What If…? # 46 1993 … What If Cable Had Destroyed the X-Men? pg 9 by Tod Smith & Ian Akin

What If …? # 46 February 1993
“… What If Cable Had Destroyed the X-Men?” Pg9
Inks over Pencil on Marvel Board
Pencils: Tod Smith
Inks: Ian Akin
Letters: Janice Chiang
Writer: Kurt Busiek (Signed lower right)


Charles Xavier returned from space after being held captive by the Skrulls and began placing blame on the X-teams for the downward spiral of human attitudes towards mutants. Cable spoke up and argued with Xavier, who claimed that Cable was as much a threat as Magneto when it came to pushing back human/mutant relations.

Xavier then revoked Cable's leadership of the New Mutants, but many of the New Mutants protested. Xaver then ordered the X-Men to take Cable by force if he did not surrender his leadership. The New Mutants responded and a fight broke out between the teams. Eventually Cable led the New Mutants through the Morlock tunnels to an old Sentinel base.

As they fled Xavier tried to enter Cable's mind explaining that if Cable did not surrender, then he would make it a priority to track down Cable and release the New Mutants from his influence. Cable explained that if Xavier wanted a war, then he would get one.

Cable quickly struck back at his new enemies by killing Xavier, Cyclops, and Marvel Girl causing the X-Men to split up into two teams. One team led by Wolverine found Cable's base. Cable and Wolverine battled furiously until Wolverine stabbed Cable in the heart with his claws. As Cable perished, he told Wolverine that he had gotten personal feelings in the way of the job and that the X-Men were going to suffer for it.

As the X-Men concentrate on Cable, the world explodes with evil mutants taking full advantage of the situation; With the world in chaos, Magneto feels he must step in and take over.