Nico Minoru

This sorceress has gone from homeless and addicted… to re-stabilized and globe-trotting.

 

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Table of Contents:

1. Spec’s
2. Details
3. History
4. Relationships
5. 2nd Profile
6. Powers and Abilities
7. Paraphernalia
8. 2nd Spec’s
9. Nico & Auz
10. 2022 Update
11. Images

 

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Spec’s:

Full name	Nico Minoru
Team affiliations	Runaways A-Force Masters of Evil
Notable aliases	Sister Grimm
Abilities	Magic manipulation via the Staff of One

 

She stands 5’4″ and is 102 lbs..

 

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Details:

Nico Minoru (briefly known as Sister Grimm), is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in the Marvel Comics Runaways. Created in 2003 by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, the character debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 (July 2003). Like every member of the original Runaways, Nico is the daughter of the super-powered villains calling themselves “the Pride“; in her case, she is the daughter of dark wizards. Upon finding out, Nico runs away with the rest of the runaways but later discovers that she inherited her parents’ magical aptitude. Whenever Nico bleeds, a powerful staff emerges from her chest, called the Staff of One, allowing Nico to bend magic.

After the Runaways are betrayed by one of their own in volume one, Nico reluctantly becomes the de facto leader of her unofficial and nameless superhero team, making her one of the few Japanese-American superheroine team leaders. Nico’s trademark is her elaborate and ornate Gothic wardrobe. Nico is a sorceress like her parents and great-grandmother before her and can cast nearly any spell imaginable with her staff. Nico uses her talents to make up for her parents’ villainous actions and to prevent anyone from assuming the Pride’s place at the top of Los Angeles organized crime.

In the Marvel Universe, she was featured in Avengers Arena and its sequel, Avengers Undercover, where it follows the survivors of the thirty day-long deathmatch in MurderWorld. Nico is traumatized by those events and temporarily walked away from the Runaways. She later joined Marvel’s first all-female Avengers team, A-Force.

Nico’s Staff of One responds to verbal commands, but can only respond to any given spell once. If she attempts to cast the same spell twice, the results have unforeseen consequences. To summon the Staff itself, Nico must bleed—as all magic comes with a cost. After working with the Witchbreaker, Nico develops the ability to cast spells without the Staff and upgrades her own abilities. In the wake of her resurrection in Murderworld, Nico jumps up to another power level and even receives a magical arm replacement that can channel supernatural energies more powerful than the Staff. By the relaunch of Runaways volume five, Nico’s Staff and powers are reverted to its original condition and her magical arm replaced with a normal arm for reasons unknown yet.

Publication history

Nico Minoru first appeared in Runaways # 1 (July 2003) and was created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona.

In Brian K. Vaughan’s original pitch for the series, Nico was called Rachel Messina. Her parents were still magicians, but posed as wealthy antique dealers; this cover story was ultimately used for Gert’s time travelling parents.^[1] Nico’s source of power was not originally going to be her mother’s Staff, but Robert Minoru’s spellbook.^[1]

Nico Minoru appeared in Avengers Arena, a new series by Dennis Hopeless and Kev Walker,^[2] as well as its sequel, Avengers Undercover.

Nico appears as one of the main characters in A-Force, an all-female Avengers spin-off launched by G. Willow Wilson, Marguerite Bennett, and Jorge Molina during Marvel’s Secret Wars crossover.^[3][4]

Fictional character biography

The Pride

Every year, Nico’s parents join five other couples in a charity event; one year, Nico and the other kids spy on their parents.^[5] Nico is shocked to discover her father speaking an enchantment, and after witnessing the murder of an innocent girl by their parents (“the Pride“), Nico joins the others in their massive ransack to run away from their parents.^[6]While on the run, Nico encounters her parents. Her mother, wielding a large staff with a ball at the end (“the Staff of One”), reveals that she and Nico’s father are dark wizards; she then attempts to jam the Staff into Nico’s chest. Nico’s body absorbs it. After she is later cut by Dale Yorkes‘ Samurai battle-axe, the Staff re-emerges from her chest, which prompts Nico to use the phrase “Freeze”, and freeze Stacey Yorkes. It is revealed that Nico is a witch, and that the Staff only emerges when she bleeds.^[7] Sometime after running off, Nico takes on the name Sister Grimm to escape the name her parents gave her, but drops it after a while.^[8] After team leader Alex outs himself as the mole and is defeated along with the Pride, Nico is accepted as the group’s leader.^[9]

Mystic Arcana

In 2007, the magic-related crossover event Mystic Arcana fills the gap between Runaways (volume 1) #17 and #18, during Nico’s brief time at Father Flanagan’s Home for Unwanted Goth Kids.^[10] The story begins with Nico dressed in a Japanese school girl’s outfit, stating that it’s perhaps time to let go of the goth trend. She is soon talked into going to a nightclub with her friends, where she meets her parents’ old rival Marie Laveau;^[10] Laveau seeks revenge on Nico’s parents for stealing the Black Mirror, one of the four Cornerstones of Creation. After Laveau explains that she needs Nico’s blood to activate the Black Mirror, Nico gives Leveau her blood, while also purging out the Staff of One. The two fight, and Nico easily wins. Nico attempts to bring back Alex Wilder using the Mirror, however the spell fails, the Mirror shatters and the last page of the Darkhold is revealed behind the glass.^[10] Laveau takes it and flees, while Nico accepts her place as an outcast with the Runaways.

Artist Dave Sexton revealed Nico was one of the four magic characters chosen for the story arc because each character relates to some elemental themes:^[11] Magik represents air and logic, the Black Knight represents the Earth and tools, the Scarlet Witch represents water and emotions while Nico represented fire and wands.^[11] As Nico must deliver blood in order to produce her Staff, fire and sacrifice prove to be very similar to Tarot’s Minor Arcana suit of “wands”.^[12] Although C.B. Cebulski wrote the Sister Grimm portion of Mystic Arcana, Runaways-creator Brian K. Vaughan lent some assistance.^[11][13]

As a fugitive

After being warned of a future threat named Victor Mancha, Nico and the Runaways find and abduct Victor to question him. After Victor’s mother is murdered and father, Ultron, is destroyed, Nico invites Victor to become a part of the team, much to the anger of some members, notably Chase. Nico reassures them that she is willing to “rip [Victor’s] damn heart out” if necessary.^[14] After Chase ties Nico up before he attempts to sacrifice himself to the Gibborim, Nico interprets it as a cry for help and leads the Runaways to intervene to stop Chase’s self-sacrifice. The Gibborim instead attempt to take Nico, revealing that Nico’s soul is innocent, thus, suitable for the Gibborim’s consumption. Victor rescues Nico and the two form a relationship. After defeating the Gibborim, Victor asks Nico what she’s willing to do if Chase does something like this again; Nico responds by saying she is willing to “rip [Chase’s] damn heart out” if necessary. After returning to their lair beneath the La Brea Tar Pits, Xavin realizes she had publicly exposed their location, drawing the attention of Iron Man and S.H.I.E.L.D. Nico, stepping into her role as a leader, leads the Runaways in a cross-country escape from Iron Man and S.H.I.E.L.D.^[15]

The Witchbreaker

After escaping the authorities, the Runaways head to New York where Nico anxiously makes a deal with the Kingpin.^[15] In a twisted turn of events, the Runaways end up time-displaced in 1907 New York, where Nico is kidnapped and brought to a woman named “the Witchbreaker”.^[16] The Witchbreaker claims she is Nico’s great-grandmother, and states she will teach Nico how to withstand more pain and, therefore, wield more magic with better proficiency. She wields a weapon similar to the Staff of One, with more adornments. When reunited with her comrades, a significant development to Nico’s abilities is evident, where she is freely able to float, displays more proficiency and confidence in casting spells and able to use a spell with an effect more complicated than most of her others thus far.^[16] It is revealed that Nico had obtained the Witchbreaker’s Staff. Little more information is given to how Nico and her ancestor’s meeting had ended, though the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe‘s more recent edition says that Nico had “escaped” her.^[16] During this period, Victor falls in love with another girl, corrupting his relationship with Nico.^[16]

Secret Invasion

During the global shape-shifting alien invasion by the Skrulls, Nico and the other Runaways briefly remain in New York after returning from 1907, trusting that “hiding in plain sight” would be sufficient to conceal their own identities and that it would be best if they showed Klara around her city in the future before they returned to Los Angeles. However, to their shock, an armada of Skrull ships attack New York and its civilians. Xavin, trying to fool the invaders into thinking she intends to help them, uses a force field to knock out the Runaways; Nico and Victor are still conscious, however, and they attack Xavin, accusing her of being a traitor. Xavin reveals that she is trying to protect them and convinces them that the Skrulls are too dangerous for them to fight and pleading with them to flee to the Leapfrog. The Runaways eventually unite with the Young Avengers to assist against the invading Skrulls. Nico insists on leading her team to help the Young Avengers continue the fight against the Skrulls, refusing to “run away.” However, Wiccan urges her to leave, claiming that if the Young Avengers lose, they will need the Runaways to save them.

Dead Wrong/Rock Zombies

Nico uses a spell (“scatter”) to scatter a group of invading Majesdanians all over the planet. The spell, however, had unwanted side-effects: it emotionally scatters the Runaways. Victor realizes this in time, and Nico spearheads a massive escape from the returning Majesdanians. A short time later, the Runaways realize that having obeyed Nico, they broke the enchantment. Regardless, Xavin shapeshifts into Karolina and leaves Earth, much to the other Runaways’ great grief.^[17]

Later on, Nico uses the spell “Zombie Not” to turn an army of zombies back to humans; the spell, backfiring, turns the zombies into an actual “zombie knot”, thus creating a one large zombie. The Runaways deduce that after the Witchbreaker tortured and trained Nico, Nico’s magical abilities have been greatly augmented.^[18] Val Rhymin‘s magician informs Nico that the Staff of One carries tremendous magical ability and Nico, being young, should not use it. The magician steals the Staff from her, only to be killed after the Staff defends itself. A silent Nico takes her Staff back, and warns the other Runaways not to touch it.^[18]

Dark Reign

At the 2009 Emerald City ComiCon, writer Brian Bendis implied that Nico might be one of the magicians sought by former Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange, seeing as the search “is not done yet.”^[19] Although the title went to Brother Voodoo, her image appeared as one of the many candidates the Eye of Agamotto considered to assume the role of the new Sorcerer Supreme.^[20]

Nico also makes a non-speaking cameo in Strange #4 (February 2010) as one of the powerful mages Dr. Strange asks to stop using their powers for an hour.^[21]

Avengers Arena

As part of the Marvel NOW! event in the pages of Avengers Arena, Nico is abducted by the villain Arcade and placed on a special island version of Murderworld.^[22] The Staff of One has its power drastically reduced for an unexplained reason, preventing her not only from being able to act out against Arcade or the island, but also requiring “dozens of spells” just to successfully grow food to eat.^[23] After mounting a frontal attack on Apex and Juston Seyfert‘s Sentinel, Nico loses the Staff of One when she is dismembered by Chase (now in possession of the Darkhawk armor) and thrown off a cliff. She then crawls to the Staff of One and tries to cast the spell “help”, but bleeds out before the Staff can act.^[24] The Staff then resurrects her, using her massive blood loss as a sacrifice to grant her enough power to disarm Deathlocket, destroy the Darkhawk armor, and defeat Apex by trapping her underground.^[25] Chase returns to his normal self and then helps Nico and Reptil fight a possessed Cullen.^[26] In the ensuing battle, Nara is killed returning Cullen to human form and Anachronism goes wild. Reptil asks Nico and Chase for help breaking up the fight, but Nico insists she and Chase stay out of it. At Nico’s command, Chase then turns into Darkhawk and sucker-punches Reptil as part of some secret plan that he and Nico devised. Chase showed regret at having to attack Reptil.^[27] When Chase refused to let Cammi stop Nico, she broke his arm and leg, taking the Darkhawk amulet for herself in order to stop Nico from killing everyone.^[28] Cammi gives Chase the amulet again when Apex unleashes bugs, sentient typhoon, and weaponized sand to attack the remaining teens on Murderworld.^[29] Soon after, Deathlocket stops the fight by killing Apex, and everyone is able to escape Murderworld and disperse.^[29]

Avengers Undercover

Once news broke about Arcade’s kidnappings, Nico and the other Murder World Survivors became infamous. Nico has dyed her hair slightly red and still sports the witch arm she gained in the fight with Apex.^[30] She also has the power to teleport and create floating and cloaking spells. To the other Runaways’ horror, she and Chase fight during one of Chase’s interviews on the talk show, criticizing Chase for breaking their pact of silence, which was made moot when Arcade released video. She then teleported Chase away from the set. However, when Anachronism reveals Bloodstone’s gone missing, all the survivors team up to head to Bagalia to find him. On their way in, Nico berates Chase for saying they’re “family,” pointing out that he only came with them because she made him. Once they find Bloodstone, he reveals that he enjoys life among the villains, and the others, minus Cammi, start to enjoy it as well. Nico tries to convince Bloodstone to come back with them, but he refuses. Daimon Hellstrom has been helping Cullen control his monster and he offers to help Nico with her upgraded powers too. When Cammi tries to tell the others to leave, Bloodstone instead has Hellstrom teleport the group to Arcade’s latest party so they can confront him.^[31] Hazmat uses this opportunity to kill Arcade. Baron Zemo then tell them they have two choices, join him or be returned to the surface to be punished by S.H.I.E.L.D.. Nico comes up with a third option, pretend to join Zemo and destroy his organization from the inside. She works closely with Hellstrom to strengthen her magical powers. Eventually they unwittingly feed to Avengers information planted by Zemo in order to trap the Avengers in Bagalia and then steal S.H.I.E.L.D.’s helicarrier. Cammi stops Zemo and reveals Arcade is alive. Since only a body double was killed, S.H.I.E.L.D. drops any charges against the teens. She is last seen enjoying some vacation time on a lake with the rest of the group in the final issue of the series.^[32]

A-Force

During the Secret Wars storyline, A-Force, the defenders of the matriarchal Battleworld nation of Arcadia, responds to a megalodon attack while on routine patrol. During the attack, America Chavez throws the shark across the Shield, the wall that separates their borders, thus breaking the laws of Emperor Doom and is subsequently arrested by Doom’s enforcers, the Thor Corps. Despite appeals from She-Hulk, the baroness of Arcadia, Chavez is sentenced to spend the rest of her life on the wall. In response, She-Hulk tasks the Sub-Mariners – Namor, Namorita, and Namora – to find the source of the megalodon attack. Meanwhile, Nico, lamenting the loss of Chavez, comes across a mysterious figure that fell out of the sky. The Sub-Mariners discover a strange portal in the ocean’s depths but it implodes as they draw near. Later, at the behest of Loki, Minoru introduces her new friend to She-Hulk. When Medusa accuses the stranger, a sentient pocket universe, of creating the portal, a sentinel falls from another portal and attacks the team. During the fight, the newcomer saves Dazzler and convinces She-Hulk that she is not the cause. After destroying the sentinel, She-Hulk decides to travel through the still open portal and investigate the source herself. She-Hulk arrives in a post-apocalyptic Manhattan and after a brief encounter with more sentinels, she is chased back to Arcadia by the Thor Corps. The Thor Corps follow in pursuit, but Medusa manages to repel them back into the portal and is killed in the process. When the Thor Corps return, She-Hulk alerts the citizens of Arcadia that there is a traitor in their midst that is spreading discontent and vows to bring them to justice as she and other A-Forcers go into hiding inside the newcomer. The newcomer smuggles A-Force outside the city. There, She-Hulk realizes that the portals’ energy is of Asgardian origin and they deduce that the traitor is Loki. With A-Force outlawed, Loki is set to be crowned the new baroness of Arcadia but is preemptively attacked by A-Force. After Loki is defeated, she releases a final blast of energy that breaches the Shield thus allowing the zombie horde on the other side to enter. As the horde approaches, She-Hulk rallies A-Force, the Thor Corps and other heroes in defense of Arcadia. During the fight, the zombies begin to overwhelm the city but the newcomer – now named Singularity – absorbs the entire horde, sacrificing herself in the process. In the aftermath of the battle, the Thor Corps arrests Loki as A-Force begins reconstruction of Arcadia. Meanwhile, She-Hulk comforts Minoru, who is still mourning the loss of her friends, telling her that she believes Singularity lives on.^[33]

Following the Secret Wars storyline, Singularity awakes in the primary Earth-616 universe and quickly spots Carol Danvers but Danvers does not recognize her. Unbeknownst to Singularity, she is being pursued by a similar being named Antimatter. While Danvers confronts Antimatter, Singularity flees to New York City. With Antimatter still in pursuit, Singularity locates She-Hulk, who does not remember her either, and asks for help. As the pair fight Antimatter, Medusa arrives with reinforcements and takes Singularity into custody. After Antimatter kills one of Medusa’s soldiers, she releases Singularity and teleports Antimatter to the moon. Realizing that physical attacks are having little effect on Antimatter, Singularity transports She-Hulk, Medusa and herself to Japan to seek the help of Minoru. When Antimatter returns, Minoru casts a spell that causes him to be temporarily unmade. The spell buys the women some time during which Danvers suggests that Antimatter maybe susceptible to intense levels of light particles. They then travel to Miami to recruit Dazzler just as Antimatter remerges. Dazzler hits Antimatter with everything she has to no avail but it gives Danvers time to activate a containment device that she designed. When Antimatter overloads the device, Singularity has Minoru remove Antimatter’s tracking ability and transports the team to The Peak. As Antimatter eventually reaches The Peak, She-Hulk orders Singularity to stay behind while the rest of the team leaves to parley with Antimatter. After talks fail, Antimatter fatally wounds Dazzler and in turn She-Hulk decapitates Antimatter. Angered by Dazzler’s death, Singularity leaves to confront a recovered Antimatter one-on-one. As Singularity fights Antimatter, Dr. Tempest Bell, The Peak’s lead scientist, develops a bomb capable of destroying Antimatter but denoting it will also kill Singularity. She-Hulk, Minoru and Danvers go to reinforce Singularity, while Medusa places the bomb inside Antimatter. Just as the bomb explodes, a revived Dazzler arrives with a dimensional teleporter and whisks Singularity away from the blast. With Antimatter destroyed, the team celebrates at a diner when Singularity senses a disturbance as remnants of Antimatter tear open portals to other worlds. In Astoria, Oregon, A-Force tracks a dragon from Battleworld named Countess and discover that she is being pursued by an alternate version of Dazzler that belonged to the Thor Corps. A-Force joins Dazzler Thor in combat which causes Countess to retreat. As the heroes wait for Countess’s return, Dazzler confides to Dazzler Thor that she has been infected by the Terrigen Mist and is dying. When Countess arrives, she takes control of Minoru who then incapacitates the team. She-Hulk, Medusa, Dazzler, Dazzler Thor, and Danvers awake in a jail cell in Astoria to discover that their powers are gone and the populace under the control of the Countess. After She-Hulk taunts the Countess, she has Minoru turn She-Hulk against the others. As the fight with She-Hulk takes the team away from the city and their powers return, the Countess has Minoru turn their feet into cement shoes and drag them under water. As the team is about to drown, Minoru commands them to breathe. Once out of the water, She-Hulk sends half the team to distract Countess, while the others rescue Minoru. After being rescued, Minoru reveals the true nature of Countess’ powers and returns with Dazzler and Dazzler Thor to confront Countess. Minoru convinces Countess to have a change of heart as Dazzler Thor succumbs to the compounded effects that the Terrigen Mist are having on her otherworldly system. After Dazzler Thor’s body vanishes, Dazzler warns her teammates that she may suffer a similar fate.^[34]

During the Civil War II storyline, after She-Hulk is gravely wounded in a battle with Thanos, Danvers tells Minoru that the Inhuman Ulysses had a vision of her killing a woman named Alice. Refusing to be arrested for a crime that she has yet to commit, Minoru flees to a safehouse in Ouray, Colorado. Unbeknownst to Minoru, the town is under attack from a swarm of giant bugs. Minoru encounters Elsa Bloodstone. Bloodstone informs Minoru that the attack is the result of an infection that is turning the populace into insects and takes her to meet Janine, whose daughter Alice has gone missing during the commotion. Meanwhile, Danvers and Medusa race to find Minoru before Dazzler and Singularity, who disagree with their methods. Danvers and Medusa find Minoru and Bloodstone just before Dazzler and Singularity arrive. After a brief confrontation, they agree to split into two teams: one to find Alice and the other to protect the civilians. While searching for Alice in an abandoned mine, Danvers, Minoru and Bloodstone are attacked by a giant bug. The bug incapacitates Danvers and Bloodstone before telepathically communicating to Minoru that she is Alice and has been inadvertently infecting the townspeople after her transformation. Alice tells Minoru that killing her is the only way to save the people. When Minoru refuses, an infected Bloodstone threatens to kill Danvers. Medusa, Singularity, and an infected Dazzler are overrun by bugs and regroup with the others just as Bloodstone infects Danvers. After Dazzler infects Medusa, Minoru casts a spell to transform Alice back into a human but it does not cure the rest of the populace. Alice explains that she must be killed and Minoru reluctantly casts a death spell on Alice which transforms the infected back into humans. Alice then remerges in her final form and tells A-Force that she is no longer a threat as she now has greater control of her powers. When the commotion is over, Danvers and Minoru continue to disagree over each other’s actions but agree to visit She-Hulk together in the hospital.^[35]

Powers and abilities

Spellcasting

Nico, being a witch, uses magic as her weapon. In the early issues, her sole weapon had been the Staff of One, an ancient^[37] magical staff that can cast any spell imaginable.^[38] The Staff, however, comes with two limitations; first, and more importantly, Nico cannot cast the same spell twice, or the spell will misfire and a random effect will occur; for example, the second time she tried to cast “Freeze,” she produced pelicans, and the second time she attempted to cast a “Fumigation” spell, the staff teleported Nico and Karolina miles in the Los Angeles desert.^[39] The second limitation of the Staff of One is that it cannot be used to bring people back from the dead.^[40] Nico discovered this limitation when she tried to resurrect Alex Wilder, and explained why she could not magically revive the deceased future version of Gertrude Yorkes.^[40] Tina Minoru, the Staff’s owner previous to Nico, mentions that the Staff even made Dormammu (a demonic entity with vast magical power far surpassing even that of the Sorcerer Supreme) tremble^[41] and that it gave the wielder “[a]ll the power of the past, present and future” and would make its wielder “unstoppable.”  Tina is also able to do spells without saying them, as evident when she turns herself, Robert Minoru, and the Steins into their villain costumes.^[42] In Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways, Nico successfully cast a tunneling spell using a Latin phrase supplied to her by the Vision, even without knowing its meaning.^[43]

Only Nico can summon the Staff, but initially, anyone could cast spells with it. When not in use the Staff retreats into her body, which Nico describes as “feel[ing] like I have something in my eye, but instead of my eye, it’s…it’s my soul.”^[38] To summon the Staff, Nico sheds blood and automatically recites “When blood is shed, let the Staff of One emerge.”^[36] Early in volume one, Nico would cut herself to release the Staff, often using Chase’s switchblade.^[37]As the series progressed, Nico found alternative ways to make herself bleed, including brushing her gums for extended periods of time^[44] and having Gert’s Deinonychus Old Lace bite her arm;^[45] during her monthly menstrual cycle, Nico does not need to cut herself to evoke the Staff.^[46] The Staff always emerges from the center of her chest, and passes through any clothing she is wearing without damaging it or Nico. However the Staff will damage anyone or anything directly in its way when ejected from Nico’s body. For example, the Staff emerged after the vampire Topher began to drain Nico’s blood and pierced directly through the center of his chest.^[47] Nico cannot truly control what kind of effect her spells will have: she must conjure up painful memories to cast a spell, as well as imagining anything that makes her feel guilty.^[48] In the Mystic Arcana series, Nico is said to have far greater magical potential than even she had realized, as the last living heir to the Clan Minoru; Nico overwhelms Marie LaVeau in a matter of moments, despite all of Marie’s magical experience and power, and discovers that the roots of her family legacy are deeper than even she imagined, with her being the only person alive capable of unlocking the Black Mirror. Nico is told that she has stepped onto the Dark Path and that she and Marie shall meet again, “for all those who step onto the Dark Path are destined to travel that road together.” On occasion, however, she has cast spells without resorting to the Staff, such as creating an image of Alex Wilder in the palm of her hand. Time and space are also crucial limitations to the power of the Staff: all spells shown cast by it only have a temporary effect, and the effects of these spells weaken as the distance between Nico and the target increases.^[49]

In Runaways vol. 2 #17, it is revealed that if Nico steps into the path of the ashes of dead wizards, her powers will not work at all.^[50]

Extended magic

Nico’s time with the Witchbreaker has granted her a newer version of the Staff of One, similar to the original but with more adornments and a larger ring (the ball on the original Staff is also removed). Nico can now wield its powers and cast spells with greater proficiency than before, even floating under her own powers instead of using the Staff, as Nico had already cast a variety of levitation enchantments before. Furthermore, Victor Mancha also questions how Nico is floating, apparently indicating that this was indeed not of the Staff’s own magic.^[51] Nico can now cast a variety of spells without using her Staff, bringing her closer to her parents’ abilities. It is unknown where the Staff of One is now, though her new staff, regardless of its precise origins, is summoned in exactly the same method as the former.^[52]

More recently, Nico’s Staff has displayed an ability to defend itself. The Staff now reacts violently toward anyone other than Nico who attempts to use it, turning into a demon or dragon and devouring that individual.^[53]

Later in Daken: Dark Wolverine she shows that her spells can be extremely detailed when she freezes Daken with “Freeze to the exact temperature and aesthetic appearance of a cheap Popsicle from a 7/11” though she still has the “One spell” rule.

After her murder by Apex^[24] and subsequent resurrection,^[25] Nico once again received a new Staff of One with a new design up top. This staff also was shorter and did not extend to the ground, could be touched by anyone (as Apex proved), and could be summoned back to Nico upon command. Nico was also granted a new left arm where she could perform spells without holding the Staff of One.^[25] According to the resurrected Alex, the left arm was clearly a more powerful conduit of dark magic than even the Staff of One. This upgrade increased her dark powers and allowed her to enter a blind rage where her magic is more powerful, as she runs purely on instinct.^[54]

Character attributes and personality

Nico is Japanese American.^[55] She is also shown to be a very emotional person. She expresses feelings for Alex Wilder during their original getaway, but is hesitant to start a romance.^[56] After Alex saves her from a vampire attack some time later, she begins to date him.^[45] This pattern of seeking physical or romantic comfort with people during stressful and/or intense situations follows Nico throughout the remainder of the series.^[57] Despite this, Nico proves her loyalty to the Runaways when Alex betrays the group and offers her a seat in the new world promised by the Pride’s Biblical benefactors, the Gibborim.^[58] She refuses Alex’s offer brutally and helps usher her friends to safety.^[58] Nico is sent to Father Flanagan’s Home for Unwanted Goth Kids. However, the group organizes a mass escape from their homes to begin life as full-time vigilantes; Nico is generally accepted as de facto team leader.^[59]

When Nico takes the leadership position, it proves she has the intelligence and courage to make difficult decisions. One notable example is a risky decision in leaving Xavin to battle a resurrected Geoffrey Wilder herself saying “Xavin knew the risks”.^[46] In another incident where The Punisher was holding them at gunpoint and was seriously injured by being punched in the stomach by Molly, when the others expressed concern about his condition, Nico flatly stated that she “wasn’t going to waste a healing spell” on him. Nico also kisses Chase after he negotiates their way out of a potentially fatal situation with an interdimensional drug-dealer; this causes a falling out between Nico and Chase’s girlfriend Gert, almost dissolving the team from the inside.^[60] Gert’s untimely death sends Nico into the arms of Victor Mancha, with whom she reveals she has a habit of running to people when distressed.^[57] She suffered survivor’s guilt regarding Gert’s death. Her insecurities and confusion over her romantic life comes to haunt her in a dream, where her deceased parents berated Nico for acting like a “slut” (for kissing Alex, Topher, Chase, and Victor).^[49] Nico admits she is confused but she will figure “who and what [she] likes on her own” and then she kills them.^[49] She begins a relationship with Victor, but the relationship is quickly ended mutually after Victor falls for another girl.

Nico became very isolated and unstable after the events of Avengers Arena, where she was dismembered, resurrected, and ultimately survived MurderWorld, having almost no contact with the Runaways, even ignoring Molly’s birthday. She explains she was destroyed after the events of the Arena, she was terrified of her new powers and was likely suffering from severe PTSD, and seeing Chase return to normal after the experience only made her hurt more.^[54]

Relationships with other Runaways

Nico is a very emotional person and has repeatedly expressed difficulty with knowing precisely what she is feeling.^[38] Nico admits to Victor that she has a tendency to seek comfort after highly emotional situations or periods of stress.^[57] Nonetheless, she is typically very open when trying to express her feelings and has thus been able to connect with many of the Runaways on an emotional level and maintain many close friendships throughout the series. Over the years, Minoru has romantic relationships with several people, including Alex Wilder—by whose treachery she is devastated—and Victor Mancha. She has a confusing and frustrating time with the mutual feelings between her and Karolina, however, a romantic relationship never developed as their timing never seemed to work out.^[61]

Alex Wilder

In the first volume, Nico and Alex share a brief relationship. She kisses him for the first time during the Runaways’ attempted rescue of Molly Hayes;^[36] it is later revealed Alex was Nico’s first kiss.^[62] She kisses and expresses love for Alex after he saves her from the vampire Topher; it is generally accepted that Nico and Alex are a couple at this point.^[47] Despite her professed love for Alex, Nico chooses to side with the Runaways after Alex reveals his plan to bring her to the Gibborim’s new world with her parents, firmly establishing her dedication to the team and her strength of character. However, despite the betrayal, Nico demonstrates willingness to forgive when she unsuccessfully tries to resurrect Alex, and states that even though Alex was a traitor, he did not deserve death.^[40] In Mystic Arena set in volume one, she still misses and loves him.^[10] During the events of Avengers Undercover, Alex is resurrected by Daimon Hellstrom to become Nico’s tutor in battle strategy. She reminiscences her past affection for him; however, it’s now replaced with murder daydreams of him and annoyance of his attempts to flirt with her. She tells him “what we used to be… that’s dead”.^[54] After Chase was injured in battle and left comatose, she is devastated and blamed herself. Nico momentarily gave up being good as it kept turning out wrong and hurt people she loves. She decided to ‘do the wrong thing’ in order to feel good, and briefly rekindled her romance with Alex before he betrayed her.^[54][63] And once again, they went their separate ways as she fought alongside the superheroes whereas Alex joined the super-villainous team, Young Masters.^[64][32]

Karolina Dean

Karolina’s feelings for Nico were hinted at throughout volume 1, ending with Karolina sheepishly blushing when Nico says she has sworn off boys.^[59] However, Karolina’s feelings were not explicitly expressed until she attempted to kiss Nico.^[39] Nico immediately turned Karolina down; however, when Karolina decides to travel to her home planet Majesdane with Xavin, Nico is distraught for losing her friend. The Runaways stop Nico from casting a spell to bring Karolina back to Earth. Months later, Chase catches Nico strewing Karolina’s clothes about her floor for remembrance’s sake and tells him, “I didn’t hurt this bad when Alex betrayed us. I didn’t even hurt like this when our parents died.” After Karolina returns, Nico becomes overjoyed and hugs her, saying that she felt all alone with Karolina gone. Their friendship is an occasionally strained one, due to Karolina’s unrequited feelings towards Nico and Nico’s conflicted feelings towards Karolina’s relationships.^[65] When the group re-bands some time later, Nico attempted to kiss Karolina, revealing her possible romantic feelings. However, Karolina rejected her, due to her wanting to be faithful to her girlfriend, Julie Power, and dismissed it as Nico’s habit of seeking physical comfort in times of stress.^[66] Following Julie and Karolina’s break-up, Karolina invited Nico to attend her parents’ legitimate foundation’s charity ball with her. While there, Karolina’s usual nervousness was replaced by newfound confidence because of Nico’s support as she’s “always seen the real” her.^[67] Nico confessed for a long time she was confused about herself so she couldn’t see her clearly. Nico knows who and what she wants now and asks Karolina to give her a second chance. Karolina was surprised and a little scared but the two kissed, beginning a relationship.^[68]

Chase Stein

Nico admits she provides a motherly role to Chase’s rule-breaking persona.^[69] The pair maintain a strong respect for each other despite often disagreeing over major group decisions, including Gert’s burial site and allowing Victor to join the team.^[70] Chase cares for Nico’s safety and well-being, as evidenced from when he comforted Nico after Karolina’s departure, and when he took the Staff of One from Nico to destroy it to give her a normal life.^[71] After Chase bluffed their way out of a fatal encounter with the drug lord, Pusher-Man, Nico kisses him. This causes a rift in their friendship, and into Gert and Chase’s relationship.^[72] Nico is also the only person that Chase bids farewell before leaving to sacrifice himself for the Gibborim, which Nico interprets as a cry for help.^[71] Following their adventure in 1907, Chase and Nico’s friendship appeared to be more stable after Chase moved past grieving for Gert.^[51] In Volume 3, issue 13, the two share a surprising and intimate kiss. Later, both were kidnapped together by Arcade to participate in his latest incarnation of Murderworld. In there, Nico started to develop a love-hate relationship with Chase. She repeatedly chided Chase for acting out of character and risking their lives. During the events of the arena, Nico was angry at Chase for acting differently or untrustworthy, even kicking him out of the group at one point. Despite this, Chase planned on protecting Nico and making sure she, and not himself, was going to survive Murder World. After the events of the Arena, Nico became reclusive while Chase became the sole guardian of the Runaways. Nico was angry that Chase had reverted to his old self after Murder World, while she thought of herself as broken. She was devastated when Chase was left comatose after a battle.

Gertrude Yorkes

Gert and Nico had been close friends since birth.^[57] After Gert’s death, Nico tells Victor (while crying) that Gert had sent her My Little Pony dolls in the forest because Gert thought they should be free, and Nico had knit a purple scarf for Gert’s thirteenth birthday, prompting Gert to dye her hair that color.^[57] Nico also told Gert that should Nico get hurt, Gert would be leader. The pair’s friendship briefly breaks after Gert discovered Nico’s kiss with Chase after their encounter with the Pusher Man.^[60] Their falling out caused much friction in the group. Nico and Gert finally resolved their differences with a short bout of tossing insults. Despite Gert’s cynical attitude, she rarely argued with Nico’s decisions and was usually prepared to stand by her friend. Nico experiences survivor’s guilt after Gert dies,^[57] knowing that Gert’s murderer Geoffrey Wilder had initially meant to kill Nico.^[73]

Victor Mancha

Nico explains that she seeks physical comfort after periods of stress.^[57] While Victor expresses feelings for Nico, she asks for time alone to clear her head and figure her feelings out, much like how she initially dealt with Alex and Karolina after each expressed feelings for Nico.^[57] However, Nico admits that Victor is genuinely a good guy and would not mind being in a relationship with him. Victor calls Nico his girlfriend when he attempts to save her from Chase, and although she is in a hostage situation, Nico still lightly scolds Victor for calling her such.^[71] The two eventually become a couple.^[71] However, the relationship is brief as Victor falls for Lillie, a carefree girl from 1907. Trying to become a better person, Nico, seeing that Victor and Lillie are in love, steps aside, deciding to remain friends even after Lillie decides to stay in the past.^[51]

Details here.

 

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Nico Minoru

Status

 Identity

No Dual Identity

 Citizenship

American

 Marital Status

Single

 Occupation

Adventurer, Magician

 Education

High school dropout

Characteristics

 Gender

Female

 Height

5′ 4″

 Weight

102 lbs (46 kg)

 Eyes

Brown

 Hair

Black with tips dyed green

 Unusual Features

multiple piercings, formerly missing left fore-arm

Origin

 Origin

Human of magical birthright.

 Universe

Earth-616

 Place of Birth

Los Angeles, California

 Creators

Brian K. Vaughan, Adrian Alphona

First Appearance
Runaways #1 (July, 2003)

 

–

Runaways

Every year, Nico Minoru’s parents would join five other couples in a “charity event.” One year, Nico and the other kids decided to spy on their parents.^[2] Nico was shocked to discover her father speaking a strange enchantment, and after witnessing the murder of an innocent girl by their parents (“The Pride“), Nico joined the others in running away from their parents.^[3]

While on the run, Nico reencounters her parents. Her mother, wielding a large staff with a ball at the end (“the Staff of One“), reveals that she and Nico’s father were dark wizards. She then attempts to jam the Staff into Nico’s chest. Nico’s body, curiously, absorbs it. After she is later cut by Dale Yorkes‘ samurai battle-axe, the Staff re-emerges from her chest, prompting Nico to use the phrase “Freeze”, and freeze Stacey Yorkes. Nico was discovered to be a witch, and the Staff would only emerge when she bled.^[4]Sometime after running off, Nico took on the name Sister Grimm to escape the name her parents gave her, but dropped it after a while.^[1] After team leader Alex outs himself as a mole and was defeated along with the Pride, Nico is accepted as the groups’ leader.^[5]

Mystic Arcana

Following the team’s initial dissolution, Nico was sent to live at Father Flanagan’s Home for Unwanted Goth Kids.^[6] While there, she was soon talked into going to a nightclub with her friends, where she met her parents’ old rival Marie Laveau; Laveau sought revenge on Nico’s parents for stealing the Black Mirror, one of the four Cornerstones of Creation. After Laveau explained that she needed Nico’s blood to activate the Black Mirror, Nico willingly offered it up, knowing that this would bring out the Staff of One. The two fought, and Nico easily prevailed. Having regained the mirror, Nico attempted to bring back Alex Wilder using the Mirror; however, the spell failed, the Mirror shattered and the last page of the Darkhold was revealed behind the glass. Laveau took it and fled, while Nico accepted her place as an outcast and with the Runaways.^[6]

As a fugitive

After being warned of a future threat named Victor Mancha, Nico and the Runaways found and abducted Victor to question him. After Victor’s mother was murdered and Ultron, his father, was destroyed, Nico invited Victor to become a part of the team, much to the anger of some members, notably Chase. Nico reassured them that she was willing to “rip Victor’s damn heart out” if necessary.^[7] Karolina tried to kiss Nico, revealing that she was a lesbian.^[8]

After Chase tied Nico up before he attempted to sacrifice himself to the Gibborim, Nico interpreted it as a cry for help and led the Runaways to intervene Chase’s self-sacrifice. The Gibborim instead attempted to take Nico, revealing that Nico’s soul was innocent, thus suitable for the Gibborim’s consumption. Victor rescued Nico and the two formed a relationship. After defeating the Gibborim, Victor asked Nico what she was willing to do if Chase did something like this again; Nico responded by saying she was willing to “rip Chase’s damn heart out” if necessary. After returning to their lair beneath the La Brea Tar Pits, Xavin realized she had publicly exposed their location, drawing the attention of Iron Manand S.H.I.E.L.D.. Nico, stepping into her role as a leader, led the Runaways in a cross-country escape from Iron Man and S.H.I.E.L.D..^[9]

The Witchbreaker

After escaping the authorities, the Runaways headed to New York where Nico anxiously made a deal with the Kingpin.^[9] In a twisted turn of events, the Runaways ended up time-displaced in 1907 New York, where Nico was kidnapped and brought to a woman named “the Witchbreaker.” The Witchbreaker claimed she was Nico’s great-grandmother, and stated she would teach Nico how to withstand more pain and, therefore, wield more magic with better proficiency. She wielded a weapon similar to the Staff of One, with more adornments. When reunited with her comrades, a significant development to Nico’s abilities was evident, where she was freely able to float, displayed more proficiency and confidence in casting spells and was able to use a spell with an effect more complicated than most of her others thus far. Somehow Nico had obtained the Witchbreaker’s Staff. During this period, Victor fell in love with another girl, corrupting his relationship with Nico before they returned to the present.^[10]

Secret Invasion

During the global shape-shifting alien invasion by the Skrulls, Nico and the other Runaways briefly remained in New York after returning from 1907, trusting that “hiding in plain sight” would be sufficient to conceal their own identities and that it would be best if they showed Klara around her city in the future before they returned to Los Angeles. However, to their shock, an armada of Skrull ships attack New York and its civilians. Xavin, trying to fool the invaders into thinking she intended to help them, used a force field to knock out the Runaways; Nico and Victor were still conscious, however, and they attacked Xavin, accusing her of being a traitor. Xavin revealed that she was trying to protect them and convinced them that the Skrulls were too dangerous for them to fight and pled with them to flee to the Leapfrog. The Runaways eventually united with the Young Avengers to assist against the invading Skrulls. Nico insisted on leading her team to help the Young Avengers continue the fight against the Skrulls, refusing to “run away.” However, Wiccan urged her to leave, claiming that if the Young Avengers lost, they would need the Runaways to save them.^[11]

Dead Wrong

Nico used a spell (“scatter”) to scatter a group of invading Majesdanians all over the planet. The spell, however, had unwanted side-effects: it emotionally scattered the Runaways.^[12] Victor realized this in time, and Nico spearheaded a massive escape from the returning Majesdanians. A short time later, the Runaways realized that having obeyed Nico, breaking the enchantment. Regardless, Xavin shape shifted into Karolina and left Earth, much to the other Runaways’ great grief.^[13]

Later on, Nico used the spell “Zombie Not” to turn an army of zombies back to humans. The spell backfired, actually turning the zombies into a “zombie knot“, thus creating one large zombie. The Runaways deduced that after the Witchbreaker tortured and trained Nico, Nico’s magical abilities had been severely augmented.^[14] Val Rhymin’s magician informed Nico that the Staff of One carried tremendous magical ability and Nico, being young, should not use it. The magician stole the Staff from her, only to be killed after the Staff defended itself. A silent Nico took her Staff back and warned the other Runaways not to touch it.^[14]

Home Schooling

Nico dedicated her efforts to providing normalcy for her teammates. She tried to enroll Molly in the Xavier School’s San Francisco campus, but this backfired when one of the many victims of Molly’s late parents kidnapped her. Later, she tried to stage a prom in an attempt to give her older teammates an outlet for their sexual tension, which had been growing worse after Victor lost Lillie and Karolina lost Xavin. This also backfired, as Victor, who’d been given the task of finding music, hacked into what he thought was some shut-in’s private radio station. The radio signal was actually coming from a naval air weapons base that was awaiting the arrival of a mysterious plane, and Victor’s hacking reproduced the radio signal, causing the craft to hit the Runaways’ home by accident. Most of the team was unharmed, but Old Lace was seemingly killed and Klara was buried beneath a pile of rubble and panicked, causing the house to become engulfed in a forest of vines.^[15] Nico tried various methods to calm Klara down, but Chase kept sabotaging them, as he resented Klara for surviving. His efforts caused Klara to become increasingly worked up, until finally Nico resorted to using magic to force her to calm down.^[16] She also sent Old Lace’s body into another dimension to to keep it from becoming a source of conflict among the team.^[17]

Meanwhile, a military unit had arrived to investigate the crash, but were held at bay by Klara’s vines. Fortunately, Chase’s long-lost uncle, Hunter Stein arrived, and due to the vines mistaking him for one of the Runaways, was allowed through the vines, whereupon Chase revealed that he believed that he’d killed Hunter years earlier in an accident, and thus refused to deal with him. Undeterred, Hunter led the team to a secret garage within the house, where they found a new Leapfrog. The Runaways escaped while the military opted to burn down the house and call it a night.^[18]

While the team hid out, Chase decided that he needed to get away from his teammates for a while and left them on the pretense of going out to buy food. After he failed to return (having been hit by a car while chasing after an apparently-resurrected Gert), the rest of the team were summoned to a meeting with Hunter, who offered to help them find a new place to live. Nico, wary of accepting aid that might alienate Chase, and unaware that Chase himself had been taken to a hospital, turned down the offer.^[19]

The Return of Old Lace

Sometime later, Chase began to sense Old Lace’s presence and became convinced that she was still alive, but trapped in another dimension. The Runaways reluctantly traveled to Avengers Academy to consult with Dr. Hank Pym. After some misunderstandings, Pym agreed to help them, and with the aid of Reptil, opened a portal to the dimension where Old Lace was living. The team’s joyful reunion was cut short, however, when Nico discovered that Pym and Tigra believed that the Runaways were unfit to raise Molly and Klara, and were planning to separate the two from the rest of the team.^[17] Naturally a battle ensued, but the Academy students refused to fight the Runaways just because they were refusing to disband. Seeking to dispel any further conflict, Nico used a spell that allowed the Runaways and the Academy staff to see each other’s memories. The Runaways saw that Pym only sought to help them, while the Pym and Tigra saw that Molly and Klara truly saw the Runaways as their only family. Subsequently, the two parties brokered a compromise where the Academy left the Runaways alone as long as the Runaways reported to the Academy on a regular basis to prove that they were all in good health. The two groups parted on friendly terms.^[20]

Avengers Arena

Nico was one of the 16 super-powered teens captured and brought to Murderworld where Arcade planned on them to kill each other in order to survive. She was transported there alongside with Chase. When Arcade woke them up, Nico was among those who do not attack him.^[21]

She stayed with Chase and later tried with her to team-up with the Avengers, but when Chase quickly accused to had attacked and burned Reptil, the Runaways were rejected, and Nico, affected by the destruction of her magical tree by Hazmat, rejected herself Chase.^[22] When Arcade informed the participants of the existence of safe zones, the Runaways were seen still together. At this point, they teamed-up with Cammi.^[23]

Eventually, their group rejoined the Braddock Academy, and the whole of them were later witness of a vengeance assault from Juston and Death Locket, respectively accompanied by X-23 and Tim Bashir (the merged twin brother of Apex). There, Chase revealed his Darkhawk’s powers.^[24]

The fight evolved into a Juston/Darkhawk duel and was aborted by Tim’s technopathy. Once everybody calmed down, they had to vote on Tim’s fate. Nico voted for Tim to stay alive, but Chase wished for his death. Since most of the group wanted him to stay with them, Chase tried to take the kill but was expelled from the group by Nico’s Staff. Later that night, Nico agreed to be on watch, allowing Tim and Death Locket to have a romantic moment. She was unaware by leaving, Tim reverted back to Katy, killed Juston and vanished off with the remains of Juston Seyfert’s Sentinel and Death Locket.^[25]

At morning, she was unable to stop X-23 from pursuing Katy. Explaining the situation to her awakening teammates, she was designated the fighter of the group because of her power set. Katy quickly attacked back, manipulating Juston’s Sentinel and Death Locket and bringing back the near-lifeless corpse of X-23. Nico battled X-23 and cast a spell to teleport Nara, Aiden, Cammi, and Cullen away, saving their lives. Nico closed the portal before she could teleport herself.^[26]

She then confronted Katy and her weapons, and was attacked by Chase, controlled in his Darkhawk form by Apex, who ripped off her left arm and pushed her from a cliff. Wounded to death, she was able to formulate a last spell (Help) before dying, afraid of dying alone.^[26]

Nico was later revived by the Staff of One, using her last spell as well as her blood as a sacrifice to bring her to life. The spell restored her missing arm and the rest of her body. Her staff is now half the size of what it was, while the other half seems to have been made into a gauntlet on her new arm. It appears that her staff and her gauntlet both work similar in forms of magic spell, as her previous Staff of One did. Nico then went to attack against Katy, Death Locket, and Chase, where she destroyed the sentinel and defeated Chase. Nico then used a spell that buried Death Locket and Katy, which she believed to have killed them.^[27]

These events leave her so distraught that, upon subduing Cullen’s monster form, she tries to kill him and orders Chase to hold off Cammi, believing that all being herself did while inside the game was earn her a early death. Cammi confronts her in the Darkhawk Armor, having taken it from Chase, and tries to reason with her. At first the talk between Cammi and Nico seems to be working out, until Nico realizes she has the amulet of Darkhawk. This makes her suspect Cammi has harmed Chase. Before Cammi can explain, the two engage in battle. Eventually they and other contestants are distracted by Hazmat’s powers going out of control. After the situation with Hazmat is handled, Nico along with several others stop fighting one another and decide to work together. The teenagers agree that it isn’t easy to kill one another, and worse, Apex is now causing several creatures to attack them all. In the end, Death Locket saves Nico and the rest of them by killing Apex and stopping Arcade’s machinery. Later, several adult superhero teams arrive on Murderworld, rescuing Nico and the surviving teenagers.^[28]

Avengers Undercover

Three months after leaving Murderworld, Nico confronts Chase when he is being interviewed on a TV show.^[29]Chase comments that she missed Molly’s birthday. Nico and Chase teleport to join Aiden, Cammi, and Death Locket at Cullen’s house. They go to Bagalia to find Cullen, who has gone in search of Arcade.^[30]

Entering into the town of villains there is a brief scuffle where she calls Chase’s loyalty into question.^[30] She meets Daimon Hellstrom, who offers to teach her about black magic. She is teleported with the rest to confront Arcade. Nico, Cullen, and Death Locket shut down Arcade’s control center and rejoin Chase, Aiden, Cammi, and Hazmat to fight Arcade.^[31] They stop short of killing him, when Hazmat finished him off.^[32]

Baron Zemo invites the seven Murderworld survivors to stay in Bagalia and join the Masters of Evil.^[32] Nico and Cullen fought demons at Mephisticuffs, a fight club in Bagalia. Daimon Hellstrom told her that she needed a friend to help her find a middle ground between being a hero and being a killer like her parents, and Alex Wilder resurrected, appearing before her.^[33]

Alex trains Nico to use her new powers. At first, Nico gets mad at Alex for flirting with her. After a while, Nico decides that being good keeps turning out wrong, so she’s going to do the bad thing, and she kisses Alex.^[34]Daimon mind-controls Cullen into attacking Aiden, so Nico battles Daimon. The Avengers arrive to rescue Nico and the others, and a fight with the Masters of Evil ensues. The Masters suddenly disappear, and Alex tells Nico that it was all a trap by Baron Zemo. Alex says goodbye and returns to hell.^[35]

Finding Your Way Home

Nico left the Runaways to reconnect with her family in Japan. The wedding of Nico’s cousin was crashed by the arrival of Singularity, Medusa, She-Hulk, who were escaping from the Antimatter. Nico assisted the heroines in fighting the villain, and they became a short-lived team called A-Force.^[36] Also, Nico woke up on day having regained her arm, with her staff and her powers also having returned to their original ways.^[37][38]

She, once again, attempted to lead a normal life, but this was interrupted by Chase, who had used the time machine that belonged to Gert’s parents to go back in time in an attempt to save her from dying. Even though he failed to stop her from getting hurt, Chase retrieved Gert’s body and returned to the present. Arriving to Nico’s house, Chase requested her help, and she used the Staff of One to save Gert’s life.^[37] Enraged after learning that the team had drifted apart, Gert rallied Nico and Chase to get the team together.^[39] Nico was initially reluctant, but she realized that she didn’t have anyone, and figured being together with the Runaways would keep her good.^[40]

When the team returned, they moved to the The Hostel’s main building. Nico stepped into team leader duties, but concealed how painful her relationship with the Staff of One had become, and refrained from summoning it.^[41] To help provide to the team, both Nico and Chase got run-of-the-mill jobs.^[42] Shortly after Karolina’s girlfriend Julie Power broke up with her,^[43] Nico decided to act on her feelings for Karolina, and they started dating.^[44]

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Blood Magic: Nico has magical aptitude, but she did not receive formal training. So far she has relied on the Staff of One to work magic. After her encounter with Witchbreaker, her abilities were augmented so that she can create smaller magical effects without the aid of the Staff. She can freely float, although this ability is not as useful as actual flight which requires a spell. She can cast spells to change her surroundings, such as transforming the inside of a building.^[45]

• Flight: She can fly with the Staff of One.
• Magical Telekinesis: She can magically levitate and move objects with her mind.
• Magical Teleportation: She can open portals to teleport people to other places.^[26]

Weaknesses

She cannot repeat spells with the Staff: they either will not work at all or will cause a random effect. This was evident in the early period of the Runaways’ escape from their parents, when Nico attempted to reuse the “Freeze” spell she had used on Stacey Yorkes. She accidentally conjured a flock of pelicans. The use of different languages and the extent of her vocabulary permit her to perform more spells.

Paraphernalia

Transportation

Leapfrog

Weapons

Staff of One: This ancient magical item has become a part of Nico. She can call it forth by shedding blood (through cutting herself, menstruating, or being wounded) and reciting, “When blood is shed, let the Staff of One emerge.” The staff appears out of her chest, passing through her skin and clothing without harm. Once summoned, the staff used to work for anyone. But as evidenced by the confrontation with Val Rhymin’s magician, the Staff has recently developed the ability to defend itself in a violent manner. Nico can cast spells by invoking painful memories, thinking of an effect, and giving the spell a name. There are no “standard” spells; in fact, casting any spell a second time produces an unpredictable (and usually undesirable) effect. Nico’s spells can affect the elements (earth, air, fire, water), time and/or space, matter and/or energy, light, biological processes, and mental processes, and can apparently summon creatures from other dimensions; in short, the staff allows Nico to do anything she can imagine, short of raising the dead. After the staff has expended a certain amount of power, it disappears inside Nico again. The Staff has been recently updated into a version of the Witchbreaker’s Staff, augmenting Nico’s powers considerably.

Details here.

 

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Spec’s Again:

 

–

Nico Minoru is a regular teenage girl until she absorbs the powerful and magical Staff of One, during an attack by her own mother. Banding together with her friends to form the Runaways, Nico defies her villainous parentage.

Details here.

 

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Nico & Auz:

Auz hates goths. He hates makeup, too –all of it. Anyone wearing it usually gets banned for life from Inisfree –or de-atomized.

As per Inisfreean culture, religion, and law, anyone not fully (including sexually) compatible with him can never come in –or even know the location of his realm. All history has shown that incompatible people, cultures, and empires, always implode if not destroy each other. Thus, in order to be the incarnation of the prophecy of the reunification of Heaven and Earth, eternal, all who come to Inisfree must be pre-screened and found compatible in every way with those already there.

Nico is a lesbian –or at least mostly a lesbian; that isn’t compatible with, or useful for, Auz. She knows next to nothing about sexuality or the full spectrum of magic (which is severely and extremely limited when a fully-honed sexuality is not applied to the life of a/the practitioner). She has also been a drug-addict –though Auz once, in his earlier years of desperation, was briefly, too.

The only reason he even knows of her is because of her “on-again, off-again” girlfriend, Karolina; in 2017 when he went on another of his expeditions, she had a noteworthy bio-signature (that of a witch-in-training) spotted when Karolina’s more-attractive signature was zeroed in on. The Inisfreean technology scanned Karolina’s mind, noting Nico. You can guess the rest; the Grid Mind found Nico shortly thereafter, scanned her just as undetectably, and prioritized contact with her as very low.

That usually-powerful (though semi-erratic) wizard-staff of hers doesn’t work the same way when around him; his calming superpower prevents it from casting random spells, and it can’t harm (or even alter) anything that is an I.C. (Inisfreean Construct; the ICVs, their vehicles and buildings, their landscaping and crops, their food, etc.). Since it can easily be used as a weapon, it also isn’t allowed; it is counted as contraband, along with all her makeup, goth jewelry, etc. She’s never once been allowed to bring it with her –not within a thousand miles of the Perimeter Wall (even though it won’t work within the Orb).

To get into Inisfree, Nico having not passed her pre-screening, she had to meet Auz somewhere in the Outlands first. Karolina facilitated this, providing the formal introduction. After hearing what she had to say about her budding-witch almost-girlfriend, he agreed to let Nico visit his city at least once… on one condition; they had to demonstrate natural comfortability with the easiest part of The Inisfreean Way; they had to share love in front of him.

Luckily for Nico, Karolina had prepped her for comments, offers, and mentalities like this… well in advance of her meeting there with Auz. Nico paused, thinking about it, then nodded once; she would do it (literally, in this case). She and Karolina stripped right there, got on their couch, and began.

Years later, she’ll start having sex with Auz on her own, daring to invite him over to her place outside Inisfree for that. Every time they fuck, she’ll notice her mind becoming clearer, and her abilities increasing/improving. That, paired with the way he now treats her (like royalty), will be enough to keep her “lesbian except for him”.

*Also, the Inisfreeans (via Nyria) suggested (somewhat jokingly) that they use Nico’s witch-staff to will/tell it to make itself never work again, but they of course aren’t going to do that to the poor girl, Nico; she’s been through enough, and that goes far beyond the realm of fair pranks.

 

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2022 Update:

Having grown so completely comfortable with Auz, she is not just making love with him now; this year, she is even marrying him.

 

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