Mystique
Like what you see? What you see may not be what's real. Mystique is a shapeshifter, with the ability to become whatever person she wishes to. Mystique's shapeshifting happens at a molecular level: she is limited only by conservation of mass and her own imagination, and technically never wears clothes: even those are extensions of her own ability. Since she can regenerate constantly, killing her is nearly impossible--she can even move her heart out of the way of a bullet or a knife, and she never ages.
Mystique, sometimes known as Raven Darkholme, doesn't exactly use her powers for good. Most of the time, she's been a villain, occasionally working for mutant rights, but more often as an assassin for hire--after all, who is better to infiltrate and get to a target? Even when she does end up helping the X-Men, it's often as a means to an end or to ensure her own survival. Survival is indeed paramount to Mystique, and while she may sympathize with Charles Xavier, it doesn't mean she's going to die for his dream of mutant equality.
Interestingly enough, Mystique didn't originally appear in the pages of X-Men. A creation of the late and influential comic book artist Dave Cockrum, and the famous X-Men scribe Chris Claremont, Mystique first showed up fighting Ms. Marvel in 1978. It didn't take long for her to get over to the X-Men, and Mystique's been raising mutant mayhem ever since. Mystique also has several children, including Nightcrawler (her biological son) and Rogue (her adopted daughter), and had a longstanding relationship with the precognitive mutant Destiny. Destiny was female, but given the time period, the most Marvel could do was imply heavily that the two were more than just good friends.
Mystique became far more known to the general public when Rebecca Romjin played her in the first round of X-Men movies, beginning in 2000. When the X-Men franchise was rebooted with younger actors in 2011, the role went to Jennifer Lawrence, who continues in the part. The movies gave Mystique a "default" form that she prefers over her other disguises, though one that required the actresses to go through an arduous hours-long makeup session.
This Mystique cosplayer came to ACen 2014 dressed in Mystique's comic book outfit; it's doubtful that ACen security would've let someone come in as the movie version of Mystique! Though she can assume any form, Mystique tended to prefer the white outfit in the comics, with a belt of skulls to emphasize the fact that she is the last mutant you want to mess with.
Mystique
Like what you see? What you see may not be what's real. Mystique is a shapeshifter, with the ability to become whatever person she wishes to. Mystique's shapeshifting happens at a molecular level: she is limited only by conservation of mass and her own imagination, and technically never wears clothes: even those are extensions of her own ability. Since she can regenerate constantly, killing her is nearly impossible--she can even move her heart out of the way of a bullet or a knife, and she never ages.
Mystique, sometimes known as Raven Darkholme, doesn't exactly use her powers for good. Most of the time, she's been a villain, occasionally working for mutant rights, but more often as an assassin for hire--after all, who is better to infiltrate and get to a target? Even when she does end up helping the X-Men, it's often as a means to an end or to ensure her own survival. Survival is indeed paramount to Mystique, and while she may sympathize with Charles Xavier, it doesn't mean she's going to die for his dream of mutant equality.
Interestingly enough, Mystique didn't originally appear in the pages of X-Men. A creation of the late and influential comic book artist Dave Cockrum, and the famous X-Men scribe Chris Claremont, Mystique first showed up fighting Ms. Marvel in 1978. It didn't take long for her to get over to the X-Men, and Mystique's been raising mutant mayhem ever since. Mystique also has several children, including Nightcrawler (her biological son) and Rogue (her adopted daughter), and had a longstanding relationship with the precognitive mutant Destiny. Destiny was female, but given the time period, the most Marvel could do was imply heavily that the two were more than just good friends.
Mystique became far more known to the general public when Rebecca Romjin played her in the first round of X-Men movies, beginning in 2000. When the X-Men franchise was rebooted with younger actors in 2011, the role went to Jennifer Lawrence, who continues in the part. The movies gave Mystique a "default" form that she prefers over her other disguises, though one that required the actresses to go through an arduous hours-long makeup session.
This Mystique cosplayer came to ACen 2014 dressed in Mystique's comic book outfit; it's doubtful that ACen security would've let someone come in as the movie version of Mystique! Though she can assume any form, Mystique tended to prefer the white outfit in the comics, with a belt of skulls to emphasize the fact that she is the last mutant you want to mess with.