Between comics, animated cartoons, live-action movies and television series, the X-Men franchise continues to dominate the world of pop culture. But while many series focused on the original X-Men team, the more recent adaptations have offered a fresh look at some lesser known mutants. One such character was introduced in 1994 but has recently made appearances in a feature-length film and a new television series. Do you know who this is?  

Clarice Ferguson, a/k/a Blink, made her grand entrance into comics in Uncanny X-Men #317 in 1994. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Joe Madureira, the first incarnation of Blink is unstable, tense and panicky. She possesses the ability of portal teleportation, allowing her to teleport herself and others at will. She can also use her powers in a destructive manner and can open portals that displace projectiles and even enemies. When Blink is first introduced, she has been captured, along with other young mutants, by the Phalanx. These techno-organic beings were attempting to assimilate these mutants’ powers. Unfortunately, Blink couldn’t control her powers, and in an attempt to escape ended up caught in her own teleportation field. As a result, this version of the character was presumed dead.

In 1995, during the parallel universe “Age of Apocalypse” storyline, Lobdell and Madureira established a more confident and assertive Blink. This new version of the character proved to be increasingly popular and later starred in a four-issue Blink limited series, as well as the series Exiles. The original Blink was later returned to publication in 2009, prior to the events of the crossover “Necrosha.” The supervillain Selene Gallio returned to the moment when Blink was pulled into her teleportation field and saved her. She managed to manipulate Blink into believing the X-Men betrayed her by refusing to save her. Blink joins Selene’s Inner Circle and proves to be a dangerous weapon. After several battles with the X-Men, Emma Frost is finally able to explain to Blink that she’s been lied to. Filled with remorse and guilt over all she has done, Blink flees. However, she later returns and joins the New Mutants. 

Chinese actress Fan Bingbing portrayed Blink, renamed Clarice Fong, in the 2014 film X-Men: Days of Future Past. Jamie Chung currently portrays her on Fox’s hit series The Gifted. The show, which recently concluded its first season, has already been picked up by Fox for a second one.