Elixir (character)

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Elixir
Elixir as depicted in New X-Men (vol. 2) #33 (February 2007). Art by Paco Medina.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceNew Mutants (vol. 2) #5 (November 2003)
Created byNunzio DeFilippis
Christina Weir
Keron Grant
In-story information
Alter egoJoshua "Josh" Foley
SpeciesHuman mutant
Team affiliationsNew Mutants training squad
New X-Men
Reavers
Xavier Institute
X-Force
X-Men-In-Training
The Five
Abilities
  • Biokinesis
    • Healing
    • Resurrection/immortality
    • Life-force manipulation
    • Genetic detection
    • Death touch

Elixir (Joshua "Josh" Foley) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, primarily in association with the X-Men. Formerly a member of the Reavers, an anti-mutant criminal group, Elixir later reforms and joins the X-Men after learning that he is a mutant himself. During the Krakoan Age, Elixir joins the Five, using his healing abilities in combination with other mutants to resurrect the dead.

Publication history

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Elixir first appeared in New Mutants (vol. 2) #5, and was created by Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir, and Keron Grant.[1]

Fictional character biography

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Joshua Foley's powers first manifest during his time as a member of the anti-mutant group the Reavers. His powers initially go unnoticed by the other Reavers, and he uses them to save fellow mutant Laurie Collins. Outed as a mutant and thrown out of his house by his parents, Joshua reluctantly joins the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning and becomes Prodigy's roommate.[2] His parents sign legal guardianship over to Danielle Moonstar.[3]

A depowered Rahne Sinclair visits the X-Mansion. Joshua is instantly smitten by the new "wild child" Rahne,[4] and sneaks out of the Institute at night to go to a bar where Rahne is playing pool. A connection is established between them as Joshua shows an immediate understanding of her inner struggle. As the two kiss, Joshua unconsciously restores Rahne's powers. She loses control and mortally wounds Joshua.[5] Joshua manages to heal himself, which turns his skin and hair a reflective gold color.[6] He is assigned to Danielle Moonstar's New Mutants squad and given the codename Elixir.[5]

Rahne attempts to end her relationship with Elixir after she becomes a teacher at the school, but Elixir is persistent and they continue to see each other secretly. However, when Rahne witnesses him on a date with Laurie, she ends the relationship. Elixir is depressed at first, but eventually realizes that it was for the best and pursues a relationship with Laurie.[7]

Decimation and Childhood's End

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The events of House of M leaves only 27 students with their powers, with Elixir being among them. Fearing their safety, Emma Frost orders the depowered students and staff to leave the institute.[8] However, many of the students are killed when William Stryker bombs a bus carrying them. Elixir participates in a melee fight organized by Emma Frost to join her New X-Men and makes the team.[9] After Stryker kills Laurie Collins, Elixir uses his powers to kill him, which turns his skin black.[10][11]

Before the other students are teleported to Limbo, the Stepford Cuckoos help Elixir learn advanced science by giving him information taken from Beast's mind.[12] This increases his power exponentially, allowing him to heal otherwise-fatal injures with a touch. He also masters his "black abilities" by being able to switch instantly from golden/healing to black/disease-causing.[13]

X-Force

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Due to Elixir being a "problem" to X-Force, X-23 contacts the Stepford Cuckoos to help Rahne and erase Elixir's memories of the team, by Joshua's request. However, before his memories can be erased, X-Force is interrupted and sent on a mission. Elixir joins X-Force and receives a dark-colored uniform. He helps his new team capture Vanisher, creating a deadly tumor in his brain. Elixir later keeps X-23 from killing herself after she becomes infected with the Legacy Virus, and helps her get rid of it.[14]

Death and resurrection

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Elixir later resurfaces, having joined a church group to help find himself, when he is tracked down by Sabretooth and M. While there, the group is attacked by the Dark Riders, and most of the church volunteers are killed. Elixir is shot and killed by Gauntlet,[15] but manages to resurrect himself after being buried.[16]

Elixir and Exodus are later approached by Magneto to help contain Mothervine, a biotech enhancement that triggers secondary mutations and allows depowered mutants to regain their abilities. Elixir neutralizes all samples of the Mothervine serum and purges it from Jimmy Hudson's system, putting an end to the Mothervine threat.[17]

Krakoan Age

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When Professor X establishes a mutant nation on Krakoa, Elixir is revealed to be part of a group known as "The Five". Besides Elixir, the Five is made up of Goldballs (Fabio Medina), Proteus, Tempus, and Hope Summers, who combine their abilities to resurrect deceased mutants.[18][19][20]

Powers and abilities

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Elixir is an Omega-level mutant with the ability to manipulate the structure of organic matter within his vicinity, including his own body.[21][6] Besides healing, he is capable of boosting and restoring mutant abilities,[22] and possesses a death touch that can swiftly kill others and temporarily turns his skin black.[11] Elixir is capable of cleansing the effects of drugs and curing the Legacy Virus and M-Pox.[14][23] He used his healing abilities to enable Wolfsbane to survive the birth of her and Hrimhari's child Tier.[24] Elixir is virtually immortal due to his healing abilities enabling him to regenerate his body and resurrect himself if killed.[16]

Elixir later develops the ability to resurrect others.[16] Monet and Magneto speculate that he could do so to millions of people at once, but would lose his sanity in the process.

Other versions

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  • An alternate universe variant of Joshua Foley from Earth-600123 appears in New X-Men #10. This version worked with Prodigy to develop cures for various diseases at the cost of his life.[5]
  • An alternate universe variant of Joshua Foley from Earth-58163 appears in New X-Men #17. This version is an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.[25]

References

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  1. ^ DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
  2. ^ New Mutants (vol. 2) #5-6 (November - December 2003)
  3. ^ New Mutants (vol. 2) #7 (January 2004)
  4. ^ New Mutants (vol. 2) #9 (February 2004)
  5. ^ a b c New X-Men (vol. 2) #10 (April 2005)
  6. ^ a b New Mutants (vol. 2) #12 (June 2004)
  7. ^ New X-Men (vol. 2) #12-15 (June - August 2005)
  8. ^ New X-Men (vol. 2) #20-22 (January - March 2006)
  9. ^ New X-Men (vol. 2) #23-24 (April - May 2006)
  10. ^ New X-Men (vol. 2) #25 (June 2006)
  11. ^ a b New X-Men (vol. 2) #27 (August 2006)
  12. ^ New X-Men (vol. 2) #38 (July 2007)
  13. ^ New X-Men (vol. 2) #37-41 (June - October 2007)
  14. ^ a b X-Force (vol. 3) #10 (February 2009)
  15. ^ Uncanny X-Men (vol. 4) #2 (March 2016)
  16. ^ a b c Uncanny X-Men Annual (vol. 4) #1 (January 2017)
  17. ^ X-Men Blue #28 (July 2018)
  18. ^ House of X #1 (September 2019)
  19. ^ Schedeen, Jesse (September 18, 2019). "Marvel Just Made Goldballs the Most Important X-Men Character Ever". IGN. Archived from the original on September 19, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  20. ^ Diaz, Eric (September 19, 2019). "How House of X #5 Evolved the X-Men To The Next Level". Nerdist. Archived from the original on September 20, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  21. ^ Bacon, Thomas (July 26, 2019). "X-Men Finally Defines The Most Powerful 'Omega Mutants'". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  22. ^ New Mutants (vol. 2) #10 (May 2004)
  23. ^ X-Force (vol. 3) #3 (June 2008)
  24. ^ X-Factor #224 (August 2011)
  25. ^ New X-Men (vol. 2) #17 (October 2005)
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