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| Cipher | |
|---|---|
 Cipher in her first appearance by Rapha Sandoval.Young X-Men #8. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Young X-Men #8 (November 2008) |
| Created by | Marc Guggenheim Rafa Sandoval |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Alisa Tager |
| Species | Human mutant |
| Team affiliations | X-Men-In-Training[broken anchor] Young X-Men Jean Grey School Students X-Corps |
| Abilities | Complete stealth Invisibility Phasing/intangibility Inaudibility In-odouribility |
Cipher (Alisa Tager) is amutantsuperhero appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. She is a youngAfrican-American woman who first appeared inYoung X-Men #8 (Nov. 2008) and was created byMarc Guggenheim and Rafa Sandoval.
Cipher's first appearance was inYoung X-Men #8 by writer Marc Guggenheim and artist Rafa Sandoval. However, references to her character began inYoung X-Men #3 and were initially written to deceptively referenceCypher, a long-deceased member of theNew Mutants. Throughretcons, Cipher is depicted as having been present during events prior to her character's creation, includingGrant Morrison's 2001 run onNew X-Men andJoss Whedon's 2004 tenure onAstonishing X-Men.[1] She became a featured character in the seriesYoung X-Men, and after that series ended, she appeared inUncanny X-Men andWolverine and the X-Men as part of the student cast.
Cipher is introduced in the seriesYoung X-Men, where she warnsInk that his teammates are in trouble and he is needed to come with her to save them.[2] Although Ink is skeptical about Cipher's motivations and intentions, she is shown wearing the standard uniform of the Young X-Men, and has a jet from theX-Men's headquarters to transport him to his team as well, to show that her information is legitimate, even though she refuses to give any more information. However, she also gives into his demand to take him to his tattooist to give him new abilities, even though she voices that she feels he is wasting his time while his friends are in danger. She is still able to get him to the battle with the Y-Men in time, though, where Ink is able to turn the tide and save his teammates.[3] Cipher revealing herself to save the Young X-Men causes several members of the team and X-Men faculty to question who she is and why they had never been aware of her.
Cyclops reveals that Cipher was first discovered during events depicted inNew X-Men vol. 2. During a riot inMutant Town,Jean Grey was able to detect Cipher's presence. Jean and Cyclops chose to keep Cipher's presence a secret at her request, aided by her mutant ability to become completely undetectable either psychically or physically. In the meantime, Cipher developed a friendship withBlindfold, secretly communicating with her and making Blindfold appear to be talking to herself.[4] Cipher is also present for various other events inYoung X-Men, secretly assisting the team. Her newly revealed presence generates feelings of uneasiness and anger over their seeming lack of privacy and Cipher's ability to go about undetected in their lives.[5]
In a conversation with Cipher, Cyclops theorizes that she had chosen to reveal herself out of a subconscious desire to make herself known to those around her. Regardless, Cipher remains uneasy of her "outing" as she fears an individual only referred to as "he" will now know where to find her and will come for her. Cyclops assures her that "he" will have to get through the X-Men to reach her, reassuring Cipher enough for her to decide to drop her stealth.[5] Following the split betweenWolverine and Cyclops in "X-Men: Schism", Cipher decides to return toWestchester with Wolverine and become a student at the newly renamed Jean Grey School for Higher Learning.[6]
She later joins the mutant nation ofKrakoa, and theX-Corps.[7]
Cipher's abilities include full spectrum invisibility and complete stealth, able to mask even her psychic imprint from most telepaths with the exception of particularly high-level telepaths like Jean Grey andProfessor X. She is also able to enter a phased state making her capable of passing through solid objects and levitating through the air. She also exhibits the ability to mask her voice to only those she chooses. Coupled with her invisibility, this makes her a highly adept spy, and she was employed as such by Cyclops.[1] She was also able to extend her invisibility to objects.[7]
She is also able to pilot the X-Men's jets.
Cipher makes non-speaking cameo appearances inX-Men '97.[1][8][9]
