Making her debut in the comic books in the 1990s, mercenary extraordinaire Domino became a very popular member of the X-Force, soon to be seen in Deadpool 2. Joining the team of Cable and crew, she accompanied her teammates on various missions that always put her life in danger.

Given her innate ability to avoid risk, bullets, and other harmful actions, she threw herself into the middle of the action without a second thought. However, beyond her “luck” abilities, she learned to become a skillful fighter and mercenary. Domino’s life story has been plagued with heartbreak, tragedy and a level of pain that would break anyone else. However, she never succumbs to the horrors of her past and moved forward toward the profitable life of a mercenary.

However, along the way, she has indeed made some questionable choices. Although they have been varying degrees of scummy behavior in her past, readers have definitely seen the darker side of Domino come out far too often. In this article, we plan to explore some of the murkier actions of her past and the events that lead to those questionable decisions. We’ll examine the “not too bad” actions and all the way to the “what the heck was she thinking” moments of her history.

Here are the 16 Worst Things Domino Has Ever Done.

She Betrayed her own best friends

Deadpool 2 - Zazie Beetz as Domino

Domino’s run in Marvel comics has been fairly limited. Though she appeared in several issues as a member of X-Force, Six Pack, and other teams, her appearances in solo-helmed comic books has been very infrequent. With her addition to the cast of Deadpool 2, fans now have a renewed interest in the character. To meet this need, a new solo series launched earlier this year with writer Gail Simone helming her return. Although the series hopes to bring new perspective to Domino, her old ways seem to still shine through.

In Domino vol 3 issue #2, readers watch as Domino began to question the people in her life. To be specific, she started to doubt her own two best friends. Thought Domino has been fiercely loyal in the past to her teammates and friends, she certainly has endured her share of betrayal and disloyalty during her times in the comic books. As her fear that her friends will betray her continued to grow, she eventually asked Amadeus Cho to keep an eye on them.

One on hand, we definitely understand that her past has given her a reason to not fully trust anyone in her life. On the other though, would you really want a friend in your life that would spy on you so easily? Yeah, we wouldn’t either.

Picked Being A Mercenary Over A Missionary

Domino’s life began in the experimental labs of Project: Armageddon. The mission of this secret government project was to create the perfect genetically advanced human weapons. After numerous failures, Domino remained the last test subject to survive her development. Unfortunately, her “luck” powers did not impress the scientists, and she was also deemed a failure in the project.

Luckily, her biological mother rescued her before she was eliminated and left her with the Church of the Sacred Heart in Chicago. She was raised under the care of Father Rudolpho Boschelli with hopes that she would live a more positive life as a missionary. However, Domino never took to life in the church and felt like an outsider. Her “luck” often led to her winning games, and many of the other orphans would accuse her of cheating.

Also, her trademark mark on her face (given to identify her during the project) made her stand out even more. Since she had not been adopted by her eighteenth birthday, she chose to leave the life of missionary work to become a mercenary instead.

Crossed the Line and Fell for Her “Assignment”

Domino calls Milo her husband

After leaving the church, Domino went on to become a fearsome mercenary. Even early in her career, she gained a reputation for completing her jobs successfully and maintaining a level of professionalism with each assignment. However, that professionalism crumbled when she encountered the target of one particular assignment: Dr. Milo Thurman.

Known for his ability to predict the future, Thurman, understandably, became a wanted man with the government realizing he needed constant protection. In Domino Vol 1 Issue #2, we saw that Domino was hired by the NSA to guard Thurman. When she went to check on him one evening, he had prepared a candlelit meal awaiting her arrival. Using his genius abilities, he predicted that Domino would fall in love with him that evening. Though she initially rebuffed his flirtation and his predictions, she eventually gave in to the evening. Two hours later, she had become completely infatuated with Thurman, and the two soon began to fall in love.

He even gave her the nickname “Domino.”

The two eventually married but for only a brief time. Members of AIM later raided the facility, and the two were separated. During the fight, Thurman believed Domino had perished, and he mourned the loss of his wife.

Shot Deadpool In The Back After He Rescued Her

After Cable betrayed his team, Six Pack, and left them to their own devices, they went their separate ways. Unfortunately, this left Domino vulnerable, which led to her being kidnapped by Tolliver - an arms dealer who was secretly Cable's son.

Domino remained in his possession for over a year, being tormented and kept chained the entire time. The shapeshifter Copycat, aka Vanessa Carlysle - who casual fans will know as Deadpool's cinematic girlfriend - took on Dominos' form and impersonated her on the X-Force so that no one was the wiser. Once Cable discovered that Domino had actually been missing, he led a rescue mission to free her.

Deadpool had also been deployed by Tolliver to eliminate Cable. The two met at Tolliver’s lair and discovered Domino’s location within Tolliver’s facility. A fight between the two men ensured right in front of a still-chained Domino. In the midst of the fighting, Deadpool accidentally cut Domino’s shackles. To show her appreciation, Domino picked up gun and shot Deadpool in the back to help Cable win the fight so he could take out Tolliver.

We know Deadpool wasn’t expecting a thank you or anything, but that’s kind of messed up.

Domino's definitely not the best team-player.

She Discovered Red Hulk's Identity

General Thunderbolt Ross Becoming Red Hulk Thanks to MODOK

The introduction of the Red Hulk into the Marvel Universe brought with it one of the biggest mysteries for readers to solve. Premiering in a cloak of secrets and mystery, the red monster appeared to have about the same destructive power and abilities as his green counterpart. Even Hulk himself had no idea who this new foe was or how he came about existing as a mirror version of himself.

During his debut, The Red Hulk managed to beat Thor, the Hulk, and even the Watcher. Although no one managed to uncover the mystery, Domino just happened to be at the right place at just the right time. While a member of the X-Force, she was nearby when the Red Hulk was transforming back to his normal state. It was then she discovered that he was actually General Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross.

Upon discovering his secret had been revealed, he immediately marked her for extermination. A long list of criminal was sent after her to ensure his identity remained a secret. The list of hitmen and assassins included Elektra, the Punisher, Thundra, and Deadpool. They pursued her into a bar and expected to finally capture her. Sadly, for them, they walked in to a trap with the X-Force awaiting their arrival.

Betrayed S.H.I.E.L.D.

The life of a mercenary took Domino down some interesting paths. Her assignments varied from job to job, with some as simple security and others as more complicated assassination missions. In addition to various work, she has also been employed in many teams. Over the years, her affiliations have included Hammer, Anaconda, and even the NSA. Early on in her solo days as a mercenary, Domino even managed to become a member of S.H.I.E.L.D.

In fact, she was hired by the organization to take down her future teammate, Cable, a task she was confident in completing. She tracked him down to his home base of Providence and began her assault. Unfortunately for her, Cable was not an easy mark. The two battles for quite some time to the point of exhaustion. And yet, in the end, she could not defeat him.

In a strange turn of events, Domino actually decided to join Cable instead.

She defected and joined his team, leaving her position with S.H.I.E.L.D. fairly quickly. Not only did her employer lose faith in her but also her original group of fellow mercenaries. Though she may have lost the trust of some of her colleagues, she gained new teammates in the form of Cable and company.

Liked to Blow People Up Ruthlessly

Domino’s innate abilities made her a force to be reckoned with. In order to use her “luck” skills, she had to place herself in harm’s way. The talent would only trigger when she was actively fighting or making an effort to defeat or enemy. Along with her mutant abilities, Domino was also a highly accurate marksman and deadly fighter. Though a seemingly deadly opponent already, she also has one more skill up her sleeve: demolition.

She became an expert in explosives and frequently took pleasure in blowing up her enemies.

As a member of the Six Pack, Domino and her teammates would often eliminate large groups of enemies without a second thought. Their mission would often include not only success but a high body count as well. During a trip to Singapore, Six Pack found themselves surrounded by several mercenaries out to eliminate them. However, Domino quickly took out the assassins buy blowing up the bridge they were standing on.

In another instance, explosives became her best weapon to seek revenge on Tolliver after she escaped his imprisonment. She used bombs on his helicopter as he was trying to escape and (supposedly) took his life. Although they may not be her primary weapon of choice, they certainly seem to be one of her most effective means to take down her enemies.

Fleeting Romance With Wolverine

Domino and Wolverine kiss

Domino’s romantic life has taken a few interesting turns over the years. After her brief relationship and reunion with her husband, she moved on to find love elsewhere. One of her biggest romances was her on-again/off-again relationship with fellow teammate Cable. This relationship was especially interesting in that it was actually Copycat posing as Domino through a lot of it. Crazily enough, this was not even her strangest of bedfellows. That distinct recognition goes to none other than our favorite adamantium-wielding hot-head, Wolverine.

During the X-Force: Sex & Violence series, readers watched as Wolverine helped Domino when she got into considerable trouble with the Assassin’s Guild. During the course of their mission to clear her name, Domino confessed that she was attracted to Wolverine. He is shot in the head before he can answer and the two immediately engaged in a fight with assassins that were hunting Domino down. They then share a kiss after taking care of their enemies. Much later, the two end up spending time together in a hotel. Strangely enough, they never officially dated after that.

In fact, during the course of their brief relationship, Domino turned on her “lover” and questioned his ability to serve as leader of the X-Force properly. So much for new romance.

Attacked Xavier Institute

X-Force Attacks Xavier Institute

The events of M-Day rocked the Marvel Universe to no end. Because of Scarlet Witch’s powers, the majority of mutants on the planet lost their mutant abilities. Only 198 mutants still kept their powers after the incident. Even Professor X and Magneto were among those that could no longer wield their powers.

Now considered an endangered species, these remaining mutants relocated to the Xavier School and lived in a tent city. Under the watchful eye of Sentinel Squad O*N*E, this group renamed themselves the 198 to show their unity. Given that many of the members of their protection squad were also former enemies, tensions were high. Although the intent was to protect the remaining mutants, they began to feel trapped within this enclosed environment. However, some groups were not comfortable with the 198 remaining in a refugee camp and felt compelled to liberate them.

At the time, Domino was a member of a newly formed X-Force long with Shatterstar. They stormed the institute and engaged in battle with Sentinel Squad O*N*E in Civil War: X-Men #1. The X-Force managed to defeated the squad and freed the 198. They were then relocated to an abandoned military base, a location that would better serve to protect them from the rest of the world.

She Became Stryfe

One of the longtime enemies of both Domino and her various teams has been Stryfe. He first made his appearance in New Mutants issue #87 and was the brainchild of Rob Liefeld and Louise Simonson. An actual clone of Cable, he was created by the Askani and raised by the insidious Apocalypse for his own evil plans. When he finally discovered that Stryfe was merely a clone, Apocalypse was outraged, deeming the child worthless since he could not hold his essence.

Driven mad by the rejection and freed from the hold of Apocalypse, Stryfe began his own path for domination and destruction. He eventually went on to found the Mutant Liberation Front and created the Legacy Virus, a disease aimed to terminate mutants specifically. Understandably, he was greatly despised, especially by Domino. However, in an alternate universe, Domino would find herself filling his shoes.

On Earth-5014, readers witnessed a very different version of Domino. In this timeline, she still resembled her old self but took on the name of Stryfe. She traveled to Earth-616 and worked to reform the Mutant Liberation front with the purpose of helping Cable defeat Skornn. Working together (another similarity to their Earth-616 versions), they eventually eliminated the Administrator.

Worked For Apocalypse

During the Age of Apocalypse arc, Domino proudly stood by the side of Apocalypse as a part of his team. She joined the group called Apocalypse’s Bounty Hunter which first debuted in X-Man issue #1 - Breaking Away.

Her crew consisted of former Six Pack teammate Grizzly and Caliban. They were the most trusted members of Apocalypse’s team and did everything in their powers to help their leader fulfill his evil plans. Specifically, they were on the hunt for Nate Grey and intended on bringing him in no matter what. They finally located Grey along with the Outcasts and engaged in a fight with them. In their journey to complete their task, they managed to destroy Omega Red. They were cheated and tricked by Forge and Mastermind, but they managed to see through their trickery.

As a result, Mastermind lost his life at the hands of the evil Domino.

Grizzly managed to eliminate Toad but fell at the hands of Forge. Finally, Grey and Domino met to have a final battle together. They fought ferociously using their mutant abilities, but Grey outwitted the mercenary and subjected her mind to all of the suffering she had caused. The attack left her weakened in a catatonic state.

Terminated Her Former Husband

Domino Says Goodbye to Thurman

After losing one another in the AIM raid, Domino and her husband lost touch for some time. Domino did not know his whereabouts and Thurman assumed his wife passed away during the battle. Domino moved on with her life and later joined the X-Force.

In Domino vol 1 issue#1, readers found Domino celebrating Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Puck approached her with details of a mission that involved the termination of her long-lost husband. He had been kidnapped by Lady Deathstrike and Donald Pierce this time. Their intention: to extract his mind from his body and insert it into the computer. This would ensure the constant availability of genius-level predictions without the need to keep him alive.

Domino left on a solo mission to save him and broke into their secret facility. After defeating several mandroids and guards, she went head-to-head with Lady Deathstrike, beating her. She blew up the facility and awoke to find herself in the same former Weapon X facility that Thurman was being held in. She found herself captured by the enemy while Skullbuster began the download process. She eventually freed herself and attempted to rescue him, but she was too late. 60% of his mind had been downloaded, and the process could not be reversed. Her only option was to destroy the computer, which with her husband along with it.

Took The Life Of Her Biological Mother

Domino Shoots Her Mother

No one can question that Domino’s start in life was considerably challenging and rough. Given that her childhood was spent in labs, suffering through numerous tests and experiments, she did not have the advantage of having someone to care for her. Although she was eventually rescued from her tortment by her biological mother, she still lived a life of loneliness. Unable to relate to the other orphans she lived with, she chose a life as a mercenary to best hone her skills and help her find purpose in life.

Though she learned to live on her own and, eventually, with her team, she still missed out on having any familial connections in her upbringing. However, during her travels, she discovered a young boy named Lazarus that had a strange familiarity about him. Not only did he bear the same powers as her but also similar marking as well. She discovered the boy is actually her half-brother and was also a survivor of Project: Armageddon. As she tried to save him, a group of fanatics called the Armajesuits arrived to destroy Lazarus, led by her mother.

Domino was forced to take her mother’s life in order to save her brother.

She then dropped him off with Father Boschelli in Chicago, just as her mother did years ago.

Eliminated One of Her Closest Friends

Domino kills Grizzly

Working together as a team, the Wild Pack, aka Six Pack, became a notorious group of mercenaries. Their uncouth ways and reckless body counts made them a formidable group. As with any core group, they worked best when everyone remained dedicated to the team. However, after a betrayal by Cable, the team soon split up for a while.

Although Domino had a tight relationship with Cable (even looking past his betrayal later on), she was especially close to Grizzly. Known for his huge stature and beastly appearance, the two comrades became close friends after working together for more than a decade. However, their friendship was soon tested when Domino had to make one of the hardest decisions of her life: taking the life of her close friend.

In Cable vol 1 issue #23, Domino is sent on a mission by Cable to locate his son. Her search led her to a noted criminal in Colorado, several clues lead Domino to the conclusion that her target is her old friend Grizzly. Once she finally found him, the truth is revealed: Genesis, Cable’s own son, was manipulating him.

Grizzly begged Domino to free him from his control by shooting him.

Sadly, she had no choice but to fulfill his wish and brought an end to her friend’s life in Cable vol 1 issue #24. The disheartening act haunted Domino for years to come.

She Almost Terminated Cable

Deadpool 2 - Domino Vs Cable

Domino and Cable, though they trust each other, have not had the best of relationships. While they have often worked together throughout the years, questionable decisions and choices have often pitted them against one another. However, despite their differences and, occasional betrayals, the two managed to reunite and team up together again and again. However, there have been instances when the true tests of their loyal and friendship come under pressure. Domino, in particular, had some tough choices to make when it came to putting the needs of others before her friend.

In Cable & Deadpool issue #28, we found out that Domino had been given a mission to stop Deadpool while he was making plans in the European country of Rumekistan. He plotted to organize a rebellion against Flag-Smasher and free the country from his rule. However, concerned with how the elimination of the leader would weigh heavily on Cable’s conscious, she took it upon herself to take him out herself.

Considering Cable and Deadpool only wanted to wound the leader, Domino certainly found a way to step that plan up several notches. However, as she witnessed Cable taking over as leader, she began to doubt his intentions and considered terminating him as well. In the end, she merely reminded him that she was quite capable of taking him out at any time - so he better gets his act together.

Her Debut In The Comics Was A Lie

Domino Vanessa Carlysle Copycat Debuts In Marvel Comics

The character of Domino made her first appearance in New Mutants issue #98. Created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld, her debut in 1991 marked the appearance of a tough-as -ails female mercenary that refused to take crap from anyone. Along with her powers of “luck,” she proved herself to be a competent fighter and mercenary. Even the details of her backstory (coming from the labs of Project: Armageddon) led to her becoming a very capable woman who managed to overcome her terrible past. Fans grew to love Domino and continued to follow her character throughout the months after debut.

Imagine the surprise of Marvel comic book readers when they discovered that the Domino they had grown to love was a lie!

A year after her initial debut, fans were shocked to find out that Domino was actually Copycat in disguise.

Tolliver had dispatched Copycat to infiltrate Domino’s team while he kidnapped her and tormented her for months. She even managed to begin a relationship with Cable in the process. Cable eventually discovered the truth of Copycat and organized a rescue for the real Domino. It was then that readers finally met the mercenary they had grown to love. Thanks a lot, Marvel!

---

What other things went wrong in Domino's history? What do you think of Domino in Deadpool 2? Share your thoughts in the comments!