365 DC Comics Paper Cut-Out SuperHeroes - One Hero, Every Day, All Year…
October 27th - Madam Xandu
The mysterious heroine known as Madam Xandu was born Nimue Inwudu, the younger sister to Morgaine Le Fay and Vivienne, the Lady of the Lake. These sisters were descendants of the Elder Folk, survivors of Atlantis who evolved into the parallel race of humans known as the Homo-magi.
Nimue had been lovers with Merlin but turned on him when he used his magic to manipulate the fate of Camelot. Merlin lashed out at Nimue, using his sorcerery to strip Nimue of her immortality and forcing her to utilize special positions and elixirs to maintain her youth and vitality. She would late regain this immortality by way of defeating Death in a game of cards.
Nimue spent the next several centuries roaming the world, finding herself involved in various important moments in history. She became an adviser to Kublai Khan and later Marie Antoinette. She fell in love with a woman in 15th century Spain yet was unable to prevent her love’s execution during the Spanish Inquisition. Years later she had an affair with Giovanni Zatara who proposed marriage to her. Nimue was able to see Zatara’s future and turned down his proposal, knowing that his marriage to another woman would lead to the birth of the great magical hero Zatanna.
Throughout her many years, Nimue maintained a sometimes adversarial, sometimes romantic relationship with The Phantom Stranger. Although the details are conflicted, it is possible that Nimue and The Stranger had a child together who is the great descendent of John Constantine.
In the modern era, Nimue has renamed herself Madam Xandu and rededicated herself to helping the world of man in fending off supernatural threats. She set up a fortune telling and Tarot reading parlor in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan. She lost the use of her sight during the Day of Vengeance event, but has since regained her eyes in the post ReBirth continuity.
Madam Xandu has aided The Shadowpack and Trench-Coat Brigade and acted as an affiliate member of The Sentinels of Magic, The Demon Knights and The Justice League Dark. Actress Jeryl Prescott portrayed a version the character in the 2019 Swamp Thing television series.
Madam Xandu first appeared in the pages of Doorway to Nightmare #1 (1978).
