X-Force #17

X-Force #17
Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Art: Greg Capullo

What Went Down: Because the X-Office thought it would be cool: Stryfe versus Apocalypse. While Stryfe’s motivation remains unknown at this point, most readers assumed he was ticked off at Apocalypse for giving Nathan Summers the virus; later stories would also establish that Stryfe was raised and betrayed by Apocalypse as well. Anyway, the fight is totally one sided since Apocalypse hasn’t finished recharging after being let out too early, so Stryfe stabs him with a knife, but Apocalypse manages to teleport away. The Dark Riders agree to follow Stryfe, since their whole gimmick is that they always follow the strongest.

In his space station, Cable uses his sentient computer named The Professor to explain to Bishop and Wolverine how Cable knows Stryfe and that Stryfe looks exactly like him. Nobody knows why.

At the mansion Stevie Hunter is taking care of injured X-characters from the MLF fight. Havok asks Cannonball to talk to his team, and it is established that Beast is attempting to surgically remove Stryfe’s bullet from Professor X’s head to try to stop the virus from spreading. X-Force appears in their own book for two whole pages where they basically complain about being held prisoner. Siryn and Multiple Man do have a fun scene where they discuss her relationship with one of his multiples; this subplot does actually pop up in later stories, most recently the relaunch of X-Factor.

Cyclops and Jean break out of their cell after Stryfe leaves; apparently Stryfe himself was responsible for keeping their powers in check, not the cell.

Apocalypse’s teleport destination is revealed. It turns out he was heading for the mansion. Archangel attacks, but Apocalypse reveals that he is there to cure Professor X and work with the X-Men.

How It Was: Well Stryfe is really being pushed as a badass at this point. After defeating the Dark Riders single handedly last issue, Stryfe proceeds to beat the tar out of Apocalypse, one of the most powerful X-villains ever. Of course, Apocalypse isn’t at full strength, so conceivably fans would want to see some type of rematch later. In fact, it does eventually happen, much later, in 2009 during the Messiah War crossover, over ten years after the initial story.

So once again we have another totally one-sided fight, making it hard to get excited about. Even harder to get excited about are the five pages of exposition that follow as Cable explains everything about Stryfe to Wolverine and Bishop. It’s definitely a necessary scene since Stryfe hadn’t really existed outside of the New Mutants and X-Force up until this point, yet it’s still really clunky and dull. The only real plot advancement in this issue is the escape of Cyclops and Jean Grey and the arrival of Apocalypse at the mansion.

I’m sure the X-Force staff also endeared their readers by having the eponymous team appear in their own book for a whole two pages. After this issue, Cable and Cannonball are the only two members to participate in the crossover, even the final issue that also happens to be an issue of X-Force. Oh well.

The art is once again very good and fits in perfectly with the styles of all the other X-books, sans X-Factor.

B-