Nightcrawler’s Powers Amplified by New Weapon, Yet His Son’s Abilities Outshine Them

Throughout the years, Nightcrawler has stood as one of the X-Men‘s most beloved characters. Known for his gentle spirit and heroic deeds, he often saves both innocents and fellow mutants against overwhelming odds. However, as Marvel embarks on a complete reboot of its mutant heroes, Kurt Wagner’s character is undergoing a dramatic transformation—from a helpful ally to a deadly assassin. And if you think that Nightcrawler’s new lethal abilities are alarming, just wait until you encounter his son.

The recently released trailer for Ultimate Wolverine #1 reveals an intriguing shift in this new continuity. In it, Wolverine escapes from captivity, facing off against some familiar faces among the X-Men, including a ruthless Nightcrawler. In a thrilling display of his powers, this version of Nightcrawler employs rapid teleportation to unleash a flurry of machine gun fire at Wolverine from multiple angles.

Nightcrawler rapidly teleporting to shoot ultimate Wolverine

Created by Chris Condon, Alessandro Cappuccio, Bryan Valenza, and Cory Petit, Ultimate Wolverine is part of Marvel’s latest Ultimate Universe saga, a reimagined timeline where Wolverine finds himself in the clutches of the malevolent Directorate X. This organization is overseen by former allies like Colossus and Magik, alongside notorious villains such as Mystique and Omega Red. Yet it appears that the once-heroic Wolverine will not remain compromised for long.

Watch the Trailer Here

Nightcrawler Turns Dark: An Early Villain for Ultimate Wolverine

Not Alone: Other X-Men Take a Dark Turn

In this new context, the Ultimate Universe depicts a reality where the villainous Maker has rewritten history to his benefit, establishing himself as a concealed global tyrant. To eliminate any threat from heroes who might oppose him, the Maker has resorted to eliminating, corrupting, or neutralizing them entirely. In the case of Wolverine, he has been rebranded as the Winter Soldier, a lethal enforcer for the Maker’s regime.

As explored in Condon and Cappuccio’s arc in Ultimate Universe: One Year In, the Maker has used a corrupted Colossus to dominate the Eurasian Republic, capturing mutants and subjecting them to horrifying experiments within Directorate X. Here, Nightcrawler is portrayed as a gun-wielding priest, leading to intrigue about his relationship with Mystique, his biological mother.

Is Nightcrawler Truly Evil?

A Glimmer of Hope: Can This Iconic X-Man Still Be a Hero?

Nightcrawler hugging Wolverine in the snow.

Despite the darkness surrounding his character, it’s premature for fans to dismiss Nightcrawler entirely. Although he aligns with nefarious characters, there could be layers of deception at play with the Maker, and Kurt may remain unaware of the full extent of Directorate X’s true purpose or the Machinations of the Eurasian Republic. His role as a priest hints that a semblance of his moral compass may persist, contrasting with his actions in combat. It’s conceivable that he could have taken up Mystique’s weapon after she had been incapacitated.

Conversely, it’s just as likely that Nightcrawler has fully aligned himself with Colossus and the Maker. Given that other heroes like the Hulk, Moon Knight, and Nick Fury have succumbed to the dark side in this rewritten reality, it’s plausible that Nightcrawler has been ensnared by the Maker’s influence. If so, this poses a significant threat to Wolverine, particularly showcased in their tense confrontation in the trailer, where Kurt’s capabilities are deadly with a firearm. Nonetheless, no matter how formidable he becomes, Nightcrawler’s power pales in comparison to that of his son.

Meet Nightcrawler’s Son, Salamander: A Darker Reflection of His Powers

A Fiery Twist: Salamander’s Deadly Teleportation

X-Men Nightcrawler powers Salamander son

Nighcrawler’s son, Salamander, was first introduced in the 2000 comic X-Men: Millennial Visions, which envisions the X-Men grappling with an army of Morlocks in the year 2035. Interestingly, Salamander possesses a darker take on Nightcrawler’s teleportation ability, allowing him to open fiery portals to unleash “burning plasma”on his foes instead of merely teleporting. This intricate variant on Nightcrawler’s powers is especially captivating, considering the nature of how Kurt’s abilities operate through dimensional travel.

In many ways, Salamander embodies the darker thematic elements of the new Ultimate Universe, presenting a vision where the X-Men have evolved into a far grittier team. Given Nightcrawler’s long-standing reputation as one of the most altruistic figures within the X-Men, this transformation into a trained killer in this alternate reality is both fascinating and unsettling. Yet, even in this new paradigm, there is hope; after all, the original Wolverine has always found support in his best friend Kurt Wagner, a bond that the Ultimate Universe’s iteration of Nightcrawler might still be able to honor—albeit not in their first encounter.

Ultimate Wolverine is set to launch on January 15 from Marvel Comics, while Ultimate Universe: One Year In is available now.

Source & Images