Psych Ward: Cable

Nathan Summers is an adult male of above average physical fitness. Although he suffers from a techno organic virus, it appears to be in remission and his physical state is currently stable. He is a self-identified mutant known as Cable who claims he is from the future. A cursory analysis of Summers’ background would seem to reinforce this statements as respected individuals like Professor Charles Xavier have made similar statements.

The client’s life has consistently been one of strife and chaos. It has been marked by acts of violence—perpetrated by and against him—and multiple jumps between alternate timelines moving from the present to the future and back and forth multiple times. He has even had to endure the death of his wife and the need to slay his own son.

At first, this writer hypothesized that the client lacked a “true” personality and was only defined by what had been done to him in struggles. After working with the client for some time, the writer has revised this belief. The client has a set of values that he organizes his life around and does present with a personality. However, he is often so defended that it may be difficult to discern it without extensive time with him. Summers, ultimately, seems to present as a sort of walking tactical machine as a defense mechanism, not as a true reflection of his inner life.

In this way, my expectation that he, in fact, did not qualify for a PTSD diagnosis has been called into question. In fact, I now hypothesize, the client’s entire demeanor is a PTSD reaction, a way to wall it off but not a way to address all the pain—physical and psychological—he has been subjected to since his childhood. He has, in essence, sacrificed his sense of self on the altar of achieving “good” ends. To that end, he projects this image of himself as nothing but a grizzled soldier that, when the surface is scratched is simply incorrect. Summers boasts a law degree—although he is not licensed to practice law at this time—and has proven himself a remarkable surrogate father.

Currently, the client finds himself at the mercy of the timeline once more. While he seems unsure of exactly what is happening or why, he has been clear that he knows something is deeply wrong with the past and he is being propelled from location to location to fix it.

Cable #3 cover by Dale Keown

This writer explored this notion of the client having to be the one to solve it; not someone else, not him with the aid of others. We explored the notion that he may take on more than he needs to in the name of “responsibility” where the healthier—and in fact, possibly more effective choice—would be to ask for help from others or even, in some case, simply pass the “mission” on to someone else.

As expected, the client is highly suspicious of this perspective. That said he remains committed to therapy and glad to be seeing this writer.

Nathan Summers’s next session is set for July 26. This writer is consulting with Doctors James Robinson and Carlos Pacheco and their report will be available on that day in the file labeled CABLE #3.

Psy D. Candidate Tim Stevens is a Staff Therapist with a metal arm and a cybernetic eye. He mostly uses both to play roundball with maximum effectiveness.