Hair: White
Eyes: Blue/ glowing red, blue, or white when using powers
Height: 5’11
Weight: 132
New Mutants
Ashake was an ancient Egyptian sorceress who appeared in The New Mutants #32. In her initial appearance, she encountered the New Mutants Illyana Rasputin and Dani Moonstar as a result of Rasputin’s mutant teleportation error, and Magik and Mirage traveled back through space and time to ancient Cairo, Egypt, where they were immediately pursued by Pharoh’s guards. The two young ladies were rescued by an illusion cast by Ashake. The elder sorceress welcomed them into her home, where Magik immediately took note of her uncanny resemblance to their friend and mentor Ororo Munroe, Storm of the X-Men. Ashake explained to the young mutants that she is an ancestor of Ororo, who would be her granddaughter many generations removed; and that it was she who drew them back, stating that she felt them tumbling precariously through time. Ashake then offered them both sanctuary and a means to return to their home. The following morning, Ashake used a guiding and teleportation spell to assist the young mutants back safely to their time.
Mystic Arcana
Ashake’s New Mutants debut was later greatly enhanced and slightly altered for the magic-based mini-series Mystic Arcana, in which she is seen as the creatrix of the tarot system of divination and used it to specifically locate Magik and Mirage. Shortly after saving them and granting them refuge, Magik approached Ashake while her teammate slept, asking for clarification regarding magick. Ashake explained to the young mutant sorceress her own matrilineal powers and her devotion to the gods, especially patronage of Ma’at, and attempted to give Magik a measure of hope concerning the darkness within her. However, their tutelage was interrupted when Ashake sensed the evil sorcerer Heka Nut coming for them. After cloaking Mirage in an invisibility spell, the two women of magick attempt to defend against the assault of Heka Nut’s minions, but they both fall in battle and are captured. While in his captivity, Heka Nut informed them that he wanted the Sword of Bone, a weapon of raw power that is one of the Cornerstones of Creation created by the Elder Gods, and he commanded them to procure it for him, taking Ashake’s soul hostage to ensure is demands were met. Despite pleas from Ashake, Magik reluctantly agreed to the quest, and the two successfully acquired the sword relinquishing the relic to Heka Nut. But they found, to Heka Nut’s dismay, that the sword only responds to those of pure spirit. Magik attacked the wicked sorcerer with her own Soulsword, dissociating him from his powers and freeing Ashake’s soul from his grasp (why Magik didn’t just do this in the first place remains unaddressed). Rather than killing him, Ashake explained that he was once a good man and mediator for the gods, but that his power tempted him, speaking in metaphor that the fault is not the urn’s but its maker. His previously brilliant mind shattered, Heka Nut would wander the Egyptian dessert aimlessly as Ashake sealed his dark magicks in a mystic urn and surrendered them to the sphinx Ammut for safe keeping. Wishing them well, Ashake then used her magick to send the young mutants on their way.
Present Day Return
Ian McNee gathered all of the Cornerstones, then with the aid of Ashake, Llyra and Morgan Le Fay using their power in synchronicity, sought to restore Heka Nut using McNee as a vessel. But Oshtur was revealed to have actually been Chthon in disguise, stating that now Heka Nut will consume McNee, rendering him his slave and the perfect vessel to bring the world to Chthon. As Mcnee called out for their aid, the triumverate of sorceress literally flew through time for this battle against the elder god. Morgan Le Fey and Llyra proceeded to bind Chthon, while Ashake attempted reason with Heka Nut, reminding him of the friendship they once had shared and the man he had once been. Heka Nut, remembering his past, believed that it was his jealousy of Ashake along with the promises of Chthon that caused him to turn towards evil thoughts and deeds. Harnessing the strength of their combined will, McNee and Heka Nut disrupted the ritual and contained the determination of Chthon long enough for Ashake to free her restored ally Heka Nut with the Sword of Bone. McNee then Successfully banished the elder god; however, since one of the relics represents the dark power of Chthon, McNee’s soul was tainted with darkness and Ashake had not returned to her own time. Then, before their eyes, the true Oshtur appeared and expressed that all hope was not lost, that they should take pride in their joint accomplishment and rest. Ashake was present to help Ian, due to his soul having been tainted and the Cornerstone artifacts that would still need to be saved.
Powers and Abilities
Ashake was a powerful white magic witch and high priestess of the goddess Ma’at, the Egyptian name for Oshtur, by whom she was trained in the mystic arts. Some of the known spell feats she has performed while invoking the names of deities include invisibility, shield generation, illusion casting, premonition, precognition via her tarot cards, telepathy, flight, time travel, and summoning the mystic creature Ammut with the divine favor of Oshtur. Further, she possessed the ability to sense other sorcerers, which manifested the Egyptian “Eye or Horus” over her forehead. Ashake had only ever used white magic and her spirit has been said to be pure, as she has successfully wielded the Sword of Bone. Ashake’s creation of tarot cards is also particularly noteworthy. She herself did not have the ability of foresight, unlike the past white-haired, blue-eyed witches preceding her, so she created visual aids to assist her. She was unable to read Magik’s mind with her own powers, but her tarot did not share that particular limitation.
Ashake would be more than a thousand years old. She and Heka-Nut were both trained by the gods themselves but his powers eventually overwhelmed and corrupted him.