SISTER NIL
Real Name: Nil
Identity/Class: Demon (Class II, Lilin);
citizen of the Shadowside Realm
Occupation: Succubus
Group Membership: Lilin (Bad Timing, Blackout, Bloodthirst, Creed, Dark Legion, Doc, Fang, Girth, Infinks, Meatmarket, Nakota, Outcast, Parasite, Pilgrim, Pixil, Scatter, Short Circuit, Skinner, Skitter, Spitfire, unidentified child, unidentified "goblins", others)
Affiliations: Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange), Dreamstalker, Lilith, Lilin, Victoria Montesi, Nightmare
Enemies: Caretaker, Imei Chang, Clea, Salomé, Wong;
formerly Midnight Sons (Blade/Eric Brooks, John Blaze, Sam Buchanan, Frank Drake, Doctor Strange/Stephen Strange, Ghost Rider/Noble Kale/Dan Ketch, Hannibal King, Morbius, Vengeance/Michael Badilino)
Known Relatives: Lilith (mother), Scatter (brother), Lilin (various relations)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Hidden underground Sanctum Sanctorum;
formerly Shadowside Realm
First Appearance: Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#60 (December, 1993)
Powers/Abilities: Sister Nil is a succubus whose very touch causes death in living beings though she preferred to kill her pray with a kiss of death. As a Lilin, she has regenerative abilities and an extended lifespan.
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 96 lbs.
Eyes: Black
Hair: Black
History:
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#60 - BTS) - Imei had a vision of her death at the hands of Sister Nil in the near future.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#60) - Aided by her brother Scatter releasing stygian mist all over the Sanctum Sanctorum Sister Nil entered to bring death to every new "friend" she found inside. Nil confronted Wong, Imei, Caretaker and Drake and promised to share the cold embrace of her mother Lilith with them. Unable to see anything in her future Imei stumbled towards Nil, who decided to ease her agony with her kiss of death. Imei's life essence was drained from her body by Nil until only Imei's shriveled, lifeless body was left behind. King and Blade surrounded Nil, who was then tackled by Morbius and frozen in place by Doctor Strange. Enraged Strange had decided to turn Morbius (he was under the Lilin Bloodthirst's control and betrayed the Midnight Sons) back to their side instead of saving Imei from Nil, Wong left the Sanctum Sanctorum with Imei's corpse. Shortly after Nil rejoined the battle with the Lilin against the Midnight Sons. Realizing the Sanctum Sanctorum was no longer a sanctuary Strange destroyed it forcing the Midnight Sons to face Lilith and her Lilin head-on.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#63 (fb) - BTS) - Nil somehow remained on Earth when the other Lilin were banished back to the Shadowside Realm.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#63) - Nil watched Strange from the shadows in his new, hidden, null space-surrounded underground sanctum and approached him because she felt so alone. Shocked anybody could enter his new sanctum Strange wasn't too thrilled when Nil wanted to hug him.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#66 (fb) - BTS) - Strange mystically bound and muzzled Nil to prevent her from killing others anymore with her touch and kiss and made her his ward to remind himself of his past mistakes.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#66) - When Vengeance, Blade and Morbius entered the new sanctum to confront Doctor Strange the bound Sister Nil welcomed them and asked them to follow her path precisely and not touch anything until they reached Strange. When Blade touched some water flowing up Nil was sure he would be claimed by the Non-Dimension of Nihility because he couldn't follow her instructions, but Strange saved Blade. Strange introduced Nil as his ward to his allies and not a slave. Nil was at Strange's side after Blade, Morbius and Vengeance left in anger.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Annual#4) - Sister Nil was floating behind Doctor Strange when he vowed to soon be ready to upgrade his elemental magic with the aid of all the mystic artifacts he had collected though he wondered if his surrender to Salomé's darkness would ruin what he had started. He murmured that transforming now was like opening Pandora's Box and Nil, who worked at his servant and scribe, was perturbed because there was no Pandora's Box on the Forge Inventory she had compiled. Strange got angry at her and asked her to stay silence or else he would bind her mouth further.
(Midnight Sons Unlimited#6) - Strange dictated his thoughts to his scribe Sister Nil about the Forge Arcana to rewrite Earth's magic. He feared what he faced was beyond mere mortality. Nil asked Strange who he would miss in case he died and who would miss him because he had no family he loved like Nil's Lilin brethren, which she still held dear. She saw no difference in being alone or dead. Nil's loneliness and forced isolation reminded Strange of his own, but also of the vampire lord Varnae's, who recently returned and was plaguing Strange's allies, when all he really wanted was to end his own solitude since Strange used the Montesi Formula to rid of Earth of vampires years ago. Nil wondered if she should add this "desire" to her memory, but still wanted to know who would miss Strange. Strange reminisced about three battles with the ancient vampire Verdelet with Clea at his side, which made Nil realize how much Clea meant to Strange. She confronted Strange about how much he seemed to need Clea and he got angry at her. He apologized and blamed his rage on absorbing Salomé's dance, but still insisted he didn't need Clea even though she had been his friend, companion and lover. Nil wondered if she could become Strange's lover and companion like Clea. After the final tale Nil asked Strange if hr regretted letting Clea go and Strange admitted that even though he and Clea split to follow their own responsibilities Nil's words made him realize how much he missed out on to follow his path as w magician and warrior. Strange swore to follow his heart as a man when next he met Clea, which he felt would be soon.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#67) - Nil watched Strange from the shadows once again when he was visited by Clea, who soon returned to the Dark Dimension. She grew jealous of the closeness between them because she believed she deserved it more than Clea to be loved by Strange after all she had done for him.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#74 (fb) - BTS) - Strange forbade Nil to enter the Forge Canal anymore.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#71) - Nil offered to help Strange when he struggled to set up traps for Salomé in the new sanctum, but Strange told her she would only delay him. She grew anxious when Strange told her he would have to leave the sanctum to bait Salomé there, but the jealous Nil was sure he just wanted to leave to see Clea. Strange didn't understand why Nil was acting like that. Nil noticed first when an aetheric snares trap sprung prematurely and to Strange's surprise attacked them.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#72) - Strange told Nil to leave while he dealt with the aetheric snares. Nil obliged and went to the Slow White Place within the sanctum, a mystic stasis box created by Strange to save Victoria Montesi from Salomé. Nil considered her family and updated her on everything Strange was up to, but while Victoria appeared to to Nil as a statue-like being, Nil was nothing more than a frightening blur and high-pitched buzzing to Victoria. Nil tasted Victoria's fear and knew she was going to give birth to Chthon, but couldn't end her misery because of the mask Strange put on her. Montesi wanted to tell Nil that she needed Doctor Strange to kill her, but Nil couldn't understand her. When Nil returned to the sanctum Strange had already dealt with the aetheric snares. She then witnessed Strange leave the sanctum armed with his aetheric sword and protective helmet.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#73) - Hiding among statues Nil watched Salomé enter Strange's otherworldly sanctum. She wondered why Strange wanted Salomé alive until he returned from Earth, but vowed to follow his wish and keep her from stumbling into the Non-Dimension of Nihility. Nil lured her way from the access point and promised Salomé that Doctor Strange would see her soon. Nil was followed by the enraged Salomé, who was soon distracted by the demon Baphomet.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#74) - Nil witnessed Salomé destroy Baphomet's stone form with her powers. She still wondered why Strange would want her alive until he returned before offering her something to read from the library. Salomé threatened to kill Nil, but Nil successfully fled though she accidentally led Salomé into Strange's current power source, the Forge Canal. Nil wondered if Salomé should be allowed inside there.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#75) - Nil felt Salomé doing something terrible with Strange's power source, the Forge Canal. She hoped Strange would return soon and allow her to give Salomé her kiss of death before Salomé could kill everyone else.
When Strange finally returned Nil warned him that Salomé had done something to the Forge Canal. Strange told Nil get out, but when Salomé pushed Strange into the vortex to the Non-Dimension of Nihility Nil came to his rescue and tackled Salomé. Strange barely managed to pull Nil away from the vortex, which had already destroyed her mystical mask and bindings. Strange asked Nil not to kill Salomé and her to him. After Strange finally defeated Salomé he returned to Earth, leaving Nil behind in the new Sanctum Sanctorum because he believed Earth was not ready for her yet. He thanked her though for her faith and help by providing her with a new dress. Nil only asked Strange to return soon to her.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#79 (f) - BTS) - Strange hired Nurse Jasmine to look after the pregnant Victoria Montesi. Even though Strange made her afraid of Sister Nil, Jasmine talked to her about things Nil couldn't even begin to understand like "cash" or "safe sex".
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#79 (f) ) - While dreaming one night Nil and Doctor Strange were both summoned by Nightmare and pulled into battle with him after he turned himself and them into spiny beasts. His reasons remained a mystery.
While awake Nil begged Strange in the hidden Sanctum Sanctorum to return with him to Earth, but he didn't believe she or the people on Earth were prepared for it. Though Strange wished to abide by his promise he had been unable to device a method to prevent her from killing others with a mere touch even by accident. Nil kept nagging because Strange wanted her to learn about people, but she only knew him. Strange was too tired to concentrate and talk to her any longer because he didn't get any rest during sleep (due to nightmares) and was too stressed by Lila Green preventing his plans to rebuild his old Sanctum Sanctorum. Strange went to sleep and Nil stayed with him.
In their sleep they were once again summoned by Nightmare. Nil was turned into a small dog while Strange and Nightmare fought each other as wolves. Strange had enough of Nightmare's ruse and turned back human while Nightmare ran away with Sister Nil at his side. The dream changed and Nightmare's was given a viking funeral on an unknown red sea while Sister Nil, sitting on Nightmare's steed Dreamstalker, and Doctor Strange watched Nightmare's corpse burn.
When Strange woke up Sister Nil was gone. Realizing Nightmare had actually abducted Nil, Strange traveled to the Dream Dimension to save her. When he arrived Nightmare was just giving Sister Nil the chance to choose a new dress. Strange recognized the dress she chose as a mofuko kimono, a costume for funerals, and believed it to be some king of threat by Nightmare. Nightmare pointed out how Nil still adored Strange even though he had treated her like a slave and could never understand her feelings. Nightmare offered Nil a chance to be with him and learn about people through their wildest dreams. Strange had enough and attacked Nightmare with his new elemental magic. When the dream changed and they were surrounded by the red water again Nil thought they were back in their previous dream, but Strange explained that everything around them was a dream and asked her to return the kimono so they could return home. Nightmare turned himself into a giant and attacked. Strange showed no mercy and asked Nil to defend herself as well, which she considered weird because he usually asked her not to kill others. Nightmare crawled to them, badly hurt and teleported himself on to a nearby boat. The dream of Nightmare's viking funeral seemed to repeat itself with Nil riding on Nightmare's steed Dreamstalker and Strange standing next to them while the ship with Nightmare began to burn. Strange though decided to interfere in Nightmare's farewell and saved him from the death Nightmare craved. Feeling cheated Nightmare forced Strange and Nil into a dream that resembled Strange's old Sanctum Sanctorum, but Strange escaped with Nil and then returned home to his hidden sanctum. Nil watched over Strange while he slept while thinking about her future and new dreams.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#79) - Nil played with her dolls and imagined how Strange finally allowed her to come to Earth with him while Nurse Jasmine took care of Victoria Montesi. She then thought about her recent encounter with the demon Nightmare alongside Doctor Strange. Nil later carved a wooden puppet of Nightmare, painted it and placed it in her dollhouse right next to the puppets of Doctor Strange and herself. She understood how lonely Nightmare must feel and hoped he would visit her soon again.
Comments: Created by David Quinn (writer), Melvin Rubi (pencils) & Fred Harper (inks).
Sister Nil has handbook profiles in Mystic Arcana: The Book of Marvel Magic (August, 2007) and Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z HC#11 (2009).
Profile by Markus Raymond.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Sister Nil should not be confused with:
images (without ads)
Mystic Arcana: The Book of Marvel Magic, Sister Nil profile (main image; original source Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#75, p35, pan7)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#79, p4, pan1 (head shot)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#60, p17, pan3 (first appearance)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Annual#4, p39, right side (mystically bound)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#72, p5, left side (shielded face)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#79, p4, pan4 (levitating)
Appearances:
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#60 (December, 1993) - David Quinn (writer), Melvin Rubi (pencils), Fred Harper (inks), Evan Skolnick (editor)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#63 (March, 1994) - David Quinn (writer), Max Douglas (artist), Evan Skolnick (editor)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#66 (June, 1994) - David Quinn (writer), John Hixson (pencils), Fred Harper (inks), Evan Skolnick (editor)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Annual#4 (1994) - David Quinn (writer), Kyle Hotz (artist), Evan Skolnick (editor)
Midnight Sons Unlimited#6 (July, 1994) - David Quinn (writer), Mark Tenney (pencils), Richard Rankin (inks), Evan Skolnick (editor)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#67 (July, 1994) - David Quinn (writer), Mark Tenney (pencils), Andrew Pepoy (inks), Evan Skolnick (editor)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#71 (November, 1994) - David Quinn (writer), Peter Gross (artist), Evan Skolnick (editor)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#72 (December, 1994) - David Quinn (writer), Peter Gross (pencils/inks), Lee Sullivan (inks), Evan Skolnick (editor)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#73 (January, 1995) - David Quinn (writer), Peter Gross (pencils/inks), Lee Sullivan (inks), Evan Skolnick (editor)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#74 (February, 1995) - David Quinn (writer), Steve Yeowell (artist), Evan Skolnick (editor)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#75 (March, 1995) - David Quinn (writer), Mark Buckingham (pencils), Peter Gross (inks), Evan Skolnick (editor)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#79 (July, 1995) - David Quinn (story), Evan Skolnick (script), Marie Severin (pencils), Art Nichols & Don Hudson (inks), Marie Javins (editor)
First Posted: 10/22/2018
Last updated: 10/22/2018
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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