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Some kids want to grow up to be like their parents. Nico Minoru learned she never wanted to be anything like hers. So much so, she ran away from home with her friends. Why did learning what her parents do for a living lead to fleeing for her life? Let’s find out!

Nico Minoru was just a bored teenager forced to hang out with her parents’ friends’ kids at yet another charity event. One year, they decided to see what all the hubbub was about when Nico sees her father performing some magical ritual, which has him sacrificing a young girl to complete. Nico and company would learn their parents were actually supervillains who worked together to control their city.

Terrified, Nico and friends ran away immediately and begin a life on the run and adventuring. She’d meet her parents who would reveal that they were dark wizards and her mother would take a magical staff, the Staff of One, and stab it into Nico’s chest. Instead of dying, Nico’s body would absorb the staff and later, when she was cut the blood spilled unleashed the staff for her to command. Nico could now cast spells, but each spell must be new and slightly different from the last because they were one time use only, no repeats.

When the team leader of The Runaways, their team name, betrays them, Nico because the new leader and fits the role well. Taking care of the younger kids, Nico lead her friends on many adventures even though all they really wanted to do was stay out of things. They’d gain and lose members all the while, Nico would do her best to keep everyone safe. They’d team up with the Young Avengers on occassion but always stay moving around.

Due to time travel, Nico would be trained to use her magic more efficiently by her own great grandmother and get an updated version of the Staff of One while leaving her old one behind so she could eventually get it in the future that is her past. Time travel can be such a mess. With her newfound power, Nico would keep her friends safe as possible throughout the Civil War and Norman Osborn’s reign over the transformed S.H.I.E.L.D.

Nico would find herself and fellow Runaway, Chase, along with many other teen heroes trapped in a deathmatch arena set up by the villain Arcade. Many would die but Nico, Chase, and a handful of others would male it out alive. When a fellow survivor had apparently killed Arcade, Nico would lead the others to safety by faking working for Baron Von Stuckey until they could ruin his plans. They’d eventually be proven innocent and get to spend some time on vacation.

When Battleworld was formed from a rattling of dimensions, A-Force was formed in one section, to defend the good people of Arcadia. Nico was one such member and would become very close to the new and strange alien, Singularity. When reality settled back to a more normal situation, the events of A-Force didn’t happen for Nico and many others but when Singularity arrives, remembering her connection to Nico, Nico does her best to help and be a part of the new A-Force and their strange adventures.

There you have it folks! Nico Minoru has been a magical character in Marvel with an interesting power that let’s her be quite versatile and she came from one of one heck of a series. Runaways is supposedly in the works to become a series of its own for the Marvel Cinematic Universe on Hulu. Hopefully Nico will appear and make quite the impression she deserves. See you next time!

Suggested Reading
Runaways Vol. 1-3
Avengers Arena
A-Force

Dr. Bustos
drbustos@comicattack.net