BIOGRAPHY - Page 1
Amanda Sefton was born Jimaine Szardos and is the daughter of the sorceress Margali Szardos, who also adopted Kurt Wagner, the future X-Man known as Nightcrawler. Growing up in their mother’s circus, they were trained at the trapeze and slowly they fell in love. When Kurt decided to leave the circus to explore the outside world, Jimaine wanted to go with him, but Margali revealed that the females of their family were sorceresses of the Winding Way, and Jimaine’s responsibility would be to one day wield the Soul Sword.
[Note: A narrative comment in Nightcrawler (4th series) #2 implies Amanda is actually Margali's adopted daughter, but this is most likely an error as it contradicts 35 years of continuity, including story mechanics that specifically hinge on Amanda being part of Margali's bloodline.]
Jimaine did not care about sorcery at all and still opted to go with Kurt but, on the evening they wanted to leave, Margali, disguised as the demon Belasco, killed the artist who took her place in the show. Believing that actually she was meant to be killed by the “demon," Jimaine decided to stay with her mother and hone her magical skills. [Excalibur #minus 1]
Later, mother and daughter went underground after they learned that Kurt had slain Stefan, Jimaine’s older brother who had left the circus at an earlier point. While Margali prepared a terrible revenge, Jimaine could not believe that Kurt was a murderer. She changed her name to Amanda Sefton and became an airline stewardess. Mystically preventing Kurt from recognizing her face, she started dating him only shortly after he joined the X-Men. [Uncanny X-Men Annual (1st series) #4, X-Men (1st series) #98]
On two occasions, the assassin Arcade kidnapped friends and family of the X-Men to have them participate in his Murderworld games. Amanda was among the captives but was rescued unharmed. [X-Men (1st series) #123-124, 146]
One day Margali returned to avenge the murder of her son Stefan and she put Nightcrawler into an illusionary hell she created, based on Dante’s “Inferno." With the help of Dr. Strange, the X-Men followed and, as they finally reached the last circle of hell, Jimaine materialized and pointed the way towards Margali. She spoke on Kurt’s behalf and, with the Dr. Strange’s Eye of Agomotto, Kurt proved that Stefan had become a serial killer. Trying to stop him, Kurt had accidentally killed him in battle. Margali forgave him and left, while Jimaine revealed that she had been with Kurt the whole time, posing as Amanda. [Uncanny X-Men Annual (1st series) #4]
As Nightcrawler’s girlfriend, Amanda occasionally found herself aiding the X-Men during their missions. On different occasions, she helped them to fight the Hellfire Club, Mystique’s Brotherhood and the Dire Wraiths. [Uncanny X-Men (1st series) #151-152, 177-179, 188]
At a time when her mother, Margali, was at a lull in power from the Winding Way, Amanda sought out another means of power source in the form of a mysterious wand. When the Genghis spread the word that Clea had left Dr. Strange and was looking for a new disciple, Amanda was one of many would-be applicants that approached Dr. Strange for this prestigious position and was very angry when he did not give it to her, even though she reminded him of her birthright - first born daughter to Margali Szardos. Three days later, Dr. Strange held a seminar with all the aspirants to inform them that he did not want a new disciple.
This angered Amanda, who attacked him, but was easily restrained. Margali then revealed herself, and a battle between the Sorcerer Supreme and the Sorceress Supreme raged. Eventually, Dr. Strange detected that something was influencing both Amanda and Margali. After ascertaining that it was the wand, he took it from Margali, who reverted to her true appearance at its loss. The snapping of the wand ended the spell completley. Amanda explained to Dr. Strange that the wand corrupted her mother and it was even having some influence over her. After Margali recovered at Dr. Strange’s home, Amanda thanked Dr. Strange for his help and took her mother to her apartment. [Doctor Strange (2nd series) #57-58]
Seeing how competition among magicians was so cutthroat, Amanda promised Kurt she was not practicing magic anymore, as she felt it was better not to. However, when she felt like something happened to space itself, Amanda felt bound to break her promise and began searching for a reason why. Nightcrawler and Amanda were due to go out on a date and, when he learned she was using her powers to find out what was happening, he told her to make sure she was careful. 
Amanda warned Kurt that there was trans-dimensional magic around her apartment but, before she could tell him not to teleport, he did so and Kurt ended up in a different dimension, Crystalium, where he encountered Crystar the Crystal Warrior. While Kurt adventured in this new world, Amanda was worried sick about him but, after several hours, Kurt was able to teleport himself back to Earth, bringing Amanda a gift — jewelry that Ika of Crystalium wore. Amanda recognized them and asked him where he got them, and in usual fashion teased Kurt about being such a ladies man. [The Saga of Crystar the Crystal Warrior #6]
Later, after the X-Men had encountered the Beyonder, Nightcrawler’s religious beliefs were shattered. Wanting to be left alone, he got into an argument with Amanda and after he insulted her for using her spells to make him love her, she left him. Shortly afterwards, she regretted this decision and tried to reach him by telephone, but the X-Men had already gone into hiding in San Francisco at the time. [Uncanny X-Men (1st series) #204, 206]