Superhero Origins: Cable, AKA Nathan Summers

Comic Book Origins: Cable

Exterminating evil, one time period at a time. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we will explore the comic book origin of Cable, otherwise known as Nathan Summers.

As with most comic book characters, there are often re-imaginations and different versions to a character’s past. We have chosen to primarily follow the storyline which unfolded in 1986’s “Uncanny X-Men” issue #201 and was expanded on in 1991's “X-Factor” #67

This mutant has appeared throughout multiple continuities of the X-Men franchise with the aid of his time-traveling tech. He's also quite notable for boasting some of the most powerful telepathic and telekinetic powers his universe has ever seen.

Cable first appeared as a newborn conceived by X-Men Scott Summers and Madelyne Pryor, who was soon revealed to be a clone of Scott's first love, Jean Grey. Upon learning of her false origin, Madelyne became unhinged and planned on using her newborn as a sacrifice to open a portal between Earth and a demon-inhabited Limbo.

Saving his son and foiling Madelyne's diabolic plot, Scott would later encounter an even greater threat when Apocalypse infected Nathan with a deadly techno-organic virus. Apocalypse discovers the birth of the child was an elaborate scheme hatched by Mister Sinister and decided to retaliate before the plan could be completed.

Apocalypse's infection would soon see Nathan's whole body transformed into techno-organic material if Scott and Jean couldn't develope a cure. Faced with no other options, the two left their baby in the hands of a Clan Askani member from a distant future, claiming she could save the boy.

Taking him 2000 years in the future, the Mother Askani determined the virus was far too developed and settled on cloning Nathan in case he didn't make it. This would soon lead Apocalypse to kidnap the clone and raise it as his own super soldier known as Stryfe.

The Mother Askani then opted on manifesting the projections of Scott and Jean to help raise the young Cable in the dystopian future. In growing up with his parents, Nathan soon discovered how to cease the progression of the techno-organic virus with his telekinetic abilities. When his mutant powers further increased into his teenage years, he succeeded in destroying Apocalypse.

Confident in his skill, Nathan takes off to defeat the super mutant in the past, while also adopting the alias Cable Catching on to the time-traveller's plan, Stryfe follows suit to see an end to Cable and stop him from killing Apocalypse.

While in the present, the two would frequently butt heads, however the evil clone's armies proved too formidable for Cable to contend with. It wasn't until the mutant formed a resistance team known as the X-Force was he able to decimate Stryfe and his moon base.

With his clone out of the picture, Cable now had full opportunity to face off with Apocalypse once more to save the sanctity of his present era. Cable defeated Apoyalypse and preserved his own future, but thanks to temporal paradox, he would still live on in multiple timelines.

Cable's future time travels would inexplicably link him to Apocalypse; so much so that it was revealed Cable himself infected Apocalypse with the techno-organic virus long ago, thereby allowing Apocalypse to infect him many years later, rendering his whole existence another paradox.

Over the years, Cable has appeared in various X-Men titles, spinoffs and media. His insurmountable telekinetic powers and advanced weaponry from the future, not only makes this character possibly the most capable X-Man in the series, but one of the most favorited.

Are you a fan of time-traveling mutant? For more super top 10s, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.