Mystique

Mystique
Information
Real name:	Raven Darkholme
AKA:	Risty Wilde
Species:	Human Mutant
Hair:	Red
Eyes:	Yellow
Relatives:	J'onn J'onzz (fiance) Victor Creed (ex-lover) Graydon Creed (son) Kurt Wagner (son) Rogue (adopted daughter)
Base:	Xavier Institute, Brotherhood of Bayville Boarding House
Affiliations:	X-Men, Irene Adler, Magneto, Brotherhood of Mutants
Abilities:	Shapeshifting; Skilled combatant; Master strategist

Mystique, real name Raven Darkholme, is mutant shape-shifter whose natural appearance includes blue skin and yellow eyes. She was aligned with Magneto and leader of the Brotherhood. Mystique is the mother of Graydon Creed, X-Man Nightcrawler, and the adoptive mother of Rogue. She is forced to abandon Nightcrawler, but raises Rogue for a number of years. Despite Mystique's history of crime, she is ultimately accepted into the X-Men.

History

Early life

Nothing much is known about Raven Darkholme's past aside that she became a friend of Irene Adler and worked as a hired assassin. Raven met Victor Creed, the man who would be known as Sabretooth, and they became lovers. However, she soon faked her death in order to leave him. The result of this short-lived affair is Graydon Creed, who was born a normal man. Raven abandoned Graydon to the mercies of his father; consequently Graydon grew to hate his parents, and eventually extends his hatred to all mutants.

Raven would later sired a second son, Kurt, who was conceived from a German businessman. At the time, Raven considered having Kurt the happiest moment of her life. While working for Magneto, he had developed a treatment to enhance a mutant's powers - an early version of his device at Asteroid M. Raven's son at the time was put to be enhanced by the treatment while assured by Magneto that would go well. However, the treatment gave Kurt altered hands and feet, and a tail. Raven was horrified of what was done to her son and fled with her son. They were chased by Magneto and Raven accidentally dropped Kurt into a river. Raven believed her son to have perished.

Years later, Raven would learned of a circus in Germany that featured a blue-furred creature with a tail. Certain it is her son, Raven went to the show and discovered Kurt living a happy life with the Wagner family. She decided that her son have a better life with them. Raven would later adopted a four-year-old Rogue, and leaving her to be raised by Irene Adler in New Orleans given Raven's "work" would put her in danger. She visited Rogue whenever she could.

Magneto and The Brotherhood

A decade later, Raven worked in recruiting new members to the Brotherhood while double-working as the school principle of Bayville High. When Rogue manifested her powers, Raven secretly observed this and made efforts to make her daughter distrustful of the X-Men by attacking her while posing as members of the X-Men. However, Raven's plans were foiled when Superman interfered and see through her disguise while witnessed by Rogue the entire time.

Her encounter with Superman made her to realize that infiltrating the Xavier Institute would be nigh impossible with the superhero's super-senses. She retreated to Adler's home and was surprised to learn that Superman is the "Child of the Star" in her friend's prophecy who would play an important part on Earth.

In response to Superman, Raven released Juggernaut from captivity and intended in having him faced against the Man of Steel and acquiring Cerebro from the Institute. Unfortunately, Juggernaut rejected Raven's offer and Cerebro was damaged during his battle with Superman.

Raven was later present on Asteroid M and witnessed Magneto's intention of bringing humankind's downfall in manipulating a meteor shower to bombard Earth. During a conflict between the Brotherhood and the X-Men and Superman, Raven escaped Asteroid but not before being exposed to Magneto's machine that evolved her powers.

Fallout and Espionage

After the incident on Asteroid M – and seeing exactly how far Magneto was willing to go – Raven couldn't be part of his "vision," any more; or for her children. She turned herself in to S.H.I.E.L.D., with the hope to get immunity for her role in Magneto's plans in exchange for what she knew about Magneto. Unfortunately, ever since Superman appeared, Magneto had been confiding in Doctor Doom, so what she knew wasn't that much. Instead, General Nick Fury agreed to pardon Raven if she infiltrated the Friends of Humanity that S.H.I.E.L.D. was watching.

After some time working undercover, Mystique was shocked to learn that the Friends of Humanity were led by none other than her abandoned son, Graydon Creed, who had played a vital role in the creation of the mutant-hunting Sentinels due to his resentment of being abandoned by his parents. When the X-Men, the Avengers, and the as-yet-unnamed Justice League tracked Graydon to his headquarters, Mystique nearly sacrificed herself to help her children and their allies escape, but was saved by the newly-awakened J'onn J'onzz, who introduced himself to her as a fellow concerned parent.

With her recent actions in mind, Mystique was invited to join the X-Men, where she formed a new, closer bond with her children. She also developed an attraction to J'onn due to his strength and compassion, being briefly jealous when she learned that his wife still lived, but offered him what comfort she could after Xi'aa died of injuries sustained during the destruction of Mars. Raven and J'onn have since gone on to form a tentative relationship, although it is unclear how their children feel about this development.

Powers and Abilities

Shapeshifting

Initially, Raven was capable of turning into any other human being of similar size and/or build to herself. After her powers were enhanced by Magneto's machines, she was also able to turn into animals, most notably flying around while disguised as a raven. However, she cannot manipulate her body to the extent that J'onn or Reed Richards have demonstrated, and her strength level is generally only slightly above the human norm without being explicitly superhuman.

Personality

Originally, Raven Darkholme was a woman who was only looking out for herself, focused on getting her job done, no matter what she had to do. This is shown by the fact she abandoned her first son, Graydon Creed, with his father, a decision that would come to haunt her many years later. As a result of this, she's very protective of her second son, Kurt, and her adoptive daughter, Rogue, trying her best to keep them out of harms way, although deep inside she feels ashamed of herself and a part of her thinks she's not worthy of being called their mother, which is why it took her a long time to tell them the truth. Although it took her some time to realize it, in part thanks to Superman's influence, she finally decided to face them and they acknowledged each other as a family. From then on, she does her best to atone for her past sins.

Relationships

Family

Graydon Creed

Although she rejected him when he was born, Mystique felt extremely guilty about Grayson's tragic past after he grew up. She believes herself to be the reason why Graydon became the monster he is today. At one point, aggravated by his action, she nearly killed him but thanks to Kurt's pleading she stopped herself and was horrified about what she could have done.

Love Interests

Victor Creed

Apart from a one-night stand over three decades ago while Creed was drunk as part of Mystique's attempt to interfere in his current assignment, the two now have little to do with each other despite their night together resulting in a son, Mystique reflecting that Creed has numerous flaws and Creed dismissing it as nothing.

J'onn J'onzz

The relationship between Mystique and the Martian Manhunter began when he saved her life after he was awoken from stasis in the Roswell Outpost. The two initially bonded due to their shared power as shapeshifters and their status as concerned parents. Their relationship slowly developed, as Mystique showed slight jealousy when they learned J'onn's family survived the Chitauri invasion on Mars, but only his daughter remained alive in the end. Following the death of his wife due to radiation poisoning sustained in the initial invasion, Mystique offered him comfort, and later confessed her feelings for him after he helped Rogue stabilise her mental state when she was abducted by the Pride.

Allies

X-Men

S.H.I.E.L.D.

Briefly worked as a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. after leaving the Brotherhood for a few months until after the existence of Mutants were revealed she joined the Institute.

Justice League