#rel:cal

[merriemarvels]

[ Exiles V1 #14 - Mimic reminisces on the world and life he left behind ]

[merriemarvels]

feeling Calvin a lot tonight so some random things about him (some canon, some headcanon)

proximity and focus are a factor in whether calvin mimics somebody's ability. thanks to being pretty good friends with jean grey and best friends with wolverine he's learned to shut out the majority of what he's trying to pick up at any given time, so he's a lot calmer than his 616 counterpart.

he requires 1 full hour of proximity to fully copy a power -- which also means he has to give up a power, since he can only copy 4 at any given time (he has 100% 'innate' copying of Jean Grey's psionic powers, due to the way psionics work in Marvel. She opened the door and it never quite closed again).

copied powers are only at 1/2 effectiveness to their original's, though. he heals 1/2 has fast as wolverine, his organic steel is 1/2 as strong as colossus's, etc.

he also avoids copying teleportation abilities, due to the level of skill involved in knowing how to use them.

due to his rough upbringing calvin definitely has a tendency to seek out the company of other lonely mutants/mutates. he knows how it feels to be isolated and also knows how comforting it can be to have somebody to talk to who understands. since he can copy powers, he also often helps others refine their own.

[merriemarvels]

"Childhood is a veil of tears"

- Craig Bartlett (creator of Hey, Arnold!)

[raregcms]

[ thinkin about exiles cal/mimic and the world he comes from again bc he legit only had one single solitary 'mission' with the brotherhood before getting scouted for the x-men and like

did he actually make friends with any of them? did he swap diet tips with fred? did he get an ounce of sympathy from wanda or pietro? did he meet up with john for coffee now and then (did john still become a romance novelist in earth-12)?

sighhh we just don't know that much about earth-12 which is tragic but like... we don't see mystique involved at all but one can always assume she's there in some capacity so like ... was cal one of the ones who talked rogue into leaving and joining the x-men?

ughh i need a minute ]

[raregcms]

[ the thing i love about having extremely niche favorite characters/muses is that the less canon they have the more i get to fill in the blanks with whatever i damn well please

616 mimic might not be one but 12 mimic is definitely a secret novelist who uses inspiration from his various adventures to ghostwrite YA novels because i say so ]

[merriemarvels]

HOW DO YOU NEED TO BE TOUCHED?

cautiously.

your teeth are bared, as they have been, your jaw aching for so long as growls slip free. you always have to defend yourself. you lash out in fear. you need someone who does not shrink back... a hand falling slowly to your shoulder, however briefly, in a reminder that you do not have to lunge. there is no danger here, now.

[merriemarvels]

[ pls understand that mimic picks up not just mutations but also skills, abilities, and a certain level of memory/tendency from those he copies from (bc it's not limited to mutants but it's not as refined as somebody like copycat who can copy the entire substance including appearance & complete memory) so like

pls understand the man is just. pansexual by the very nature of having picked up a bunch of people's preferences over the years

so yes what i'm saying i 100% ship him with the entire O5 deal with it ]

[merriemarvels]