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Nightcrawler has to see the area that he is going to teleport to. He explains the reason why in the 2nd X-Men film - that he can end up in a wall and die instantly.

So why and how can Azazel, the father of Nightcrawler, teleport anywhere without having to worry about ending up in a wall?

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  • This is just speculation so I'm leaving it as a comment, but it could be that he has some form of precognition that allows him to accurately teleport without foreknowledge of his landing zone. Seeing as how he's Kurt Wagner's father and therefor has a less "diluted" ability and also has been teleporting longer than Nightcrawler it could be experience or a stronger ability.
    – Monty129
    Commented Aug 11, 2012 at 19:38
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    It should be noted that Nightcrawler does not have to see the target zone. To clarify: it is not a physical limitation, just a logical one.
    – phantom42
    Commented Aug 11, 2012 at 21:42

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Azazel is, in the canon Marvel Universe, a demon-like mutant called a Neyaphem and father to Nightcrawler. The complete range of abilities available to the Neyaphem species is unknown. Being an immortal, demon-like mutant may grant him several powers his hybrid human son may not possess. It is also hinted that Azazel may have absorbed some of the powers of demons over his long existence. That may also give him senses or abilities most of the Neyaphem do not have.

Azazel may be able to teleport-without-error for a number of reasons including sensory, mechanical or biological adaptations. The basic power which appears similar to Nightcrawler's is teleportation to any distance, at any location on a planet. He may also be capable of interdimensional teleportation, as well.

  • Nightcrawler's power is described in the Handbook to the Marvel Universe as the ability to manifest an entry into a dimension which releases a puff of dark smoke and a displacement sound as air rushes in to the space Nightcrawler formerly occupied.

Nightcrawler surprises Spider-man

Nightcrawler surprises Spider-man

  • Nightcrawler then crosses the distance at an accelerated pace and reappears in our universe with a second puff of smoke.
  • This appears as a minimum movement for him, but crossing a vast distance in our universe. With practice he has learned how to gauge that distance with pinpoint accuracy.
  • He is unaware beyond the general direction of where he will appear if the distance is outside of his line of site.

Azazel mechanics may be basically the same but his difference could be:

  • Mechanical: Azazel may be able to physically sense, but not see, the universe, seconds before reappearing and simply choose a different point of re-entry into our universe. He would not know what was around him, but he would know if the area were clear for re-entry into our universe.

  • Sensory: Azazel's awareness may include a more powerful link to the location in which he is teleporting. He may simply be able to psychically see or be aware of the location he wants to teleport into. This would make him the ultimate ambush fighter, able to see and be exactly where he wants to be every time he teleports.

  • Biological: Azazel's power may also come with an automatic, natural safety mechanism allowing him to teleport to any space, but automatically displacing him into the next clearest space if a space is occupied. If the teleport cannot be completed at all, he simply isn't able to teleport there.

Nightcrawler, being a human hybrid, may have inherited the teleportation ability without the sensory, mechanical or biological safety additions to make his teleportation completely safe.

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    Nightcrawler is, according to the comics, a BAMF
    – gobernador
    Commented Aug 11, 2012 at 22:29
  • @gobernador which comics?
    – AncientSwordRage ♦
    Commented Aug 12, 2012 at 11:14
  • The one pictured here.
    – gobernador
    Commented Aug 12, 2012 at 21:07
  • This would suggest that Nightcrawler can teleport to any visible location, such as those given by TV or even film/video (again acknowledging the danger of teleportation with error).
    – New Alexandria
    Commented Sep 22, 2012 at 2:22
  • He could teleport to any location he can actually see as long as it is within his range. He does it as an infiltrator for the X-men all the time.
    – Thaddeus Howze
    Commented Sep 22, 2012 at 2:29
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I think Azazel knew more about himself, so was better informed about his powers and how to use them, unlike Nightcrawler.

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  • This answer is very brief and appears to be based only on your assumptions. Do you have any sources that would back this up that you can incorporate into your answer?
    – Longshanks
    Commented Mar 5, 2017 at 17:37
  • who he was - well, who is he?
    – Gallifreyan
    Commented Mar 5, 2017 at 17:42

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