Editing Stryfe

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{{Infobox comics character| <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
image=Image:Uxm296.jpg
|caption=Cover of ''[[Uncanny X-Men]]'' #296. Art by [[Brandon Peterson]].
|character_name=Stryfe
|real_name=
|species=[[Mutant (Marvel Comics)|Human mutant]] [[Clone (genetics)|clone]]
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|debut=''[[The New Mutants (comic book)|The New Mutants]]'' #86 (February 1990)
|creators=[[Louise Simonson]] (writer)<br>[[Rob Liefeld]] (artist/co-writer)
|alliances=[[Mutant Liberation Front]]<br/>[[Dark Riders (comics)|Dark Riders]]
|aliases=Chaos Bringer, Scion of the Dark Lord, [[Cable (comics)|Cable]]
|powers=[[Telekinesis]]<br>[[Telepathy]]<br>[[Superhuman strength]] and durability
}}

'''Stryfe''' is a [[supervillain]] appearing in American [[comic books]] published by [[Marvel Comics]], most commonly in conflict with the [[superhero]] team [[X-Force]]. He is a [[clone (genetics)|clone]] of [[Cable (comics)|Cable]] from Cable's alternate future timeline.

==Publication history==
{{expand section|date=February 2014}}
The character was created by [[Louise Simonson]] and [[Rob Liefeld]],<ref name="chronicles" /> and first appears in ''[[The New Mutants (comic book)|The New Mutants]]'' #86 (February 1990), a cameo appearance in which his head cannot be seen. His first full appearance was in the following issue, ''The New Mutants'' #87 (March 1990).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Misiroglu |first1=Gina Renée |last2=Eury |first2=Michael |title=The Supervillain Book: The Evil Side of Comics and Hollywood |date=2006 |publisher=Visible Ink Press |isbn=9780780809772 |url=https://archive.org/details/supervillainbook0000gina/page/340/mode/2up |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=DeFalco |first1=Tom |last2=Sanderson |first2=Peter |last3=Brevoort |first3=Tom |last4=Teitelbaum |first4=Michael |last5=Wallace |first5=Daniel |last6=Darling |first6=Andrew |last7=Forbeck |first7=Matt |last8=Cowsill |first8=Alan |last9=Bray |first9=Adam |title=The Marvel Encyclopedia |date=2019 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-7890-0 |page=360}}</ref> A clone of Cable, Stryfe is the main [[antagonist]] in the 1990s [[fictional crossover|crossover]] ''[[X-Cutioner's Song]]'',<ref name="chronicles" /> the 2009 ''[[X-Force]]/[[Cable (comics)|Cable]]'' crossover ''[[Messiah War]]'', and the 2014 ''Cable & X-Force/Uncanny X-Force'' crossover "Vendetta".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=48579|title=Marvel Reveals "Cable & X-Force"/"Uncanny X-Force" Crossover Covers|date=17 October 2013|website=comicbookresources.com|access-date=21 March 2018}}</ref>

Stryfe appears as the main villain of the 2018–2019 run of ''[[X-Force]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Marvel Teases Return of Stryfe in X-Force |url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/marvel-x-men-x-force-stryfe-return/ |access-date=2022-05-14 |website=Marvel |date=23 January 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Marvel Brings Back a Major X-Men Villain |url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/marvel-x-men-stryfe-return/ |access-date=2022-05-14 |website=Marvel |date=23 March 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

==Fictional character biography==
[[Rachel Summers|Askani]] appears to [[Cyclops (Marvel Comics)|Cyclops]] and [[Jean Grey]] from the distant future after their son Nathan Summers is infected with a [[techno-organic virus]] by [[Apocalypse (comics)|Apocalypse]] and tells the two that the child can be saved in the future. Nathan then arrives in the future to which Mother Askani clones the baby as a back up plan. The clone's growth is greatly accelerated until he's the same age as Nathan himself while the Askani succeed in halting the spread of the tehno-organic virus, thereby saving Nathan's life. However, Apocalypse's forces attack the Askani's hiding place and steal the cloned infant. Apocalypse takes the child as his own, raising him himself and naming him "Stryfe", intending to use him as a host body. Stryfe grows into a murderous, bored and lonely child only raised by Apocalypse and Ch'vayre (Apocalypse's second in command). Years later, as Apocalypse is about to transfer his essence into Stryfe, Apocalypse discovers that he's unfit because Stryfe is a clone and can't house Apocalypse's essence. The teenage Nathan and the time-traveling Scott Summers and Jean confront Apocalypse while Apocalypse's essence to discorporate to which Ch'vayre raises Stryfe afterwards.<ref>''The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix'' #4</ref>

Stryfe grows up to be an embittered madman, wanting vengeance on both what he thought were his real parents (Cyclops and Jean) and his spiritual parent Apocalypse.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brevoort |first1=Tom |last2=DeFalco |first2=Tom |last3=Manning |first3=Matthew K. |last4=Sanderson |first4=Peter |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |title=Marvel Year By Year: A Visual History |date=2017 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1465455505 |page=248}}</ref> He becomes an anarchist and terrorist rebel in the Nor-Am Pact region 3783–3806 in his alternate future. He raises an army and for years became a fierce opponent of both [[Cable (comics)|Cable]] and the Clan Chosen, as well as the [[New Canaanites]], a despotic regime that replaced Apocalypse's. Stryfe reveals to Cable much later in the present era that during this period in their life, he raped [[Aliya Dayspring]] (Cable's wife who Stryfe had grown to desire) at one point by pretending to be Cable and so the father of [[Genesis (Marvel Comics)|Tyler Dayspring]] could be Stryfe and not Cable.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=September 2014}} He later kills Aliya as well as kidnapping and brainwashing Tyler.<ref>''Cable'' #1, (May 1993)</ref>

In 3806, the New Canaanites take full control of the planet, but Stryfe manages to travel back in time two-thousand years.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=May 2009}} He forms a [[Mutant (Marvel Comics)|mutant]] [[terrorist]] group, the [[Mutant Liberation Front]] (MLF), alongside many powerful mutants including [[Dragoness (comics)|Tamara Kurtz]]. Stryfe orders his Mutant Liberation Front to capture [[Rusty Collins]] and [[Skids (comics)|Skids]].<ref>''New Mutants'' #87</ref> In Japan, he fights Cable and clashes with the [[New Mutants]] who thwart his attempt to poison the water supplies of major cities.<ref>''New Mutants'' #93-94</ref> Stryfe abandons the Antarctic Mutant Liberation Front base during an invasion by [[X-Force]] (a team composed of Cable and several former New Mutants).<ref>''X-Force'' #1</ref> Stryfe then has the Mutant Liberation Front free the captive mutants [[Hairbag]] and [[Slab (comics)|Slab]], and turns them over to [[Mister Sinister]] before ordering an MLF attack on a clinic.<ref>''X-Factor'' #77-78</ref> He also confronts and defeats [[Garrison Kane|Kane]],<ref>''X-Force'' #9-10</ref> and eventually declares his enmity for Apocalypse.<ref>''X-Men'' Vol. 2 #13</ref> Stryfe later battles Cable who learns that Stryfe is actually his double.<ref>''Cable'' #1-2</ref> Stryfe sows chaos in the ranks of the X-Men, posing as Cable and shooting [[Professor X]] with an infected bullet, and taking Cyclops and Jean captive.<ref>''Uncanny X-Men'' #294</ref> He bests the [[Dark Riders (comics)|Dark Riders]]<ref>''X-Men'' Vol. 2 #15</ref> and Apocalypse, making him leader of the Dark Riders.<ref>''X-Force'' #17</ref> As a final insurance, Stryfe gives Mister Sinister a canister that he claims holds genetic material from two-thousand years worth of the Summers bloodline;<ref>X-Men (vol. 2) #14</ref> in truth, it holds the deadly [[Legacy Virus]].{{citation needed|date=January 2015}} Stryfe battles Cable until the latter opens a temporal rift by detonating a self-destruct system, destroying his body.<ref>''X-Force'' #18</ref> Stryfe's consciousness enters Cable's mind, in which he stays until he voluntarily leaves.<ref>''Cable'' #6-8</ref>

While physically dead, Stryfe attempts to return to life through the body of [[Warpath (comics)|Warpath]].<ref>''X-Force'' #73</ref> However, his attempt is avoided by the arrival of X-Force and Warpath is sent back to the living by Blackheart.<ref>''X-Force'' #74</ref>

By unknown means, Stryfe revives and attempts to subjugate [[Latveria]].<ref>''X-Man'' #45</ref> Stryfe is opposed by Cable and [[Nate Grey]], and at first beats them easily, even going as far as to siphon off all of Nate's power. [[Madelyne Pryor]] appears to join forces with Stryfe, but secretly steals the psionic energy from Stryfe and gives it back to Nate. Madelyne, Nate and Cable join forces to defeat Stryfe.<ref>''X-Man'' #47</ref>

Stryfe reappears, controlling the activation sequence for the [[Prime Sentinel|Prime Sentinels]]. He uses them to hunt down [[Lady Deathstrike]] who holds the complete codes for all the Sentinels via cybernetic systems. Lady Deathstrike is forced to turn to the X-Men, and together they defeat Stryfe who teleports away.<ref>''X-Men Annual 2000'', writer Chris Claremont, artist Scot Eaton</ref>

Stryfe later experiences a personal existential crisis and becomes depressed at the futility of his efforts over the years after the X-Men finally manage to cure the Legacy Virus, which Stryfe considered to be his life's work and the one permanent victory he had against Cable, his parents (Scott and Jean), and the rest of the X-Men. He hunts down [[Bishop (comics)|Bishop]] who is possessed by the entity Le Bete Noir, whose power rivals the [[Phoenix Force (comics)|Phoenix Force]] and threatens to consume Bishop's body and unleash its evil upon the universe.<ref>''Gambit & Bishop: Sons of the Atom'' #1</ref> However, Stryfe ultimately regrets the path he took and the choices he has made in his life (stemming from his perpetual identity crisis as a clone), frees Bishop from the entity and sacrifices himself to save the Earth by absorbing Le Bete Noir into himself, shattering his body from the power overload. [[Gambit (Marvel Comics)|Gambit]], however, is suspicious that Cable may have telepathically forced Stryfe to sacrifice himself.<ref>''Gambit & Bishop - Sons of Atom'' #6</ref>

===Messiah War===
It's revealed during ''[[Messiah War]]'' that Stryfe was able to transport himself into the future instead of dying where he is discovered by Bishop, who has been traveling through time in an attempt to kill [[Hope Summers (character)|Hope Summers]].<ref>''Cable #13'' (April 2009)</ref> This was confirmed by the writer [[Christopher Yost]] to be the same character that had previously plagued the X-Men, mentioning in particular his survival of his fight against Nate and Cable.<ref>[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=22472 CCC09: X-Men Panel] August 9, 2009</ref> Cable, Deadpool, the time-displaced X-Force and Apocalypse join forces to defeat Stryfe and Bishop. Cable and Hope travel further into the future, the X-Force return to the present, and Apocalypse drags Stryfe away, intending to use him as a new host body.<ref>''X-Force'' #16</ref>

===Vendetta===
Stryfe is able to prevent Apocalypse from using his body as a new host and travels back in time to the present in the ''[[Cable and X-Force]]'' and ''[[Uncanny X-Force]]'' crossover "Vendetta". Upon discovering that Bishop has returned to the present, Hope tries to kill him in an act of vengeance. Stryfe appears and kidnaps both and brings the two to an old, abandoned Mutant Liberation Force base. There, he attempts to manipulate Hope into killing Bishop who has come to realize the error of various past mistakes. Stryfe explains to Bishop how he wants him to suffer after he betrayed him during Messiah War and claims that he was imprisoned and tortured by Apocalypse for years until he planned a successful escape and killed him. Stryfe tries to corrupt Hope by making her give in to her feelings of hatred towards Bishop, convincing her to take revenge and murder Bishop, although he is shackled and refuses to fight back out of remorse. Cable and both teams of X-Force soon intervene and combat Stryfe. Hope sees that Stryfe is trying to undo the lessons which Cable taught and refuses to kill Bishop, but Hope severely injures him. Stryfe is defeated by Cable and both X-Force teams, but before escaping, he telepathically forces Hope to mimic his vast and nearly uncontrollable psionic power with the intention that Hope will destroy her own friends. Bishop helps Hope to disperse Stryfe's massive energy and the two come to an uneasy truce.<ref>''Uncanny X-Force'' Vol. 2 #16-17, ''Cable & X-Force'' #18-19</ref>

==Powers and abilities==
Stryfe is a clone of the mutant Cable and, as a result, possesses Cable's abilities of telepathy and telekinesis. However, these abilities are far more powerful than the ones Cable has generally displayed, sufficient to block the use of [[Cyclops (Marvel Comics)|Cyclops]] and [[Jean Grey]]'s superhuman powers. This is because Stryfe was never infected with Apocalypse's techno-organic virus like Cable was. Therefore, he does not have to constantly expend his abilities to keep the virus from consuming his body, which apparently was a huge drain on Cable's capabilities. Stryfe can use his psionic abilities in a variety of ways such as moving large objects with his mind, reading minds, mind control, telepathically negating and activating the use of other's powers, telepathic camouflage, telekinetic flight, telekinetic force fields, mind transference and telekinetic blasts. Stryfe also has far more control over his massive psionic abilities than Cable or Nate Grey, apparently from having a whole lifetime of experience of learning how to use his powers which his alternate counterparts never had. Stryfe also possessed other abilities through genetic manipulation similar to those that Cable achieved through cybernetic augmentation, including superhuman strength and durability.

Stryfe wears battle armor that is highly impervious to damage. He has used various advanced weaponry and technology from the 39th century of his alternate future.

==Reception==
* In 2017, ''[[WhatCulture]]'' ranked Stryfe 3rd in their "10 Most Evil X-Men Villains" list.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Andrew |date=2017-02-24 |title=10 Most Evil X-Men Villains |url=https://whatculture.com/comics/10-most-evil-x-men-villains?page=8 |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=WhatCulture.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Other versions==

===Ultimate Marvel===
In ''[[Ultimate X-Men]]'', [[Ultimate Marvel|Ultimate]] Stryfe is also the leader of the Mutant Liberation Front. He appears to be a mutant supremacist convinced that [[Professor X]] was killed by the United States government and that mutants should fight against the government.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=March 2012}} His mutant power manifests as the ability to cause "strife" within people's minds, causing them to voice whatever is bothering them. However, when [[Betsy Braddock#Ultimate Marvel|Psylocke]] scans his mind she senses that he has no real conviction in what he says, suggesting that much of his mutant supremacist attitude is an act, meaning his real motives are unknown.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=March 2012}} At his side is the ultimate version of [[Zero (android)|Zero]], a young mutant teleporter. It is revealed that Stryfe is actually a con man, working with [[Fenris (comics)|Fenris]] to promote mutant unrest so they can sell [[Sentinel (comics)|Sentinels]] to the government.<ref>''Ultimate X-Men'' #84</ref>

In ''Ultimate X-Men'', when [[Cable (comics)|Cable]] returns from the future with Xavier they both don armor; Xavier's resembling [[Onslaught (Marvel Comics)|Onslaught]] and Cable's resembling the mainstream Stryfe.<ref>''Ultimate X-Men'' #92</ref>

===Deadpool Pulp===
In the ''[[Deadpool Pulp]]'' timeline, a '''General Stryfe''' is introduced. Stryfe is a younger, corrupt General who, alongside [[Cable (comics)|Cable]] and [[J. Edgar Hoover]], hires Wade Wilson (who in this timeline is a former CIA man turned mercenary) to get back a stolen [[nuclear briefcase]].<ref>''Deadpool Pulp'' #1</ref> Stryfe is later killed by Deadpool.<ref>''Deadpool Pulp'' #3</ref>

==In other media==
===Television===
Stryfe makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the ''[[X-Men: The Animated Series]]'' episode "Beyond Good and Evil" (Part 4).<ref>{{Cite episode | title=Beyond Good and Evil, Part 4: End and Beginning | series=X-Men: The Animated Series | series-link=X-Men: The Animated Series | season=4 | number=15 | airdate=November 25, 1995}} Redistributed in ''X-Men: Volume 4'' (Marvel DVD Collection).</ref>

===Video games===
* Stryfe appears as the final boss of ''[[X-Men: Gamesmaster's Legacy]]'' (1995).{{cn|date=August 2023}}
* Stryfe appears as a boss in ''[[X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse]]'' (2005), voiced by [[Daniel Riordan]].{{cn|date=August 2023}}
* Stryfe appears as a playable character in ''[[Marvel Contest of Champions]]'' (2014).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Kyle |date=5 January 2021 |title=Contest of Champions: Jubilee & Stryfe Coming to Marvel's Mobile Fighter |url=https://gamezo.co.uk/contest-of-champions-jubilee-stryfe-coming-to-marvels-mobile-fighter/ |access-date=20 April 2023 |website=Gamezo |archive-date=20 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230420210028/https://gamezo.co.uk/contest-of-champions-jubilee-stryfe-coming-to-marvels-mobile-fighter/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Stryfe appears in ''[[Marvel Strike Force]]'' as a member of the [[Marauders (comics)|Marauders]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleedingcool.com/games/marvel-strike-force-brings-the-marauders-into-the-battle/ |title=Marvel Strike Force Brings The Marauders Into the Battle |date=17 November 2019 |publisher=Bleedingcool |access-date=2020-09-17}}</ref>
* Stryfe was meant to appear in ''[[Marvel Snap]]'' (2023).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jantzi   |first=Cameron |date=17 August 2023 |title=MarvelSnap: Unreleased Cards for Marvel Snap - Marvel's Mobile Card Game |url=https://marvelsnapzone.com/cards/stryfe/ |website=MarvelSnapZone}}</ref>

===Merchandise===
* Stryfe received an [[action figure]] in [[Toy Biz]]'s X-Force line.
* Stryfe received a die-cast metal action figure in Toy Biz's "Steel Mutants" line as part of a two-pack with [[Cable (character)|Cable]].
* Stryfe received an action figure in [[Hasbro]]'s [[Marvel Legends]] line.
* Stryfe received figures in the [[HeroClix]]'s "Giant-Size X-Men" and "Deadpool and X-Force" sets.

==References==
{{Reflist|2|refs=
<ref name="chronicles">{{cite book |last1=Sacks |first1=Jason |title=American comic book chronicles : the 1990s : 1990-1999 |date=2018 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |location=Raleigh, North Carolina |isbn=9781605490847}}</ref>}}

==External links==
* {{Marvelwiki|stryfe|Stryfe}}
{{X-Men characters}}

[[Category:Characters created by Louise Simonson]]
[[Category:Characters created by Rob Liefeld]]
[[Category:Clone characters in comics]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1990]]
[[Category:Fictional mass murderers]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics psychics]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics male supervillains]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics mutants]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics telekinetics]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics telepaths]]
[[Category:X-Men supporting characters]]