(in alphabetical order)
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Assignment:
The Glossary is currently incomplete. Submit your entries below to join this class. Include pronunciation key, detailed descriptions, examples or critical issues where applicable.
Adamantium
An indestructible man-made steel amalgam. Created by Dr. Myron MacLain, this metal is closely related to iron compounds. It has thirteen allotropes, all of which are poisonous. Adamantium is the United States government classified secret element used for Captain America's shield and the bone structure for mutant Wolverine as well as his adamantium claws. Official Report on Adamantium.
Key Issues: Avengers #66, Hulk #181, Wolverine #145
Alshra
Months afterwards, Rachel Summers and Meggan came upon another Neuri who was being held captive by two brothers. After the women freed the Neuri from his bonds, the wizened old entity showed Meggan her true form via the Alshra, a tall blonde form sparkling with light, with almond-shaped eyes that had no pupils. Meggan set aside this "true form" for a while, having become used to her human form. However, after returning from the Days of Future Past timeline, she adopted the Alshra form as her default for a while, until after Captain Britain had returned to the present as Britainic.
Key Issues: Wolverine: Bloodlust, Excalibur #46
Alternate Reality Under the multiverse theory, an alternate reality is one of an infinite number of parallel universes. At some point in the timeline,
some decision was made where the “normal” universe went one way
and the alternate reality went the other. The decision can create either a subtly
different reality, or a drastically different one. The Age of Apocalypse is
an alternate reality, as are the Mutant X and Ultimate realities. Etymology: [From Latin, alternus: "by turns," from alter:
"other"] [Latin, res: "thing"]
Key Issues: Uncanny X-Men #141-142, Age of Apocalypse, Ultimate X-Men, etc. - see G9001x: Temporal Mechanics: Alternate Realities & Possible Futures
Astral Form A holographic-like manifestation of the psyche produced by a telepath. In the
astral form, the telepath mentally leaves their body behind so they can travel
great distances at great speeds. The astral form is literally the person’s
mind, and an attack on the astral form can result in mental damage and even
death. The astral form telepaths generate do not have to look like their human bodies. For example, Professor X's astral form would almost always stand up and walk around, while the Shadow King's projection assumed a giant monster's appearance. While Psylocke was under the influence of the Crimson Dawn, her astral form was shadowed to pitch black. When Phoenix IV switched powers with Psylocke, she picked up the black astral form, with a golden phoenix symbol over her eye. This black form was then adopted by Marvel Girl III after Phoenix IV died, which seems it may have been by conscious choice to honor her late mother.
Furthermore, telepaths can mentally create props and other astral accoutrements for themselves, the strength of which depends solely on the strength of their minds. In the battle between Professor X and the Shadow King on Muir Island, both combatants created suits of armor and weapons for themselves, and their bodies responded in real-time to the damage and protection afforded by them.
It should be noted that a telepath can see and even bring non-telepaths' astral forms onto the astral plane, even if the non-telepaths cannot access them naturally.
Other astral forms have been achieved through assisted means. Mastermind was able to create an astral form using technology given to him by Emma Frost. In addition, Dr. Strange can produce an astral form via magical means.
Etymology: [From Late Latin, astrālis: "from," Latin, astrum:
"star"] [Latin, fōrma: "form"]
Key Issues: Uncanny X-Men #110, X-Men/Alpha Flight LS #1, Uncanny X-Men #280
Pronounced ăď ə-məntē-əm
The Alshra is an aspect of reality, perhaps the "true" reality that can be seen by the Neuri, an ancient humanoid race with mystical powers. Viewing the world through the Alshra seems to bring to color and life all the various energy patterns that make up everything in existence. Different levels of energy have different colors in the Alshra, and powerful energies even sparkle. Wolverine was once given a glimpse of the Alshra by an old Neuri, and found it more beautiful than anything he had ever seen, and it seemed to him that the Alshra was something that he always felt just beyond the reach of his enhanced senses. Wolverine himself was covered in sparkles of golden light in the Alshra, a visual representation of his healing factor. Ironically, the Neuri told Logan that it was the feral nature which he always sought to control or eradicate that allowed him to reach the Alshra.
Pronounced ôl'tər-nat' re-al'ə-tē
Pronounced ăs'trəl fôrm
Astral Plane
Pronounced ăs'trəl plān
A level of reality created from the collective consciousness of all living beings. Those with telepathic powers can enter into the astral plane. Once there, they can travel in their astral form to places they might not otherwise be able to reach. In rare cases, non-telepaths have been able to enter into the astral plane. Charles Xavier battled Amahl Farouk on the astral plane during their first meeting. Cyclops was able to reach the astral plane by using his psychic rapport with the Phoenix during the Dark Phoenix Saga.
During the so-called Psi-War, the Shadow King lured Psylocke into the astral plane and tricked her into shocking a web of linked telepaths with her psychic knife.
Etymology: [From Late Latin, astrālis, from Latin, astrum: "star"] [Latin, plānum: "flat surface"]
Key Issues: Uncanny X-Men #117, Uncanny X-Men #133
Clairvoyance
The power to see objects or events that cannot be perceived by the senses. Destiny used a form of clairvoyance to compensate for his blindness, as does Ozymandias, whose body is made of stone and who is incapable of seeing.
Etymology: [From French, clair: “clear” + voyant: ppr. Of voir: “to see”, from Latin videre] (see Precognition)
Doppelganger
An alternate universe version, robotic copy, or clone of a person. Black Tom created many plant-formed doppelgangers of himself, and Arcade routinely employed robotic doppelgangers in his theme parks. In addition, the many alternate versions of themselves encountered by Excalibur would be considered doppelgangers, especially the Lightning Squad. Wolverine II was a Skrull doppelganger of Logan. By contrast, since Multiple Man's duplicates are in fact parts of him, they are never referred to as doppelgangers.
Etymology: [From German doppelgang: lit. “double-goer” meaning “body double”]
Key Issues: Uncanny X-Men #178, Excalibur #9-11,Generation X #25, X-Men #89, Uncanny X-Men #375, Uncanny X-Men #412
Empathy
Less powerful than full telepathy, empathy is the ability to sense and sometimes control the emotions of other beings. However, even strong empaths can usually only sense or broadcast their emotions over short distances, mostly in line of sight. The former Hellion Empath often used his abilities maliciously, to coerce the women of his team, and later Magma, to love him.
Key Issues:
Etymology: [From Greek empatheia, literally, passion, from empathEs emotional, from em- + pathos feelings, emotion]
"Flatscan" (slang term): A derogatory term used to describe non-mutant humans. The word
is derived from the belief that humans are genetic dead ends, and would produce a null result, a "flat scan," on a mutant detector. Issue First Used: X-Men #1 by the Acolytes
Genin Work In Progress
Healing Factor see Regeneration Etymology: [From Middle English, healen] [Latin, factor: "maker"]
Jonin Work In Progress Etymology: Work In Progress
(slang term): A term used to describe those without mutant powers. Etymology: [From Middle English, loue + German, Gen, from gen-: "begetting"]
Issue First Used: Uncanny X-Men #424
Lycanthrope
A metamorph with the ability to transform either into a wolf, or into a transitional werewolf form, or both. Also, colloquially, a werewolf. Wolfsbane, Vivisector, and Friedrich von Roehm, the original Black Rook, were all lycanthropes to varying degrees. [Greek lukanthropos : {lukos: “wolf” + anthropos: man}]
Key Issues: New Mutants #1-95, X-Factor #71-100, X-Force #117-129, X-Statix
M-Day
Common term for the day (November 2nd, year unspecified) on which over 99 percent of the world's mutants were de-powered. This was a result of the reality warp known as the "House of M," in which Quicksilver convinced the Scarlet Witch to create a reality where Magneto ruled the world. When the heroes who had been awakened to the truth by Layla Miller attacked Scarlet Witch and her family, Wanda exclaimed "No more mutants" and returned the world to its prior state, but with most of the mutants de-powered. The effects of M-Day were chaotic at best, given the nature of Wanda's powers: some mutations disappeared entirely, while other physical body changes remained, but without the special mutations that allowed the person to live with those deformities. Notable de-powered mutants include Jubilee, Dani Moonstar, Professor X, Magneto, Quicksilver, Polaris, Blob and Mesmero.
Metamorph
A mutant with the ability to transform into a different shape. This category includes, but is not limited to shapeshifters such as Mystique, Copycat and Morph, but also includes mutants such as Sasquatch (Exiles), with only one alternate form.
Key Issues: X-Force #23-24, Deadpool LS #1-4, Mystique, Exiles
Etymology: [From Latin, from Greek metamorphosis literally "moving form" or “transformation”]
Multiverse Work In Progress Etymology: [From Late Latin, multiplum, "a multiple" +
Indo-European Roots, versus,
past participle of vertere "to
turn"]
Mummudrai
A spiritual opposite, antithesis made flesh. (Work In Progress)
Key Issues: New X-Men #114-126
Etymology: [From Shi'ar]
Mutant A mutant is a person born with a genetic difference that grants them special abilities. Most often these abilities manifest themselves around puberty, and can range from physical changes such as Angel's wings
Etymology: [From Latin, mūtānus present participle of mūtāre: "to
change"]
Mutate Humans who become mutants or super-powered by artificial means. Technically this includes people such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and Captain America, though they are usually not referred to as such. The term was mostly used on the island of Genosha as a label for the latent or full mutants who underwent the Genegineer's bonding process. Etymology: [From Latin, mūtāre: "to change"]
"Mutie" (slang term): An often derogatory term to describe a human born with special
powers and/or abnormal appearance. First Used:
Etymology: [From Latin, mūtāre: "to change"]
Omnimorph A metamorph of unparalleled ability, unlimited by restrictions of mass or size. Also, instead of merely impersonating a material, an omnimorph can actually become the material. Morph (Exiles), and Mondo are omnimorphs, as is Husk. [Latin, combining form of omnis: “all” + Greek: metamorphosis “transformation”]
Omnipath A telepath who can hear every thought on the planet at once. Etymology: [From Latin, from omnis: "all" + Greek, from pathos: "suffering"]
Examples: Gamesmaster, Professor X
Omniverse Work In Progress Etymology: [From Latin, from omnis: "all" + Indo-European Roots versus,
past participle of vertere "to turn"]
Precognition Knowledge of something in advance of its occurrence, especially by extrasensory perception; clairvoyance. The most famous precog was Destiny. The Dark Mother/Finality had the power of precognition and was able to see forward into multiple possible futures, as did Burke the External and Scotty Summers (Mutant X). [from Latin prae: “representing” + cognitio: “getting to know”]
Key Issues: Uncanny X-Men #141-2; 177-8; 225-7; 255, X-Calibre 1-4 (AOA), Cable #93
Possible Future One of any number of end results that can occur due to an event happening in
the present. “Days of Future Past” shows a possible future where
mutants are kept in concentration camps by Sentinels. Key Issues: Uncanny X-Men 141-142 Etymology: [From Middle English, from Old French, from Latin possibilis,
from posse, to be able] [Middle English, from Old French futur,
from Latin fut rus, about to be]
Project: Armageddon A program begun by Dr. Steven Lang using funds that were illegally appropriated
from the government. The project involved creating Sentinels which would operate
out of the abandoned SHIELD Orbital Platform. The objective of the program was
to capture mutants and create Sentinel doppelgangers that would mimic their
powers. The new Sentinels would then be used to fight the war against mutants.
The X-Men destroyed the Sentinel clones before they could be used on Earth’s
mutant population. Key Issues: Uncanny X-Men #96-100 Etymology: [From Middle English projecte, from Latin prōiectum:
"projecting structure"] [Late Latin Armagedōn, from
Greek, from Hebrew har məgiddô: "the mountain
region of Megiddo," the Biblical site of the final battle between good and evil]
Promethium Work In Progress Etymology: [From Prometheus]
Psionic Work In Progress Etymology: [From Parapsychological]
Psychometry The ability of divining information about people or events associated with an object solely by touching or being near to it. Notable psychometrics have been Adrienne Frost, Longshot, and Scotty Summers (Mutant X).
Key Issues: Uncanny X-Men #230, Generation X #49-54 Etymology: [From Greek, psūkho-: "breath, spirit, soul, mind, life" + French métre: “measure” from the Greek metron:
"measure"]
Pyrokinesis The mental power to create fire and control it (though this may take training). Legion and Scorch (Bishop: The Last X-Man) are pyrokinetics, as is the villain in the Mystique LS, Malcolm. Not to be confused with pyrotics, such as Pyro, who cannot create fire, but can merely control it. [combining form of Greek p?r: “fire”+ kinesis: “movement”]
Key Issues: New Mutants #26-28, Uncanny X-Men #255, Bishop: The Last X-Man #2, Mystique #1
Regeneration The process of replacing lost or damaged tissue by creating new tissue. Several
possess regenerative capabilities, including: Agent X, Archangel, Scalphunter,
and Wolverine. Etymology: [From Latin, regenerāre: "to reproduce"] Work In Progress - possibly akin to Promethium Etymology: [From Old English, sāwol + Middle English, stel]
1. (slang term): Used by the Neo to describe someone with a “spike” or mutant
energy (mutant genes).
Etymology: [From Latin, spīca]
Super-Human Registration Act (SHRA)
See Civil War X-Over
Techno-Organic Someone that is comprised of both technological and organic material. Etymology: [From Greek, tekhn: "skill" + Greek, from organon]
Telekinesis The power to move something by thinking about it without the application of physical force. Telekinetics of note include Jean Grey, Cable, and X-Man.
Etymology: [From from Greek tele: “far”+ kinesis: “movement”]
Telepathy An all-encompassing term for a variety of mental powers including, but not limited to: transmission and reception of thoughts, reading of minds, coercion, mental bolts, possession, and mind-wiping. Professor X, Emma Frost, and Sage are all telepaths of varying levels.
Etymology: [From from Greek tele: “far”+ pathos: “suffering, disease, feeling”]
Teleportation A method of transportation in which matter or information is dematerialized, usually instantaneously, at one point and recreated at another point far away. The distance traveled and carrying capacity depends on the mutant or technology being used. Nightcrawler, Lila Cheney, Venus Dee Milo, U-Go Girl and Blink are/were natural teleporters. Only Nightcrawler must be in physical contact with those he transports, and increased mass and range can cause him pain. The other teleporters mentioned seem to generate a teleportation field, and are less limited in distance and passengers. Lila has the opposite limitation: She can only teleport on galactic distances, and so uses her Dyson Sphere as a way station to get around Earth.
Etymology: [From from Greek tele: “far”+ Middle English portale, from Latin porta: “gate”]
Transmutation Work In Progress Etymology: [From Latin, trāns- + Latin, mūtātiō past
participle of mūtāre: "to
change"] Work In Progress Etymology: [From Old Norse Valkyrja]
Vibranium Work In Progress Etymology: From vibrate + ium - standard ending for elements?
X-Factor Work In Progress Etymology: Work In Progress
Younghunt
This is the "Child's Play" crossover between the New Warriors and X-Force.
The last game run by Gamesmaster in the Upstarts
competition. The targets were the surviving members of the Hellions
and the New Mutants. The players: Siena
Blaze, Fenris, Fitzroy
and Shinobi Shaw. The game brought the New Warriors
and X-Force together to rescue their teammates, but in the end they were released
because Paige Guthrie convinced the Gamesmaster that
killing them all would be far less entertaining than the constant competition
for the hearts and minds of the next generation of mutants.
Pronounced klâr-voi'ən(t)s, kler-
Pronounced 'dǒpəl-gă[ng]'ər, -"ge[ng]-, "dǒpəl-'
Pronounced ĕm-păth-ē
Pronounced flăt’skăn’
Pronounced dje-neen -probably
Pronounced hēl-ĭng' făk'tər
Pronounced zhoe-neen - probably
Pronounced lī'kən-thrōp'
Pronounced ĕm-dā
Pronounced mĕt'ə-môr'f
Pronounced mōltə'vûrs
Pronounced mōmō'drī
Pronounced myōōt'nt
Pronounced myōō-tāt'
Pronounced myōōtē
Pronounced ŏm'nə-môr'f
Key Issues: Exiles #20, Generation X #3, X-Force #32
Pronounced ŏm'nə-păth'
Pronounced ŏm'nə-vûrs
Pronounced prē'kŏg-nĭsh'ən
Pronounced pŏs'ə-bəl fyōō'chər
Pronounced prŏjĕkt är'mə-gĕd'n
Pronounced prə-mē'thē-əm
Pronounced sī-ôn'ĭk
Pronounced sī-kŏm'ĭ-trē
Pronounced pī'rə-kə-nē'sĭs
Pronounced rĭ-jĕn'ə-rā'shən
A United States law passed after the incident in Stamford, CT in which the New Warriors reality show televised the heroes attempting to apprehend a number of villains, among them the explosive Nitro. Nitro detonated himself next to a schoolyard, killing most of the Warriors and over 800 people, among them 200-plus children. The law passed quickly, and required all superhuman vigilantes to register with the government and train as agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. if they wanted to continue fighting crime. Any heroes who failed to register were subject to apprehension and prosecution. The superhuman community quickly split down the middle, with "Pro-Reg" heroes led by Iron Man hunting down "Anti-Reg" heroes, led by Captain America.
Pronounced tĕk'nō-ôr-găn'ĭk
Pronounced tĕl'ĭ-kə-nē'sĭs
Pronounced təlĕĭp'ə-thē
Pronounced tĕl'ə-pôr-tā'shən
Pronounced trăns-myōō-tā'shən
Pronounced vī'brān-ēəm'
Pronounced ĕks'-făk'tər