Cable and Domino: A possible success or massive failure for Marvel's X-Force movie franchise?
Cable (Left), Deadpool (Ctr), Domino (Right)
Deadpool 2 introduces the time traveling mutant Cable (Josh Brolin) and the luck manipulating mutant Domino (Zazie Beetz). As this dynamic and compatible duo manage to keep the Merc with a Mouth from dying by the end of the movie, their combination of wits and powers could definitely make way for a real X-Force movie.
Relationship in the Comics
Domino & Cable
Domino and Cable first met as founding members of the mercenary group Six Pack in X-Force #8 (1992). Working together, Cable would define most of Domino’s life to come which soon resulted in becoming companions, to best friends, to lovers. Domino would leave Six Pack to do solo work and learn more about her past including finding her birth mother. During this time, Cable would become the leader of The New Mutants, a group of young mutants trying to find their place in the world and then once the group became X-Force, Domino rejoined the team as their field leader. During this time however, the undercover mutant Copycat was really disguised as Domino and the real Domino was captured by the arms dealer Tolliver. Once Cable and the X-Force discovered this, they saved her in X-Force issues #11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 (1992) and she officially joined the team in X-Force #32 (1994). Domino has become such a valuable member of the X-Force that she became their newly appointed leader as Cable leaves the group. As the X-Force franchise ended; to this day they are both considered to be the most recognized members of the X-Force.
Relationship in the Movie
FireFist aka Julian Dennison
In the DeadPool 2 movie, Cable and Domino originally meet as enemies when Deadpool recruits Domino to help stop Cable from killing Russell Collins/FireFist (Julian Dennison). During the transport scene Cable and Domino engage in a one on one brawl where both combatants are shown to be equal in hand to hand combat and weaponry. However, after Cable explains the situation, Domino willingly agrees to help Cable. After becoming allies, the two become close quickly due to their mutual annoyance of Deadpool. During the final scene at the Mutant Re-education Center, the two are shown to work well together against Juggernaut and the Headmaster.
Differences
X-Force Issue # 8
The obvious difference between the movie and the comic is how the two mutants meet. In the comics, the two meet as members of Six Pack, but in the movies they meet as enemies and later as members of X-Force. Furthermore, their meeting in the movie is due to Deadpool’s recruitment of Domino in stoping Cable from killing FireFist while in the comics Deadpool isn’t even involved. Finally, their relationship evolves to where they become lovers, while the movie establishes Cable already having a wife and daughter, so it would be difficult for Fox to build an intimate relationship between the two of them without stepping into some messy territory. However, I will admit, that if done correctly, it could open the door to some serious future movie titles. For example, they could do a solo Domino or Cable movie or better yet, Fox could take it a step further and have both of them star in a prequel movie together. Overall, their first meeting in the movie and comics are completely different from the comics as Deadpool 2 served as the foundation for them meeting and a possible reboot for the X-Men movie franchise.
A Few Suggestions for Fox
Fox could parallel the comic book relationship between Cable and Domino in the movie by doing the following: Fox could make Cable and Domino, after the events of Deadpool 2, start the X-Force franchise and show the two of them engaging in missions while still building on their relationship from Deadpool 2.
Next, the current roster of X-Force could consist of Deadpool, Cable, Domino, FireFist, Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Yukio and Dopinder. But considering How Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Yukio are already members of X-Men and Dopinder has no powers whatsoever, it’s highly likely they won’t stay apart of X-Force for long. In addition, it’s very likely that the Merc with a Mouth will go back to doing solo work as he leaves FireFist in the capable hands of Cable and Domino. Either way, X-Force will likely be down to just Cable and Domino as the leader.
From L to R: Cannonball, Warpath, Domino, Shatterstar, Boom-Boom, Feral, and Cable.
This could be great if Fox sticks with the comic source material, create a Six Pack movie first, a New Mutants movie second and weave them into a great X-Force franchise. Furthermore, this could lead Marvel into the introduction of additional X-Force members such as Boom Boom, Cannonball, Feral, and Warpath. Imagine if a solo movie about the X-Force comes into play? The plot can still show Cable and Domino working together with other mutants on a mission and also lead additional X-Men and X-Force villains into the Marvel Cinematic Universe such as Mr. Sinister and Tolliver. Could you imagine what the X-Force could do? It could re-introduce a better version of Apocalypse as well.
Either way, with Cable stuck in the present and limited to a few people he can go too; It only makes sense that he stick with Domino (and hopefully the X-Men mutant scene) as they both are skilled fighters, level headed and are leaders of a special group of people that can tolerate the Merc with a Mouth. Let’s hope when the X-Force movie comes into production, the writers stay true to the source material and create a new movie franchise.
