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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 other
dimensional 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 crime fighter, 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 (see 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 (see New 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 (see Professor X, X-Men).
Betsy proved her courage to the X-Men by resisting the attack of their enemy
Sabretooth when he broke into the mansion (see Sabretooth). 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.
Psylocke and her fellow X-Man, Angel, had 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.
Some time later, Psylocke returned with a new look and a completely new uniform.
not only that, but the crimson dawn brought upon new telekinetic powers for
Psylocke to play with. She is still a novice with her new powers, but the X-Men
helped Psylocke develop these skills.
Death has befallen Psylocke at the hands of the evil
character, Vargas. Vargas struck a fatal sword wound in her abdomen during a
fight to save the life of her fellow X-Men comrades. Currently there are no
signs of return for Psylocke, but time might tell a different ending to
her story...
To be continued ???
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