Editing Nate Grey (section)

== Fictional character biography ==

=== Age of Apocalypse ===
{{Main|The Age of Apocalypse}}
[[File:X-man1-1995.jpg|thumb|upright|Nate Grey from his first appearance in ''X-Man'' #1]]
In the parallel reality known as [[The Age of Apocalypse]], [[Mister Sinister]], one of the elite [[Horsemen of Apocalypse|Horsemen]] of the High Lord [[Apocalypse (character)|Apocalypse]], artificially created Nate (naming him Nathaniel Grey), from genetic material from Cyclops and Phoenix. Sinister created Nate as the ultimate [[mutant (Marvel Comics)|mutant]] and hoped to use him in his own bid for power against Apocalypse.<ref name="X-Man #-1"/>

However, Cyclops, in his many subversive raids on Sinister's pens, helped Nate escape Sinister's hideout; neither Cyclops nor Nate knew their connection to each other. Nate came under the tutelage of [[Forge (comics)|Forge]] and several other mutant outcasts. Forge began the long process of teaching Nate how to control his powers as well as the benefits of being a "good guy". Nate also began to see the horrors of Apocalypse's world firsthand, and was determined to bring him down.<ref>''X-Man'' #1–2</ref>

Sinister infiltrated Forge's group disguised as the wanderer Essex in order to follow Nate's progress. Sinister eventually killed both Brute and Forge.<ref>''X-Man'' #2–3</ref> Nate battled Sinister to avenge Forge's death. During the conflict, Sinister allowed Nate to read his mind, revealing both Nate's origin and his ultimate destiny of defeating Apocalypse. Sinister emerged from the fight mortally wounded, and Nate left to battle Apocalypse.<ref>''X-Man'' #4</ref> That battle occurred while the alternate X-Men were beginning their final gambit—defeating this reality with the [[M'Kraan Crystal]].

[[Holocaust (Marvel Comics)|Holocaust]] interrupted Nate's battle with Apocalypse as the X-Men's plan succeeded and the Age of Apocalypse was washed away. In response, an angry Nate impaled Holocaust with a shard of the M'Kraan Crystal, with unexpected results — both vanished.<ref>''X-Men: Omega'' (1995)</ref>

===A New World===
{{See also|Earth-616}}
The consequences of that act were unexpected and far-reaching, as Nate and Holocaust were both transported to the actual reality when it reasserted itself.<ref>''X-Men Prime''</ref> Nate arrives in [[Switzerland]], and is approached by a very alive but amnesic [[Madelyne Pryor]]. Madelyne helps Nate adjust to this reality, but they are separated soon after by [[Selene (comics)|Selene]].<ref>''X-Man'' #5-7</ref> Nate wanders the Earth alone, encountering many who either desire to use his power or genuinely want to help him,<ref>''X-Man'' #9</ref><ref name="X-Man #10">''X-Man'' #10</ref><ref>''X-Man'' #14</ref><ref>''X-Man'' #12</ref><ref>''X-Man'' #11</ref> only for Nate's own suspicious nature to prompt him to drive them away. During this time, he unintentionally contributes to the eventual manifestation of [[Onslaught (Marvel Comics)|Onslaught]]: Nate senses Xavier's astral form spying on him, and drags him into the real world.<ref name="X-Man #10"/> This feat inspires the aspects of Onslaught in Xavier's mind to create a psychic body for himself, resulting in Onslaught manifesting an independent body.

Eventually, Nate meets [[Threnody (comics)|Threnody]], one of Sinister's underlings seeking freedom. After rescuing her from the [[Marauders (comics)|Marauders]], the pair form a mutually beneficial partnership: Nate provides protection, while Threnody acts as his guide to the world.<ref>''X-Man'' #13-17</ref> They are briefly separated during the events set into motion by Onslaught, but soon reunite and take refuge in New York following his defeat. Their relationship deepens despite Nate's lingering doubts on her connection to Sinister, but Threnody eventually leaves, unwilling to answer questions about her past.<ref>''X-Man'' #18-23</ref>
 
Believing Threnody to be dead, Nate takes up a firm if tentative friendship with [[Spider-Man]].<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #420</ref> Nate is then attacked by [[Morbius]], who is drawn to Threnody via the strong attachment to her in Nate's blood. Due to her own death-fueled mutant ability, Threnody is drawn to Morbius as well, but Nate and Spider-Man intervene. Nate challenges Threnody to return to him once she has given up on stealing life from others and leaves her. He soon finds Madelyne collapsed in Switzerland. The reunion is interrupted by Jean Grey, who is alerted to Madelyne's return by [[Madame Sanctity]]. Nate is doubly shocked, first when Madelyne immediately begins trying to kill their visitor, and again when he sees that the two women are virtually twins. Madelyne assumes Nate will side with Jean and attacks them both.

Nate instinctively aids Jean, and together they are able to pierce Madelyne's mind, in the process revealing that Nate is responsible for her revival. In his confusion, after crash-landed in Switzerland, Nate unconsciously resurrects [[Madelyne Pryor]] in his subconscious attempt to reach out to his "mother". Nate sorrowfully attempts to undo his mistake, but Madelyne refuses to die again. She returns the power Nate used to animate her and escapes. Nate turns down Jean's offer to contact the X-Men, but then discovers that his telekinesis is gone. Nate visits Moira MacTaggert for answers, which she provides: Nate's telekinetics are still there, but his own body is suppressing them. [[Havok (character)|Havok]] appears as Nate is leaving, and invites him to join the [[Brotherhood of Mutants#Havok's Brotherhood|Brotherhood of Mutants]].<ref>''X-Man'' #24-26</ref>

Nate helps the Brotherhood liberate [[Aurora (comics)|Aurora]], a former member of [[Alpha Flight]], from [[Department H]]. Havok helps Nate regain his telekinesis to the point where he can fly again via a meditation chamber. Nate later discovers the operation to free Aurora had a second purpose: to obtain canisters of Coldsnap-9, a deadly gas. Worse, Nate learns that [[Dark Beast (Marvel Comics)|Dark Beast]] is a member of the Brotherhood. Nate tries to separate Aurora from the Brotherhood, but quickly learns that due to her personality shifts, she needs treatment that Dark Beast can best provide. However, Nate refuses to leave the gas in the Brotherhood's hands, and opens all of the canisters, exposing himself to the gas.

Nate survives due to the timely return of his telekinetics at their peak, but collapses from exhaustion in New York, where he is found and cared for by three mysterious girls named Jam (Jasmine Archer), Marita, and Bux. Soon after, Nate is telepathically alerted by Cable that he is the only one close enough to protect the children of Jean's sister, [[Sara Grey]], from the [[Prime Sentinel]]s. Nate rescues the kids despite his weakened state, leaving [[Joey Bailey|Joey]] and [[Gailyn Bailey|Gailyn]] in the care of their grandparents.<ref>''X-Man'' #27-30</ref>

Nate's time in New York is marked by near-endless conflict and his powers spiraling out of control. He is attacked by the psychotic killer Jackknife, a remnant of the [[Abomination (character)|Abomination]]'s followers. Nate himself unknowingly unlocked Jackknife's latent potential in the past, and though Jackknife proves immune to Nate's abilities, Nate manages to defeat him, earning the favor of many citizens who witness the battle.<ref>''X-Man'' #32-33</ref> The next day, Jam loses an arm in a motorcycle crash, but is mysteriously healed by a doctor who has had contact with Nate. The miracle boosts Nate's popularity even more, and he is admired by hundreds of followers. Nate thwarts a terrorist attack, but when lives are still lost, his admirers turn on him. Nate learns that the one responsible for Jam's accident, as well as his curiously fast rise to and fall from fame, is the [[Purple Man]], who has been controlling Nate and the citizens with his pheromones.

The Purple Man hopes to turn Nate into a modern messiah and use his power to alter reality. The plan backfires: Nate resists being controlled, and upon learning that Jam's healed arm was only a solid psionic projection, he loses faith in himself. In desperation, Nate tries to erase all memories of himself from the minds of New Yorkers. Spider-Man intervenes, pleading with Nate not to do it. The two come to blows, but are attacked by the Psi-Ops, a mysterious team of armored psi-talents seeking to capture Nate. Nate and Spider-Man defeat them, saving a bridge full of people in the process, but are still blamed for the entire mess. Nate is still plagued by self-doubt when Madelyne Pryor returns to him.<ref>''X-Man'' #34-38</ref>

Once they relocate to Canada, the new Madelyne seems intent on forcing Nate to admit he needs her. Nate resists, and is troubled by a nightmarish vision of his end: battling a masked madman in a pyramid, a stranger watches from the shadows as Nate and half of the world are consumed by an explosion of his power. This causes him to unleash a huge burst of power in the real world, which awakens three of the [[Great Beasts]]: [[Tundra (Marvel Comics)|Tundra]], Kolomaq, and Somon. Nate destroys Tundra, and launches Kolomaq and Somon into space to keep them from destroying a nearby town. Madelyne refuses to play the part of the hero and help Nate fight, but returns to teleport him back to Switzerland.

While recovering in Madelyne's care, Nate realizes that Threnody's mutant power might not only allow her to escape death, but also to drain his power, keeping it at controllable levels. He seeks her on the psi-plane, but Madelyne jealously interferes. Nate's effort is interrupted when the psi-plane shatters around him, robbing he and Madelyne both of their telepathy.<ref>''X-Man'' #39-41</ref>

Nate and Madelyne protect the town of Clifden from several disasters, which are eventually linked to tech-gnomes. During this they meet and are constantly shadowed by Ness, a member of the secret human/demon hybrid race, the Hellbent, who also had a vision that Nate would soon be responsible for the destruction of the planet. They travel to Dublin, where a series of murders have left victims burned down to their bones. Nate detects an AOA energy signature on the corpses, and discovers that Nemesis is responsible. With Madelyne's help, Nemesis's armor implodes, leaving him to escape in his human form.<ref>''X-Man'' #42-44</ref>

Nate then learns that [[Blaquesmith]] has been sending him the visions as a warning, and the tech-gnomes as a test, in order to prepare Nate for a future that he must avoid at all costs (the very same that Ness seeks to prevent). He transports Nate and Madelyne to Latveria for a confrontation with the resurrected [[Stryfe]], Cable's evil clone, during the "Blood Brothers" crossover. Stryfe uses Doom's power siphon to drain Nate's enormous power into himself, but with assistance from Cable and Madelyne, he is defeated. It is revealed that it was Stryfe (the masked madman from Nate's vision) and not Nate, who would be responsible for the end of the world.<ref>''X-Man'' 47</ref>

Nate was also continually hunted by Operation: Gauntlet, a special task force of the United Nations, who had been especially ordered to target and destroy him specifically, as the potential single greatest threat to all life on Earth.  During their final confrontation in Ireland, Ness was killed and Madelyne was presumed to have died as well.  However, she had merely been drained of her life energy during the intense battle to the point that she was now physically extremely aged, and secretly chose to abandon Nate rather than let him see her in such a condition.

Nate went on to have additional rematches with fellow AoA refugees Dark Beast (who again teamed up with Gene Nation against Nate, who teamed up briefly with [[Generation X (comics)|Generation X]]),<ref>''X-Man'' #50</ref> Sugar Man and Holocaust (now calling himself Nemesis).<ref>''X-Man'' Annual '97</ref>

Nate visited his "parents," Scott and Jean, who were at the time recuperating in Alaska.<ref>''X-Man'' #53</ref> The strength of the newly forged bonds between Nate and his "parents" was shown when, soon after, as the X-Men had been disbanded, Nate (alongside Archangel, Wolverine and Cable) was one of the few people Jean and Scott called for help, as they needed to defend the new race "the Mannites" from the mysterious "Death".  After meeting with the Fantastic Four, Nate would then be captured by a re-villainous Caliban, upon orders of [[Apocalypse]] who planned to use Nate as the new host-body for his soul, during the "Twelve Saga".  However, Cyclops ultimately sacrificed himself instead, in place of his "son", an act that would eventually have many significant repercussions much later in time for the rest of the X-Men.

Nate was also reunited with Threnody, who revealed the circumstances of their separation (mainly, that Madelyne had killed her), which had been unknown to Nate until then. However, during their time apart, Threnody had fully evolved into a mutant death-goddess, constantly pursued by "zomboids", and with no desire to reform despite Nate's devotion to saving her. They separated for good, and though Threnody is revealed to have given birth to a monstrous baby, the father's identity remains unknown.<ref>''X-Man'' #58</ref>

===Shaman to the Mutant Tribe===
Madelyne Pryor eventually returned some time later, but she was manipulating Nate in his sleep and making him destroy things. She finally revealed that she was a Madelyne from another dimension, who had killed the original Madelyne shortly after her last meeting with Nate in Ireland.  This alternate-Madelyne  needed Nate to do something for her and showed him how to shift between [[Parallel universe (fiction)|parallel earths]] or alternate realities, and she had Nate take them to the alternate reality that she was from.<ref name="X-Man #66">''X-Man'' #66</ref> She wanted to use Nate's vast power to help her rule her Earth. Nate rejected her, and was located by that alternative reality's version of himself, who was a broken version of Nate Grey (meaning he could never reach his full potential in power) and was slightly insane from his experiences; he also considered himself a shaman to the people of that Earth.<ref name="X-Man #68">''X-Man'' #68</ref> Nate read the mind of his alternate self to learn the intricacies of alternate realities.

Nate also learned how Madelyne would take each Nate Grey from these alternate realities hoping to find "fully functional" ones to use as weapons to rule. He also showed Nate how to talk with a dead man so that they could get information from him about Madelyne; the dead man was that reality's Forge, who was at one time Madelyne's lover. Forge revealed that Madelyne was really a Jean Grey from yet another parallel Earth who posed as Madelyne and ruled that world. That reality's real Madelyne had died, but it was said she would return again. Forge also told them how this alternate Jean Grey had used him to make her a machine so she could travel from parallel world to parallel world. At this point, they were attacked by Madelyne's personal bodyguard, Mr. Scratch and in the process, merged parts of themselves to throw him off. Mr. Scratch's mutant power was that no other mutant power had any effect on him, so the Nates had to literally change characteristics to fool him.

After the merger, only one Nate remained, so Mr. Scratch crippled him and brought him back to Madelyne, who quickly realized that Mr. Scratch had the wrong Nate. The broken version of Nate told Madelyne he sent Nate somewhere she would never find him. She killed the broken Nate and began to power her parallel world device to find Nate again, but Nate returned and put an end to her world conquering days. As a result of the merger of the two Nates, a black x-shaped [[tattoo]] appeared on Nate's chest to act as a genetic brand - passed on to him from the alternate version of himself - that prevented his powers from killing him as they had threatened to do from the start.<ref name="X-Man #69">''X-Man'' #69</ref>

After the defeat of this evil "Queen Jean", Nate set out to make a difference in the world and considered himself a Mutant Shaman, a teaching he embraced from the alternate version of himself. Nate became immensely powerful, and had few qualms about using his power to mete out justice to his fellow mutants.<ref>''X-Man'' #62-65</ref> He then dealt with and stopped the madman Qabiri from destroying all alternate earths on the Spiral of Earths. Qabiri was a being from an alternate Earth far upspiral, he wanted to destroy every earth below his on the Spiral of Earths because he feared that someone from these lower earths would one day invade his earth and bring it to ruin. Qabiri succeeded in destroying several alternate earths before Nate was able to stop him.<ref>''X-Man'' #71-74</ref>

Finally, he confronted the Anti-Man, an alien sent to Earth to inseminate his genetic code into all living cells on the planet so that his people could harvest the resulting energy. To save the world from destruction, Nate merged himself with the Anti-Man, in essence "poisoning" the cells of Earth with his presence, and dissipating both of them across the globe.<ref>''X-Man'' #75</ref>

[[Dark Beast (Marvel Comics)|Dark Beast]] commented that the peculiar circumstances of X-Man's demise would theoretically allow him to be restored to life.

===Return===
Nate resurfaces once more, in a small town, where his presence causes several of the inhabitants to dreamwalk and continuously repeat "I'm an X-Man." Norman Osborn sends his team of X-Men, consisting of [[Mimic (comics)|Mimic]], [[Michael Pointer (character)|Weapon Omega]], [[Dark Beast (Marvel Comics)|Dark Beast]] and [[Mystique (character)|Mystique]], to investigate and to raise public opinion.

As Norman's X-Men investigate, both Mimic and Omega are overwhelmed with Nate's energies and go on a rampage leaving Mystique and Dark Beast alone with a patient that they were examining. Shortly Nate once more takes physical form, much to Beast's shock and horror, believing Mystique to be his mother Jean Grey, since she had taken her form.<ref>''Dark X-Men'' #1</ref>

Nate angrily attacks Beast but does not realize that Jean is actually Mystique who manages to distract him long enough in order to save Dark Beast's life. Following that incident Osborn tasks his X-Men to hunt down and possibly capture Nate for experimentation and to feed Weapon Omega. In order to do that the Osborn's X-Men go to H.A.M.M.E.R.'s PSI-division, which has taken a cult like appearance. The PSI-Division manages to contact Nate only for him to absorb most of their psychic energies and to learn what has happened to the world and to the mutant race in his absence. Angrily he demands to know what they, presumably Osborn's X-Men, had done.<ref name="DarkX2">''Dark X-Men'' #2</ref>

Nate finally manages to materialize and confronts Norman's X-Men. He dispatches the Sentry by telling him of their mutual past, something that he claims to be the truth, which upsets Sentry so that he retreats in order to consider this. The other members of Norman's team do not fare better either. Only Ares poses a threat. Since Ares is the personification of War, Nate is unable to perceive any future or probability that does not include Ares fighting him. Mimic, still rattled by the vision he saw, attempts to learn more. He drags Nate into another plane of existence. After a short conversation they are once more confronted by Ares, who has followed them and is overjoyed to have an opponent such as Nate. Ares finally manages to overpower Nate and while Norman attempts to confirm Nate's death, a flash of light knocks them all back leaving the room empty and Nate's body missing.<ref>''Dark X-Men'' #3</ref>

Unbeknown to the Dark X-Men, Nate has taken possession of Norman's body, something that only Mystique notices. After trying and failing to persuade Nate to remove the tech in her body which is rigged to explode should she betray Norman, she recruits the rest of the Dark X-Men to invade Norman's mind and to confront X-Man. While Nate and Norman are engaged in a battle of wills Norman gloats that he and Nate are evenly matched. Yet Nate reveals that this was his plan all along, and that while he and Norman are deadlocked his X-Men are free to roam the deepest recesses of Norman's mind. They do and by doing so they unlock Norman's Green Goblin personality which gloatingly states is about to kill them all.<ref>''Dark X-Men'' #4</ref>

After a brief battle between the Green Goblin and the Dark X-Men within Osborn's mind, Nate is defeated when Green Goblin forces Mimic to replicate Omega's powers, turning the pair into a powerful siphon that drains Nate's energies. Now returned to the physical world, a powerless Nate is tortured in front of the Dark X-Men as an example to them. Norman asks him if he has any last words before he's "used as coal" in Dark Beast's Omega Machine, but a gloating Norman cuts off Nate before he has a chance to finish speaking. Nate is taken away to the machine, though his eventual fate is not shown.<ref>''Dark X-Men'' #5</ref>

===Rescue Mission===
Learning that Nate Grey had returned to the living, Cyclops reorganizes the New Mutants roster under [[Danielle Moonstar]]'s leadership and tells them to find Nate and bring him home. Nate is found in an abandoned H.A.M.M.E.R. facility in a sadistic scheme of the [[Sugar Man (Marvel Comics)|Sugar Man]].<ref>''New Mutants'' (vol. 3) #25 (2011)</ref> Sugar Man has Nate hooked up into the Omega Machine, a device built by [[Green Goblin|Norman Osborn]] to open portals to other realities, hoping that he will open a portal to Sugar Man's home reality. Realizing that the only way Sugar Man will leave him alone is to give him what he wants, Nate uses all of his strength and willpower to open a portal to his home reality, but before Sugar Man can escape into it, he is defeated by the New Mutants and was going to be taken into custody by [[Captain America|Steve Rogers]].

Nate is taken to Utopia, where it is revealed that he burnt out most of his powers while opening Sugar Man's portal, and the only remaining power he has is telekinesis. Cyclops then welcomes Nate to Utopia, hoping he will make it his new home.<ref>''New Mutants'' (vol. 3) #27 (2011)</ref>

===Fear Itself===
Spending most of his time in Utopia's danger room, Nate tested his new limits and quickly realized just how diminished his telekinesis was. Seeing Nate as a younger version of her father, Cable, Hope Summers took a keen interest in Nate and watched as his frustration grew. She stepped in and offered to teach Nate what Cable taught her: how to get by without powers. Nate gladly accepted and the two began to train regularly together.<ref>''New Mutants'' (vol. 3) #28</ref>
Perhaps feeling indebted to them for their rescue, Nate joined Moonstar's team without being asked. Although feeling insecure with his lessened powers, he began to use his telekinesis more effectively after taking Sunspot's advice to visualize a symbol. After an accidental side trip to Hell the team journeys to the Nordic Hel to aid the goddess Hela against the Serpent's undead soldiers. Nate's memories of the Age of Apocalypse play a pivotal role in victory and he continues to learn how to cope with his diminished powers.<ref>''New Mutants'' (vol. 3) #29-32</ref>

===Schism===
After an explosive argument over the way the younger generation of mutants were being treated, Wolverine decided to part ways from Cyclops and reopen the school in Westchester. Agreeing with the idea that the X-Men shouldn't be concerned with shielding kids from the harsh realities of life and wanting to get to know Cyclops better, Nate wanted to stay on his side. At the same time, Nate was used to being independent and decided to join Dani's team when they moved into a house in San Francisco where they would continue to report to Cyclops but attempt to live normal lives, as well as helping the team search for [[Blink (character)|Blink]]. They join her on her mission to discover why a rock band is causing natural disasters. Following their adventure Blink decides to journey to the Jean Grey School to learn more about her powers.<ref>''New Mutants'' (vol. 3) #33-36</ref>

===Re-Animator===
After suffering a series of nightmares, [[Cypher (Marvel Comics)|Cypher]] convinced the team to visit Paradise Island, the place where he once died. Tensions flared when Nate began to question Cypher's mental stability which led to [[Danielle Moonstar]] insulting Nate's low-level telekinesis. While Nate admitted that he could still only pick up with telekinesis what he could lift physically, he later demonstrated his new method of telekinetic attack when the team came under attack from the island's Ani-Mates. By focusing his telekinesis into the shape of an X, Nate was able to target his power more precisely. The trip proved to be worthwhile when they discovered a plot by the [[Ani-Mator]] to return to life in virus form. Infected by the virus and fused together, a feverish Nate and Danielle began to acknowledge their attraction to each other.<ref>''New Mutants'' (vol. 3) #38-40</ref>

The Ani-Mator was defeated but the horrific mission took a toll on the team. Noticing the somber mood, Blink took the team for a night out in Madripoor. While the rest of the team partied, Nate drifted off by himself, unsure how to act in such a jovial atmosphere. Danielle reached out to comfort him and the two finally expressed their feelings for each other with an intimate kiss.<ref>''New Mutants'' (vol. 3) #41</ref>

===Exiled===
Nate's mutant abilities began to steadily improve. He mastered his X-shaped telekinetic technique and even managed to use his telepathy in small doses. The New Mutants and the gods of Asgard soon come into conflict when the "First Hero" Sigurd returns and is pursued by the vampiric Disir.  When Sigurd's spell turns the [[Asgard (comics)|Asgardians]] into mortals and erases their memories it is up to the New Mutants team and Kid Loki to save the day. Danielle Moonstar journeys to Hel to retrieve Bor, the Father of Odin to free the Disir from his curse. Finally the truth behind the Disir is revealed and Hela acquires bold new allies.<ref>''New Mutants'' (vol. 3) #40-43</ref><ref>''Exiled'' One-Shot</ref><ref>''Journey Into Mystery'' #637-638</ref>

His knowledge and familiarity of alternate universes became handy when the New Mutants found themselves in one created by a future megalomaniac version of Cypher.<ref>''New Mutants'' (vol. 3) #44-49</ref> When the X-Men and Avengers went to war over how to handle the Phoenix Force, Nate fought bravely on the front lines; first to protect Hope Summers and then to defend Cyclops' utopian rule. When Cyclops became corrupt due to the Phoenix Force, his leadership came to a disastrous end and Dani's team went their separate ways.<ref>''[[Avengers Vs. X-Men]]''</ref><ref>''New Mutants'' (vol. 3) #50</ref> When Moonstar joined the superhero team, the Defenders, Nate remained close to her and the pair finally confirmed their relationship status when they awkwardly ran into Dani's former flame, [[Cannonball (Marvel Comics)|Cannonball]].<ref>''Fearless Defenders'' #9</ref>

Nate Grey's whereabouts were obscure, but Matthew Rosenberg has confirmed that he is backpacking through Europe on a soul-searching journey in response to a fan's comments on [[Twitter]].<ref>{{cite tweet |author=Mz Elaena the Red Queen |user=Elaena_Rhaenyra |number=984813684148056064 |date=April 13, 2018 |title=@AshcanPress Where's Nate Grey???? I know you're an expert on the Grey storyline (even tho I understood Greg Pak's Endsong differently) so could u set the record straight pls? |language=en |access-date=January 2, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |last=Rosenberg |first=Matthew |user=AshcanPress |number=985016840953978881 |date=April 14, 2018 |title=@Elaena_Rhaenyra Nate is backpacking across Europe, finding himself. |language=en |access-date=January 2, 2021}}</ref> He later went on to admit that his earlier statement was a joke and has since said that Nate is a mystery, he "vanishes, maybe he'll come back at some point?"<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Rosenberg |first=Matthew |user=AshcanPress |number=990355810730565632 |date=April 28, 2018 |title=@Elaena_Rhaenyra I was. But that's ok. Although the Wikipedia links to the writer for the NY Times... Unless he also confirmed the backpacking thing. |language=en |access-date=January 2, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |last=Rosenberg |first=Matthew |user=AshcanPress |number=991805015693168645 |date=May 2, 2018 |title=@TylerGracyne @Elaena_Rhaenyra Nate is a mystery. he vanishes. Maybe he'll come back at some point? |language=en |access-date=January 2, 2021}}</ref>