Codename:
Mystique
Real name: Raven
Darkholme
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 120 lbs
Place of Birth: Unknown
Relatives: Kurt Wagner
(Nightcrawler, son) Graydon Creed (son, deceased), Rogue (foster-daughter)
Past: Aside from
having naturally blue skin, Mystique is a metamorph, able to change shape
into anyone she's seen. She can modify the transformation somewhat, and
even change only a part of herself, like morphing Archangel's wings when
she needs to fly. Her ability may also slow or mask her aging process.
Years ago, Mystique was a spy in Berlin when she met Sabretooth and began
a short relationship with him. She became preganat and gave birth to a
son, whom she abandoned shortly after puberty when she realized he was
human. She then came across a young Rogue, who was on the run after her
powers sent her friend Cody into a coma. Raven adopted Rogue, and they
lived together with Destiny as a family for years. The exact nature of
Mystique and Destiny's relationship is still uncertain. They knew each
other since at least World War II, and they were definitely more than just
friends. Mystique raised Rogue to be a member of the Brotherhood, and for
all her coldness, always thinks of Rogue as her daughter and tries to protect
her. Raven was livid when Rogue sought out Professor X's help after she
absorbed Ms. Marvel's mind and powers and was being driven crazy, but Raven
realized that no one else could possibly help, so she relented. For years
Raven was a trusted member of the staff at the Pentagon, and a friend of
Val Cooper's, while the whole time she was ferreting out government secrets
and running terrorist programs. Eventually, she and the Brotherhood of
Evil Mutants were caught by the police, but they were offered the chance
to redeem themselves by becoming Freedom Force, a government-sponsored
super-team. This brought them into conflict with the X-Men a great deal,
as the X-Men had become outlaws themselves. Mystique was with Freedom Force
when the X-Men (Rogue among them) sacrificed themselves to stop the Adversary
using Forge's Spirit Spell. Raven swore vengeance on Forge for taking
her daughter's life. Little did she know that the X-Men were resurrected
by Roma. Soon afterwards, however, she was forced to work with Forge again
when Muir Island was attacked by the Reavers. Raven left Forge to protect
Destiny, but Destiny sent Forge to help the others, whereupon she was killed
by Legion, who even then was under the control of the Shadow King. Mystique
again blamed Forge, but ironically, months later she came to him at the
X-Mansion to help her regain her tenuous sanity. Mystique soon went with
Forge to his penthouse in Dallas, where they may have become involved and
were certainly working on therapy for Raven, when they were attacked by
Fitzroy. Mystique fought bravely, and was wounded severely. Then she disappeared
for a while, but was found by Forge again, who sent Rogue and Nightcrawler
to apprehend her. On that mission, Mystique revealed that she was Nightcrawler's
birth mother "married" to a German count, and when he was born she had
to flee, and taking the form of a farmer, she had thrown him into a river.
Mystique was then brought to Forge to join X-Factor. Raven had a chip implanted
in her head that prevented her from taking the form of any of the X-Men,
X-Factor and other key people for more that thirty seconds. It also served
as a homing beacon. She reluctantly joined X-Factor, but it was soon clear
that she had learned a lot about Forge's inventions during her time with
him, and that she could find ways around the implant. Mystique eventually
left X-Factor, around the time that Sabretooth broke his restraining collar,
and disappeared. Recently, she led the Brotherhood on a hunt for Machine
Man, and later tried to infiltrate the FBI to erase her records. At that
moment, the High Evolutionary's satellite network came online and stripped
her (and all mutants) of their powers. Raven was caught and imprisoned,
and began to freak. When Rogue was unwilling and unable to help her escape,
Mystique was enraged, and when her powers returned and she broke out on
her own, she vowed vengeance. Rumors abound that she may even now be hiding
out in the X-Mansion, and that she may not really be Nightcrawler's mother
after all. Mystique is crafty, intelligent, and an expert at using many
types of weapons. She is also very good at beating her foes psychologically,
especially using her shape-shifting abilities. Recently, Mystique placed
all of the volumes of Destiny's prophecies that she had in the library
on Muir Island. Then she re-organized the Brotherhood with some old and
new members, and modified the Legacy Virus to infect humans. The Brotherhood
attacked and blew up most of Muir Island, but not before Moira MacTaggert
was able to divine the cure to the virus based on Mystique's modifications,
though she was critically injured and later died from those injuries. Mystique
then shot Wolfsbane with Forge's Neutralizer, robbing her of her powers,
and stabbed her foster-daughter Rogue in the back when she confronted her.
However, Rogue survived (due to her modified powers) and stabbed Mystique
when she wasn't looking. Mystique was taken back to the U.S. by the X-Men
in the Blackbird. While on board, Wolverine came into Mystique's compartment
to kill her, but was distracted by Wolfsbane, who sent Logan out to the
cockpit, and then vowed to kill Mystique herself. Mystique was put into
a hospital in intensive care. While there, Gambit snuck in to kill her,
but Storm stopped him. Mystique then revealed to the two X-Men the existence
of Destiny's journals, saying that she had tried to avert the coming apocalypse
but she failed, and now it's their turn to try.