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Sometimes the ends justify the means, no matter the cost to your soul.
~ Cable.
If this is my last war... then I know I've found the only cause worth dying for...
~ Cable speaking of Hope Summers.
I'm not the one ya should be worryin' about, Ch'vayre. From everythin' Redd and Slym told me, Apocalypse went a long way to takin' apart a dream. I'm gonna put it back together...again.
~ Cable.

Cable (real name Nathan Christopher Charles Summers) is a fictional character and superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel, appearing as the main protagonist of the titular comics and a major character in the X-Force and Deadpool comics.

The son of the X-Men's field leader Cyclops and Jean Grey's clone Madelyne Pryor, Cable was conceived on the secret plot of Mister Sinister. He was later infected with a techno-organic virus, and was taken to an alternate future to be treated. In the future, the child would become Cable and the sworn enemy of the powerful mutant Apocalypse. Returning to the present, Cable has become a frequent ally to the X-Men, Deadpool, Domino, Rachel Summers and Hope Summers.

He was created by Chris Claremont, Rick Leonardi, Louise Simonson, and Rob Liefeld, and first appeared as Nathan Summers in Uncanny X-Men #201 in January of 1986, and first appeared as Cable in New Mutants 86 in February of 1990.

History[]

Background[]

Cable is a time-traveling soldier from the future who is here to prevent his apocalyptic timeline from coming to pass. He is biologically the son of X-Men Madelyne Pryor (a clone of Jean Grey) and Scott Summers, a.k.a. Cyclops, and the step-son and genetic proxy son of Jean Grey.

Due to the machinations of Mr. Sinister, he was born with a destiny—to kill Apocalypse. As an precaution, Apocalypse took steps to prevent this at an early stage by infecting Nathan with a special "techno-organic virus" which severely limited his powers.

Once he had grown into a grizzled old veteran, Nathan came back in time to the present in order to kill Apocalypse before he could conquer the world.

Biography[]

Birth[]

Nathan Summers' origins are that Mister Sinister realized that a union between Scott Summers and Jean Grey would produce a powerful and superior mutant, and a powerful mutant from them would help him defeat Apocalypse. Mister Sinister created a clone of Jean after Grey's form and consciousness was replaced by the Phoenix Force, and named her Madelyne Pryor.

Mister Sinister's plan was to have Scott and Madelyn have the child, but considered his clone a failure until Madelyne was granted a life force and memories of Jean from the Phoenix Force. Sinister created a false background for her, and arranged the meeting between Scott and Madelyne, and they quickly married. Madelyne became pregnant with their child, and she named their son Nathan Christopher Charles Summers.

Early Life[]

Nathan's alternate reality half-sister, Rachel Summers, created a psi-bond with him and promised to protect and be there for him. After losing leadership of the X-Men, Scott retired and raised Nathan with Madelyne in Anchorage, Alaska. Over time, Scott and Madelyne's marriage became strained, with the latter resenting the fact that Scott was rarely home and continued to miss Jean. When Jean was discovered alive, Scott left Nathan and Madelyne to reunite with Jean and the other founding members of X-Men to form a new team called the X-Factor.

Kidnapped[]

Hearing of Jean's return, Mr. Sinister sent his Marauders to capture Nathan and kill Madelyne, as she was a clone of Jean (which wasn't publicly known). She survived and came into the care of the X-Men, but Mr. Sinister captured Nathan and experimented on him in his secret lab hidden under the State Home for Foundlings. Sinister made sure to erase all records of Nathan and Madelyne's existence, and Scott returned to Alaska to reconcile with his family, but there was no trace of them. Madelyne learned the reason why Scott had abandoned her, and slowly lost herself with her dark personality. She agreed to help S'ym and N'Astirh, two demons to create a link between demon infested dimension of Limbo and Earth in exchange for Nathan.

The precognitive mutant Destiny pointed Scott and Jean to Mr. Sinister's lab where they found Nathan and many other children in pods, and had to battle Nanny and Orphan-Maker when they attempted to kidnap mutant children. The demons escaped with Nathan and nine other kidnapped infants, and they were teleported to Times Square. N'Astirh used the babies as the points of an inverted pentagram, trying to keep a portal open. However, the portal was closed by the combine efforts of the X-Terminators and the New-Mutants. Mister Sinister revealed Madelyne's true origins to Jean, and Madelyne blamed Scott and jean for the misery in her life, and intended to use Nathan and the other nine infants to reopen another portal.

After the defeat of N'Astirh, Madelyne (now going by Goblin Queen) locked herself, Nathan and jean inside a psionic barrier. Madelyne killed herself and locked Jean into a mental bond, but Jean re-integrated the portions of her life-force that had gone from the Phoenix Force to Madelyne. In doing so, Jean received Madelyne's memories, also including memories of raising Nathan. The child was taken to X-Factor's sentient Celestial Ship, where he was cared by Scott and Jean. During this venture, Scott decided to take Nathan with him on missions, and the child's mutant powers began to manifest.

The Riders of the Storm kidnapped Nathan, and took him to Apocalypse's base on the Blue Area of the Moon. Apocalypse infected Nathan with a Techno-Organic virus that rapidly spread liquid metal and organic steel through is body, and if not stopped, would kill him. Ship managed to create a protective electromagnetic field and merged with Nathan's electrical parts to keep him alive, and Sister Askani sacrificed her physical body to become energy and claimed that Nathan would become a savior in her time. However, she was unable to make another time jump, trapping Nathan in the future, and Cyclops chose to save his son's life, believing he would never see him again.

The Future[]

Upon arriving in the future Earth ruled by Apocalypse and his Canaanite Army, Nathan was given to Mother Askani, who as a time-displaced version of his sister Rachel. The Clan Askani worshiped Nathan, and prophesied him as "Nathan Dayspring" and "Askani'son". Mother Askani placed Nathan in an incubation crib to preserve him, but the techno-organic virus had progressed too far in his body, as the only thing keeping him alive was the acts of Ship. Fearing that Nathan wouldn't survive, Mother Askani had him clone, but later learned that the original child would live after all.

The Canannites attacked the base, and Mother Askani safely removed Nathan before he could be killed, and Apocalypse himself claimed the clone. Apocalypse didn't know that it wasn't the original Nathan, and raised the child and called him Stryfe, planning to use him as a vessel the next time Apocalypse needed a new body. Badly wounded, Mother Askani brought Scott and Jean into the future to protect Nathan, as the couple had to inhabit new bodies cloned from their descendants to go there. At this point, Nathan and Jean were married, and had learned Cable was Nathan's future self, and began to mend their relationship with him.

Powers and Abilities[]

Powers[]

  • Alpha Mutant-Physiology: Cable was identified as an Omega-Level and Alpha-Level mutant, being a vastly powerful telepathy, and is the son of the mutants Cyclops and Jean Grey's clone, Madelyne Pryor.
  • Techno-Organic-Physiology: Much of Cable's body was altered by the techno-organic virus, making him a cyborg.
    • Cybernetic Eye: Cable posses a cybernetic eye, which allows him to see deep into the electro magnetic spectrum, electromagnetic energies, and psionic energies.
    • Cybernetic Arm: Cable has a cybernetic left arm, which allows him to curl and dead lift several tons without the assistance of his right arm.
    • Cybernetic Restoration: Through a combination of his telekinetic abilities, and his ability to rearrange atomic structures or matter, Cable is capable of repairing any damaged components within his body.
    • Superhuman Speed: Cable possess super speed despite his size and build, being fast enough to evade high-powered bullets, and can track rounds after they have been fired.
    • Superhuman Agility: Despite his size and impressive build, Cable is extremely agile.
    • Superhuman Endurance: Cable possess super endurance, being capable of exerting himself at peak levels for several hours.
    • Superhuman Dexterity: Cable has super dexterity, having perfect equilibrium with his hands (being ambidextrous).
  • Time Travel: It's hinted that Cable has the psionic power to displace himself and others, and can apparently travel in his astral form as well.
  • Telepathy: Cable is vastly powerful telepath, an ability that allows him to read minds and project the thoughts of others.
    • Telepathic Illusion: Cable can create realistic telepathic illusions, and can cause people to experience events that are not occurring.
    • Telepathic Cloak: Cable can mask his presence, allowing him to not be detected by others.
    • Telepathic Camouflage: Cable can mask himself and other people's presence from those around him. Additionally, Cable can telepathically disguise himself, making his appearance different.
    • Mind Link: Cable can develop a mental link with any person.
    • Mind Control: Cable can control the minds and the bodily functions of people (either voluntary or involuntary).
    • Mind Trap: Can take another person's mind from their bodies, and effectively trap that mind within his own.
    • Mind Possession: Can posses the mind of another, and use that person's body as his own.
    • Mind Alteration: Can alter a beings' mind by force of will.
    • Mental Amnesia: Cable can cause loss of particular memories and amnesia in another person.
    • Mental Detection: Can sense the presence of another mutant within a large radius, even capable of doing so a continent away when at his peak.
    • Psionic Shield: Cable can create a physical shield to protect his or anyone else's minds.
    • Psionic Blasts: Can project psionic bolts that can affect a victim's mind.
    • Astral Projection: Cable can astrally project his mind and communicate with others.
    • Precognition: Cable can see future events before they have come to pass.
  • Telekinesis: Being the son of Madelyn Pryor, Cable posses high-level telekinesis, allowing to manipulate matter with the energy of his thoughts, and control objects or other things.
    • Technoactive Manipulation: Cable learned from Amelia Vought that through use of his TK to manipulate the virus swimming through his biology, that he can manipulate foreign techno-organic substances.
    • Intuitive Aptitude: Can disassemble and assemble complex devices, and even attain awareness and control over objects as small as individual electrons in an atom.
    • Matter Alteration: Cable an alter molecular and subatomic structures.
  • Psionic Spikes: He can create destructive psionic spikes that destroy physical objects that come in contact with said spikes.
  • Size Alteration: Can use his telekinesis to alter his physical stature, making his stature that of a towering giant.
  • Telekinetic Healing: When at the peak of his power as Soldier X, Cable showed himself to have biological capabilities, such as regenerating himself or healing others at an accelerated rate.
  • Force Fields: He can create protective force shields that could deflect attacks.
  • Concussive Blasts: Can project telekinetic energies that are so powerful that he could affect matter with concussive force.
  • Tactile Telekinesis: Can use his telekinesis to enhance his physical practices to superhuman levels.
  • Telekinetic Fight: Cable can "fly" by levitating himself at long distances.
  • Telekinetic Teleportation: Cable was capable to warp himself from place to place without his "bodysliding" technology, but only so when uninhibited by the T.O. infection.
    • Remote Teleportation: Cable can warp people away remotely from anywhere across the world.

Former Powers[]

  • Regenerative Healing Factor: Cable used to posses a super healing factor derived from Deadpool, which allows him to regenerative damaged or destroyed bodily tissue faster than a ordinary human.
  • Cyberpathy: Cable had a technological link to the "Infonet", allowing him to "read" digital information or broadcasts.
  • Cone of Silence: Had a prototype tech cone that was used to simulate telekinesis.
  • Volga Effect: After being subjected to the incomplete variant of Volga's super soldier program, it restored some of his lost psychic abilities. However, it would have caused him to physically self destruct within minutes after exposure to the super soldier formula.

Abilities[]

  • Gifted Intelligence: Cable shows himself to be highly intelligent, having a diploma in law and was educated by the Clan Askani.
  • Master Combatant: Cable is a highly accomplished combatant, being highly adept in many forms of hand-to-hand combat and battle strategy.
  • Teleportation: By "Bodysliding", Cable can teleport to virtually any area, and can do so with a limited number of passengers.

Portrayals[]

Film[]

  • In the X-Men film universe, he is portrayed by Josh Brolin, who famously played Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and also played Llewelyn Moss in No Country for Old Men, Jonah Hex in the titular film, and younger Agent K in Men in Black 3, and also voiced Ravager Thanos in What If...?

Television[]

  • In X-Men: The Animated Series, he was voiced by Lawrence Bayne.
    • Bayne also voiced the character in Marvel vs. Capcom 2.

Video Games[]

  • In Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, he was voiced by Keith Ferguson, who also voiced Bloo in Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, and Lightning McQueen in Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales and in video games.
  • In Deadpool, he was voiced by Fred Tatasciore, who also voiced Poseidon in 2005s God of War, Damon Baird in the Gears of War series, Nikolai Belinski in the Call of Duty zombies, Zeus in God of War: Ghost of Sparta and Jack in Minecraft: Story Mode.
  • In Marvel Heroes, he was voiced by James M. Connor.
    • Connor also voiced the character in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order.

Quotes[]

But look at us! Another shadow looms over the world, one that may prove greater than Apocalypse himself! And how do we meet the challenge? By holding services at night and turning over all our food and earnings to support the Canaanites by day.
~ Cable.
I've been from the future to the past and back again...but I've run out of time
~ Cable.
And you understand order and discipline, honor and principle... but you're a captain... and I've been a Four-Star general, head of the joint chiefs of staff, a president and a pope all rolled into one.
~ Cable.
Be ready for trouble... 'cause trouble is ready for you!!
~ Cable.
We don't want to fight you, Selene. We're here to find out what happened to Candra. And save you from a similar fate.
~ Cable to Selene Gallio.
A long time ago I lost control. I made a mistake and I've been paying for it ever since.
~ Cable.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Cable's intended name was to be "Christopher Charles Summers", but Madelyn confirmed that she changed his first name to "Nathan" because as a child, Cable's father Cyclops was bullied by a boy named Nathan and hated the name ever since. However, it's possible that Mister Sinister named him after himself (since his real name is "Nathaniel"), or implanted the suggestion.

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Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Avengers: S.H.I.E.L.D. (Nick Fury | Maria Hill | Agent Phil Coulson | Hawkeye) | The Avengers (Iron Man | Captain America | Thor Odinson | Black Widow | Hulk | Hawkeye)
Avengers: Age of Ultron: The Avengers (Iron Man | Captain America | Thor Odinson | Hulk | Black Widow | War Machine | Hawkeye | Quicksilver | Scarlet Witch | Vision | Falcon) | J.A.R.V.I.S. | Maria Hill | Peggy Carter | Heimdall | Erik Selvig | Helen Cho | Nick Fury | F.R.I.D.A.Y.
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The Avengers: United They Stand: Coming Soon
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