Psylocke

Real Name
Elizabeth "Betsy" Braddock

Occupation
Adventurer; former charter pilot, super model, government agent, assassin

Citizenship
U.K.

Place of Birth
Braddock Manor, England

Known Relatives
James Braddock Sr.(father, deceased), Elizabeth Braddock (mother, deceased), James "Jamie" Jr. (brother), Brian Braddock (Captain Britain, brother), Meggan Braddock (sister-in-law)

Group Affiliation
X-Men; formerly Sisterhood of Mutants, Exiles, Excalibur, Captain Britain Corps, S.T.R.I.K.E., The Hand

Education
University graduate

Height
5'11" (both bodies)

Weight
155 lbs. (both bodies)

Eyes
(originally) Blue; (cybernetic) purple; (currently) purple

Hair
(originally) Blonde, dyed purple; (currently) black, often dyed purple

Powers
Psylocke can generate a telekinetic katana, or direct her telekinesis through her fists to strike as if she had superhuman strength; she is also immune to telepathic probes and attacks. Psylocke's original powers were precognition, telepathy, mental bolts, mind control, and generating illusions. After Roma resurrected her, Betsy was briefly invisible to all mechanical detection devices. She could generate a "psychic knife" to stun or kill opponents. The Crimson Dawn gave her the power to travel via shadows, and to become virtually invisible in same. After swapping powers with Jean Grey, Betsy could fly, create force fields, move objects with her mind, and generate energy blades.

Abilities
Psylocke is a skilled martial artist and a trained pilot.

Other Info
Betsy and Brian Braddock were twins born to Sir James Braddock and Elizabeth Braddock. The twins shared a close connection, but as they matured Betsy also grew close to their elder brother Jamie. By the time their parents died (apparently in a lab accident, but really murdered by the computer Mastermind), Betsy had become a charter pilot. (To learn about most of Braddock family members and/or the computer Mastermind, click on their highlighted names above. Note: Beware of the revealing outfit on Jamie's bio pages.)

One day, Betsy received news that her brother Jamie had been injured in an accident. So, Betsy called Brian and the two flew back to their mansion in Britain. Their plane crashed after a psychic attack from Doctor Synne (who was hired by Mastermind.) When Betsy awoke, Synne's illusions made Betsy attack her brothers, seeing them as monsters. After Synne was defeated, she and Jamie were taken hostage by the Red Skull's agents. However, they were later freed by Captains America and Captain Britain. Soon after, Betsy learned that Captain Britain was actually her brother Brian. Perhaps due to Synne's mental intrusions, Betsy began to develop precognitive powers as well. (To learn about the characters above, just click on their highlighted names.)

Soon after, Betsy took up modeling. To set herself apart, she began dying her hair purple and her career took off. During this time, her powers grew to include telepathy. (When using her powers, a butterfly-shaped aura would appear around her face. This is shown on the right half of the forth picture posted.)

Later, Betsy was recruited into S.T.R.I.K.E.'s Psi Division, and soon became Tom Lennox's lover (a fellow psi). Because her father had been a member of the Hellfire Club, she was sent to infiltrate the club, but she was warned off by Tessa for her own protection. (Click on the highlighted names above to learn about the club, character, and/or term. Note: Before of the revealing outfits on both Tessa and the Hellfire Club's bio page.)

Later, Kaptain Briton (Brian's Earth-794 counterpart--different dimensioin) tried to rape Betsy; however, in self-defense Betsy fried his mind wit her powers, killing him. (To learn about the villainous Kaptain Briton, click on his name above.)

When her real brother, Brian, went overseas for a time, a man named Gabriel (who was one of Betsy's former lovers when she was in S.T.R.I.K.E.) convinced Betsy to become the new Captain Britain. Betsy wore Kaptain Briton's modified costume. (The Captain Britain costume gave her superhuman strength, flight and a force field.) Working with Captain U.K. (Linda McQuillan), the duo became public sensations; however, after several months Betsy went solo. (Click on the highlighted name above to learn about Captain U.K. Also, Betsy in her Captain Britain outfit is shown in the third picture posted.)

Sometime later, the crime lord Vixen lured Betsy into a showdown with Slaymaster, who brutally beat her, then gouged her eyes out. Brian felt her pain and flew to her rescue and killed Slaymaster. Betsy refused the Resources Control Executive's (R.C.X.) offer for cybernetic eyes. She preferred to rely on her psychic abilities. She and Gabriel got engaged, and went to Switzerland for Betsy to recuperate. (To learn about the villains above, just click on their names.)

While in Switzerland, Betsy was kidnapped by Mojo, brainwashed, given cybernetic eyes, and, as "Psylocke," became the star of his new show "Wildways" (which actually was in an another dimensional realm.) Brian and the New Mutants rescued her, after which Betsy moved to the X-Men's X-Mansion to recover. (To learn about the character, team, and/or place above, just click on their highlighted names.)

While at the X-mansion, the Marauders attacked the Morlocks and Sabretooth invaded the mansion. Psylocke was able to use herself as bait to lead Sabretooth away from the injured until Wolverine got there. Impressed by her bravery, Wolverine nominated her to join the X-Men. (Click on the highlighted names above to learn about the characters and/or teams. Note: Beware of a revealing/form-fitting outfit on the Marauder's bio page.)

Later, to prevent the X-Men's death, which she had foreseen in a precognitive vision, Psylocke sent the team through the Siege Perilous (a device given to her by Roma). The Siege Perilous would give them all new lives. When Betsy awoke, she was in an amnesiac state on an island near China, where the Hand found her. When the Hand's leader, Matsu'o Tsurayaba, found Psylocke, he saw her as a chance to save his brain-dead lover, Kwannon. So, he had Spiral swap Psylocke and Kwannon's souls in her Body Shoppe. This procedure actually ended up blended their minds, leaving each with the same memories and telepathic powers. Matsu'o then brainwashed Psylocke and gave her to the Mandarin as his assassin (during this time she was known as Lady Mandarin) until Wolverine was able to restore her memories. (To learn about the item, team, characters, and/or place above, click on their highlighted names. Psylocke wore two outfits when she was Lady Mandarin; her samurai-type outfit is shown in the fifth picture posted--minus the red scare on her face. And, her ninja-like outfit is shown in the sixth picture posted.)

Later on, after being rescued, she visited her brother Brian. Betsy helped Excalibur fight Sat-Yr-9 and the now insane Jamie, whom Betsy struck comatose. She also helped them fight against foes such as the Troll Associates, the Mutant Liberation Front, Stryfe, Omega Red, and the Soul Skinner. (To learn about the different teams/characters above, just click on their names. Note: Beware of the revealing and/or form-fitting outfits on the Mutant Liberation Front bio page.)

Then when Psylocke was back at the X-Mansion, Kwannon arrived at the Mansion in Betsy's original body, claiming to be the real Psylocke. Unable to tell who the true Betsy was, both women ended up staying with the X-Men. During this time, Kwannon had taken on the name Revanche. However, Revanche learned that she had the Legacy Virus, and asked Matsu'o to kill her. When Revanche died, Betsy regained her soul's missing pieces which included her full telepathic powers. In addition, Betsy was able to retain Revanche's martial arts skills. Afterwards, Jean Grey re-trained Betsy to use her telepathy. Also, Betsy started a relationship with fellow X-Man, Angel. (Learn about the characters and/or virus above by clicking on their highlighted names. Note: Beware of the extremely skin-tight outfit worn by Jean Grey on her bio page.)

A few months later, Psylocke engaged in a battle with Sabretooth where she almost died. In a desperate attempt to save her life, Angel, Wolverine, and Doctor Strange went to the Crimson Dawn to retrieve a magical healing liquid. They found it and used it on Psylocke; however, there was a side effect--a red dagger tattoo on Psylocke's left eye. This tattoo gave her the ability to hide and teleport through shadows. (Psylocke with her tattoo can be seen in the first and fifth picture posted).

Later, Psylocke helped Storm against the Shadow King. He had tricked Psylocke into initiating a psychic shockwave which disabled all other telepaths, leaving him unchallenged on the astral plane. Unfortunately, her own astral form was destroyed too; however, her exposure to the Crimson Dawn gave her a new shadow form with temporarily enhanced powers, which she used to trap the Shadow King's core. (To learn about the above characters and/or place, click on the highlighted names. Note: Beware of the very revealing outfit on Storm's bio page--block her images if possible.)

Later on, when Wolverine was brainwashed by Apocalypse into the Death persona, Psylocke, Angel (now Archangel), and others attempted to help him. To help find where Wolverine was, Betsy forced herself into using Cerebro, even though there was a risk that the Shadow King would escape. While Psylocke was using Cerebro, the Shadow King began to lure her into freeing him, but before it was too late Archangel used their psychic connection to stop her and save her from herself. Then, Jean Grey tried to help Psylocke deal with the Shadow King; however, the two ended up switching powers. Therefore, Psylocke's telepathy was added to Phoenix's telepathy, and Psylocke gained telekinesis. Afterwards, Psylocke returned to active duty on the X-Men and began to flirt with Thunderbird (Neal Shaara) which resulted in a break-up with Archangel. (Click on the highlighted names to learn about the characters and/or machine above.)

Sometime later, Betsy joined Storm's X-Men team in the search for Destiny's Diaries. In Valencia, Spain, the team encountered a man named Vargas; however, his sword skills were too much for Psylocke to handle and she was killed. Psylocke was buried at the Braddock family estate. However, Psylocke was then mysteriously resurrected and her Crimson Dawn tattoo was gone along with her powers that it gave her. (To learn about the characters above, just click on their names.)

When House of M events ended, Psylocke was one of the few mutants that retained her powers. (To learn about the House of M, click on the highlighted name above. Note: Beware of the revealing and skin-tight outfits worn by some on the House of M bio page.)

Later, it was discovered that Psylocke's brother, Jamie, had actually been the one that brought Psylocke back to life. He did it so she could help in fighting a great evil and had reconstructed her to be immune to attacks meant to control her mind, reshape her body, or affect her basic quantum structure.

Sometime Later, Psylocke joined up with the dimension hopping group known as the Exiles. During her time with the Exiles, Psylocke went from dimension to dimension battling many different foes. (To learn about the Exiles, click on their name above. Note: Beware of revealing outfit worn by someone of the last picture on the Exiles' bio page.)

At one point, Psylocke returned to Earth-616 (current Earth dimension). Upon returning, Psylocke was captured by Madelyne Pryor (calling herself the Red Queen). The Red Queen had Spiral, Lady Deathstrike, and Chimera (all members of her Sisterhood of Mutants) bring the body of Kwannon (which was Betsy's original body) to their hideout. Through a ritual, the Red Queen (using the combined might of the Sisterhood) reanimated the dead body and transferred Betsy's mind back into her original form, while the Asian body of Kwannon simply appeared to die. Later, the X-Men and the Sisterhood of Mutants battled one another. Dazzler, one of the X-Men, tried to reason with Psylocke and bring her back to her senses, but it didn't work. Dazzler then generated a huge beam of light and ended up blowing off half of Betsy's face. Psylocke managed to break free for a moment and used her psi-knife on herself. Inside her own mind, the real Betsy was at war with her evil self, and ultimately killed the evil being inside of her. Dazzler tried to wake up a seemingly dead Psylocke, when Betsy suddenly awoke in the Asian body instead. Now that Psylocke was freed of the Sisterhood's control, she rejoined the X-Men. (The Sisterhood enabled Psylocke to regain her telepathy and retain her telekinesis. While she is no longer immune to psionic attacks, Psylocke can now summon both a psychic knife as well as a psychic katana, and is now able to be detected by electronic devices. Also, to learn about the above characters/dimension, click on their highlighted names. Note: Beware of the reavealing outfits worn by Madelyne Pryor, Lady Deathstrike, and Dazzler on all of their bio pages. Also, Psylocke's psi-weapons can be seen in the first and fifth pictures posted.)

Recently, after Cable's funeral, Wolverine gathered together a new Uncanny X-Force consisting of Archangel, Psylocke, Fantomex, and Deadpool. Wolverine said that there was only one rule: No one can know. (To learn about the above highlighted characters, just click on their names.)

To learn more about Psylocke, click on the following link, http://marvel.com/universe/Psylocke.

The writer for X-Men: The Last Stand, Zak Penn, said in a Q&A section that the character played by Meiling Melançon was never meant to be Psylocke, as the writers were still throwing names out for the character. However, when X-Men: The Last Stand came out on DVD, the director's (Brett Ratner) commentary stated that Melançon was actually playing Psylocke. In addition, IMDb.com lists her as playing Psylocke in the credits. Therefore, I'm guessing that she was supposed to be playing Psylocke, even though her powers don't really match up with that of the comic character's. (However, many movies change character's powers and abilities, so it wouldn't be a first.)