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Cypher (Douglas Ramsey)

 

Universe
Marvel Universe

Real Name
Douglas Aaron Ramsey

Aliases
None

Identity
Secret

Occupation
Former student, adventurer

Citizenship
U.S.A. (presumed, legally deceased)

Place of Birth
Unrevealed

Known Relatives
Philip Ramsey (father), Sheila Ramsey (mother)

Group Affiliation
Formerly New Mutants

Education
High school, university level courses in languages & computer science

Height
5'9"

Weight
150 lbs.

Eyes
Blue

Hair
Blond

Powers
Cypher was a master of translating languages, spoken or written, human or alien in origin, including deciphering codes and computer languages. Cypher’s skills were such that he was once able to make great headway in translating the written language of an extraterrestrial race in a matter of minutes.

Cypher’s mutant talent for translating differed from the translating ability that a human who is a genius in this field, yet not a mutant, possesses, even though both people might achieve the same results with any given translation problem. Cypher’s mutant talent was an intuitive one which worked on a subconscious level, and which may in part be related to telepathy. A non-mutant human, even a genius, would have to work out a translation consciously, step by step. Cypher, however, could subconsciously solve the problem. Hence, Cypher could reach the correct solution by means that appeared to be leaps of logic, and he himself may not have been consciously aware of the entire process by which he reached the right answer.

Abilities
Cypher was an expert in the translating and design of computer software. Cypher also received a good deal of athletic training as a member of the New Mutants, and was a fair hand-to-hand combatant.

Weapons
None

Paraphernalia
None

First Appearance
(As Ramsey) New Mutants #13 (1984), (as Cypher) New Mutants Annual #1 (1984)

Origin
Unrevealed

Significant Issues
Began friendship with Kitty Pryde (New Mutants #13, 1984); applied for admission into White Queen's Massachusetts Academy (Uncanny X-Men #180/New Mutants #16, 1984); initiated communication with alien Warlock, joined New Mutants (New Mutants #21, 1984); with New Mutants, helped defeat Magus (New Mutants #50, 1987); killed by Ani-Mator (New Mutants #60, 1988)

Douglas Ramsey was a teenage friend of Kitty Pryde of the X-Men, sharing an interest in computers and video games. Although Ramsey became a friend of the New Mutants, he was unaware that he and they were mutants. However, when the techno-organic alien (Technarch) being Warlock arrived on Earth and, confused and terrified, found himself battling the New Mutants. Seeking to communicate with the alien, the New Mutants summoned Ramsey and revealed their costumed identities to him. Ramsey succeeded in initiating communications with Warlock, and both joined the New Mutants. Ramsey was code-named Cypher, after his ability to decipher languages.


Cypher became close with Warlock, who aided Ramsey in battle situations by merging with him, creating a single being that operated as a gestalt. When they merged, they took the form of Ramsey’s human body covered with Warlock’s “living circuitry”, allowing Ramsey to perceive his environment in the same way Warlock did. At first, Ramsey’s and Warlock’s consciousnesses remained separate within the single body; the more the pair merged, their personalities rapidly began to resemble one another’s. Cypher also aided Warlock in his fight against his father, the Magus, by reprogramming the Magus to an infant state.

Following the capture of the New Mutants by the mad scientist the Ani-Mator, on the island known as “Paradise” in the Atlantic Ocean, Cypher was killed when he dove in front of a bullet fired by the Ani-Mator at Wolfsbane. One of the Phalanx, humans mutated by the Technarch, later took a form combining the minds and powers of Cypher and Warlock, as Douglock, and later Warlock.

Recently, Cypher was revived with an alien techno organic virus.
 
 
 
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