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As the mutant who wielded the Light of Galador to reignite the Peak Space Station and the acting head of security for the remade S.W.O.R.D., kid Cable is one of the characters at the heart of Al Ewing and Valerio Schiti's new S.W.O.R.D. title.
But this single page from next week's S.W.O.R.D. #2, which ties into the current Venom-centric limited series King in Black, may have huge ramifications on the young son of Cyclops and Jean Grey – if the interior page actually does show what it looks like it shows.
The bulky, silhouetted figure seen standing on a rooftop in the page by Schiti and colorist Marte Gracia wears a torn cape which seems to cover a couple big ol' guns strapped to his back, and has a cybernetic left arm, and, as seen in the lower panel, a glowing eye.
If you're thinking "That kinda looks like adult Cable," you can see where we're headed.
Of course, adult Cable, who was killed and supplanted by his younger self (typical X-Men stuff), doesn't usually speak in sinister red font, and his glowing eye is usually yellow, not purple.
That may be where the whole King in Black tie-in aspect comes in. The solicitation for S.W.O.R.D. #2 mentions 'Protocol V,' with solicitations for subsequent issues mentioning 'the Void-God' – potentially as in the Sentry's evil opposite who shares a body with Robert Reynolds – who was recently conscripted into the service of Knull, the main villain of King in Black, after Knull killed Reynolds.
"What is Protocol V? The S.W.O.R.D. station is thrown in at the deep end of a planetary crisis as Krakoa battles the King in Black!" reads Marvel's solicitation for S.W.O.R.D. #2.
"While a cross-division team take on latex dragons from outer space, Abigail Brand prepares a deniable operation all her own," it continues. "What is Protocol V - and can the Earth survive it?"
Could the figure seen in this page be adult Cable (or maybe Stryfe?) resurrected and corrupted by the Void, Knull, or aspects of both?
That would explain the creepy speech and purple glowing eye, and possibly provide an avenue to pit the younger Cable in a rematch against his older self.
Also, not for nothing, Cable once had his own space ship like S.W.O.R.D. - his was named Graymalking, using repurposed Celestial tech.
S.W.O.R.D. #2 goes on sale on January 13.
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