Geoffrey Thorne Talks X-Force

In a recent podcast interview with Traversing the Stars, X-Force writer Geoffrey Thorne elaborated on how the team funds its operations, revealing that several of its members are incredibly wealthy. Forge is "crazy rich—Tony Stark rich. He had an entire plaza in Texas that was like his personal Avengers Mansion or Stark Industries headquarters, complete with holographic floors and floating robot assistants." Forge's inventions and patents have made him very wealthy. He now owns an estate in Montana while retaining his original Texas headquarters.

Elizabeth Braddock (Betsy) is another affluent character in the series. "She’s a peer of the realm, meaning she comes from British nobility. They have estates in Essex and London, and even a lighthouse in Cornwall. She’s definitely wealthy."

Additionally, Sage is "also secretly rich." She's been siphoning money from people who "don’t deserve it" and stacking up cash in multiple bank accounts around the world. With these characters' wealth, X-Force doesn't face financial limitations.

Thorne also discussed Betsy Braddock's powers as Captain Britain and how they've evolved. In terms of Captain Britain and Askani, both are telepaths and telekinetics, each with their own power signatures. For Captain Britain, formerly Psylocke, the butterfly effect that accompanied her telepathy has been retained, though it now mutates depending on her mood and the situation. These visual cues help demonstrate what they can do.

Betsy Braddock’s journey as Captain Britain has been interesting. Initially, she was primarily a telepath with developing telekinetic powers. Through a series of unusual events, she took on the mantle of Captain Britain, a role her brother once held. As Captain Britain, Betsy’s powers now blend magic with her telepathy and telekinesis. She wields a construct shield and sword, and can also perform psychic blasts.

However, creating these constructs requires her to channel the totality of her psionic power, limiting her ability to use other abilities simultaneously. When she’s wielding the constructs, she’s fully engaged in combat. Ironically, it may be more dangerous for her enemies when the constructs aren't visible, as that’s when her full psionic potential is available.

Thorne shared his thoughts on writing Betsy Braddock, particularly after the significant changes she's undergone during the Krakoan era. He expressed a growing fascination with the character, even to the point of considering pitching a solo book for her. While he doesn't have the time or bandwidth for it yet, he finds her compelling because she uniquely combines magic with her mutant abilities—a distinction shared only with characters like Magik and, to some extent, Scarlet Witch.

Captain Britain’s role is magical in nature, appointed to a position in Otherworld, a realm that blends both magic and science. However, Thorne clarified that Betsy doesn’t wield magic in the same way as Doctor Strange, for example. As Captain Britain, she’s more of a magical champion, capable of performing the tasks associated with that mantle. She isn't casting spells like a sorcerer but instead operates almost as if she herself is a magical object. Whoever holds the title of Captain Britain embodies this magical essence.

What Thorne finds particularly intriguing is how Betsy’s magical responsibilities mix with her mutant powers, which are inherently natural and science-based in the Marvel Universe. Mutants have powers by their very nature, and reconciling that with her magical role adds a unique layer to her character.