X-Series: Dakota (Nightcrawler)

This is part of an ongoing series in which I am honoring my family in my own nerdy way. You can read the introduction for context. The information in each post was originally shared on Thanksgiving at the Tribal DMx 2020. The shadowboxes and art were done by Tom and Clayton at The Collector’s Outpost. Thank you Tom and Clayton! Thanks even more to Karen, Dakota, Kadin and Kasey who have fulled my life with love, joy, peace, adventure, fun and so much more.

To my son Dakota –

Dakota, you are an amazing man of God and there are so many things that your mother and I have observed in your life that point to this truth.  From the time you were young people all pointed out that “the Holy Spirit is strong in him.”  Kinda sounds a little Star Warsish, which is perfect considering you and I loved Star Wars together from the time you were young.  You have always had a love for all things nerd, just like me and that has been a great connection point for us.  I love the long hours we have spent talking about X-Men and Star Wars and Marvel movies and so many other topics.

It’s interesting that you chose Nightcrawler to be your X-Men doppelganger.  You two are so much alike.  Here’s some of the similarities:

• Nightcrawler is a true follower of the Lord.  He even left the X-Men to study to become a priest, but soon realized his place was with the X-Men, defending the world from evil.  His faith is well documented, just like yours.  Almost every adventure or story written about Nightcrawler includes accounts of his faith in God to make things right.  He regularly struggles with the battle between good and evil and how much he should push back on evil with his powers.  He never wants to kill, but knows there is a price to pay to truly conquer evil.  You are so that way and always have been.  We have watched you struggle with how to live out your faith in everyday life.  And not the kind of struggle where you are tempted to abandon it, no, the struggle for you has always been different.  You, like Kurt, are always aware of your faith and the need to express and live it – just not sure what the best route is all the time. For you it has always been which is the best way to reach my friends? What path should I take to grow my faith?  Which of these two great options would most please the Lord?  Dakota, you have lived your faith in front of others and everyone around you knows what you believe.  Just like Nightcrawler, no one is ever offended by your faith or your desires to share it with others, because you do it gently and with compassion and care.  Your faith is attractive to others.  We are so pleased to have a front row seat!
• Kurt left the X-Men a number of times for good reasons.  When Colossus died, Kurt took time to mourn and minister to Colossus’ family.  He knew this was the right course – more important than his love and place on the team.  In similar ways, you have made choices to give up your own interests and desires to minister to others. You regularly went out of your comfort zone at church to share life with your friends who did not know Jesus.
• Taking the thought of sacrifice further, Nightcrawler actually died saving Hope Summers.  He was teleporting her away from Bastion who was trying to kill her.   Bastion anticipated Kurt’s teleportation move and put his arm through his chest.  With his dying breath, Kurt asked God to give him one last jump in his life and with his last God-given energy, he teleported Hope to safety and died.  The way we have watched you live your life, we know you would and have put your life on the line for the gospel.
• In Uncanny X-Force #33, Nightcrawler is fighting Freddie Dukes, The Blob.  The fight was a difficult one and The Blob’s impenetrable skin was giving Kurt issues.  Dukes threw Kurt into a giant aquarium.  Kurt teleported a shark inside The Blob and defeated him as the shark ate him from the inside out.  Funny stuff and very unconventional.  You have always been an unconventional thinker, that is, you think outside the box.  You’ve never just floated along and believed everything you hear.  You are a careful, strategic thinker.  When you were four years old, you could set up a chess board.  At 6-8 you were beating adults in Monopoly. Playing games, doing ministry, creating Tribal culture, in all these things you have used the strategic mind the Lord has given you.

Dakota, you bring great pleasure to your mother and I, but more important than that, we know you bring pleasure to our King.

(Dakota’s Nightcrawler comic in the shadowbox is being graded right now.)