Origin

Azazel is a mutant from biblical times and the ruler of the Neyaphem (other demonic looking mutants). He claims that the Earth and everything on it belongs to him. He sees humanity as a cancer on his world. In his time he enslaved and killed humans in order to impose his rule and dominion. Another group of mutants, the Cheyarafim or "angels" banished him to the Brimstone dimension that Nightcrawler uses when he teleports. He was only able to leave for short periods of time so he fathered numerous children in order to have one with the power to free him permanently from his prison. Nightcrawler was one of his children. Azazel used his mental link to his children to call dozens of them to one spot, the spot where he was banished, in order to use their powers to come to our world. Nightcrawler was pulled along with his other brothers and sisters and had started a ritual to open a portal to the Brimstone dimension. The X-Men followed Nightcrawler and got in a fight with Azazel and his followers resulting in them all being trapped back in his dimension. After a coordinated effort from Polaris in the real world and Abyss in the Brimstone dimension, everyone but Azazel escaped back into the real world. Azazel's current status is unknown.

Powers

Azazel can mentally control his progeny from his dimension, fire blasts of energy, teleport, appear human, has a vast knowledge of dark magic, is a master swordsman, is immortal and can control the creatures that live in the Brimstone dimension. The blood of "angels" is like acid to Azazel and other Neyaphem. When Angel tried to use his blood to heal Nightcrawler, it burned him.