AZAZEL: Teleporting Demon
Who is AZAZEL?
AZAZEL is a demonic-looking mutant and leader of the Neyaphem, he was banished to a dimensional void due to his appearance. Becoming bitter at what he considered "Normal-looking" mutants, AZAZEL began fathering children with mutants bearing strange appearances, one of whom would become Nightcrawler, as a part of his overall plan to escape the void. His first appearance was in Uncanny X-Men #428, during "The Draco" storyline. He was created by Chuck Austen and Sean Phillips.
First Appearance
AZAZEL explains to his son, Nightcrawler, how their power works.
AZAZEL claims to be the devil that is referred to by many religious texts. Stating that he comes from Biblical times, AZAZEL is part of a race of mutants who are collectively known as the Neyaphem.
They originally lived on La Isla des Demonas, an island located in the Caribbean. The Neyaphem believed the Earth was theirs to own and that humans were to be ruled over and used as slaves. However, another group of mutants known as the Cheyarafim were against this and eventually defeated and imprisoned the Neyaphem, including AZAZEL, in an alternate dimension. Ironically, this dimension, which smelled heavily of brimstone, was the one accessed by AZAZEL when using his teleportation powers.
Warren Worthington, Angel, is believed to be a descendant of these Cheyarafim. His blood who heals others burns the "Neyaphem"
AZAZEL who was still trapped in the "brimstone" dimension, and was only able to leave for brief moments. Planned his escape back to earth by impregnating women because his children would have a link to the brimstone dimension. Many years ago he started mating with women and one of these women is Mystique who at the time was married to a rich castle lord named Baron Christian Wagner. When Mystique was introduced to AZAZEL, she had an instant attraction to him. Although she was hesitant to betray Christian, she gave in to AZAZEL and they made love. Not much later, Mystique became pregnant with the mutant who will later be known as Nightcrawler.
The Revelation
AZAZEL also sired several dozen other children, who were all mysteriously called to gather and sacrifice themselves on the island known as the Isla Des Demonas. Doing this would open a portal and bring his army back to earth, allowing the demonic mutants to live in the world and find their place in it. The mutant children worked together in a zombie-like state and opened the portal to AZAZEL's dimension.
A couple more of AZAZEL's children: Abyss and Kiwi Black
Children of AZAZEL opening a portal to the "Brimstone" Dimension
However, AZAZEL was not able to free the Neyaphem because the portal had to be opened in an area where Cheyarafim blood could not be found. Archangel was present at the time and as such the portal was destroyed. AZAZEL is yet to be seen again.
Rumor has it that AZAZEL is actually a demon, or at least holds the blood of one. Mephisto has been heard to make slight reference to the leader of the Neyaphem to be much more than he seemed and had a strange set of 'ties' to mortals. So, expect Nightcrawler's Big Bad Red Daddy to pop-up anywhere soon.