History
The Runaways[]
Nico Minoru was raised in an affluent Japanese-American family devoted to charity… or so she thought. In truth, to Nico's horror, her parents were powerful sorcerers and members of a villainous organization called the Pride. After witnessing them murder a young girl, Nico allied with the other teenaged children of the Pride, disowned her parents, and ran away from home.
The depths of her parents' corruption was revealed when Nico tried to rescue a friend captured by the Pride: her own mother tried to kill her by stabbing Nico with a magical staff. However, instead of being wounded, Nico’s body absorbed the weapon, removing it from her mother’s control as the teen’s own affinity for dark magic revealed itself for the first time. She is now a witch with near-boundless powers... except that her magic can be chaotic and unpredictable. Her powers bend to her will, preventing her from hurting an ally or healing an enemy, but precision can be challenging.
The Runaways broke up after the death of Gert Yorkes. Molly went on to attend Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, Karolina left Earth to marry alien nobility, while Nico had a falling out with Chase, leaving Chase and Old Lace back in Los Angeles.[1]
Joining the Midnight Suns[]
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Nico brings everyone together for a movie night.
Nico joined the Midnight Suns, moving to the Abbey hidden inside a Pocket Dimension in Salem (Massachusetts). Nico was the youngest of the group and initially found herself isolated, as Magik only talked to Wanda whose own powers seemed too imposing, Robbie Reyes was homesick and obsessed with calling his little brother, and Blade avoided getting close to anyone. Remembering Molly, Nico made herself the center of the group: she befriended Magik by learning from Wanda what kind of gifts she liked, impressed Blade by holding her own during the training, and started a tradition of having Midnight Suns movie nights to bring the entire team together.[2] But a tragedy struck when a ritual by Wanda went wrong and vaporized Agatha Harkness, Caretaker's long-time love. Though Wanda was not directly at fault, Caretaker still sent her away to Doctor Strange, something the other Suns disapproved of.[1]
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Nico resurrects Hunter using the Staff of One.
The Avengers arrived at the Abbey and were introduced to the Midnight Suns and the Caretaker. They stood by and watched as Sarah and Strange resurrected Hunter, Lilith's child and the only one to have ever defeated her. The resurrection spell triggered an unexpected reaction from Hunter's mystical Collar, alarming Caretaker but Nico jumped forward with the Staff of One to successfully complete the ritual and bring the Hunter back to life. When Hunter woke up and spoke with Nico, she introduce herself and others, which caused Hunter to recognize that Caretaker had assembled a new incarnation of the Midnight Suns. Nico then gave Hunter a tour of their own home, noting how some things in the Abbey have changed while others remained the same.[1]
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Nico during Magik's birthday party
Hunter joined the Midnight Suns in their fight against Lilith and developed a friendship with Nico, who was eager to have them around and to showcase her favorite movies during the movie nights. Nico also organized the Esoteric Mystical Order, Knights of Intellect and Dimensional Spiritualism (EMO KIDS) club for the magic users that focused on getting back the Hunter's memories that were partially lost during their resurrection. During this time, Magik had her birthday, and Nico organized her a surprise party, even though Magik hated surprises. Magik barely tolerated the festivities, but when the time came to cut her cake, Magik obliterated it with her Soulsword instead and went to Limbo to be alone. Nico felt terrible for making her friend uncomfortable and urged the Hunter to follow Magik into Limbo, opening a portal to it with the Staff of One.[1]
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Nico with Magik
The Avengers and Caretaker were employing various technological and mystical methods but failing to pinpoint Venom location due to the speed at which both he and Spider-Man were traversing the city. Nico and the other Suns interjected and announced they had successfully tracked the pair through social media. Later Nico expressed her anger regarding the Avengers, whom she felt had not only invaded their home but were also steadily assuming control of their mission. Magik agreed and noted that Strange had failed to protect Wanda, who had been taken by Lilith.[1]
Quest to save Wanda[]
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Nico gathers the Midnight Suns in the chapel.
The four Midnight Suns and Hunter all shared the same dream of Scarlet Witch appearing and calling them by name. Fed up with Caretaker and the Avengers not doing anything to get Wanda back, this prompted them to attempt a rescue against Caretaker's wishes. Nico swiped Caretaker's spellbook and found a spell that could potentially track Wanda. Nico secured the door to the Abbey chapel as the group arranged themselves in a circle on the floor. She told everyone to maintain concentration on the spell as she began chanting, with the other four joining in. Black smoke emanated from the mirror, causing both Robbie and Blade to cease chanting while Nico began floating in the air. Hunter seized the Staff of One and shattered the mirror, creating a vortex that sucked Hunter, Nico, and Magik, leaving Blade and Robbie behind.[3]
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Nico is shocked to see Wanda pursuing them to the Abbey.
The trio emerged in a Hydra lab where Bruce Banner, corrupted by Lilith, began taunting them over a loudspeaker, confused about how they had located this facility before deducing that they came for Wanda rather than the Gamma Accelerator. A large glass tube revealed Wanda inside, likewise corrupted by Lilith. Hunter noted that death offered the only chance for release, as Fallen Scarlet Witch burst from the tube and attacked. Magik recognized their need to escape and opened a portal. Nico was still attempting to reason with Wanda but Hunter and Magik grabbed her and dove through the portal. They tumbled out back at the Abbey where the portal was forcibly reopened by Wanda who began pushing herself through while Magik struggled to close it. Caretaker appeared and managed to drive Wanda back, sealed the portal, and stormed off, leaving Nico and Magik visibly distressed.[3]
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Doctor Strange was upset about not being asked to help and insisted the attempt might have succeeded with his involvement. Magik retorted that the Suns distrusted Strange because he had made no effort to recover Wanda since her capture. Nico went to Wanda's room and began studying her grimoire, convinced she could find a spell to break Lilith's hold on Wanda. She and later engaged in a heated argument about Nico's wish to attempt a spell she believed could purify Lilith’s corruption, which Caretaker adamantly prohibited, declaring it impossible. Caretaker convened a team meeting and highlighted how Lilith and her followers maintained unity, stressing the absolute need for everyone present to align their efforts in a common direction. Tony Stark's assertion that the Midnight Suns weren't contributing adequately provoked Nico to counter that the Avengers were actually the ones operating independently. Caretaker admonished them both, noting that the two supposed leaders had effectively demonstrated her point. Captain America suggested that Hunter should lead them, and they accepted the responsibility.[3]
Nico began studying The Book of Thoth, and within it had located a passage recounting a Pharaoh driven to madness after reading the Scrolls of Chthon, another name for the Darkhold, potentially representing the first documented case of corruption. Nico and Magik transcribed the incantation that had cured the first documented case of Lilin corruption. Since corruption could not be destroyed but merely transferred, whoever removed it from Wanda would need to absorb it themselves, leaving Hunter as the only viable candidate, so Nico taught Hunter the incantation and had them commit it to memory. Hunter returned to Banner's lab, and during the battle against the Fallen Scarlet Witch, absorbed her darkness before reciting the incantation from The Book of Thoth. This purged Wanda of her corruption, and she returned to the Abbey with Hunter and Magik. Everyone celebrated her return, and after Wanda went to sleep, Nico and Magik conveyed their gratitude to Hunter.[3]
The Midnight Sun[]
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Nico addressed the Midnight Suns and declared it was their moment to take charge following the Avengers' failures. She claimed that the Avengers were at a disadvantage due to the mystical nature of their adversary, making this situation particularly suited to the Midnight Suns' expertise. Everyone gathered around the Mirror Table, prompting Tony Stark to begin assuming command until reminded of his recent failures, causing him to deflect responsibility and suggest Captain America lead instead. Nico interrupted, highlighting a disturbing pattern - from the Sanctum Sanctorum's destruction to the Los Diablos fiasco, every mission under Avengers leadership had ended disastrously; the other Midnight Suns agreed with Nico and announced their intention to handle the next mission independently.[3]
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At their destination, the Suns discovered Hydra troops guarding Lilith's Tomb. A Hydra helicopter launched missiles toward them, but Nico told the Staff of One to "buy us some time" by immobilizing both enemies and their weapons; she and Magik remained outside to maintain this magical defense while Hunter, Blade, and Ghost Rider ventured inside. They found Lilith channeling Darkhold's power under protective magical barrier, so the heroes shattered the pillars to collapse the tomb. Back at the Abbey, everyone was thrilled to have finally delivered a setback to Lilith. However, back at the tomb, Fallen Hulk clawed his way out of the ground and stood with Lilith as she held the Darkhold aloft, and the Temple of Chthon appeared.[3]
Hunter repeated Nico's the incantation from The Book of Thoth on Hulk, curing him from Lilith's corruption and brining Bruce Banner with them to the Abbey. The next day, everyone observed the ominous green sky outside as Doctor Strange announced the prophecy’s impending fulfillment and Caretaker added that Chthon approached their dimension. Nico organized the last movie night before the end of the world, inviting everyone. She joined the others in the final confrontation with Lilith at the Temple of Chthon, which ended with the threat being dealt with, at the cost of losing Hunter to the Darkhold.[3]Attributes
Powers
- Sorcery
Paraphernalia
Weapons
- The Staff of One
Notes
- Voiced by Lyrica Okano, who reprised her role from the Runaways TV show.
See Also
- 4 appearance(s) of Nico Minoru (Earth-22145)
- 34 image(s) of Nico Minoru (Earth-22145)
- 2 quotation(s) by or about Nico Minoru (Earth-22145)