Cypher (Marvel Comics)

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Cypher (Douglas Aaron "Doug" Ramsey) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character appears usually in the X-Men family of books, in particular those featuring the New Mutants, of which Cypher has been a member. Cypher belongs to the subspecies of humans called mutants, who are born with superhuman abilities. He is able to easily understand any language, whether spoken or written.

The character is not related to the cyborg of the same name who appeared in Sabretooth and Mystique (1996–1997).

Publication history

Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Sal Buscema, the character first appeared in The New Mutants #13 (March 1984).<ref name="NM#13"/><ref name="Marvel Encyclopedia"/> Initially used as a supporting cast member, he was assimilated into the titular superteam in The New Mutants #21 (November 1984). During his run as a member of the team, Cypher was the least popular of the New Mutants, as series writer Louise Simonson recounted: "He wasn't fun to draw. He just stood around and hid behind a tree during a fight... Every artist who ever did him said 'Can't we kill this guy?' We would get letters from fans about how much they hated him. We never got any letters from people saying they liked him until he was dead."<ref name="PoorDoug"/>

Cypher was killed in The New Mutants #60 (February 1988). The story was acclaimed as one of the most touching moments in the series, and sparked a surge in popularity for the character.<ref name="PoorDoug"/> Following his death, Cypher was frequently referenced and even had a solo story in The New Mutants Annual #6 (July 1990), appearing as a ghost. His tombstone appears as one of Magneto's most traumatic memories when psychically assaulted by Professor X and Jean Grey.<ref name="X-Men (Vol. 2) #25"/> After the events of the "Phalanx Covenant" storyline, a techno-organic being known as "Douglock" takes Cypher's form in Excalibur #78 (June 1994), but this being turns out to be Warlock infused with Cypher's memories.<ref name="Warlock #1"/>

The character was resurrected during the 2009–2010 "Necrosha" storyline and appeared regularly in subsequent issues of New Mutants (vol. 3) (2009–2012), All-New X-Factor (2014–2015), and New Mutants (vol. 4) (2020–2023). In the 2024 limited series X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse, Cypher is selected as the heir to Apocalypse, transformed to resemble his predecessor, and renamed Revelation.

Fictional character biography

New Mutants

Douglas Aaron "Doug" Ramsey is born to Philip and Sheila Ramsey in Westchester County, New York. He becomes friends with Kitty Pryde after she moves there to join Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. The two share an interest in computers, Kitty's talent for building hardware complementing Doug's skill at writing software.<ref name="NM#13"/>

A talented hacker, Doug serves as a supporting character for his first few appearances, unaware of Kitty's mutant powers or the true nature of Xavier's School. When Emma Frost offers Doug a scholarship to her Massachusetts Academy, hoping to recruit him to serve the villainous Hellfire Club as a member of the Hellions, Kitty accompanies him on a trip there and is captured, but she is later rescued by the New Mutants.<ref name="NM#14"/><ref name="Uncanny X-Men #180"/><ref name="NM#15"/><ref name="NM#16"/> Though Doug's memory of the mutant-related events is wiped by Frost, he does not accept the scholarship.<ref name="NM#17"/>

The New Mutants later call upon Doug to help them communicate with the newly-arrived techno-organic alien Warlock, revealing that they are mutants and superheroes and that Doug himself is a mutant. Doug subsequently becomes a member of the New Mutants, taking the alias Cypher. With Cypher's affinity for technology and being more readily able to understand Warlock than most others, the two of them become fast friends.<ref name="NM#21"/> Whereas Warlock refers to his teammates with the prefix "selfriend," after Cypher saves his life by offering to share some of his life energy with Warlock, Warlock gives Cypher the unique identifier of "selfsoulfriend".<ref name="X-Men Annual #9"/><ref name="X of Swords Handbook #1"/>

Cypher becomes the team's computer expert and researcher, writing programs for the X-Men's Danger Room.<ref name="NMAnnual#3"/> He is the only one of the New Mutants who never tells his parents that he is a mutant, as he fears rejection.<ref name="NMAnnual#2"/> Despite being instrumental in many of his team's successful missions, Cypher suffers from occasional feelings of inadequacy. These feelings are driven by his lack of combat-oriented powers<ref name="Comics Feature #51"/> and the way Warlock often encapsulates him to provide defense in times of danger.<ref name="NMSE #1"/>

Cypher helps rescue Psylocke from Mojo, venturing deep into her mind and saving her psyche from being torn apart by Spiral. The shared experience creates a deep emotional bond between the two, though neither pursue those feelings any further due to their inappropriate age difference.<ref name="NMAnnual#2"/> Cypher is initially interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with Kitty,<ref name="NM#15"/> but they eventually decide to remain friends,<ref name="NM#45"/> and he later enters into a relationship with his teammate Wolfsbane.<ref name="NM#55"/>

When Warlock's father, the Magus, attacks the team, Cypher defeats him by reprogramming him into an infantile state.<ref name="NM#49"/><ref name="NM#50"/> After the New Mutants rescue a humanoid bird creature named Bird-Brain, Cypher is initially jealous of Wolfsbane's affection for him, but after he manages to understand and translate the creature's language,<ref name="NM#57"/> he and Wolfsbane bond with Bird-Brain.<ref name="NM#58"/> During the subsequent battle against the Ani-Mator, a geneticist working for Cameron Hodge, Cypher takes a bullet intended for Wolfsbane and dies.<ref name="NM#60"/>

Magneto, leader of the New Mutants at the time, explains Cypher's death to his parents as a hunting accident. A grief-stricken Warlock tries to steal Cypher's body in a confused attempt to reanimate it, but his teammates convince him to return the body. Cypher's ghost later appears to Wolfsbane when she visits his grave in the cemetery.<ref name="NMAnnual#6"/> He later appears in a fantasy staged by Captain Britain's patron Merlyn to aid Excalibur in exposing and battling the vengeful spirit of the late X-Men member Changeling.<ref name="Excalibur: The Possession"/><ref name="Excalibur #50"/>

Douglock

Warlock is killed by Cameron Hodge during the 1990–1991 "X-Tinction Agenda" event,<ref name="NM#95"/> and his ashes are scattered on Cypher's grave at Wolfsbane's request.<ref name="X-Factor #62"/> Later, the techno-organic Phalanx resurrect Warlock with Cypher's memories and appearance, intending to use him as a "Trojan horse" to infiltrate the X-Men.<ref name="Uncanny X-Men #313"/> This gestalt entity, called Douglock, breaks free of the Phalanx's programming<ref name="Excalibur #78"/> and joins Excalibur.<ref name="Excalibur #81"/> Unaware of his real identity as Warlock, Douglock believes himself to be a new entity based on the "genetic and mental engrams" of Cypher and Warlock. He enters into a relationship with Wolfsbane<ref name=Excalibur #101"/> and becomes a valued part of Excalibur, appearing regularly in the Excalibur title until its conclusion. After the team disbands, Warlock's personality resurfaces, but exhibits more human speech patterns and appearance. Warlock manifests Cypher's translation powers and maintains a copy of Cypher's memory, but Cypher's personality is not active.<ref name="Warlock #1"/>

Resurrection and New Mutants Reunion

During the 2009–2010 "Necrosha" event, Cypher is resurrected with the transmode virus as a thrall of Selene and Eli Bard<ref name="X-Force (Vol. 3) #18"/> and tasked with killing former teammate Magma.<ref name="X-Necrosha #1"/> He is confronted by his old teammates, during which he displays a greatly enhanced ability to read body language and anticipate actions, and is subdued. After Warlock fails to restore his true personality,<ref name="New Mutants (Vol. 3) #6"/> Cypher is kidnapped by the Hellions, who wish to reprogram him,<ref name="New Mutants (Vol. 3) #7"/> but he is rescued by his former teammates, who sever his connection to Selene and restore his original personality and free will.<ref name="New Mutants (Vol. 3) #8"/> Cypher joins the X-Men's New Mutants squad and makes regular appearances throughout subsequent issues of New Mutants (vol. 3). The transmode virus which rebuilt his body is still present, but Cypher reprograms it into permanent remission.<ref name="New Mutants (Vol. 3) #9"/>

Cypher appears in the 2010 "Second Coming" event, during which he helps defeat Cameron Hodge with his enhanced abilities,<ref name="X-Men: Legacy #235"/> accompanies X-Force on a time-travelling mission to stop an invasion of Sentinels from the future,<ref name="X-Force (Vol. 3) #27"/> and assists Cable in defeating Master Mold.<ref name="X-Men: Legacy #237"/>

Following the 2011 "Schism" and the 2011–2012 "Regensis" events, Cypher, along with most of the New Mutants, moves to the X-Men's island base of Utopia off the coast of San Francisco.<ref name="New Mutants (Vol. 3) #33"/> He plays a key role in defeating an alternate future version of himself called Truefriend, which had taken over the world by splicing Warlock's tech into people under the guise of helping them. With the help of Doctor Strange, Truefriend is prevented from coming into existence.<ref name="New Mutants (Vol. 3) #45-49"/>

All-New X-Factor

Cypher joins the corporate-sponsored X-Factor and regularly appears in All-New X-Factor (2014–2015),<ref name="All-New X-Factor #6/> during which time he has a casual sexual encounter with his robotic teammate Danger. This strains his relationship with Warlock, who has romantic feelings for Danger, but the two later reconcile.<ref name="All-New X-Factor #18"/><ref name="All-New X-Factor #20"/>

Hunt for Wolverine

After X-Factor disbands, Cypher isolates himself to focus on decoding the entire Internet. However, his powers will not allow him to stop once he begins, causing him to develop an addiction to Internet use. He becomes a hermit, living in a dilapidated shack in New Jersey. During the 2018 "Hunt for Wolverine" storyline, Cypher is approached by Daredevil, Misty Knight, and Nur for help in locating Wolverine. Initially unresponsive and hostile when Nur cuts off his Internet access, Cypher eventually calms down and agrees to assist, though abstaining from Internet use affects him negatively. At the investigation's conclusion, Cypher admits his addiction and turns to Daredevil for help.<ref name="Hunt for Wolverine: Weapon Lost #1-4"/> His Internet addiction subsequently stabilizes.<ref name="Daredevil #606"/>

Cypher also aids Daredevil in bringing down Kingpin, who had taken over from Matt Murdock as Mayor of New York.<ref name="Daredevil #606"/>

Krakoan Age

In the 2019 House of X and Powers of X miniseries, Cypher helps establish Krakoa as a mutant nation, using his powers to communicate with the island.<ref name="Powers of X #4"/> He is granted a seat on the Quiet Council and acts as the voice of Krakoa, representing the island's interests in matters of state.<ref name="House of X #6"/> In addition to his Quiet Council duties, Cypher rejoins the New Mutants once more,<ref name="New Mutants (Vol. 4) #1"/> and appears regularly in New Mutants (vol. 4) and other various X-Men titles throughout the Krakoan Age.<ref name="Giant-Size X-Men: Nightcrawler"/><ref name="Giant-Size X-Men: Storm"/>

During the 2020–2021 "X of Swords" event, Cypher is chosen as one of Krakoa's representatives in the eponymous tournament, wielding Warlock as his "sword."<ref name="X of Swords: Creation #1"/><ref name="New Mutants (Vol. 4) #13"/> He is slated to face off against Bei the Blood Moon, a member of the opposing team from Arakko. However, rather than fight, they are made to marry, earning each of their teams a point for completing the ceremony. Though they are largely strangers to each other, Cypher is fascinated with Bei due to his inability to understand her (a result of her psionic powers conflicting with his own).<ref name="Excalibur (Vol. 4) #14"/> During Annihilation's invasion of Otherworld at the end of the tournament, Cypher convinces his new wife to betray her Arakkii comrades and help the Krakoans fight the forces of Amenth.<ref name="Excalibur (Vol. 4) #15"/> Despite the circumstances of their marriage and their communication barrier, Cypher and Bei remain married after the tournament and live together happily on Krakoa, appearing together in subsequent X-Men titles.<ref name="X of Swords: Destruction #1"/><ref name="New Mutants (Vol. 4) #15"/><ref name="X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #42"/><ref name="Inferno (Vol. 2) #4"/>

During the 2022 "Destiny of X" event, after the Quiet Council was revealed to potentially be under the influence of Mister Sinister, the council voted to disband. Krakoa quickly swallowed Cypher and trapped him somewhere underground, refusing to release him for his own protection.<ref name="Immortal X-Men #13"/> Distraught by the disappearance of her beloved husband, Bei employed numerous scent trackers and telepaths to locate him, but none could detect his presence on Krakoa.<ref name="X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #118"/> Cypher is eventually released and reappears during the 2023 "Fall of X" event. He participates in the X-Men's counteroffensive against the anti-mutant terrorist group Orchis<ref name="X-Men: Forever #3"/> and later assists in remerging a fractured Krakoa.<ref name="X-Men (Vol. 6) #35"/>

From the Ashes

Cypher appears in the 2024 miniseries X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse, in which he is chosen to compete in a tournament to be the successor of Apocalypse. Ultimately, Cypher wins the tournament. Transformed by Celestial technology into Revelation, he commits himself to evolving Apocalypse's legacy and protecting mutant-kind on Earth.<ref name="X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse #1-4"/><ref name="Redesign ScreenRant"/>

Powers and abilities

Cypher is a mutant who possesses a superhuman intuitive facility for translating languages, spoken or written, human or alien in origin. His superhuman skill is extended to his great facility in deciphering codes and computer languages, and he is also able to read inflection and body language which allows him to understand the vast subtext of a conversation. Rather than working the problem out step by step in his conscious mind, he instead subconsciously solves the problem. Hence, he can reach the correct solution by means that appear to be leaps of logic, and he himself may not be consciously aware of the entire process by which he reaches the right answer.<ref name="X of Swords Handbook #1"/>

Since his resurrection by Selene's use of the transmode virus, Cypher's powers have evolved to the point where he can read all aspects of "language." He is able to read his opponents' body language and the patterns of their combat moves to counter the attacks of several opponents attacking him at once. By considering the exercise of combat skills to be a form of language, he proved a match for the combined might of the New Mutants.<ref name="New Mutants (Vol. 3) #6"/> He is able to "read" architectural structure and integrity to ascertain a building's weaknesses.<ref name="X-Necrosha #1"/> He also appears capable of "speaking" binary; giving verbal commands in machine code that can reprogram the machine.<ref name="New Mutants (Vol. 3) #14"/><ref name="All-New X-Factor #16"/>

Cypher is an expert in translating and designing computer software. He took university-level courses in languages and computer science. He can hack some of the most protected computers.<ref name="New Mutants (Vol. 4) #13"/>

Cypher has been infected by techno-organic viruses on multiple occasions.Template:Volume needed The presence of the virus has allowed him at times to cheat death and to demonstrate techno-organic shapeshifting, transmode infection, and life-absorption abilities.<ref name="New Mutants (Vol. 4) #13"/>

Cypher was taught by an imprisoned Magik how to cast a mystical teleportation spell which allows him to transport himself and others to either Hell or Hel.<ref name="New Mutants (Vol. 3) #30"/>

Cypher is the only mutant who can communicate with the island Krakoa and interpret the island's sentiments.<ref name="Powers of X #4"/>

Cypher's powers render him unable to understand any being who communicates without language. For example, Bei the Blood Moon's Doom Note is a sound and not a language, thus Cypher is incapable of understanding it, regardless of the Doom Note's psionic translation of itself to be understood by all who hear it.<ref name="Excalibur (Vol. 4) #14"/>

Cypher gained additional powers after being greatly enhanced by Celestial technology and transformed into Revelation.<ref name="X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse #4"/>

Reception

In 2014, Entertainment Weekly ranked Cypher 48th in their "Let's rank every X-Man ever" list.<ref name="EW Rank"/>

Other versions

Age of Apocalypse

An alternate universe variant of Cypher appears in "Age of Apocalypse." This version is the adopted son of Destiny and lives in Avalon. He is later killed protecting Destiny from the Shadow King.<ref name="X-Calibre #4"/>

Age of X

An alternate universe variant of Cypher appears in "Age of X." This version is an ally of Magneto who was infected with an alien substance, giving him the ability to regenerate his body and control technology.<ref name="X-Men: Legacy #245"/>

Cyberlock

An alternate universe variant of Cypher appears in X-Force Annual #1 (May 1992). This version is a member of X-Force who fused with Warlock while retaining his memories, becoming known as Cyberlock.<ref name="X-Force Annual #1"/>

Days of Future Present

An alternate universe variant of Cypher appears in "Days of Future Present." This version is infected with the transmode virus and transformed into a cyborg.<ref name="NMAnnual#6"/>

Exiles

An alternate universe variant of Cypher appears in the Exiles story arc "Legacy." This version is fused with Warlock after being infected with the Legacy Virus, creating a new virus called Vi-Lock that infects over half of Earth's population. Cypher is subsequently kept in stasis before being killed by one of the infected.<ref name="Exiles #20-22"/>

House of M

An alternate universe variant of Cypher appears in "House of M." This version is a teacher at the New Mutant Leadership Institute.<ref name="New X-Men: Academy X #16"/>

Marvel Zombies

A zombified alternate universe variant of Cypher appears in Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #9 (May 2010).<ref name="Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #9"/>

Rahne of Terra

An alternate universe variant of Cypher appears in Wolverine: Rahne of Terra and its sequel, Wolverine: Knight of Terra. This version is a peasant named Douglas who marries Queen Rain of Geshem.<ref name="Wolverine: Rahne of Terra"/><ref name="Wolverine: Knight of Terra"/>

Truefriend

An alternate timeline variant of Cypher appears in New Mutants (vol. 3) (2012). This version permanently merges with Warlock and then kills his former friend. He takes over Earth using Warlock's transmode virus and becomes known as Truefriend. He is defeated by the New Mutants of the mainstream continuity and prevented from ever coming into existence.<ref name="New Mutants (Vol. 3) #45-49"/>

Ultimate Marvel

An alternate universe variant of Cypher appears in the Ultimate Marvel imprint. This version is a human computer programmer and a student at Emma Frost's Academy of Tomorrow.<ref name="Ultimate X-Men #61"/> During the "Ultimatum" storyline, he is killed by Jamie Madrox.<ref name="Ultimatum #3"/>

What If...?

An alternate universe variant of Cypher appears in What If...? (vol. 2) #12 (April 1990). This version is a scholar and Storm's vizier after she becomes queen of Asgard.<ref name="What If...? (Vol. 2) #12"/>

External links

• Template:Marvelwiki
• Template:Comicbookdb
• UncannyXmen.net Spotlight On Cypher