Azazel (Marvel)

Azazel is the biological father of the hero known as Nightcrawler but far from being a paternal benefactor, he is instead a demonic antagonist who seeks world domination and fear - this of course made him an instant enemy of the X-Men.

History
Azazel claimed he was one of the oldest mutants, leader of a group of demonic-looking mutants called the Neyaphem. He even claimed that he once battled Mephisto and others for the title of "Satan". Thousands of years ago, the Neyaphem held war against the Cheyarafim, a group of xenophobic mutants with angelic appearances. The Cheyarafim were victorious, and banished the "demons" to a separate plane of existence, known as the Brimstone dimension.

Azazel was the only one who was able to breach the dimensional void for brief periods of time due to his teleportation powers, though he could use no other power, as he was still a prisoner. Attempting to find a way to permanently return to Earth, he began mating with strong women who had strange abilities, at least with looks and abilities other women didn't have, because his children are linked to his dimension, and successfully birthing a Neyaphem takes a great physical strain. Eventually, the mutant warlord met Mystique in Germany, when she was married to a rich castle lord named Baron Christian Wagner. Mystique was introduced to Azazel, whom Christian knew as a business partner, and the two were instantly attracted to one another, and although she was hesitant to betray Christian, she gave in to Azazel and they became intimate. Not much later, Mystique became pregnant with Nightcrawler.

Sometime before his son's birth, Azazel learned that the Cheyarafim were close to locating him. Azazel knew that without his full power, the Cheyarafim would surely kill Mystique and their unborn child as well as him. Though it pained him to be separated from Mystique, as he had come to truly love her, Azazel made it appear that she was a tool and that he had no feelings for her, then left. He was assured that Mystique and his son would be alright and find some way to survive.

Azazel sired several dozen other children, who were all mysteriously called to gather and sacrifice themselves on the island known as the Isla Des Demonas to open a portal and bring his army to earth to destroy both the Cheyarafim and what he calls "Normal" mutants, mutants who's bodies where not mutated and where not seen as monsters and demons. In addition to Nightcrawler, another son of Azazel's was the Genoshan called Abyss. They all joined each other in their zombie-like state and opened a portal to Azazel's dimension. A group of X-Men had followed Kurt to see where he was going and jumped into the portal. Once inside, Azazel took great sadistic pleasure in toying with the team, having them believe that he was actually Satan.

In the end, the X-Men defeated Azazel and his army and banished him to an unknown oblivion. The X-Men were able to escape along with two of Azazel's children who survived: Abyss and Kiwi Black. The whereabouts of Azazel have yet to be revealed.

If he survived this, it is unknown if he kept his powers or not, although Kiwi Black and Abyss are both depowered.

Personality
Though not the Devil himself as he claims, Azazel is not far off: Cunning, vengeful, ruthless and, more than anything, arrogant. He views himself as a tragic figure who has suffered a great injustice, and is willing to use treachery and murder to obtain what he feels is rightfully his: position as absolute ruler of Earth. Azazel, despite usually presenting himself as a suave gentleman, is horrifically sadistic and bloodthirsty, and most of his plans involve violence of some kind.

The warlord's contempt for humanity (including mutants who look like humans) is second to none, having flat out refered to them a stupid, spineless disease of a race that is unfit to exist on his world. He also despises the Cheyarafim, and considers them his tribe's natural enemies.

Surprisingly enough, it would appear Azazel is not utterly inhuman; he genuinely fell in love with Mystique and wanted Nightcrawler, his favourite child, to conquer the world alongside him.

Powers and Abilities
Azazel has the ability to generate bolts and streams of paralyzing energy, as well as destructive energy which causes a form of disintegration, and can disguise his appearance. Azazel also has the ability to mentally control individuals of inferior mental capacity, such as the monsterous Firedancers that occupy the Brimstone dimension.

Azazel can teleport like his son Nightcrawler, but without suffering from the limits of needing to see or know where he is going. Azazel also seems to be immortal as he has lived since biblical times, but it is possible that the Brimstone dimension has no element of time. His long lifespan has also allowed him to study swordsmanship to such a degree that he has become a near unparalleled master with blades. Azazel has also studied black sorcery, though he prefers to use swords rather than magic.

As a weakness, he, and all other Neyaphem, are negatively affected by the healing blood of the Cheyarafim which causes their body to begin to break down.

Movie Appearance
Jason Flemyng plays Azazel in X-Men: First Class. In the film, Azazel is a member of the Hellfire Club, alongside Sebastian Shaw, Emma Frost, and Riptide. In contrast to the mainstream Azazel, who was Mesopotamian, this Azazel seems to be ethnically Russian. In the film, he only displays incredible teleporting abilities, similar to that displayed by Nightcrawler in the film X2, and hand-to-hand combat skills, assisted by a short sword and a sharp tail on which he impales his victims. At the film's climax, he engages Beast in a brutal fight until Beast finally knocks him out, and following the death of Shaw and paralysis of Xavier, Azazel joins Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants.