Noriko "Nori" Ashida is a superhero appearing in the American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writers Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir, and artist Keron Grant, the character first appeared in New Mutants vol. 2 #8 (January 2004). Ashida is known under the codename Surge. She is a mutant—a subspecies of humans born with superhuman abilities—whose powers center on electricity. She is also a student at the Xavier Institute and a former member of the New Mutants team.
Publication history Noriko Ashida debuted in New Mutants, vol. 2 #8 (January 2004), and was created by Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir, and Keron Grant. She subsequently appeared in several Marvel series, including X-Force for the From the Ashes relaunch of the X-Men, joining the team in the first issue and remaining a member until her death in issue #5. Surge returns in issue #10, where she is resurrected as an energy-based being. She also appeared in Age of X-Man: The Amazing Nightcrawler (2019), House of X (2019), and Bishop: War College (2022). In January 2022, Marvel Comics ran a voting contest where voters could pick between one of ten characters to join the X-Men, with Surge being among the candidates. In July 2022, Surge appeared in a digital comic released as a companion to the second Hellfire Gala. This comic revealed that the election had also been held in-universe, with Surge losing the vote.
Fictional character biography Noriko Ashida was born in Japan. She was close to her brother, Keitaro, but she ran away from home after her powers manifested; she claimed that her father "doesn't believe in mutants". How she came to the United States is unknown, but she ended up homeless on the streets of Salem Center, reduced to buying illegal drugs to calm her powers, using stolen money. With no training or practice in the use of her powers, Noriko's body automatically absorbs all nearby electricity and, once fully charged, releases it in a storm of electrical bolts. Noriko eventually comes to the Xavier Institute and is designed specialty gauntlets by Beast to control her powers. She is assigned to the New Mutants training squad. Noriko retains her powers after M-Day and is assigned to be the leader of the New X-Men. As team leader, she leads assaults on Nimrod, Limbo, and the Purifiers. Surge joins her fellow mutants on Utopia. Surge remains with Cyclops after X-Men: Schism. She is placed in the custody of the Avengers during Avengers vs X-Men, joins the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning after Cyclops' defeat, and shelters in X-Haven during the Inhumans vs X-Men event. She is transported to a different plane of reality during Age of X-Man. After being freed from the other plane, Surge joins mutantkind on Krakoa. After the fall of Krakoa, Surge joins Forge's X-Force in the X-Men: From the Ashes line of books. She dies from an overload of her powers when sealing a dimensional rift caused by Nuklo. Surge is later resurrected in a form of pure electricity.
Powers and abilities Noriko Ashida possesses the mutant ability to absorb and control electricity. She naturally draws in ambient electrical energy—from minor static charges to large-scale electrical attacks—and stores it within her body. Once charged, she can release this energy as powerful lightning blasts or channel it to enhance her physical speed and reflexes. Because her absorption is involuntary and potentially dangerous, she typically relies on specially designed gauntlets to regulate and safely discharge the excess electricity.
Personality Very forthright and strong-minded, Nori often clashes with her peers and superiors, from nearly getting into a brawl with Hellion after he insulted Prodigy's baseline status post-M-Day, and challenging Cyclops' assertion that the students are safe at the institute (this taking place immediately after a series of devastating attacks by the Purifiers). Regardless, Nori is a loyal figure, dedicated to her friends and increasingly feeling the responsibilities placed upon her as the leader of the New X-Men. Surge was particularly incensed by Hellion's decision to rescue Mercury from the Faculty without backup, taking it upon herself to mold the team into an effective unit capable of defending the rest of the students. Marvel writer Christopher Yost has stated that, "Surge is the right candidate, because she wants it the least. And you'll see, it's taking a big toll on her. Being a leader when you're doing team sports and field day exercises is one thing, but leading when the stakes are life and death is another thing."
Other versions
House of M An alternate universe version of Noriko Ashida from Earth-58163 appears in the House of M tie-in New X-Men: Academy X. This version is a member of the Hellions, a group of junior S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and the daughter of a human terrorist father, who she was separated from at a young age. Due to his involvement during one of the group's missions, Nori is ousted from the Hellions and replaced with Magik.
Ultimate Universe An alternate universe version of Noriko Ashida from Earth-6160 appears in Ultimate X-Men (2024).
In other media Surge appears in Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers, voiced by Kokoro Kikuchi in the Japanese version and Stephanie Sheh in the English dub. This version's hair is naturally blue and is initially a student of Techno Isle's International Academy. After briefly becoming romantically attracted to Hikaru Akatsuki, she leaves for the Xavier Institute with Wolverine to receive protection from Magneto. Surge will appear in the third season of X-Men '97. Surge appears in X-Men: Destiny, voiced by Aileen Casas. Surge appears as a playable card in Marvel Snap.
References
External links Surge (Noriko Ashida) at Marvel.com
