'The All Seeing Eye of the Buddha', known among Buddhists as "The Amulet of Snail Martyrs", a Nepali symbol meant to protect its wearer against...
considered to assume the role of the new Sorcerer Supreme.
Nico also makes a non-speaking cameo in Strange #4 (February 2010) as one of the powerful mages Dr. Strange asks to stop using their powers for an hour.
Powers and abilities
Spellcasting
Nico, being a witch, uses magic as her weapon. In the early issues, her sole weapon had been the Staff of One, an ancient magical staff that can cast any spell imaginable. The Staff, however, comes with two limitations; first, and more importantly, Nico cannot cast the same spell twice, or the spell will misfire and a random effect will occur; for example, the second time she tried to cast "Freeze," she produced pelicanPelican
A pelican, derived from the Greek word πελεκυς pelekys is a large water bird with a large throat pouch, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae....
s, and the second time she attempted to cast a "Fumigation" spell, the staff teleported Nico and Karolina miles in the Los Angeles desert. The second limitation of the Staff of One is that it cannot be used to bring people back from the dead. Nico discovered this limitation when she tried to resurrect Alex Wilder, and explained why she could not magically revive the deceased future version of Gertrude Yorkes
Gertrude Yorkes
Gertrude Yorkes , is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters...
. Tina Minoru, the Staff's owner previous to Nico, mentions that the Staff even made Dormammu
Dormammu
Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a...
(a demonic entity with vast magical power far surpassing even that of the Sorcerer Supreme
Sorcerer Supreme
Sorcerer Supreme or Sorceress Supreme is a title granted in the fictional Marvel Universe to the "practitioner of the mystic or magic arts who has greater skills than all others or commands a greater portion of the ambient magical energies than any other organism on a given world or dimension". By...
) tremble and that it gave the wielder "[a]ll the power of the past, present and future" and would make its wielder "unstoppable." Tina is also able to do spells without saying them, as evident when she turns herself, Robert Minoru, and the Steins into their villain costumes. In Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways
Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways
Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways is a comic book mini-series tie-in to Marvel Comics' Civil War crossover event. The series serves as a team-up between the characters from Young Avengers and Runaways. The series was written by Zeb Wells with art by Stefano Caselli...
, Nico successfully cast a tunneling spell using a Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
phrase supplied to her by the Vision
Vision (Marvel Comics)
The Vision is the name of three fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The first Vision was created by the writer-artist team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby in Marvel Mystery Comics #13 The Vision is the name of three fictional characters that...
, even without knowing its meaning.
Only Nico can summon the Staff, but initially, anyone could cast spells with it. When not in use the Staff retreats into her body, which Nico describes as "feel[ing] like I have something in my eye, but instead of my eye, it's...it's my soul." To summon the Staff, Nico sheds blood and automatically recites "When blood is shed, let the Staff of One emerge." Early in volume one, Nico would cut herself to release the Staff, often using Chase's switchblade
Switchblade
A switchblade is a type of knife with a folding or sliding blade contained in the handle which is opened automatically by a spring when a button, lever, or switch on the handle or bolster is activated A switchblade (also known as an automatic knife, pushbutton knife, switch, Sprenger, Springer,...
. As the series progressed, Nico found alternative ways to make herself bleed, including brushing her gums for extended periods of time and having Gert's deinonychus
Deinonychus
Deinonychus was a genus of carnivorous dromaeosaurid dinosaur. There is one described species, Deinonychus antirrhopus. This 3.4 meter long dinosaur lived during the early Cretaceous Period, about 115–108 million years ago . Fossils have been recovered from the U.S...
Old Lace
Old Lace (comics)
Old Lace is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series Runaways. She was created by Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona and debuted attacking the other characters in Runaways vol. 1 #2...
bite her arm,; during her monthly menstrual cycle
Menstrual cycle
The menstrual cycle is the scientific term for the physiological changes that can occur in fertile women for the purpose of sexual reproduction. This article focuses on the human menstrual cycle....
, Nico does not need to cut herself to evoke the Staff. The Staff always emerges from the center of her chest, and passes through any clothing she is wearing without damaging it or Nico. However the Staff will damage anyone or anything directly in its way when ejected from Nico's body. For example, the Staff emerges after the vampire Topher begins to drain Nico's blood and pierces directly through the center of his chest. Nico cannot truly control what kind of effect her spells will have: she must conjure up painful memories to cast a spell, as well as imagining anything that makes her feel guilty. In the Mystic Arcana
Mystic Arcana
Mystic Arcana is a 2007 Marvel Comics storyline published as a series of four one-shot titles. Each book in the series contains an individual main story followed by a back-up story whose plot continues through all four books. The main story in each book focuses upon a different fictional character,...
series, Nico is said to have far greater magical potential than even she had realized, as the last living heir to the Clan Minoru; Nico overwhelms Marie LaVeau in a matter of moments, despite all of Marie's magical experience and power, and discovers that the roots of her family legacy are deeper than even she imagined, with her being the only person alive capable of unlocking the Black Mirror. Nico is told that she has stepped onto the Dark Path and that she and Marie shall meet again, "for all those who step onto the Dark Path are destined to travel that road together." On occasions, however, she has cast spells without resorting to the Staff, such as creating an image of Alex Wilder
Alex Wilder
Alex Wilder is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters. Like every member of the original Runaways, he is the son of evil...
in the palm of her hand. Time and space are also crucial limitations to the power of the Staff: all spells shown cast by it only have a temporary effect, and the effects of these spells weaken as the distance between Nico and the target increases.
In Runaways vol. 2 #17, it's revealed that if Nico steps into the path of the ashes of dead wizards, her powers will not work at all.
Extended magic
Nico's time with the Witchbreaker has granted her a newer version of the Staff of One, similar to the original but with more adornments and a larger ring (the ball on the original Staff is also removed). Nico can now wield its powers and cast spells with greater proficiency than before, even floating under her own powers instead of using the Staff, as Nico had already cast a variety of levitation enchantments before. Furthermore, Victor ManchaVictor Mancha
Victor Mancha is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #1 . Like the original runaways, Victor has a supervillain for a parent; his father is the robot Ultron...
also questions how Nico is floating, apparently indicating that this was indeed not of the Staff's own magic. Nico can now cast a variety of spells without using her Staff, bringing her closer to her parents' abilities. It is unknown where the Staff of One is now, though her new staff, regardless of its precise origins, is summoned in exactly the same method as the former.
More recently, Nico's Staff has displayed an ability to defend itself. The Staff now reacts violently toward anyone other than Nico who attempts to use it, turning into a demon or dragon and devouring that individual.
Character attributes and personality
Gibborim (comics)
The Gibborim are a group of comic book characters in Marvel Comics' award-winning series, Runaways. They were created by author Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona...
. She refuses Alex's offer brutally and helps usher her friends to safety. Nico is sent to Father Flanagan's Home for Unwanted Goth Kids. However, the group organizes a mass escape from their homes to begin life as full-time vigilantes; Nico is generally accepted as de facto team leader.
When Nico takes the leadership position, it proves she has the intelligence and courage to make difficult decisions. One notable example is a risky decision in leaving Xavin
Xavin
Xavin is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She is a Super-Skrull in training, created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #7...
to battle a resurrected Geoffrey Wilder herself saying "Xavin knew the risks". Nico also kisses Chase after he negotiates their way out of a potentially fatal situation with an interdimensional drug-dealer; this causes a falling out between Nico and Chase's girlfriend Gert, almost dissolving the team from the inside. Gert's untimely death sends Nico into the arms of Victor Mancha, with whom she reveals she has a habit of running to people when distressed. She suffered survivor's guilt
Survivor guilt
Survivor, survivor's, or survivors guilt or syndrome is a mental condition that occurs when a person perceives themselves to have done wrong by surviving a traumatic event when others did not...
regarding Gert's death. Nico confronts her insecurities of the fact she couldn't be a steady girlfriend in a dream involving her deceased parents berating Nico for acting like a "slut" (for kissing Alex, Topher, Chase, and Victor). She kills her parents in the dream, a symbol of overcoming her insecurities. She begins a relationship with Victor, but the relationship is quickly ended mutually after Victor falls for another girl.
Relationships with other Runaways
Nico is a very emotional person and has repeatedly expressed difficulty with knowing precisely what she is feeling. Nico admits to Victor that she has a tendency to seek comfort after highly emotional situations or periods of stress. Nonetheless, she is typically very open when trying to express her feelings and has thus been able to connect with many of the Runaways on an emotional level and maintain many close friendships throughout the series.In the first volume, Nico and Alex share a brief relationship. She kisses him for the first time during the runaways' attempted rescue of Molly Hayes
Molly Hayes
Molly Hayes , is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways #1 with most of the other main characters...
; it's later revealed Alex was Nico's first kiss. She kisses and expresses love for Alex after he saves her from the vampire Topher; it is generally accepted that Nico and Alex are a couple at this point. Despite her professed love for Alex, Nico chooses to side with the Runaways after Alex reveals his plan to bring her to the Gibborim's new world with her parents, firmly establishing her dedication to the team and her strength of character. However, despite the betrayal, Nico demonstrates willingness to forgive when she unsuccessfully tries to resurrect Alex, and states that even though Alex was a traitor, he did not deserve death. It is also revealed that despite everything he did to the group, she still misses and loves him.
Karolina's feelings for Nico were hinted at throughout volume 1, ending with Karolina sheepishly blushing when Nico says she has sworn off boys. However, Karolina's feelings were not explicitly expressed until she attempted to kiss Nico. Nico immediately turned Karolina down; however, when Karolina decides to travel to her home planet Majesdane with Xavin
Xavin
Xavin is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She is a Super-Skrull in training, created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #7...
, Nico is distraught for losing her friend. Chase stops Nico from casting a spell to bring Karolina back to Earth, and later catches Nico strewing Karolina's clothes about her floor for remembrance's sake. After Karolina returns, Nico becomes overjoyed and hugs her, saying that she felt all alone with Karolina gone. Their friendship is an occasionally strained one, due to Karolina's unrequited feelings towards Nico and Nico's dislike of Karolina's fiance's gender switching.
Nico admits she provides a motherly role to Chase's rule-breaking persona. The pair maintain a strong respect for each other despite often disagreeing over major group decisions, including Gert's burial site and allowing Victor
Victor Mancha
Victor Mancha is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #1 . Like the original runaways, Victor has a supervillain for a parent; his father is the robot Ultron...
to join the team. Chase cares for Nico's safety and well-being, as evidenced from when he comforted Nico after Karolina's departure, and when he took the Staff of One from Nico to destroy it to give her a normal life. After Chase bluffed their way out of a fatal encounter with the drug lord, Pusher-Man, Nico kisses him. This causes a rift in their friendship, and into Gert and Chase's relationship. Nico is also the only person that Chase bids farewell before leaving to sacrifice himself for the Gibborim, which Nico interprets as a cry for help. At this point, Chase and Nico's friendship appears more stable now that Chase moved past grieving for Gert. In Volume 3, issue 13, the two share a surprising and intimate kiss.
Gert and Nico had been close friends since birth. After Gert's death, Nico tells Victor (while crying) that Gert had set her My Little Pony
My Little Pony
My Little Pony is a brand of toy ponies marketed primarily to girls produced by the toy manufacturer Hasbro. These ponies can be identified by their colorful bodies and manes and a unique symbol on one or both sides of their flanks...
dolls in the forest because Gert thought they should be free, and Nico had knit a purple scarf for Gert's thirteenth birthday, prompting Gert to dye her hair that color. Nico also told Gert that should Nico get hurt, Gert would be leader. The pair's friendship briefly breaks after Gert discovered Nico's kiss with Chase after their encounter with the Pusher Man. Their falling out caused much friction in the group. Nico and Gert finally resolved their differences with a short bout of tossing insults. Despite Gert's cynical attitude, she rarely argued with Nico's decisions and was usually prepared to stand by her friend. Nico experiences survivor's guilt after Gert dies, knowing that Gert's murderer Geoffrey Wilder
Geoffrey Wilder
Geoffrey Wilder was a fictional super villain in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. Geoffrey led the Pride, the super villain crime ring of Los Angeles. He was the father of former Runaway Alex Wilder.-Fictional character biography:...
had initially meant to kill Nico.
Nico explains that she seeks physical comfort after periods of stress. While Victor expresses feelings for Nico, she asks for time alone to clear her head and figure her feelings out, much like how she initially dealt with Alex and Karolina after each expressed feelings for Nico. However, Nico admits that Victor is genuinely a good guy and wouldn't mind being in a relationship with him. Victor calls Nico his girlfriend when he attempts to save her from Chase, and although she is in a hostage situation, Nico still lightly scolds Victor for calling her such. The two eventually become a couple. However, the relationship is brief as Victor falls for Lillie, a carefree girl from 1907. Trying to become a better person, Nico, seeing that Victor and Lillie are in love, steps aside, deciding to remain friends even after Lillie decides to stay in the past.
External links
- Nico Minoru at the Marvel Universe
- Nico Minoru at Merging Minds
- Nico Minoru at Comic Vine