X-Force
X-Force is a comic book team that first appeared in The New Mutants #100
When Cable reformed the New Mutants, he made them his soldiers. Now they are the mutant "Black Ops" team that are assigned to kill not just the enemies of the X-Men but of all mutantkind.
Origin
Cable and members of the New Mutants banded together to form a militant mutant force group known as X-Force.
The original X-Force included:
- Cable, a mutant from a future ruled by Apocalypse. At this time, he possessed immense psionic powers, including telepathy and telekinesis;
- Boom Boom, who could produce time bombs. She was also equipped with small wrist blasters that she could fire them through;
- Cannonball, who flew at jet speeds and projected a force field around himself when flying. He later became team leader;
- Domino, who possessed the ability to manipulate probability. She was also Cable’s lover;
- Feral, a cat-like mutant with claws, fur, and enhanced senses;
- Shatterstar, a warrior from Mojo World who possessed superb fighting skills;
- Warpath, the brother of Thunderbird, who possessed super strength and speed;
- Siryn, the daughter of Banshee who also had a sonic scream and ability to fly;
- Rictor, who produced powerful shock waves;
- Sunspot, who absorbed and redirected solar energy;
- Bedlam, a mutant trained in covert ops, who could generate bio electric fields to disable electronics and machinery;
X-Force mainly fought the terrorist Mutant Liberation Front, led by Stryfe, which is Cable's arch-enemy. The team also battled Deadpool, Juggernaut, Black Tom Cassidy, the immortal Externals, Toad's Brotherhood Of Evil Mutants, and the Morlocks.
Years later, Cable would leave the team and Peter Wisdom became the leader. Soon, the team was thought dead, but had only disbanded and went underground.
Then, a media team was formed usurped the name X-Force, eventually changing the name to X-Statix. The majority of former members of X-Force joined the X-Corporation.
Cable reformed X-Force to help combat Skornn, an ancient alien.
Recently, several members of X-Force joined other teams; however, Domino, Shatterstar and Caliban continue acting as part of the team, especially when they organized an assault in the Xavier Mansion to free the 198 from the several grounds.
The New X-Force
Team
- Wolverine: the old mutant with an adamantium-coated skeleton, bone claws (three on either hand), a healing factor, heightened senses plus others;
- Wolfsbane: a Scottish mutant with the ability of Lycanthropy, who left her former team, X-Factor, afraid that a vision shown to her would come true (see her biography);
- X-23: the first successful clone out of twenty three attempts to duplicate Wolverine, a trained killer with the same powers as Wolverine, but with two claws in either hand and one in either foot;
- Warpath: the Apache mutant with superhuman strength speed and senses with formidable hand to hand combat abilities (member of the original X-Force team);
- Archangel: the mutant Angel, now able to switch back and forth between the two forms;
- Elixir: the young Omega-Level-Mutant with bio/vitakinetic abilities;
- Domino: mutant mercenary with luck/probability abilities (also a member of the original team)
- Vanisher: former X-Men enemy who has teleporting capabilities
Messiah CompleX
In the middle of the Messiah CompleX storyline, Cyclops assembled a new X-Force, which consist of the X-Men's best trackers. The new team is made out of Wolverine as team leader, X-23, Warpath, Wolfsbane, Caliban and Hepzibah. Their first mission was to track Cable and the newly discovered Baby Mutant, before the Purifiers, Marauders Reavers and Predator X could get them first. They also participated in the final battle against the Marauders on Muir Island. However, after the death of Caliban and injury of Hepzibah, it was believed that X-Force was disbanded.
Angels and Demons
X-Force #1
But in the aftermath of Messiah Complex, Cyclops reassembled them once again. Wolverine did not want X-23 or Warpath involved, but they refuse to leave when given the opportunity. Wolverine did not press the issue, believing that they had the right to choose their own destiny. Their first mission, after the events of the Messiah Complex, was to infiltrate a SHIELD facility, where a group of Purifiers have stolen valuable technology needed to resurrect a Sentinel named Bastion. Complications arose when that same group captured Wolfsbane, prior to their arrival, and threatened to shoot her. X-23 thought it was a bluff and attacked anyway, by detonating explosive charges that she had placed and armed off panel. Wolfsbane was seemingly shot by Matthew Risman, head of The Purifiers, in the face. It was later revealed that Risman actually shot Wolfsbane in the knee. Risman then took Wolfsbane to Purifier headquarters while the rest of X-force return to Angel's mansion, where Wolverine yelled at X-23 for disobeying his orders. X-23 stated that her mission was never to protect her teammates but to kill Matthew Risman, and Cyclops backed her up. When they were able to save Wolfsbane, they returned to Angel's mansion and summoned Elixir to heal her. When she woke up, she attacked Elixir, X-23 and Angel. During this attack, she had ripped off Angel's wings and took them to the Purifiers, to be used to build an army of angels that will serve to eradicate the remaining mutants. Angel awoke as Archangel ready to kill X-Force but X-23 was prepared to fight off his attacks. Unlike with Wolfsbane, Wolverine had said nothing about dying for Angel. In the middle of the fight, Archangel flew to the location of the Purifiers with the X-Force following him. Meanwhile, the leaders of the Purifiers were having a standoff on who is the rightful leader. Before the argument escalated, Archangel went on a killing spree; targeting the choir and demanding his wings back, while the X-Force went on the attack as well. In another part of the facility, Reverend Craig was hunting down Wolfsbane, saying that she is condemned to be a demon. He was then later attacked by Wolfsbane, presumably killing him. The X-Force managed to defeat the Purifiers but not completely, as Bastion and his resurrected puppets of prominent, former, X-Men enemies were able to escape. As at the end, it is shown that Archangel presumably returned back to normal. Back at Angel's Aerie, they report back to Cyclops on what happened and now decides on who next in their hit list.
Old Ghosts
Back at home, the X-Force investigates what could have triggered the transformation of Angel and the triggered rage of Wolfsbane. They also thought about what to do with Elixir, since he now knows too much about the X-Force. They thought about killing him, but X-23 called the Stepford Cuckoos to erase Elixir's memories about the X-Force. But before they could do this, the team saw Graydon Creed on TV, saying that the assassination on him was just a cover-up to protect himself. They want to go after him, but Cyclops stop them because that have to go after Vanisher first because he has taken hold of a strain of the Legacy Virus. They all go except for Warpath, who goes home to visit the grave of his brother but was suddenly attacked by the Demon Bear. He was almost killed if it weren't for the intervention of Ghost Rider, who help Warpath escape the creature.
X-Force tracks down Vanisher in Japan but they also run in with Domino, who tagged along to find the Legacy Virus. When they manage to find Vanisher, they interrogated him through Elixir's powers inducing a brain tumor, which prompted Vanisher to tell them that he had lost the Legacy Virus to a fight with the clones of the Maruaders that was awakened when Mister Sinister died. When the X-Force got to the place where Vanisher lost the Legacy Virus, Domino manage to find it, but as they were about to leave with it, but are quickly attacked by The Right who is there to take it into their possession. X-Force fight back, X-23 fighting the Right members with the virus. But as they fight, X-23 drops the virus and is stabbed at the same time, the virus being released into her body. She decides after killing the Right member by popping her claws into his head, to kill herself by jumping into a vat of furnace to destroy the virus along with her. The other members of X-Force cover Elixir as he chases after X-23 hoping to save her. He catches up with her, but she still jumps off. Luckily, Elixir catches her hand, and purges the virus out of her. This however took too much out of him and he drops her. Later, she's revealed to be alive, Josh managing to divert her course slightly, and she caught on fire, burning her hair away and her skin. She took Josh's clothes and left him in his underwear.
Back with Warpath and Ghost Rider, and Ghost Rider tells him the story of the ancient magic invoked by the elders of the Apache, and how he can channel their shamanistic powers to help him fight the Demon Bear which they call it "The Ghost Dance". The two quickly attack the Bear, slashing at it. Suddenly, Ghost Rider notices the Demon Bear had a knife stuck in its hide. He alerts Warpath, who removes it. The Demon Bear then releases totemic spirits, Ghost Rider revealing them to be the Apache gods, corrupted by the knife. The Gods then showed Warpath who they're true enemy was. Back with Wolfsbane, and she's in the forest, searching for someone in the forest. Suddenly, the creature makes an appearance, revealing himself to the Asgardian God of Wolves and her former lover, Hrimhari. All of them meet back at Angel's mansion, the X-Force team from Japan having recaptured the Vanisher and gagged him. They see Warpath on the floor, and ask him what's wrong. He tells them that his entire tribe has been dug up, including his brother Thunderbird. When they all ask who, and Warpath replies: Eli Bard.
Suicide Leper
The Friends of Humanity are holding a rally in Iowa, at which they condemn mutants yet again, shouting blasphemy about them and so on. Suddenly, the mutant Beautiful Dreamer runs into the crowd, screaming for help. Suddenly, her mutant powers within her explode, affecting everyone at the rally. Her powers made everyone forget everything, including to keep pumping their own hearts. The Leper Queen had injected Beautiful Dreamer with a different strain of the Legacy Virus that affected her powers, changing them and making them unstable.
Agent Morales begins to put the puzzle pieces together as she assumes that X-23 is connected to a lot of the previous mysteries still unsolved by SHIELD. Wolfsbane and Hrimhari talk, the latter informing the former of how Ragnarok made him discover that he belonged with her. Dust and Pierce continue to talk and Bastion continues to plan.
At Greymalkin Industries, and Cyclops have the Stepford Cuckoos searching for Rahne, while he also has Beast working on time machines. He's called away by Angel, who flies him to Alcatraz where the rest of X-Force are. Cyclops arrives to find Domino laughing at a Vanisher who's screaming in pain, X-23 having cut off his ear after he'd tried to persuade Elixir to heal his tumor. Cyclops informs them of the incident with Beautiful Dreamer, and they debate, until Vanisher makes another comment and X-23 offers to torture him some more.
X-Force split up: Archangel and X-23, Vanisher and Warpath and Domino and Wolverine. Each are at a different Friends of Humanity rally, expecting them yet again to throw a mutant into the rally and kill everyone there. X-23 smells something burning, and Fever Pitch stumbles into the crowd, screaming for help. Wolverine shouts to Vanisher to get X-23 and Archangel out of there, but Fever Pitch explodes, luckily, X-23 and Archangel being on the rim of the explosion.
One of Leper Queen's henchmen drug Hellion's drink and they take him away in a van after he passes out. After X-Force escapes the explosion, they are discussing what exactly happened and Archangel shows further indications that he is becoming more and more unhinged. He also adds that he saw the Leper Queen there but was unable to get to her in time. This confirms that she is with Bastion.
Cyclops approves Wolverine's kill order for Leper Queen and gives them another mission: To help Cable and the mutant baby, Hope. He gives them all time travel devices that will give them 33.2 hours in the future before returning them home. The Cuckoos pinpoint were the Leper Queen is and Cyclops has them relay that information to Wolverine. Agents of HAMMER come to the conclusion that X-23 will be in New York because the Leper Queen is there and the United Nations, whom the agents think is X-23's target as well, are going to be there. HAMMER mobilizes two attack squads to intercept X-23.
Back at Angel's Aerie, Rahne Sinclair confides in Hrimhari while X-Force teleports to New York. At the same time, Leper Queen is injecting both Hellion and Surge with the new Legacy Virus and sends them to cause destruction at the United Nations but keeps an uninfected Boom-Boom for her own plans. X-Force moves against the Leper Queen and kill everyone that is still in her hideout except Leper Queen. She is holding Boom-Boom hostage in hopes that they will kill her to end her suffering. Vanisher knocks Leper Queen away from Boom-Boom and Wolverine jumps on her just as Cyclops gives the order to transport X-Force into the future. Having been denied the death she was hoping for, Leper Queen shoots Boom-Boom in the head, killing her.
Messiah War
Not Forgotten
All members of X-Force came back at the same moment they left to jump forward in time. X-23 was able to kill Leper Queen before she could kill Boom-Boom. Before dying, she thanked X-23 for setting her free from Bastion's control. X-23 then collapsed from the fatigue she experience from timetravel. It that moment that agents of HAMMER storm in and apprehended their primary target, X-23. Boom-Boom was left with two HAMMER agent with one of them about to rape her, when she was saved by Warpath. Meanwhile in the UN, Surge and Hellion tries to escape from their captors but the Legacy Virus within them begins to flare out. Angel and Wolverine came in just in time with Elixir who was able to purge the virus in Hellion's body and barely saved Surge's life, but her powers became out of control and was about to explode. Luckily, Hellion redirected her energy to the sky before passing out. Back in their base, Beast evaluate Hellion and Surge medical condition as normal. While Elixir's mutant powers, Beast hypothesize that his DNA is rebooting itself from over usage of his powers. Beast tells Cyclops that he is also safe. Wolverine lunges his claws between Cyclops' neck and threaten him that if anyone of the Young X-Men ends up dead, that it will be his responsibility, to which Cyclops understood. Wolverine then brief Cyclops about the events in the Messiah War and assured him that Cable and Hope are safe. Wolverine then left to look for X-23 and assigned the Stepford Cuckoos to locate her using Cerebro, but they can't to which Domino threatened them at gunpoint to look harder. Meanwhile, Wolfsbane and Hrimhari made love in Angel's Aerie but they were attacked by 3 Frost Giants. They chased Wolfsbane and Hrimhari throughout the forest but eventually fought them together, after which Wolfbane collapse. Hrimhari picked Wolfsbane up and went back to Angel's Aerie to look for the mutant healer, Elixir, but only found Archangel and Warpath investigating the damage done to Angel's home. In an undisclosed location, X-23 is reunited to her old handler from the Facility, Kimura, who begins to torture her by dismembering her arm. In a corridor, Agent Young told Agent Morales that he was a Facility member that infiltrated SHIELD and he also discussed to her about joining the facility. Stating she knew that if her answer were to be no, death would be the final penalty. So without hesitation, Agent Morales took out Young and escapes to rescue X-23. Kimura was about to chop off Laura's second arm, but a bullet was shot in her head, knocking her off and the shot came from Agent Morales' gun. Upon getting X-23 out of the chains, Morales couldn't understand why this child was still standing. Before questions could be answered, Kimura threatened to kill Morales. X-23 told Young run and both women fled the scene with Kimura not that far behind. X-23 manage to pin down Kimura into a steel door and she and Morales got locked up into a laboratory where the Facility creates large amounts of trigger scent that forces X-23 to go into a berserker rage. X-23 tells Morales to take shelter after giving her adamantium claws and triggering an explosion in the laboratory. Outside the laboratory, facility guards are opening the door when the sprinkler system activates and the trigger scent begins to shower the whole facility. When the doors are opened, X-23 lunges towards the facility guards and begins to kill everyone in a murderous frenzy. Prof Harkin is locked inside of office, calling for Kimura's help. X-23 barges in and was about to kill him but she was knock out by Kimura. She then kills the professor and was about to kill X-23 but Agent Morales threw a molotov cocktail to her, setting her on fire. Morales then help X-23 to her feet and escapes, but not before placing other molotov cocktail in all of the flammable and explosive parts of the Facility. Agent Morales and X-23 escapes the destroyed Facility, afterwhich Kimura warned X-23 that she will kill everyone that she loved. Laura then collapse and told Morales that it was inevitable to which she replied that it'll be alright and promised her that she will remove any record of X-23 in HAMMER. It was then that the Stepford Cuckoos found X-23 where Domino and Wolverine pick her up with Magik teleporting them out. Meanwhile, Eli Bard starts to resurrect deceased mutants starting with Cypher, while Selene asked a revived Destiny to tell about her destiny.Utopia and Code Red
X-Force was deployed as a rescue team to save other mutants that will be subjected to Dark Beast's experiments. Later, they arrived as reinforcements during the conflict between the original X-Men, the Dark X-Men and the Dark Avengers. With Archangel taking down Hawkeye, and Wolverine defeating Weapon Omega, both of Osborn's team fall back. It is still unknown what will be the consequences now that the X-Men has found out the existence of the X-Force. When Domino found out the identity of the Red Hulk, he formed a team called Code Red to eliminate her. Domino then called on her own team to back her up.
| Team Name: | X-Force |
| Publisher: | Marvel Publishing |
| 1st Appearance: | The New Mutants #100 |
| Appears in: | 264 issues |
| Disbanded in: |
