| Nightcrawler | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Real Name | Kurt Wagner | ||||||||||||||||||
| Alternate Identity | Nightcrawler | ||||||||||||||||||
| Powers and Abilities | Teleportation, Night Vision, Blend to shadows, Tail, Stick to walls | ||||||||||||||||||
| Team Affiliations | X-Men | ||||||||||||||||||
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Nightcrawler is a mutant and part of the X-Men. He was born in Germany. Many of the villagers feared him because of his appearance until Charles Xavier recruited him.
A young Kurt Wagner was discovered to be a mutant in a village where he was chased, harassed, and beaten for being a "demon", "monster" and mutant. As the attackers circled the tired teleporter, they froze in time and Professor Charles Xavier emerged from the shadows, offering Kurt a place at his Institute for mutants and their gifts. With joy, Kurt joined the Professor, embraced his gifts, and became an X-Man.
Following the blast at the Institute, Nightcrawler was absent for a while. However, as mutants were ferried illegally on cargo ships to Genosha, Nightcrawler fought the crew in order to get the mutants justice and fair treatment.
As he secured the cargo ship, Spiral and the Reavers arrived under the orders of Mojo to find mutants that were capable of fighting for games. Nightcrawler attempted to fight them off, but failed and was captured. Squidboy's mother, pled that he save the sinking cargo ship of "useless" mutants and the crew, Squidboy included.
Nightcrawler arrived on the ship, asking the mutants what they could do. The mutants said their powers were useless: one could secrete "sticky goop" from his hands, another could talk to machines, a silent one could cause objects to explode, the other was Pixie, and finally Squidboy. Nightcrawler, remembering what the Professor taught him, stated that no one's powers were useless, but gifts. Together, the group repaired the ship and brought it to the Reavers' ship.
A battle ensued between Spiral and the Reavers against Nightcrawler. As he battled the mutant team, Squidboy freed the captured mutants including his mother. Nightcrawler single-handedly defeated the Reavers, forcing them into retreat, just as the X-Men arrived. Turning to the free mutants en route to Genosha, Nightcrawler declined a place on the team for the sake of those on the ship that must reach their destination. Then in Genosha, he met Scarlet Witch and was introduced to this new mutant heaven. He developed a good friendship with her. However, Dust warned him about the true intentions of Magneto for creating Genosha, Nightcrawler became more curious and discovered Magneto's real intention. As a result, Scarlet Witch attacked him. However, his teleportation had saved him for the time being. He teleported with the best of his ability, over to the Institute and tried to inform the X-Men. But when he arrived, he was beaten by Mystique taking the form of his fellow comrade, Wolverine. Then, he was taken back to Genosha, and imprisoned. After several days, maybe weeks, Mojo and his gang kidnap the Scarlet Witch and Wagner, and imprison them in a submarine forest. There they fought for their lives against a brainwashed Wolverine and several other dangers. In the end, they survived, including Wolverine, and made their way back to the institute. Kurt asked Scarlet Witch to come back with him, knowing well she didn't belong next to her father. She declined rather politely, and went back to her father, and he back to his former life.