Updates

Here we are five issues into the new Claremont written Nightcrawler solo series, so I think it's safe to highlight what ground has been covered so far. By the way, if you haven't picked this up yet, you should! Issue #5, in fact, is a great jumping on point.

Of note, the original premise of the book was changed at least twice before launch. It started out its concept life as the newest volume of X-Men Legacy, was subsequently changed to be a type of buddy book between Nightcrawler and Wolverine and finally settled as a full on Nightcrawler solo. 

The classic X-Men master writer, Chris Claremont, is steadily finding his feet in the X-Men world again and we, as readers, get to see this unfold as he shares Nightcrawler's reintroduction into a home that is very much changed from the one he remembers. 

The initial arc was heavily based on nostalgia and had Kurt remembering his old life, and old love, starting out in a "rose colored glasses" sort of way. It culminated with touching on some of the core, internal changes of the beloved Fuzzy Elf, first highlighted in the 'must read' #6 issue of Amazing X-Men, entitled "All in the Family". For clarity's sake, I'll start with that and work my way into what we've gotten in the solo, so far.

Kurt is back in the land of the living and wrapped in the welcoming warmth of his adopted family of the X-Men. However, we're seeing a Kurt deeply impacted by events and unsure of the man he is now, though he tries to keep it from his friends and plays along with their welcome home party. 

Amazing X-Men #6

Amazing X-Men #6

It's not long before the rest of the welcome wagon arrives in the form of Mystique, the not-so-doting mother. 

AXM #6

AXM #6

I don't think anyone would classify her as a 'good' mother, but she is the first to notice that something has changed with Kurt, that he's not exactly the man he was.

She goes on to take her son's rejection as a lead in to bring up Azazel, her other objective, who promptly shows up on the scene shortly thereafter. 

AXM #6

I realize Azazel is high on the list of least favorite Nightcrawler supporting characters, but I still couldn't help but find these exchanges amusing as well as in character for all of them. Truly, Kurt drew the short straw in the family department.

As expected, the bad guys get away and leave poor Kurt with a heavy heart.

He and Logan do go on to finally have a true homecoming moment as Kurt tries to drown his sorrows and his misgivings.

AXM #6

As far as Mystique and Azazel? That's a whole 'nother story. 

AXM #6

So, this is the set up leading into the Nightcrawler solo. Kurt is full of doubt, staggered at what he's done to himself and what the price will be for that and has no idea where he belongs or even if he belongs in the world he thought he'd left behind forever.

How does he cope? Why, he struggles to try and recapture the man he was, of course, or at least the man he perceived himself to be. He appears to want to view himself, and his world, in terms of his idealized memories.

NC #1

Keep an eye on this little guy.

NC #1

NC #1

NC #1

He chooses not think about what's happened to the X-Men he no longer recognizes, or what schism or the death of Charles or Scott's revolution mean to him, personally. Instead, he opts to look up Amanda, his on-again-off-again girlfriend/sister of the past, reintroducing a relationship that was wrapped up many years ago.

Kurt is nothing if not tenacious and, this time, he's apparently decided to make things work with Amanda, in spite of their sometimes unsavory history together and issues of trust. 

NC #1

NC #1

He has himself cast in the role of savior and Amanda as his damsel in distress once the newest villain, Trimega, shows up on the scene. Kurt is finding out, however, that, like with the X-Men, things aren't quite as he remembered.

He and Amanda determine that Trimega is going after the people closest to Kurt and decide that the most likely next stop would be Germany, and Margali, so head there.

The second issue basically serves just to remind us of Nightcrawler's other family, the Szardos clan. We have a recap on who Amanda is, as well as Margali, and Kurt's history with them, though there's no mention of Stefan and the pivotal role he played in Kurt becoming an X-Man. 

NC #2

NC #2

The issue ends with them jaunting once again halfway around the world to follow Trimega to the JGS where the Szardos women are not received warmly. As a result, Kurt and Storm butt heads and we hit on the core of this opening arc and what Kurt is learning -- he can't be the man he was before, no matter how much he (or some fans) may want him to, anymore than the world itself can remain unchanged.

NC #3

This is reiterated in a scene with Logan. This just isn't the fuzzy elf he knew and, arguably, sometimes took for granted. (I give CC bonus points for use of the word "hinky".)

NC #3

We also get Amanda being Amanda and Margali being Margali. Both characters tend to revise their singular roles with every appearance, to one degree or another, and this time was no different. 

Amanda is hiding something, deceiving Kurt and his friends, playing by her own rules and endangering everyone in the process. 

NC #3

Margali is the victim of her ambition and hunger for power.

NC #3

The next issue is the arc wrap and delivers the major finale in more ways than one.

Thanks to the efforts of Kurt's adopted family, the school is under attack and the world as well as the outer realms are in danger. It would seem Storm's misgivings were for good reason.

NC #4

NC #4

Logan brings up the obvious but the emotional punch of the arc ending really hinges on whether the belabored personification of Kurt's heart has been sold to readers or not.

NC #4

To stop the magically addicted Margali, Kurt and Amanda must cross into her portal to close it from the other side, giving up their lives in the process. Here Kurt finds out the consequences of what he's done by choosing to abandon Heaven, and Amanda finally gets a somewhat different end to her involvement in a story.

NC #4

NC #4

So the first arc starts with a soulless Kurt and ends with him losing his "heart". Considering the character has long been touted as the "heart and soul" of the X-Men, I can't help but wonder how deliberate this is, and what it will mean for the fuzzy one going forward.

The following issue, however, picks up and runs with the idea of Kurt finding his new place in the world. This is pure Claremont gold, though it downplays the aftermath of the opening arc. That's one of the reasons I feel like #5 is an excellent starting point for the series if you've yet to try it. 

We finally get to see Nightcrawler react to schism and the loss of his friends. Claremont hits below the belt with an emotional wallop within the first pages, though he's nice enough to pick us up and dust us off with a message of hope from an old friend in the sunrise immediately afterwards.

NC #5

NC #5

Maybe Claremont, like Kurt, is trying to win back hearts and minds, as well. I find it difficult not to see a strong POV correlation between writer and character.

Nauck's humorous use of the bamfs keep what could possibly be a very heavy story a heartwarming one, and his art really helps sell the stories throughout this run, so far. Claremont also reminds us with this issue what the X-Men are really about and what they want to accomplish on the non-revolutionary side of the schism.

NC #5

NC #5

We get a nice wink and a nod to a now classic scene between Kurt and Rachel. 

NC #5

As a long time reader, I really love these little prize eggs thrown in there. I don't think they detract from the experience of new readers, but they certainly add to the enjoyment factor of those of us who've been around awhile.

Uncanny X-Men #450

Uncanny X-Men #450

Excalibur #16

We also get to see Kurt make the first step into his new life, as a mentor to young mutants. (I told you to keep an eye on the little guy), 

NC #5

as well as the introduction of some vintage villains in the form of the Crimson Pirates.

NC #5

In short, I highly recommend the series to any fans of Nightcrawler, old school X-Men, up and coming young mutants, the writings of Chris Claremont or the art of Todd Nauck. It's well worth the read.



In other Nightcrawler related news, both Rick Remender and Tom Brevoort have cited Nightcrawler as having a pivotal role  in the upcoming mega Marvel crossover, AXIS. It starts in October of 2014.

AXIS

AXIS

Nightcrawler in the 616 Marvel Universe

Comic book fans are a strange bunch. We take the adventures of spandex clad fictional superheroes all too seriously, at times. It's a hobby we've invested a lot of time, money and ultimately, ourselves, in. We have our favourite characters, and dammit, we feel strongly about them! It's all in good fun, though, as is this blog.

I'm a fan of the Marvel character, Nightcrawler, (Kurt Wagner) of X-Men fame and originally created by Dave Cockrum. There are others I like, but this is the one that got me hooked on reading comics far too many years ago to bear thinking about. It's also the one that keeps me reading, and keeps the stories relevant. 

He's a novel take on a male superhero. Historically, he's been one of the only adult male comic characters to break out of the testosterone-fest stereotype. He showed a man can be a hero and still be compassionate, as well as get by on thinking rather than just brute strength. In many ways, he was the living embodiment of Professor Xavier's philosophy that acceptance of diversity(mutants, in this case) would only come about through education and understanding, not by force. Nightcrawler never had the option to just blend into normal society and speak out about acceptance when it was safe. That attitude, and the philosophy he espoused, were constants in his life from birth. He also does an incredible job of showing that you should never judge a book by its cover.  

I know I have some pretty strong opinions on how he should be portrayed, what the best era was for him, his current use in the franchise, and so forth. Most other fans I've spoken with seem to feel the same. We can be an outspoken lot. 

I started thinking about the various incarnations of Nightcrawler I've seen over the years, and how different they all were. The guy first introduced in Giant Sized X-Men #1 in 1975 by Cockrum was pretty different from the one who led Excalibur. The profoundly religious iteration used in the final few years -- and the basis for the film version -- was even more different. So, I decided to put a blog together to show his progression over time in the Marvel mainstream universe(616). At this point, I'm not bringing in the ones written as living in other universes. You won't find Nocturne's father here, or the now deceased Ultimate Nightcrawler. I'll bring up Kurt Darkholme (AoA Nightcrawler), and the bamfs because they were used in the main MU for a time. 

So, without further ado... 


As hard to believe as it may be, for the first few issues, Nightcrawler wasn't an especially nice guy. In that brief time, he had little sense of humour, made grandiose statements and seemed to have a chip on his shoulder. He also looked far more goblinish or demonic than he did later. This was based on Cockrum's original idea of him being a failed demon with a bad attitude.

Giant Size X-Men #1

He wasn't especially happy with who he was in the beginning, it would seem.

Giant Size X-Men #1

However, shortly in, Kurt's sense of humour started to manifest and it took off. The character found his niche in the team, at the time. He was playful, fun-loving, a little on the irresponsible side and a trickster, but he was happy in his own skin. 

Dark Phoenix Saga

Don't worry, she'll warm up to you. They all will.

Uncanny X-Men #139

Those who knew what it felt like to be different were drawn to the character. Though often reviled and feared for his appearance...

God Loves, Man Kills

God Loves, Man Kills

UXM #139

 ...Kurt Wagner never allowed it to make him bitter.

This was something that really resonated with people. Anyone who'd ever felt like a misfit or that they just didn't fit in could see in Kurt this shining, positive attitude. The person who wrote the letter below says it far better than I ever could. 

From UXM #149, letters page

Dark Phoenix Saga

He was given a love interest in the form of Amanda Sefton, a flight attendant. 

UXM #109

She was later used to reveal some of Kurt's mysterious origins, in the UXM annual #4, Nightcrawler's Inferno.

Shortly after birth, Kurt had been taken in by the gypsy sorceress, Margali Szardos, and raised as one of her own children, alongside her son and daughter. Margali practiced a school of magic called the Winding Way, with power that could potentially corrupt its adherents. 

When Kurt and his brother were young, Stefan had asked for a promise, fearful of the legacy he and Jimaine had both inherited from their mother -- that if he should ever go down the dark path, Kurt would stop him. Kurt's heart was broken when he was forced, years later, to keep that promise, resulting in Stefan's accidental death.

In the process of the story, Kurt's girlfriend, Amanda Sefton revealed herself to be his foster/adoptive sister, Jimaine Szardos, who'd been living in disguise for some time by then in an effort to get close to him and discover the truth of their brother, Stefan's fate. 

Ultimately, things didn't work out for them. It was probably for the best considering potential offspring might've felt the need to use labels like "Uncle Daddy" or "Auntie Mom". 

UXM #204

Another aspect of Nightcrawler was that he was a notorious flirt. It was done in good fun, though. It read much like the efforts of a class clown, ingratiating himself to everyone he meets. 

UXM #94

UXM #167

He took his popularity in stride.

UXM #153

The character's compassionate nature and deep caring for his adopted family became apparent early. This started him on the path of becoming, in many ways, the voice of wisdom and the heart of the team. 

UXM #109

UXM #109

His odd couple friendship with the hard-as-nails maverick, Wolverine, was a defining point used to develop both characters. It remains, arguably, one of the most compelling friendship portrayals in Marvel comics over the years.  

Classic X-Men #4, The Big Dare

Nation X #1: Road Trip

Wolverine #140

Another close friendship that developed was with Kitty Pryde. It started out rough.

UXM 144

But eventually became one of his closest friendships. 

Excalibur 83

Something not often remembered is that Kurt was the resident medic, aka a school nurse of sorts. 

UXM #164

As well as a mechanic.

Kurt did a brief stint leading the X-Men in later years, but was shown as not having the confidence to be a very capable one. It didn't go well.

As the X-Men title progressed to a darker tone, Kurt and Kitty were seemingly both considered excess baggage, and written out of the series due to injuries, Nightcrawler in UXM #211. 

They re-emerged a year or so later in Excalibur. 

From the beginning, Excalibur was a new take on Kurt. Many fans of the character, myself included, view this version as the definitive Nightcrawler. 

He was far more assertive. Whereas before, he'd been something of a passive "everyone's friend"type, now he was willing to state his mind emphatically. The character had been tempered by loss, and come out stronger for it.

Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn

He took charge almost from the beginning. Captain Britain was the team leader in name, but severe personal problems prevented him from doing well in the role. The team quickly looked to Kurt for leadership.  It was in this time that the "trickster" aspect of his personality was transformed into a cunning intellect by writers, which characterized him from then on.

Excalibur : The Sword is Drawn

Yet they were careful to maintain his characteristic sense of humour and devilish fun. 

Excalibur #1

Excalibur #1

Also, for the first time, too, he started being depicted as having sex appeal. This was new for a male character in the X-Franchise, and something normally reserved for only female superheroes in such a male dominated hobby. It worked well. Relationships played a dominant role in his character development during the series. He still maintained a universal appeal, but writing him in such a way to draw a female/gay male audience broadened the fanbase. In addition, it didn't detract from the concept any more than it does to write someone like Rogue or Storm to appeal to male readers. 

Excalibur #4

He had some adventures in the series.

Excalibur #16

Swashed a few buckles.

Excalibur #16

Took out some fiends.

Excalibur #62

And generally strutted his stuff.

Excalibur #63

Alas, he and Captain Britain did eventually come to blows over Meggan. So much for playing in the big guy's back garden.

Excalibur #43

His responsibilities in leading Excalibur left him busy. Anyone ever heard of a "bathroom break"?

Excalibur #46

Romance was in the air for him again, this time with Shi'ar alien, Cerise.

Excalibur #55

Excalibur #69

His romantic bliss was not to last, however.














Cerise was arrested and charged with war crimes by the Shi'ar empire. She was written out of the title.










The poor guy was really broken up...

Excalibur #74

...for about five issues. Amanda Sefton reappeared by Excalibur #75. His misery was soon forgotten. Apparently, this family reunion/booty call was just what he needed. 

Excalibur #89

They still had their issues. Among them was a lack of communication.  Another was the fact that their mother was up to no good. 

Excalibur #91

Again, it didn't end well. Maybe looking outside your immediate family would be better as far as romance goes?

It was about this time that something which had been hinted at for years was finally elaborated on.

XM 142

Kurt did have a connection with Mystique. She was, in fact, his biological mother who'd abandoned him at birth in a bid to save her own skin.

XM Unlimited 4

Kurt was overwhelmed with the revelation and the circumstances, though Mystique, true to character, left her feelings about her son ambiguous.

XM Unlimited 4

Their peculiar attitude towards one another has yet to be a focus in the books, though we've been given a few clues.

XM 174

And it was much later embellished further using an AU version of Kurt. It would seem Raven was not as indifferent to her son as she'd led him to believe.

UXF 32

Returning to Kurt's time in Excalibur now, Colossus eventually joined the team, with a mixed reception after pummelling Kitty's new sweetheart, Pete Wisdom.

Excalibur #96

Excalibur #96

Kurt was given a makeover.

Over the series, he eventually progressed to the point where he was a capable and confidant leader of the team. His style of leadership was again, something unique about the character. He was shown to be deep-thinking, he valued the contributions of other team mates, but could draw a hard line in the sand when needed. 

Excalibur #98

Excalibur #109

Excalibur #111

The ending of Excalibur had Kurt, Kitty and Piotr return to the X-Men. The final issue saw his romantic fun in the series catch up with him, poor Fuzzy. This was followed by an emotional farewell after Brian and Meg's wedding.

Excalibur #125

Excalibur #125

And with that, a great title ended, as did an age. Nightcrawler hasn't been depicted quite the same, again.

His initial homecoming to the X-Men proper showed some promise.

UXM #361

Nightcrawler was made a field leader, but old characterization crept back in very early. Things started going wrong and his confidence was undermined.

UXM #364

UXM #366

UXM #366

Then, the unexpected happened. Kurt Wagner and the rest of the team became human, and with that, he realized he'd spent most of his adult life as nothing but an X-Man. He had no idea what to do with himself, whereas the others were perfectly capable of a life outside the team.

UXM #380

Even once his mutation was restored, the revelation from his ordeal led to him eventually join the priesthood. 

UXM #389

This was a drastic change and a far cry from how the character had been previously portrayed, though his faith had been referenced in the past as early as UXM #165.

In and of itself, it might not have been that bad, but with the collar, he also lost almost all of his original personality. He was angsting and melodramatic. 

UXM #415

He was also bitter. Who was this guy? 

UXM #408

We were given some explanation; his head had been mucked with.

UXM #400

UXM #400

Gone was the sense of fun and flare for life, no more flirting swashbuckler and definitely not a down to earth leader. That baby got thrown out with the bath water.

Historically, Kurt Wagner did want to be liked, at least in the early years. He was a performer, after all. 

His fear that he might have been considered a mascot  in the past probably wasn't far off base, all things considered. 

Excalibur #45

However, this wasn't an issue during his stint in Excalibur. He was very capable, and had no trouble making unpopular or difficult decisions when it mattered. 

In my opinion, Marvel seemed more comfortable with Nightcrawler as a clown or background character, at least at the time, rather than someone who might hold a similar role of importance to Cyclops and Storm. If you want to go with characterization, maybe it could be read that he was simply intimidated by leading his old team mates. They certainly showed very little faith in his abilities, other than Kitty and Piotr.

Regardless, within a couple of issues after being called out by Scott, he stepped down as field leader rather than have a confrontation.

Credit where credit is due, however -- Chuck Austen at least got him out of the priesthood. It was via the tried and true method of mind control, but still. 

Welcome to the Draco story arc. It has proven to be one of the most controversial Nightcrawler story arcs to date.

It was intended to reveal Nightcrawler's true origins, but met with teeth gnashing and hair pulling from many readers. 

UXM #432

Meet Azazel. A fun fact with this one was that we never got a clear answer on exactly what Azzy is. He claimed to be a near immortal mutant who gave rise to the concept of Satan in ancient civilizations. He was a member of the Neyaphem, a group of mutants that were the "true" basis for demons, according to the character. Austen tapped heavily into existing Judaic lore with this story. Azazel is historically another name for Lucifer and Neyaphem are Nephilim in religious doctrine. With the stroke of the pen, Austen utterly discounts Judeo-Christian dogma as pure myth. There is no God, there is no Devil, only mutants. It didn't go well.

X-Infernus #5

Later, Kurt does refer to himself as the son of a demon, Azazel's comments notwithstanding. Personally, I know some fans who are stridently opposed to this, feeling like it takes away from the character for him to be something other than a straight up mutant. To me, it doesn't. If anything, it shows he was an even stronger man for being able to overcome a demonic heritage and still be the heart and soul of his team for over thirty years.








He became largely a background character following the Draco. There was a brief resurgence of the Excalibur era Kurt when Claremont returned. Again, it seemed relationships might be used for character development. It worked before, so why not?

UXM #450

UXM #445

We also got to see some swashbuckling. Hurray!

UXM #446

He returned to having moxy.

UXM #445

The Nightcrawler solo series, by Aguirre-Sacasa and Robertson, picked up on this vintage characterization and had Kurt as the team's paranormal investigator, a la Constantine.

Nightcrawler #1

Sex appeal and some resolution of old entanglements were forthcoming. 

Nightcrawler #5

Nightcrawler #2

As was some odd humour.

NC v3 #7

If the question has to be asked...anyway.

Some of his history was touched on.

Nightcrawler #7

Nightcrawler #11

And he was reunited with Margali.

Nightcrawler #10

Come to find out, some time ago Amanda had secretly stashed the demonically created and corrupting Soulsword inside her ex-boyfriend -- just for safe-keeping, you know. 

Nightcrawler #10

Nightcrawler #10

This year showed the character in an exciting, relevant light. However, it was too little, too late. The solo was in an already glutted X-Men market and interest was undermined by delays. It was cancelled after twelve issues. Claremont didn't stick around on the main XM title, either. Ultimately, Kurt was dropped back into the overly religious depiction and became nothing more than a very flat supporting character, also known as blue wall paper. This lack of depth and writer use plagued him until the end.

UXM #508

Wolverine Origins #46

There was a brief throwback to old times in the Divided We Stand arc.

Marvel also tried to retcon his origins.

Nightcrawler: Origins

By this, he spent his life before the X-Men in a cage, routinely drugged to perform on call. His name was Kurt Szardos, and it was a "Father Wagner" that took care of him, once he escaped. It really didn't serve to make his back story any less muddled.

Kurt did voice concern about the direction of the X-Men during the early days of Utopia.

Nation X 1

Nation X 1

But it hasn't yet really been followed up on. In the main title, his portrayal of being solely defined and characterized by his religious beliefs was cast in stone, collar or no collar. 

UXM #504

And there was hell to pay in terms of his fate in the franchise.

UXM #502

We waited on him to become relevant again.

UXM #501

 

Many of us guessed what was coming. The signs were there.

Wolverine Origins #35

X-Infernus #1

With a fun one-shot from Asmus, that sinking feeling was confirmed. As a last reminder of a once great character concept, we got to see a glimmer of the Fuzzy Elf we all knew and loved. 

Nightcrawler Manifest Destiny

He faced down Mephisto and then he got the girl, one last time. 

Nightcrawler Manifest Destiny

UXM #502

But the writing was on the wall.

This is what we got.

X-Force #26

X-Force #26

X-Force #26

UXM #524

My sentiments, exactly.

UXM #524

With Marvel's new policy to add "realism" to the genre, they wanted a death in the Hope Summers storyline -- one that would pull at the heartstrings of readers. Nightcrawler drew the short straw. 

Years of writer apathy had reduced a once outstanding character to someone used only to develop others, like Wolverine, Emma, Storm or Cyclops. He was the best friend, the confidant, the shoulder to cry on or the voice of reason. So, with his death, Marvel used him in that capacity. His "noble sacrifice" tried to make the Hope plot feel relevant and important. It took Wolverine in a new direction. It foregrounded Schism and it apparently gave Emma a few grey hairs. 

It was the end of an era and a brilliant character unlike any other Marvel had ever used. 

The books most assuredly lost something with Nightcrawler gone and no one has come forward to fill that niche in the team he carved for himself so thoroughly. The X-Men titles have seemed empty of both their heart and soul. That laughing, compassionate blue devil that DC once rejected as "too weird looking" was not to be replaced so easily. 

Which brings us to the time following Nightcrawler's death.

Wolverine and the X-Men brought us a school infested with bamfs 

Who apparently aren't bamfs.

 

Oddly enough, no one acknowledged how much they looked like miniature versions of a dead friend. 

We also saw the arrival of Kurt Darkhölme in the 616 Marvel universe, a somewhat older version of Kurt from an alternate reality.

UXF #11

He's the Age of Apocalypse counterpart to Kurt Wagner, and joined Wolverine in Remender's Uncanny X-Force back in 2011. He was originally introduced in a massive comic event from 1995, named, appropriately enough, Age of Apocalypse.

I found him to be a fascinating dark mirror to the original. Whereas Kurt Wagner's strength of emotion was centered around compassion and his capacity to care, Darkhölme's was wrapped up in rage borne of grief and depression. Kurt Wagner's righteousness became self-righteousness in Darkhölme and Wagner's unswerving determination to adhere to what he believed in became blind obsession in his AoA counterpart. In the interest of readability, I'll go into details about this version of the character and his role in the main Marvel universe in a separate post, as well as his fate in the crossover event, X-Termination. Suffice to say, he worked well to make readers appreciate how positive and lovable the original Nightcrawler had always been and what he might yet become, given the appropriate circumstances. 

In Wolverine and the X-Men #35, we received a hint of things to come. 

WatXM #35

And our patience is being rewarded at long last with the return of Nightcrawler in Amazing X-Men!

AXM #1

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 


In recent years, there was a lot of question over who the "real" Nightcrawler was in reference to the use of a dark AU version brought into the main Marvel universe in Remender's Uncanny X-Force, and a plethora of miniatures infesting Aaron's Wolverine and the X-Men. 

However, when the question of "who is the real Kurt?" does rear its head, it might be best to remember what we're really dealing with here. This is an intellectual property and a conceptual design, a fictional character no different from a concept like Captain Jack Sparrow or Han Solo from other franchises. There is no real Nightcrawler, there is only a character portrayal. That's kind of a no brainer, right? It should go without saying. Still, I thought I'd mention it.