Teachings Of The Askani: Who's Who

Who's Who?

Throughout the my databanks here, you'll hear a lot of names of people that have played a major part in Nathan's life -- at the same time, you won't have a clue as to who or what these people are. The Who's Who section should help to clarify that by providing a brief bio on each character.

Apocalypse

Born 5,000 years ago and supposedly the world's first mutant, En Sabah Nur possesses the ability to alter his molecular structure at will. Nur further enhanced his powers with technology left by a time-travelling conquerer named Rama Tut. Nur then stole a sentient ship (yours truly) that belonged to the god-like Celestials and developed a techno-organic virus to enhance his body even more. Believing in the Darwinist theory of survival of the fittest, Apocalypse has had many run-ins with the X-Men. Apocalypse eventually used his techno-organic virus to test the infant Nathan's body to see if it was fit for possession. Apocalypse survived to take over the world in the future Cable was raised in. Nathan eventually travelled back in time to put a stop to Apocalypse once and for all, but he still fears his hellish future can still happen.

Blaquesmith

This gnomish man is native to the distant future of 2,000 years hence. Possessing psionic powers, as well as the ability to make advanced technology and having powers related to time travel, Blaquesmith was the one who taught a young Nathan the Askani arts. After Cable traveled to the past (our present), Blaquesmith followed, but the two wouldn't meet until years later, when the final battle with Apocalypse was coming. The relationship between Cable and his mentor was strained when Blaquesmith hired a mercenary to kill Cyclops, who was possessed by the eternal soul of Apocalypse. After an attempted murder by the Dark Sisterhood, Blaquesmith went into hiding for a time. He has reappeared alongside Soldier X's team of mutants, the Underground.

Cyclops

The first X-Man in uniform and father to Cable, Scott Summers possesses optic blasts of concussive force. Cyclops fell in love with his teammate, Jean Grey, and eventually got married to her clone, Madelyne Pryor, when Jean was thought to have died as the Phoenix. After a psychotic Madelyne was killed by a resurfaced Jean, she and Cyclops raised baby Nathan on their own. When Apocalypse infected Nathan with the techno-organic virus, Cyclops made the decision to allow his son to be taken to the future for a cure. It was soon discovered that Cable was actually an adult Nathan from the future. Ironically, during their honeymoon, Cyclops and Jean would raise Nathan in the future, inhabiting different bodies - taking the named of "Slym" and "Redd" Dayspring.

During the final battle with Apocalypse, Cyclops sacrificed himself to the warlord's soul. Through the efforts of Jean and Cable, Apocalypse was exorcised and defeated for good. Although Cyclops is now free of Apocalypse's influence, he has returned to the X-Men a changed man...

Domino

Not much is known as the woman known as the gun-toting Domino, save that her mutant powers enable her to have luck fall into her place. Neena Thurman was a member of both Six Pack and X-Force under the leadership of Cable, where the two developed an on-again, off-again relationship. Although they are not on the same team, they frequently team up on different occassions. Domino is now part of the X-Corporation, a new worldwide organization started up by Professor Xavier.

Genesis

The adopted son of Cable and Jenskot from the future, Tyler Dayspring had the psionic ability to pull holographic images from people's minds. During one mission, Aliya was killed by Stryfe and Tyler was taken hostage, subjected to mind-manipulation by one of Stryfe's minions. Cable was forced to shoot Tyler in order to save one of the Clan Chosen, causing Tyler's downward spiral into the dark side and the hatred for his father to escalate. Tyler followed both Cable and Stryfe into the present under orders from General Haight, posing as the European business man, Tolliver. Tolliver employed Six Pack, led by Cable, on many missions against Stryfe. Eventually, Tolliver's identity was discovered and he later came under the influence of Apocalypse as Genesis. While attempting to turn the X-Men's Wolverine into a Horseman, Genesis was brutally murdered.

Grey, Jean

The first student of Professor Xavier, Jean Grey is the telekinetic-telepathic member of the X-Men, formerly known as Marvel Girl, Psyche, and Phoenix (the third). Once, Jean was impersonated by the Phoenix and saved the universe from a cosmic threat. The Phoenix eventually became corrupt and destroyed a solar system. Through her connection with Jean, the Phoenix was able to kill itself; although everyone else thought it was Jean who had died. Jean eventually resurfaced and reunited the original five X-Men to form X-Factor. It was there that Jean battled and killed her psychotic clone, Madelyne Pryor.

Jean would later raise a young Cable in the future as "Redd Dayspring" along with her husband, Cyclops. Jean taught Cable how to use his telekinesis to hold back the T-O virus and taught him basic telepathy. Before she returned to the present, her daughter from the future, Rachel, passed on the Phoenix title.

During the final battle with Apocalypse, Cyclops sacrificed himself to stop him. Jean and Cable eventually saved Cyclops' soul from Nur's evil, but Cyclops wasn't the same. It also appears the Phoenix Force has returned within Jean, now that it is not with Rachel.

Jenskot

Native to the hellish future of 2,000 years from now, Aliya was the first Askani a teenaged Cable encountered. Cable eventually married Aliya and raised her son (which may have been a result of Stryfe raping her), Tyler. Aliya took on the name "Jenskot" to honor Jean Grey and Scott Summers, the "First Ones". Aliya was tragically killed by Stryfe, Cable's corrupt clone. Cable travelled to the present to avenge her death, where he battled Apocalypse and Stryfe, defeating both threats.

MacTaggart, Moira

A Nobel Prize-winning scientist and geneticist, Moira was the first person Cable met when he traveled to the present. Moira taught Cable how to blend into 20th Century and also introduced him to Professor Charles Xavier, before he had created the X-Men. Unfortunately, Moira was infected with the Legacy Virus. She eventually found the baseline data for a cure, but was killed in an explosion set up by Mystique. Beast, Cable's teammate at the time, was able to use the data to produce the cure, but it would require a mutant to release the anti-bodies into the air - killing him. The X-Man Colossus valiently sacrificed himself (despite the preventive efforts of his teammates) and released the cure into the air.

Merryweather, Irene

A former tabloid reporter of the Inquiring Eye, Irene became Cable's biographer after he saved her life from the Hellfire Club. Irene befriended the man and has the biggest understanding of him than most people. After being forced to change her identity when the Dark Sisterhood was after people close to Cable, Irene actually helped Cable and his sister, Rachel, defeat them. Presently, Irene now works for the Daily Bugle, but she still continues to work on Nathan's biography by compiling journals he sends her.

Mister Sinister

A Victorian-era geneticist, Nathanial Essex was granted various superhuman abilities by Apocalypse after his studies impressed the ageless Darwinist. Ironically, the discovery of the Summers DNA came when a time-displaced Cyclops and Phoenix saved one of Cyclops' ancestors, one of the cirucs freaks Essex was experimenting on. Essex's obsession with the Summers and Grey lineage led him to eventually create a clone of Jean Grey to sire a child with Scott Summers. That child would eventually be captured by Sinister, but not before the crazed clone, Madelyne Pryor, would steal him back. Sinister's loyalties to his master have been questionable, since in an alternate reality, he created another Summers-Grey child to destroy Apocalypse. With Apocalypse's downfall, Sinister tried to de-power all mutants, but failed.

Prosh

Originally built by the Celestials millions of years ago, I was a sentient ship stolen by Apocalypse. Then, I was simply referred to as "Ship". When X-Factor freed me, I offered myself as their base of operations. When the infant Nathan Summers was succoming to the techno-organic virus, I (who was mostly destroyed by a similar virus) formed a pod to keep Nathan's systems from flatlining. I then accompanied Nathan inside his techno-organic parts when he was taken 2,000 years into the future. There, the young Nathan referred to me as "Professor" and used me as a tracking device and info-collector. In the present, I was uploaded into the computers of X-Force's base. When the Phalanx tried to assimilate me, I formed an android body for myself and took on the moniker of Prosh, perhaps to finally show some individuality (okay, I just combined "Professor" with "Ship"). I was forced to leave Earth, since I was draining all mechanical energy, including that of Cable's metallic parts.

Pryor, Madelyne

Clone of Jean Grey and biological mother of Cable, Madelyne was created by Sinister when Jean was thought dead as the Phoenix. Madelyne was placed as a pilot in Alaska, where she met and fell in love with Scott Summers (Cyclops). The two married and had sired a child (Cable). Once Jean returned, Scott left his family and formed X-Factor with his former teammates. Sinister sent his Marauders to kill Madelyne since her presence could screw up his plans. The Marauders captured baby Nathan and left Madelyne in a coma, she eventually found her way to the X-Men. Making a deal with a demon, Madelyne gained her latent mutant powers and magical powers as well. As the Goblyn Queen, Madelyne found out her true origins, driving her even more insane. She recaptured her son, Nathan and threatened to sacrifice him to open a gateway to Limbo (the equivalent of Hell). Jean eventually battled her clone and killed her.

Madelyne would return years later after Nate Grey, a Summers-Grey child from an alternate reality, reanimated her ghost with his emmense telepathy. After absorbing the strange energy signature of a mutant named Threnody, Madelyne became flesh and bone again. After a battle with the Psi-Ops, Madelyne "died" again. She now roams the Astral Plane as a spirit.

Sanctity

The psychotic pupil of Mother Askani was actually Tanya Trask, the daughter of Bolivar Trask, the creator of the mutant-hunting Sentinels. Tanya possessed time-travel powers and met up with Rachel Summers while in the timestream. She accompanied Rachel into the future and helped to form the Clan Askani. She has used her time-traveling powers frequently in this era, going so far as sending Cyclops and Phoenix into Victorian-era England, sending Ch'Vayre into the past to convince Cable to defeat Apocalypse, and implanting the identities of the Twelve into the Mastermold Unit. Her intentions appear to be good, but her behavior is erratic. Her current whereabouts are unknown.

Stryfe

The clone of Cable, Styrfe possesses the same powers of telepathy and telekinesis, but on a grander scale, because Stryfe was devoid of the DNA-altering techno-organic virus. Stryfe was raised by Apocalypse in the future and as a result of his emmense power and lack of discipline, became psychotic. Stryfe battled Cable's Clan Chosen forces, killing his wife, Aliya.

Stryfe travelled to the present to get revenge on Cyclops and Jean, for Stryfe thought he was the true Nathan Summers. Cable followed his clone, eventually defeating him, but not before he could release the deadly Legacy Virus - a virus lethal to mutants. Stryfe mysteriously returned (possibly through time travel), but reformed and sacrificed himself to save the world from an evil cosmic force called the Bete Noir.

Summers, Rachel

Also known as Mother Askani and Phoenix (the second to hold that name), Rachel hails from a dark future where mutant-hunting Sentinels enslaved mutants. Rachel eventually found her way to the present and bonded with the Phoenix Force. Some time later, Rachel switched places with one of her Excalibur (the "European" X-Men) teammates and ended up 1,900 years in the future. It was there that Rachel formed the Askani to oppose Apocalypse's forces. She sent an Askani to retrieve her brother, a young Cable, so that he may be saved from the techno-virus. It was also believed that Nathan would be the only person able to stop Apocalypse. Rachel also used her powers to bring the spirits of Cyclops and Jean Grey into new bodies to raise Nathan.

However, with the prevention of Apocalypse harnessing the Twelve, the future Rachel ended up in became a tangent, so she was flung even farther into the timestream. She was separated from the Phoenix, but Cable rescued her and brought her back to the present. She has limited memories of her Mother Askani self, but is now attending college to live the normal life she never had.

X-Man

Native to a timeline that no longer exists, Nate Grey was created by his reality's Sinister using DNA samples from the Cyclops and Phoenix of that reality. X-Man possessed all of Cable's powers, but was at Stryfe's level, possibly beyond it, because his own body couldn't contain the raw power. X-Man was used by both Onslaught and Apocalypse for his power, but he broke free with help of friends. After our reality's Cyclops sacrificed himself for him, Nate became a "Mutant Shaman" and gained control of his powers. Nate sacrificed himself by bonding with all life on Earth to stop an alien threat.