The Many Loves of Nightcrawler

Beyond his teleportation powers and extraordinary agility, Nightcrawler's most incredible ability might be his superhuman charm. Despite his demonic appearance, Kurt Wagner is the beating heart of the X-Men, leading his fellow mutants with empathy and a love of life that inspires him to connect with everyone. 

Throughout his time with the team as well as his swashbuckling solo adventures, Nightcrawler has wooed several of his teammates and other women around the Marvel Universe. Now, as Nightcrawler kicks off a whirlwind romance with Silver Sable, let's look back at a few of the X-Man's previous loves. 

In this list, we'll break down Nightcrawler's most meaningful and memorable romantic relationships and the friendships that almost turned romantic, just as the teleporter takes his new relationship to the next level in UNCANNY SPIDER-MAN (2023) #3 by Si Spurrier, Lee Garbett, Matt Milla, and VC's Joe Caramagna.

AMANDA SEFTON

Whether she's gone by Amanda Sefton, Daytripper, or Magik, Jimaine Szardos has been the longest-lasting love of Nightcrawler's life, starting with her debut in UNCANNY X-MEN (1963) #98 by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum. 

When Kurt was an infant, Margali Szardos took him in and raised him alongside her daughter, Jimaine. After becoming a skilled sorceress like her mother, Jimaine followed Nightcrawler to the United States and began dating him while posing as a flight attendant named Amanda Sefton. Eventually, in X-MEN ANNUAL (1970) #4 by Claremont and John Romita Jr., Amanda revealed her identity and mystical powers to him.

The two continued their off-and-on relationship for years, and Amanda even joined Nightcrawler as a member of Excalibur, a British offshoot of the X-Men. After Amanda briefly ruled over the hellish dimension Limbo, they drifted apart, and the pair last embraced in the metaphysical space between life and death in NIGHTCRAWLER (2014) #10 by Claremont and Todd Nauck.

CERISE 

Hailing from the Shi'ar Empire, Cerise is a genetically engineered warrior who can manipulate red beams of photoplasmic energy. After watching her commanding officer brutally conquer new worlds in the name of the Shi'ar, she sent his ship into a star, killing all aboard. As Cerise returned to the Shi'ar to confess this crime, her ship was thrown off-course by a solar flare and sent to Earth, where she landed at Excalibur's base in EXCALIBUR (1998) #47 by Alan Davis. 

Posing as an adventurous explorer, Cerise quickly befriended Nightcrawler and joined Excalibur. Since no one formed emotional bonds on her home world, Cerise was fascinated with Earth customs, and she kissed Nightcrawler in EXCALIBUR (1988) #55 by Davis. To her surprise and confusion, Cerise started developing feelings for Kurt, and the pair began dating in EXCALIBUR (1988) #65. However, their relationship ended when the Shi'ar Empire apprehended Cerise and sentenced her to serve its leader, Majestrix Lilandra, for killing her shipmates.

GLORIANA

Before Meggan Puceanu became Gloriana, she was a supporting character in Alan Moore and Alan Davis' CAPTAIN BRITAIN (1985). With empathetic shapeshifting powers, Meggan's form changes in response to the emotions of people around her, which led her parents to raise her in isolation. 

While staying with Captain Britain (Brian Braddock), Meggan turned into a blonde woman who matched Braddock's conception of beauty, and the pair began dating. After both heroes joined Nightcrawler as founding members of Excalibur, Nightcrawler and Meggan grew close, especially when Brian started spending time with an ex-girlfriend. 

Nightcrawler felt attracted towards Meggan, and she even shapeshifted into a Nightcrawler-like form when the pair almost kissed in EXCALIBUR (1988) #4 by Chris Claremont and Davis. Meggan and Brian eventually worked through their issues and got married, while Nightcrawler remained close friends with both heroes. 

After they were transported to the AGE OF X-MAN in AGE OF X-MAN: THE AMAZING NIGHTCRAWLER (2019) #1 by Seanan Mcguire and Juan Frigeri, Meggan and Nightcrawler became movie stars who had a secret relationship in an alternate realm where romance was forbidden.

ASKANI

Rachel Summers is the daughter of Cyclops and Jean Grey from the "Days of Future Past" timeline, where Sentinels destroyed the world in their efforts to eradicate mutants. After making her way to the main Marvel Universe, Rachel served on Excalibur and multiple X-Men squads alongside Nightcrawler. 

During a pirate-themed training session in the Danger Room, the two heroes got swept up in the exhilaration of the moment and kissed in UNCANNY X-MEN (1963) #450 by Chris Claremont and Alan Davis. Although Rachel decided not to pursue their mutual attraction further at the time, she unexpectedly kissed him again after telepathically realizing he still had feelings for her in X-MEN: GOLD (2017) #7 by Marc Guggenheim and Ken Lashley. 

The two X-Men subsequently dated for several months, and Nightcrawler even considered proposing. However, after a disturbing psychic attack by Mesmero, Rachel decided she needed to reassess her life and ended the relationship in X-MEN: GOLD (2017) #33 by Guggenheim and Michele Bandini. Since then, Rachel has adopted the codename Askani and started dating Captain Britain (Betsy Braddock).

CHRISTINE PALMER

Christine Palmer debuted as a nurse at New York's Metro-General Hospital in NIGHT NURSE (1972) #1 by Jean Thomas and Win Mortimer. When several young patients at the hospital mysteriously died, Nightcrawler traveled to the hospital to investigate the deaths and was instantly smitten with Christine in NIGHTCRAWLER (2004) #1 by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Darick Robertson. After the two investigated the killings and worked together to stop a demonic invasion, they began dating casually, although Nightcrawler hesitated to admit they were more than friends. 

As Nightcrawler continued to investigate supernatural incidents involving ghosts and demons, he traveled with Christine to his childhood home in Germany, where a possessed Wolverine injured her. While Kurt reconsidered their relationship, Christine decided the super hero lifestyle was not for her and that she would move back to her family's home in Arizona. With a final kiss, the couple parted amicably in NIGHTCRAWLER (2004) #12 by Aguirre-Sacasa and Robertson.

BLOODY BESS

Before she romanced Nightcrawler, Bloody Bess was a telepathic member of the Crimson Pirates, a group of mercenaries that debuted in UNCANNY X-MEN (1963) #384 by Chris Claremont and Adam Kubert. Years after their first encounter with the X-Men, Nightcrawler encountered the Crimson Pirates again when they tried to capture a powerful young mutant. Their subsequent swordfight left Bloody Bess infatuated with him. 

When Bloody Bess unintentionally unleashed the Shadow King, she telepathically reached out to Nightcrawler to help her deal with the malicious psychic entity called in NIGHTCRAWLER (2014) #5 by Claremont and Todd Nauck. Bess greeted Nightcrawler with a kiss, then saved his life before he led the fight against the Shadow King. 

After teaming up to free everyone the Crimson Pirates' boss, Voge, had taken captive, Nightcrawler and Bess enjoyed a brief relationship and vacationed together. However, they effectively split up when Bess devoted her time to rescuing the other captive Crimson Pirates and Nightcrawler returned to the X-Men in NIGHTCRAWLER (2014) #12 by Claremont and Nauck.

STORM

Storm and Nightcrawler have never truly been a romantic couple, but they have shared an intimate emotional connection and deep attraction since they both joined the X-Men in GIANT-SIZE X-MEN (1975) #1 by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum. When a young Ororo Munroe considered leaving the X-Men, Nightcrawler convinced her to stay by transforming the X-Mansion's attic into a plant-filled greenhouse for her, a thoughtful gesture that cemented their bond. 

Although their relationship has ultimately stayed platonic, these two X-Men have hinted at having feelings for each other and consistently flirted verbally for years. They haven't been shy about showing their physical affection for each other, either. As Nightcrawler considered acting on their attraction, the pair shared a private dance in the clouds in UNCANNY X-MEN (1963) #445 by Chris Claremont and Alan Davis. When Storm traveled into the afterlife to revive a deceased Nightcrawler in AMAZING X-MEN (2013) #3 by Jason Aaron and Ed McGuinness, Kurt took Ororo in his arms and reiterated his love for her.

SILVER SABLE

Born Silvija Sablinova, Silver Sable hails from the tiny European nation Symkaria and debuted in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #265 by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz. Sable and her elite mercenary organization Silver Sable International were hired to hunt Nightcrawler down by the mutant-hating organization Orchis in UNCANNY SPIDER-MAN (2023) by Si Spurrier and Lee Garbett. 

Although Orchis sent most of the world's mutants to parts unknown, Nightcrawler managed to elude Orchis' forces. He also donned a spare Spider-Man costume to protect New York as a spider-themed hero. When Orchis sent the Rhino after Nightcrawler, Kurt saved Sable from the rampaging villain, and she kissed him in UNCANNY SPIDER-MAN (2023) #2. 

Despite her mission, Sable and Nightcrawler have started casually seeing each other. However, with other Orchis agents also hunting Nightcrawler, Sable may have to choose between her mission and the mutant she's already starting to love.

See Nightcrawler sweep Silver Sable off her feet in UNCANNY SPIDER-MAN #3, now on sale, and don't miss UNCANNY SPIDER-MAN #4 on November 22!

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