S.W.O.R.D. #9 Spoilers - [REDACTED] is the mole

[LordAllMIghty]

and the members killed can't be resurrected either right? they're not mutants.

Funny, I was thinking the same thing.

If it's like the LoSH then almost all of them come from a planets where everyone has the same abilities, so I would assume they're all replaceable.

[Rift]

and the members killed can't be resurrected either right? they're not mutants.

IIRC Fang is a special case because his species can be brought back and put in a clone body, not unlike mutants.

EDIT: The rest of the Imperial Guard are replaced with successors who take their mantle.

[Jackraow21]

In addition to Logan, does Mac have any feelings towards his other former teammates who live on Krakoa?

Apparently not. But Mac’s always been a dick IMO.

[Hulkout42]

So the OC baddies can take out the Imperial guard who have a wide variety of people and abilities but get one shot killed by Storm because they didn't anticipate her? Even though they have a mole? Even though her position means she has no anonymity at all and therefore has no reason not to be considered a threat? Someone please clarify this for me, were these guys just a bunch of glass cannons for the X-men to look cool in front of everyone? Also i find it odd that Manifold didn't tell anyone about what he found out in Gyrich's office before that frackas with Dormmamu, or was that addressed in a prior issue? Also can someone tell me if Brand or someone did something to this kid to make him be a mole? Because i am having a hard time thinking what would justify this action unless he really is a double agent and is just giving more rope for the noose around Gyrich's neck.

Finally, i really hope Cable is the one who discovers Brands actions and does the right thing and get her sent to the Hole.

[jwatson]

The mole is definitely double crossing. I just don't believe it. I'm willing to fall on this sword. I. Don't. Believe. It. And it did kind of take me out of the issue i don't know if it was because of how strong i thought the imperial guard was or how my mind has been set to not expect certain things from x-men giving Storm imo her due in showing what someone with that kind of power to do but i did think are the imperial guards being jobbed right now or is Storm really going to be shown powerful in a different way so the jury is still out but i found that interesting.

[Triniking1234]

I got so caught up with Inferno I forgot this came out.

Wiz Kid?! Yikes. I hope the explanation does him justice.

Can't wait to read.

Wiz Kid isn't an ass like Cortez (I miss him) so it's probably blackmail or something.

[Wind Rider]

Enjoyed the issue. Solid 8/10 for me. The art was great and like where the plot and premise of this book/team is going. The LL were beasts! I wasn't expecting them to put a beat down on the IG but damn....they got washed! Looks like Storm will have her hands full. Looking forward to seeing if this is where Storm calls in that favor from Xandra from X-Men #17, if Cable will end up dealing with Brand and/or the Orchis mole. Also curious who this 'alien' contact is. I get the feeling it won't actually be an unknown player to the X-Men.

[Wolverine12]

Good issue but I didn’t expect to see the IG get jobbed so badly. I understand why it happened but that crew is not to be messed with. Storm was dope and Taki is definitely a double agent. Keep up the good work Ewing.

[Kingdom X]

That bit about the Phalanx has me thinking that Ewing will pick up that Hickman plot, which has me very excited.

[Devaishwarya]

That bit about the Phalanx has me thinking that Ewing will pick up that Hickman plot, which has me very excited.

Yes, eh! Same here. And he would be the one to do it full justice.

[Weather]

That bit about the Phalanx has me thinking that Ewing will pick up that Hickman plot, which has me very excited.

X Deaths of Wolverine seems to work around this plot too, because of the covers. Maybe it will be a big thing for many books going forward and then become a crossover or something like that.

[Jackraow21]

That bit about the Phalanx has me thinking that Ewing will pick up that Hickman plot, which has me very excited.

Definitely a lot of foreshadowing there. I enjoyed the part where it talked about how Cable uses the techno-organic virus (which the Phalanx use to commune with and consume organic life) to interface with his various bionic arms (really, really hoping he gets one made from Mysterium soon), and also how he can create an arm entirely from T-O material and has incredible control over the virus itself… second only to the Phalanx themselves. That was cool and shows me that Ewing is a detail-oriented guy who knows his stuff.

Having said that, if I remember from the Phalanx Covenant they always had trouble absorbing/consuming mutant organic tissue because of the X-gene for some reason. Like the random nature of it makes it hard for them to catalogue, break down and assimilate mutants versus baseline Homo sapiens and other plant and animal life on Earth; however, Cable already having the virus did make him more susceptible to assimilation, to the point where Logan had to go back and save him after he covered Scott, Jean and Logan’s escape at one point because Nathan was at risk of being overwhelmed and assimilated.

Makes me wonder if that will be followed up on… sounds like it may, as Brand seems to think that taking Cable out is as easy as removing his TK which he uses to keep the virus in check. That’s worked in the past, but when he came back they made specific mention of how he’s mastered the virus and wants to continue studying it, hence why Hope was explicitly instructed to bring him back with the T-O virus in his system. So… has Nathan figured something out that will help him in this scenario? Could he have contemplated and in fact countered this plot of Brand’s to take him out by shutting down his TK somehow? Like maybe he wants that to happen so the Phalanx could try to assimilate him, only to have… something else happen that he planned for… hmmm…

Guess we’ll find out…

[Askani's Flame]

So do we also think that James Hudson is in on the double-cross or not? The thing is that he has close ties to Logan, JP, and Jeanne-Marie from Alpha Flight, but am I shocked the cyborg may have defected to team O.R.C.H.I.S.? Sadly no.

[Jackraow21]

No. I think Hudson has sided with his kind, humanity. As humans often do. So I think his joining Orchis is legit.

[carmoc1234]

So do we also think that James Hudson is in on the double-cross or not? The thing is that he has close ties to Logan, JP, and Jeanne-Marie from Alpha Flight, but am I shocked the cyborg may have defected to team O.R.C.H.I.S.? Sadly no.

it would be cool if he was there to spy on orchis, but i dont see it being for brand.

maybe the avengers? cap overhears gyrich approaching hudson about orchis at the end of the hellfire gala so maybe he asks him to go and investigate for him.