Gambit and the X-Ternals 4: Apocalypse’s organisation is crying out for a HR Department

Credits: Written by Fabian Nicieza, pencils by Salvador Larocca, inks by Al Milgrom and edited by Bob Harras.

Cast: Earth 295 versions of Remy’Gambit‘ Lebeau, Lila Cheney, Guido Carosella, Jubilation ‘Jubilee’ Lee, Alison ‘Dazzler’ Blaire, Paris ‘Exodus’ Bennett, Charles Lenscherr, Julio Esteban Richter and En Sabah Nur.

Plot: Gambit and his team return to Earth and find chaos in the wake of Apocalypse’s attack on the X-Men’s base. Jubilee has both a shard of the M’Kraan Crystal and also Magneto’s son Charles. She’s running through the tunnels. Elsewhere in the tunnels are Gambit and Lila being chased by Richter and in a third location Exodus and Dazzler have arrived to find out what’s happened. Jubilee is cornered by Guido, who it appears has switched allegiances to Apocalypse’s side after being caught a while back, he also admits to destroying the mechanical being Nanny. He is happy to betray Gambit to save the rest of them, taking the baby and crystal from Jubilee. Gambit and Lila continue to evade Richter, who throughout this issue has been relaying these events to Apocalypse. Finding themselves in a large underground cavern, Gambit and Lila find Guido, with the baby and crystal. Richter arrives to point out the betrayal and how only Gambit has been screwed, but Richter using his vibratory powers to bury all of them. Guido holds up the whole cavern, giving everyone else the chance to run. Problem is, Lila is hurt, Gambit can take the baby and crystal from Guido, or get Lila out. He chooses Lila.

After the collapse, Richter finishes his report to Apocalypse, believing Gambit dead, but Apocalypse didn’t want Gambit, he wanted Charles and the M’Kraan crystal and he kills Richter for his failure and lack of judgement. He turns to face Guido who provided the missing child and gem to Apocalypse, who now has all he needs.

Exodus and Dazzler, searching through the ruins of their home find Gambit and Lila who inform them that the crystal is is on Earth and both it and Charles are in the hands of Apocalypse. Gambit is left with the knowledge that he made a choice that may destroy everything.

Notes: The weakest of the four mini-series comes to an end in a very strange manner. The opening puts the reader a few pages behind and I kept wondering if I had missed where they arrived and Guido attacked Nanny. With that gap in information, it was hard to keep connected to the story as it started This issue seems primarily to set up the pieces for X-Men: Omega and apart from Gambit choices Lila over the right thing, nothing of consequence in it. Of all the 8 primary mini-series, this is the one I’ll miss the least.

Verdict: Writing – 2 out of 5 – It is a mix of in media res and the breakdown writing tools. We get to see the aftermath of Guido’s betrayal and the destruction of Nanny, but the never the events, so I felt like I’d missed stuff and the post game report added to that disquiet, rather than dispelled it, it was not a great way to end a not great series.

Art: 3 out of 5 – While we still get the garish colouring, the pencils are a massive improvement. Salvador Larocca delivers solid pencils and consistent story-telling, but it doesn’t stop this being a bit of a false starter.

Overall: 5/10 – This could have been better, or it could have been not existed and I think either of those would be preferable to this. I may miss some Age of Apocalypse titles, this is not one of them.

Next Time: Identity Crises