Spoilers for Cable 11 ahead!
Stryfe, a clone of Cable and one of the villains most associated with the “extreme” X-Men era of the 90s, makes a shocking return in Cable #11, on sale now in print and digital. Cable has been on the trail of his clone over the past several issues, and now Stryfe’s terrifying masterplan has been revealed.
After being infected with a lethal techno-virus as an infant, Cable, AKA Nathan Summers, the son of Cyclops and Jean Grey, was sent to the future to be cured; he was cloned shortly after his arrival and the clone grew up to be Stryfe. The two would clash several times in the future before bringing their fight to the present day. Arguably Stryfe’s most major contribution to comics would be the Legacy Virus, a dangerous virus that proved lethal only to mutants. This was cured in time, but Stryfe has never given up his crusade against Cable, and now he has returned - with a demonic new ally and scheme.
Over the course of the past several issues, a teenage Cable has been tracking Stryfe’s movements. The villain has been abducting mutant babies, but no one knows why. Cable is convinced his clone is up to something, and now teams up with his older self to find him. The older Cable tracks Stryfe to his lair, where readers learn that the ten babies Stryfe abducted were to be sacrificed to a demon, who would, in turn, give Stryfe an army to invade and destroy Krakoa. The teenage Cable had liberated five of the ten babies, so Stryfe cloned the remaining five to get the number back up to ten. He lifts his dagger high above the first infant, and as he speaks an incantation, the older Cable strikes.
Stryfe’s plan is horrifying, and almost on league with the Legacy Virus. Stryfe is committed to wiping out his fellow mutants—Cable especially, and when he failed to do with it a virus, he turned to the occult. This is a new avenue for the villain, as he has never shown much of an interest in sorcery or magic before. Stryfe’s legacy virus, representing science, failed so perhaps Stryfe is seeking a new, and better, alternative for his murderous plans. Will the older Cable be successful in stopping his evil clone once and for all? Or will Stryfe get the army he needs to finally destroy all mutants?
Stryfe has been a thorn in the side of Cable and the X-Men since the 1990s, and the villain is most associated with that era. However, he is still a serious threat, and Cable #11 reveals why. The issue is written by Gerry Duggan with art by Phil Noto and letters by Joe Sabino.