X-Force #2 (1991) is the second issue of the newly relaunched series, written by Fabian Nicieza and illustrated by Rob Liefeld. The series follows the mutant team X-Force, which is led by Cable, and is a darker, more aggressive take on the traditional X-Men. This issue continues the team’s mission to fight for mutant rights, but with an emphasis on taking more proactive and, at times, violent measures.
The issue opens with the team — Cable, Domino, Shatterstar, Warpath, Boom-Boom, and Rictor — in the midst of their ongoing struggle against various threats to mutantkind. The storyline picks up with the team in action as they battle The Right, an anti-mutant group with sinister intentions. The Right is trying to manipulate public opinion against mutants, and they are also working with the Juggernaut, one of the most powerful mutants around.
The main focus of the issue is the growing tension within the team, particularly between Cable and some of his younger members. Boom-Boom, in particular, feels conflicted about Cable’s aggressive leadership style, as she is uncomfortable with his willingness to use lethal force in their missions. This contrast between Cable’s no-holds-barred approach and the more idealistic perspectives of some of the other members creates an underlying tension within the team that will develop throughout the series.
In addition to dealing with The Right, the issue also delves deeper into Cable’s mysterious background. Cable’s true motives and the scope of his mission remain unclear, adding an element of mystery and intrigue that will become a central theme of the series.
By the end of X-Force #2, the team has successfully neutralized the threat from The Right and Juggernaut, but the issue concludes with a sense of unease about the moral and ethical challenges Cable and his team will continue to face. The blend of action, character development, and exploration of moral ambiguity sets the stage for the ongoing struggles of the team as they fight for the survival of mutantkind, but in ways that push the boundaries of what the traditional X-Men would do.
X-Force #2 is a key issue in establishing the identity of X-Force as a more militant, aggressive force in the X-Men universe, with a tone that is more violent and morally complex compared to previous teams like the X-Men or New Mutants.