Psylocke
Real name: Elizabeth "Betsy" Braddock
Other aliases: (former) Captain Britain II, Lady Mandarin
Identity: Secret
Occupation: (current) Adventurer, (former) Fashion model, operative for
S.T.R.I.K.E. Psi Division, (as Lady Mandarin) Assassin
Legal status: Subject of the United Kingdom with no criminal record
Place of birth: Braddock Manor, England
Marital status: Single
Known relatives: James Braddock, Sr. (father, deceased), Elizabeth
Braddock (mother, deceased), Brian Braddock (Captain Britain, brother),
James "Jamie" Braddock, Jr. (brother)
Base of operations: The Xavier Institute, Salem Center, Westchester
County, New York State, (former) Braddock Manor, England; X-Men
headquarters, Australian outback
Group affiliation: X-Men, (former) S.T.R.I.K.E. Psi Division (British
division of S.H.I.E.L.D.)
First appearance: (U. K.) CAPTAIN BRITAIN (Vol. 1) #8, (U. S.) NEW
MUTANTS ANNUAL #2
History: Elizabeth "Betsy" Braddock is the daughter of Dr. James
Braddock, who was once a denizen of Otherworld, an other-dimensional
realm. A being who called himself Merlin (but who may not actually be
the wizard of Arthurian legend) sent Braddock to Earth to father the
champion who would be known as Captain Britain. Living in England, Dr.
Braddock became one of the United Kingdom's leading research scientists.
He married a woman named Elizabeth and they bought the mansion they
renamed Braddock Manor. There Dr. Braddock created a highly advanced
computer complex called Mastermind (which is not to be confused with the
two mutants of the same name).
Dr. and Mrs. Braddock's three children, the eldest, Jamie, and the
twins, Brian and Elizabeth (nicknamed "Betsy"), inherited genes from
their father that endowed them with superhuman powers. The children's
powers, however, remained latent for many years. Dr. and Mrs. Braddock
were killed in an explosion in Dr. Braddock's laboratory at Braddock
Manor that was caused by the malfunctioning computer Mastermind.
Brian Braddock eventually became the costumed champion known as Captain
Britain. Betsy developed the psychic ability which she used in the
service of S.T.R.I.K.E., a British division of the international law
enforcement agency S.H.I.E.L.D. Betsy also developed a highly successful
career as a fashion model. She knew of Brian's double identity, and the
two siblings took up residence in Braddock Manor.
Members of a British government agency called R.C.X., knowing that Brian
Braddock was Captain Britain, attempted to recruit him to work with
them. Refusing to be exploited by the government, Brian Braddock gave up
the role of Captain Britain. The R.C.X. agents then persuaded Betsy to
become the new Captain Britain, working with them. Betsy used a costume
taken from an otherdimensional counterpart of Brian, which magnified her
strength to superhuman levels when she wore it and enabled her to fly.
Another other-dimensional hero, Captain UK, trained Betsy to become a
crimefighter, and the two acted as partners on missions together for
many weeks.
Finally, Betsy launched her solo career as the new Captain Britain,
which came to a quick end when she went into battle against two of the
original Captain Britain's arch foes, the Vixen and Slaymaster. Wearing
a battle suit that amplified his own strength, Slaymaster savagely beat
Betsy nearly to death and blinded her. Sensing her telepathic cries of
agony, Brian Braddock rushed to his sister's rescue and fought and
killed Slaymaster. Realizing he could not forsake his responsibilities,
Brian resumed his role as Captain Britain.
Betsy went to Switzerland to recuperate. While there she was taken
prisoner by the other-dimensional creature known as Mojo. Mojo took
control of Betsy and gave her new, artificial eyes, thereby restoring
her sight. Betsy was rescued through the intervention of the New
Mutants, a team of adolescent mutants. Having regained her free will,
Betsy chose to remain at the New Mutants' home, Professor Charles
Xavier's mansion in Westchester County, New York, which also served as
the secret headquarters of the mutant adventurers called the X-Men.
Betsy proved her courage to the X-Men by resisting the attack of their
enemy Sabretooth when he broke into the mansion. As a result she was
accepted into the ranks of the X-Men, becoming a costumed adventurer
once more under the code name Psylocke.
Later, Psylocke was captured by the crimelord Matsu'o Tsurayaba. Seeking
to save the life of his lover, the female assassin Kwannon, Tsurayaba
oversaw a process through which the minds of Kwannon and the X-Man
Psylocke switched bodies. In the process Kwannon's mind melded with that
of Psylocke, endowing each of them with the same memories and telepathic
abilities. Tsurayaba brainwashed Psylocke and turned her over to one of
Earth's most dangerous men, the Mandarin. Under the name of Lady
Mandarin, Psylocke briefly served the Mandarin, but ultimately Psylocke
regained her free will and returned to the X-Men.
Later Kwannon, in Psylocke's body, became an ally of the X-Men, calling
herself Revanche. For a time there was confusion among the X-Men as to
who was the "real" Betsy Braddock. Finally, Revanche learned that she
was dying from the Legacy Virus and had Tsurayaba kill her. Thus Betsy's
original body died, but she lived on as Psylocke in Kwannon's original
body.
Recently, Psylocke and her fellow X-Man, Angel, have fallen in love with
each other. Psylocke was nearly killed by Sabretooth, but was healed by
magical forces from a mystical dimension called the Crimson Dawn.
However, Kuragari, a sinister being who had conquered the Crimson Dawn,
attempted to corrupt Psylocke's personality through a mystical ring.
Kuragari planned to make Psylocke his queen and through her father a
genetically powerful bloodline. However, together Angel and Psylocke
thwarted Kuragari, and Psylocke's mind is now free of Kuragari's
influence.
Height: (both bodies) 5'11"
Weight: (both bodies) 155 lbs.
Eyes: (original body) Violet, (current body) Blue
Hair: (original body) Blonde, (current body) Black (dyed purple)
Other distinguishing features: Red tattoo over her left eye
Strength level: Psylocke possesses the normal human strength of a woman
of her age, height, and build who engages in intensive regular exercise.
Known superhuman powers: Psylocke possesses many telepathic abilities,
enabling her to read minds, communicate mentally with others over long
distances, stun the minds of others with "mental bolts," control the
minds of others, and create illusions in the minds of others. Psylocke
can intensely focus her psionic powers into her "psychic knife," with
which she can stun or kill an adversary.
Other abilities: Psylocke is highly skilled in Far Eastern martial arts.