Marvel: Telepathic Illusion

Danielle Moonstar (Mirage)
Mirage had the power to create three-dimensional images of certain visual concepts from thoughts and emotional impressions within the minds of herself and others. Originally, Mirage could only create images of the objects of other people's greatest fears. Later, she learned how to reach into another person's subconscious and project an image of the object of that person's "heart's desire." Still later, under Charles Xavier's further training, Mirage learned to use her power to derive and project more specific images from another person's mind that were unrelated to such strong emotional states. Moreover, she learned how to project such images around herself and others in order to alter the appearance of herself and others. For example, once she and her teammate Cannonball, neither dressed impressively at the time, had to find Wolfsbane at a stylish hotel. In order that she and Cannonball would look as if they belonged in the hotel, Mirage made herself and Cannonball look like the desk clerk's mental image of the ideal wealthy guests for the hotel. Most recently, Mirage learned to project three-dimensional versions of images from her own mind, such as life-size images of the New Mutants training in the use of their powers.

Despite the fact that Mirage had to probe a person's subconscious in order to discover the mental image she wished to project, she wasn't a true telepath. Although she could consciously initiate the mental probing in order to find and project an image, the probing process itself wasn't governed by her conscious mind. Hence, Mirage did not consciously know what the image she sought in another person's mind was (in any more detail than that it was the image of the object of his or her greatest fear, or that it was the image of his or her ideal customer, or whatever) until its image actually appeared in three-dimensional form before her.

The three-dimensional images that Mirage caused to appear were similar to holograms, although they were created by psionic energy rather than by lasers, and could be seen by anyone in their vicinity. However, only the people from whom Mirage derived the images would perceive them as "real," indistinguishable from the real persons or objects they portrayed. To other people, the images were recognizable as immaterial illusions.

Mirage could use her power to derive and project mental images on several people at once. Each "victim" would see a different image, corresponding to his or her own individual concept of the kind of image that Mirage sought. If, for example, she sought to make a group of people each see the object of his or her greatest fear, probably each person in the group would see an image of a different person or thing. Probably if she caused each member of the New Mutants to see an image of Professor Xavier, each member would see a subtly different image, according to his or her own perception of Xavier's personality, handsomeness, and so forth. However, even though each "victim" in such a group would see only one image, Mirage herself and anyone else in the vicinity would see each of the images drawn from the minds of each of the "victims."

The seeming materialization of the object of his or her greatest fear of desire invariably had immediate emotional impact on the person from whom Mirage had drawn the image she projected. Mirage's images dissolved and ceased to exist as soon as she ceased to maintain sufficient concentration to keep them visible.

Mirage was limited in the use of her power by her need to see the person from whose consciousness she derived her images. She could use her power on a person even if he or she could only be seen by Mirage through binoculars. However, she couldn't draw images from a person who was standing only a few feet from her, but behind something she couldn't see through. Nor could she derive images from a person whom she saw via live television but who wasn't actually within her vicinity.

At first Mirage could not control her image projecting powers, and she would draw and project images without consciously willing to do so. However, she learned to control her power due to Charles Xavier's guidance and her own growing maturity, so that her power operated only when she willed it to do so. Mirage, like the other New Mutants, was killed and then resurrected by the alien Beyonder. When the Beyonder recreated the New Mutants, somehow their proficiency in utilizing their powers was greatly reduced. Hence, although Mirage could still perform all the feats listed above, it was now more difficult for her to do so. Also, her ability to keep her power under her conscious control was lessened as a result.

Mirage's ultimate potential was to be able to cause her three-dimensional images to become tangible entities of psionic force. She was only able to make use of this full potential temporarily when her abilities were briefly augmented psionically by Charles Xavier when he was mentally possessed by a member of the alien Brood.

Mirage could also use her power to derive and project images of the objects of fear or desire from the minds of animals. The only difference was that the animal from which she derived the image would be the only being to see it. She could even use this power on fish and certain insects, although not on animals with intelligence any lower than these creatures. Mirage could derive mental images of her winged horse Brightwind's objects of fear and love even if Brightwind was beyond the range of her sight, and project such images to him over a great distance. The limits of her powers with regard to Brightwind are unknown. She summoned him in the past by projecting an image of herself, whom he loved, to him, even though he was out of her range of sights.

Martinique Wyngarde (Mastermind)
Mastermind can project sophisticated illusions that are indistinguishable from reality. However, she also has the added ability of low-level telepathy, which she uses to glean information from her victims to make the illusions even more realistic. She can also project the illusion directly into a person's mind. Her power's range is unknown, although it is likely the size of a large city.

Nathan Summers (Cable)
He has the ability to create realistic telepathic illusions and cause people to experience events which are not actually occurring.

Quintavius Quire (Kid Omega)
He has the ability to create illusions to make himself seem to be invisible, look life someone else, or make others experience events that are not truly happening.

Regan Wyngarde (Lady Mastermind)
Regan possesses the mutant power to project extremely convincing and realistic illusions into the minds of others, a stronger variation of the same ability her father had.

Her illusions are hypnotic, and her victims tend to accept them as fact, even when the images and scenarios they are confronted with involve sudden changes to the world around them or are inconsistent or improbable. As such, they can be used as a very effective brainwashing tool. In addition, unlike her father, both Regan and her half-sister Martinique have limited telepathic abilities that enable them to read their foes minds and make their illusions all the more accurate for it. Regan's illusions have also been shown to persist even after she has been rendered unconscious.
 * Psychosomatic Symptoms: Regan's power can also kill, as her victims' bodies respond as if her illusions are real. She confronted Viceroy with the illusion that he was drowning, and, believing it to be real, he suffocated, despite having no physical injuries and being in a room with sufficient oxygen. Lifeguard's body also responded in a similar way, bleeding through the pores in her back when she was under the illusion that she had been stabbed.

Other Characters

 * Blaquesmith
 * Celeste Cuckoo
 * Charles Xavier (Professor X)
 * Elizabeth Braddock (Psylocke)
 * Emma Frost (White Queen)
 * Gabriel Shepherd (Shepherd)
 * Johann Shmidt (Red Skull)
 * John Break-Sky (Faithful John)
 * Kwannon (Revanche)
 * Madelyne Pryor (Red Queen)
 * Mindee Cuckoo
 * Nathan Summers (Stryfe)
 * Onslaught
 * Phoebe Cuckoo
 * Rachel Summers