Whats up nerds? Welcome to another installment of Cool Nerd Knowledge. Today we’re going to take a look at Marvel’s time traveling paradox known as Cable.
Watch Steve breakdown Cable in the video above, or if you’re not the video viewing type, read the blogged out version below:
First Appearance:
Cable was created by Rob Leifeld and Louise Joan Simonson and made his first appearance in Uncanny X-Men #201 on January 1st 1986.
Origin:
Cable was born as Nathan Summers, the son of X-Man, Scott Summers (Cyclops) for those of you unaware of his real name and Madeline Pryor, Jean Grey’s clone. Now things get a little confusing. Villain Mister Sinister came to the realization that the child of Cyclops and Jean Grey would become a perfectly uncontested mutant. Sinister devised a plot to manipulate the two X-Men to have a child so he could presumably steal the child to use it against Apocalypse, whom he is bound to. After one of their many missions, the X-Men presumed Jean Grey did (she wasn’t, but that story is for another time.) Sinister created a clone of Jean Grey who became Madaline Pryor. Pryor eventually met Scott, and the two immediately bonded. Some time later, Nathan Summers was born.
Apocalypse uncovered Sinister’s plan and infected an infant cable with the deadly techno-organic virus. The virus transforms tissue into machine at the molecular level. Soon after the infection, Rachel Summers (Scott and Jean’s daughter from a different reality) time travels from the 39th century to raise Cable in the future. Seeing no other option, Cyclops agrees.
Once in the future, Rachel believed the virus to be too far developed for Cable to be saved and chose to clone the child, creating the later to be villain, Stryfe. Years later, Cable is able to halt the virus’ progression by using his mutant telepathic abilities.
Powers and Abilities:
Due to the techno-organic infection, Cable’s left arm, shoulder and eye are all bionic, allowing him to lift up to 10 tons and giving him infrared vision. Cable is also a “cyberpath,” able to read digital information and broadcasts.
As previously stated, Cable is a mutant with immense telepathic abilities including, but not limited to, telepathic illusions, telepathic cloak, mind control, psionic blasts, and astral projection. It is also hinted that Cable has the ability to time travel by means of his telepathic ability. Cable also possesses Telekinetic abilities so strong they rival Jean Grey. At his peak Cable is known to have distinguished a star!
Although Cable possesses these incredible telepathic abilities, he uses most of his power to keep his techno-organic virus at bay. Because of this, his powers are heavily weakened.
Notable Storyline:
Cable spends his entire life attempting to bring Apocalypse down, often time traveling to the past to battle the iconic villain. Cable’s clone, Stryfe follows Cable through time to stop him from killing Apocalypse. The two butt heads many times until Cable eventually puts an end to Stryfe with the help of the X-Force. With Stryfe no longer in the picture, Cable set out to complete his mission and eliminate Apocalypse. Cable eventually succeeded in killing Apocalypse, however it was later revealed that Apocalypse was also infected by the techno-organic virus long ago by Cable during one of their battles in the ancient past. This makes Cable a living paradox, having infected Apocalypse with the virus in the past, only for Apocalypse to infect him with it after he was born…. did you’re head explode yet? ok, good! Because Apocalypse had been revealed to have been infected with the techno-organic virus, his spirit was able to reconstitute itself, resurrecting him, because, you know, no one in comics stays dead….
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