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Gambit and the X- Ternals Comics Lot After Xavier: The Age of Apocalypse Writer: Fabian Nicieza Artists: Tony Daniel & Salvador Larroca Inkers: Kevin Conrad, Al Milgrom, & Mike Christian Colorists: Marie Javins, Digital Chameleon, J oe Rosas, Matt Webb, Mike Thomas, & Electric Crayon Letterer : Chris Eliopoulos Editor: Bob Harras Covers #1,2 by: Tony Daniel Covers #3,4 by: Salvador Larroca & Al Milgrom Charles Xavier devoted his life to bridging the gap of fear between humans and mutants. Himself a powerful telepath, he trained other mutants in the use of their powers, instilling in them a love for all people. For years, his X-Men have protected innocents from evil, mutant or not. The twisted child called Legion uses his awesome powers to travel back in time and kill the young Xavier, and thus he completely changes the course of world history. A man who should have been a strong leader is now only a memory, and his dream of peaceful coexistence is all but forgotten. The powerful Apocalypse controls most of the world and imposes his brutal version of Darwinism on humans and mutants alike. But dreams, unlike men, are hard to kill, and mutants still fight for freedom in Xavier’s name. Led by the enigmatic Magneto, once Charles’ greatest friend, this alternate version of the Uncanny X-Men struggles to defeat the ultimate evil mutant and end the Age of Apocalypse forever. Gambit & The X- Ternals replaced X-Force for the 4 months it ran during the Age of Apocalypse storyline. The story features Gambit and a group of his fellow mutants being sent to the Shi'Ar Empire by Magneto to steal the M'Kraan Crystal. Magneto asks Gambit and his X- Ternals to travel to the world of the M'Kraan Crystal and save the universe. Lila Cheney transports the X- Ternals to another galaxy where they face off with the Imperial Guard; When the planet they are on is threatened by the M'Kraan Crystal, the Starjammers beam the X- Ternals out just before the world is destroyed. The Starjammers take the X- Ternals to the world of the M'Kraan Crystal but when the Shi'ar who protect the crystal attack, Gambit and his pals find their way inside the giant gem (which they have been sent to steal); They meet Jahf , guardian of the M'Kraan , who explains the true nature of their quest and guides Gambit in stealing a shard of the crystal; As the X- Ternals prepare to return to earth, Sunspot explodes from all of the energy he has absorbed in allowing Gambit to fulfill his mission. The X- Ternals are running through the Morlock tunnels trying to reach Magneto with the shard of the M'Kraan Crystal he needs to defeat Apocalypse but Rictor is hot on their trail and there is a traitor in their midst; Oh, yeah, and they have Magento's son whom they are also trying to save; But, like I said, there is a traitor in their midst and Apocalypse is always one step ahead... Story/Spoilers: In issue #1, "Some Of Us Looking To The Stars", Jubilee has stolen some medical supplies and is now pursued by the Infinites, the watchdogs of Apocalypse. She wonders if she's chosen the right side of this fight; some mutants choose to survive as the chosen and follow Apocalypse while others, like herself, get pulled into a resistance, like those staged by Gambit and his team of X- Ternals . Unable to get away from the Infinites, Jubilee is rescued by Sunspot and Guido. The men make quick work of the Infinites and then the trio sneaks to their rebel base, avoiding the many subtle detections of Apocalypse. Once at the base, the medical supplies are distributed by a liaison between mutants and humans, the non-mutant Lila Cheney. The X- Ternals are told that their leader is below. They head down but find instead Erik Lehnsherr , Magneto, the leader of the X-Men. Feeling that Magneto has done something to their leader, the team prepares for a fight. That leader, however, arrives from the shadows. Gambit explains that he has asked Magneto to accompany him since Magneto has a plan that requires Gambit's band of thieves and their expertise in heisting things, like the biggest jewel in all the universe. In the Fedayeen Station, the beaten Infinites report to their leader, an ambitious mutant named Julio Esteban Richter (Rictor). He is displeased with their failure because it makes him look bad and unworthy of a promotion. He charges his men to work harder so as to impress the visiting Four Horsemen of Apocalypse. The X- ternals follow Magneto through the old Morlock Tunnels until they reach a high security door. Through it they are told they will find a major part of Apocalypse's technologies and information. On the way, a talk of love begins. Gambit had left the care of the X-Men when his love, Rogue, chose to marry Magneto. Since then, he had become attached to the human, Lila Cheney. This same Lila Cheney has picked the lock to the top-secret Apocalypse technology center. Walking in, the team sees that their petty thefts have been nothing compared to the immense data Apocalypse has acquired from the four corners of the limitless universe. Despite their awe, the X- Ternals proceed . Gambit is a little unnerved due to the ease with which they gained access to this hub of information, but his worries are soon put to rest as the team is attacked by Jamie Madrox clones called the Madri. These Apocalypse loyalists are easily dispatched, however, and Sunspot finds a man that can help the team lock everyone else out. The man's name is Peter Corbeau and he acts as the "librarian" for Apocalypse. He and Magneto explain to the X- Ternals that the crystal they need to steal is in space and that Lila will be the one taking them there. As for Lila, she is a mutant that has suppressed her powers...until today. She gets strapped into a machine that allows her to harness her deeply buried ability to travel through space. As she opens the portal to the Shi'ar Galaxy, Rictor blasts through to the X- Ternals ' location. Magneto tells the team the shirk the fight and go through Lila's portal. They do so and Magneto takes out Rictor's patrol. He isn't, however, able to stop Rictor from following the X- Ternals through Lila's portal. As the team disappears, Magneto thinks on the fact that the fate of an entire universe rests with the little rag-tag team he just sent into space. As a final blow, Peter Corbeau crashes Apocalypse's systems. Next in issue #2, "Where No External Has Gone Before!", Gambit and his X- Ternals land in front of the Imperial Guard on the planet Ch'reesharaa in the Shi'ar Galaxy, courtesy of Lila Cheney's long dormant and suppressed powers of spacial teleportation. The results are not good. Not only does Lila pass out, but Gladiator demands the new arrivals to give themselves up while being backed by twenty or so warriors. Rictor, the Apocalyptic cop, has no problem surrendering. Those following Gambit's lead: scramble. The Imperial Guard chases the fleeing X- Ternals . The first to reach them is Starbolt . Sunspot, who derives his power from solar absorption, easily defeats Starbolt and the chase continues. Gladiator is next to challenge the X- Ternals . He attempts to crush Guido, but Guido simply rechannels the kinetic energy from the hit in order to knock Gladiator out of commission. The team then strategizes to lose their pursuers in a nearby forest. Having reached the forest, Lila awakens. Spirits are low. Suddenly, the plant life in the jungle springs to life and ensnares the X- Ternals . The Imperial Guard catches up but can't find a trace of Gambit's team. Reporting back to Gladiator, the Imperial Guard is upset about the obvious reaction their foibles will get from their superiors. Oracle, however, feels she has an ace up her sleeve. Rictor, having surrendered, promises that he can be used to find the X- Ternals . He has a tracking device planted on one of the X- Ternals and exchanges his services for the promise that he'll be able to take Gambit's squad back to earth to be punished for their Earth crimes. Meanwhile, Gambit begins to charge his throwing knives to free his troop from the plants when he is stopped by a mysterious group. A man tells the X- Ternals that the plant-life is sentient. Lila knows this makes sense because when she opened her portal she felt as if the planet were calling to her. The leader of the group introduces himself as Jonath once the X- Ternals are let down from the foliage. He explains that he and his men were banished after failing to protect the life of their ruler from assassination by its children. The next ruler, D'Ken , found the M'Kraan Crystal, the nexus of all realities. He used its powers to steal the throne from his sister, Deathbird . He then killed his younger sister Lilandra and, by so doing, ensured complete control over the kingdom. D'Ken then learned that the crystal was too powerful for one person to wield. One consequence is that the various sectors of space are falling to the power of the crystal. Just before this background is given by Jonath, both the X- Ternals and the Imperial Guard feels a blink in their existence. Jonath explains that this blink is an indication that their part of space is next to fall. The X- Ternals begin to see why the planet would call to them. At this moment, the Imperial Guard attacks; Rictor is with them. Among the fray, Gambit and Guido argue over the use of Lila's powers. Before the fight gets too heated, however, a crystal wave engulfs Jonath's men. The end of Ch'reesharaa begins. Before the X- Ternals are hit, though, they are transported to a ship by the Starjammers , a group led by the former ruler Deathbird . They depart the planet in time to see the entire thing consumed by the crystal wave. Deathbird explains that the M'Kraan Crystal wanted the X- Ternals to see the elimination of that planet in order for the team to fully realize their mission. The message is clear enough and Gambit commits his team to the task of saving the universe from being destroyed. Next in issue #3, "To The Limits Of Infinity", The Starjammers take Gambit’s X- Ternals to the heart of the Shi’ar Imporium . The planet is surrounded by a fleet protecting the planet, as well as a newly introduced fusion-energy absorption system (designed to attempt to contain the ever-expanding pulses of the M’Kraan Crystal). The Starjammers plan to engage the fleet while Gambit’s team, accompanied by Deathbird , beam to the planet below in order to steal the crystal from Deathbird’s deranged brother, the emperor D’Ken . Once on the planet, the six meet with Imperium troopers. Jubilee, Guido, and Sunspot engage the troops while Gambit, Lila, and Deathbird head off to find and steal the crystal. Jubilee is concerned about her squad’s ability to stay alive; Sunspot confirms that they should be willing to die for this cause. Gambit’s squad finds that the D’Ken had employed too many troops to the ground fight. There is very little resistance as they make their way to the three-story tall crystal. Wondering how they’ll steal the whole crystal, Deathbird explains that doing so won’t be necessary since a shard of the crystal could hold as much of infinity as the whole crystal. Lila doesn’t get it. Before anything can be explained further, Lila is pulled into the crystal by a blue hand. Gambit argues with Deathbird about following Lila and finally just takes the plunge. Deathbird follows. Inside the crystal, a being named Jahf introduces himself as their host while the universe is destroyed. Back at the fight, Guido expresses his concern about their chances of success. Sunspot figures it won’t matter either way since the crystal appears to be cracking even more. They experience yet another “blink” in reality and Sunspot notices that his hand turns from its charged state of black to an odd white color. To make matters worse, Gladiator has just joined the fight and he’s brought Rictor with him. Inside the crystal, Jahf takes Gambit and Deathbird on a stroll through the crystal. The find Lila and D’Ken , oddly transfixed by some red beam of light. When Deathbird tries to kill D’Ken for the wrongs he’s committed, a red beam takes her, as well. Gambit then learns from Jahf the truth of the M’Kraan Crystal. Jahf explains that it is a doorway into all realities; that doorway being the core, the neutron sun. When a door is left open in one reality, other realities cannot help but be affected in one way or another. For example, in what Jahf calls the “actual reality,” Professor Xavier is killed and cannot train Jean in her powers, which means she never became the Phoenix and never fixed the M’Kraan Crystal. Since the crystal was never repaired, all realities are being destroyed by the busted crystal. Gambit is then given the heavy news that his reality was never to have existed in the first place, but he can still save lives by stealing part of the crystal to send Bishop back in time in order to stop the death of Xavier. One catch: Gambit cannot simply take from the crystal - he must leave something behind. Outside the crystal, Gladiator takes on Sunspot and is surprised when Sunspot turns a fiery white. Another “blink” occurs and Sunspot realizes that he is absorbing power from the M’Kraan Crystal. The troops the squad had been fighting turns to glass and Sunspot orders everyone into the crystal. He even throws Rictor in for a front-row seat. The group sees Gambit and Jahf . Gambit has made his decision about what he’ll leave behind. The only thing anyone hears deals with Rogue. Jahf explains to Gambit that it was because of her that Gambit was sent for the crystal. Gambit strikes out at the crystal and receives a shard . As the group prepares to return to Earth, Sunspot informs them that he’s gathered too much energy. He sacrifices himself by staying behind so as not to jeopardize their plans back on Earth. Realizing that he is right, Lila prepares the X- Ternals for their jump. Finally in issue #4, "The Maze", In the Morlock Tunnels, lovers Dazzler and Exodus find the remains of Nanny, the mobile, mechanical construct that was in charge of watching over Magneto's son, Charles. They find the boy is missing. Elsewhere, Apocalypse interrogates Rictor about recent events in the Morlock Tunnels while a child sleeps in the background. Those events: Gambit and Lila run through the tunnels in an attempt to get away from Rictor. They are unaware that Rictor has a plan that enables him to track Guido and Jubilee, the others in the X- Ternals (Sunspot had sacrificed himself in the last issue). He is bound and determined to bring Gambit to the feet of Apocalypse. At this point in Rictor's narration to Apocalypse, Apocalypse asks if Rictor ever contemplated being set up since Jubilee was the one with the shard from the M'Kraan Crystal. Rictor sees his lust for bringing in Gambit could have destroyed everything Apocalypse had worked for. Apocalypse begins to reveal a bit more of the story: Jubilee is on the run from Guido. She has no idea what's going on, only that he no longer appears to be an X-Ternal. Oddly enough, she not only carries the shard of the M'Kraan Crystal but also Charles Lehnsherr , Magneto's son. She reflects on what the plan had been: She and Guido take the shard to Magneto at the mansion in Westchester. As they were on their way, they meet the Nanny, the protector of young Charles. For some reason, Guido smashed the Nanny and turned on Jubilee. She'd been running since and, since Guido was the one who knew where Magneto was, she's running blind with a crying boy. Guido causes a flood which makes Jubilee have to stop and wait it out. By then, Guido has caught up. He takes the shard and explains that he has no choice in betraying the team. He'd been caught two months prior and a chip was placed in his body that helped the Infinite guards track his movements. Ultimately, Gambit is all that was wanted. The Infinites thought Gambit would lead to Rogue and Rogue would lead to Magneto. Guido went with it because he thought if Gambit was gone then he'd get Lila all to himself. And when he and Jubilee ran into the Nanny, Guido knew it would lead them right to Magneto, so he smashed the Nanny. He then takes the shard and the kid and leaves Jubilee. Having heard Rictor mention that Guido could be tracked, Gambit doubles back in hopes of reaching the X-Men first. Instead, Gambit and Lila run into Guido. They notice he has Charles. Rictor then catches up and informs everyone that Guido has been on the wrong side the whole time. He then decides to do more than simply take Gambit prisoner; he attempts to kill the three of them. Guido catches a support beam and buys Gambit enough time to get Lila and get out. Guido then lets the support beam fall. Gambit hopes that Guido won't pull the ultimate sell-out and deliver the shard to Apocalypse. The reason Rictor has been with Apocalypse comes to light. Rictor informs him that the X- Ternals are all dead, caught in the earthquake he caused. He realizes that things didn't quite go as planned, but the goal was still achieved. Apocalypse then tells Rictor that he is wrong. He hefts the child and Rictor realizes that the boy is the same that Guido had been carrying. Apocalypse informs Rictor that the child is Magneto's son. The man who brought the boy, Guido, knew exactly what would please Apocalypse . Rictor is chastened for his foolishness. Apocalypse then reveals that he also has the shard of the M'Kraan Crystal. Rictor's service has paled in comparison to Guido's and, for that, Rictor is killed. In the rubble of the Morlock Tunnels, Dazzler and Exodus find Gambit and Lila. They take the two to see Magneto with their bad news. Comics lot contains: Gambit and the X- Ternals (1995) Issues #1-4. Marvel Comics Comics are bagged & boarded and will be carefully / securely packaged then shipped via USPS Priority Mail to ensure that it arrives to you perfectly and quickly. All First Printings Publisher: Marvel Comics Publication Date: 1995 Format per comic: FC, 32 pages, Comic, 10.25" x 6.5" UPC: 759606042005 Collectible Entertainment note: Comics #1,2,3,4 are in Good to Fine condition. ( issues #2,3,4 have very significant corner crease/bump) >> front bottom left / back bottom right, so Good condition) Overall... Nice Reading Set! Please See Scans!! A must have for any serious Gambit and the X- Ternals and/or X-Men collector / enthusiast. A fun & entertaining read. Recommended. Please read return policy. 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