First Things First…
It seems I’m in the minority in not caring for the previous episode, with Alpha Flight and Wolverine’s Weapon X origin. I was surprised to find it’s on a lot of lists of the greatest episodes in the series.
That’s fine, of course, if others like it much more than I do. It just feels weird to say I hope the show gets back on track now when most viewers probably feel the show is very much on track at this point.
5 Things I Like
5. Incremental Progress in the Savage Land
I almost thought we were going to get an episode without Charles and Magneto in the Savage Land, but they show up for the final two minutes or so.
Magneto says things were much more peaceful the last time he was in the Savage Land, but now there’s devastation all around. He’s saddened by this, which is a good indication of what he really wishes for in his heart, despite his villainous tendencies.
We’ve moved on from the weird woman we met last time, but we meet a new Mutate here, a giant four-armed guy named Barbarus, who refers to Magneto as his creator—and who Magneto admits to creating.
I feel like Charles should be more skeptical by now about what Magneto isn’t telling him. I’m certainly getting more curious about Magneto’s role in the creation of this place.
Barbarus also says he follows a new master now… Mister Sinister, I presume?
4. Cyclops Gets Dusted During Practice
“What? You don’t like Gambit to be gentle?”
Gambit
Cyclops gets dusted in the Danger Room because of Gambit’s carelessness.
It’s a little silly, the way Gambit gets so distracted by a phone call that his elbow accidentally pushes a lever on the control panel up to the most dangerous setting. But despite that silliness, it’s fun to watch Cyclops try to fight off Apocalypse, Mister Sinister, Juggernaut, Omega Red, and another monster by himself.
And I’m being a little unfair to Cyclops with this headline. He’s nearly killed, but even holding off so many bosses for as long as he does, he proves he’s more of a badass than I usually give him credit for.
3. Wolverine’s Barbs
Wolverine aims plenty of barbs Gambit’s way after he, Jean, and Rogue follow him to his home swamp. They’re all pretty funny, if not a little mean-spirited.
Here, I couldn’t resist including a few…
- “Leave it to Gambit to grow up in a swamp!”
- “The Cajun actually lived in this dump?”
- “No wonder Gambit’s so messed up.”
- “Give me that ring, Gumbo. You ain’t the marrying kind.”
But when push comes to shove, Wolverine has Gambit’s back. He tells the Thieves, who’ve traded Gambit to the Assassins to save themselves, “Remy ain’t a piece of meat to trade for anybody.”
I love how he’s come to accept Gambit following last season’s finale, when they fought side by side against Master Mold’s Sentinels.
2. Guild Warfare
After learning a lot about Wolverine’s origin last episode, we finally learn more about Gambit here.
For starters, there’s his membership in the Thieves Guild, the sworn enemies of the Assassins Guild.
His brother, Bobby, who he’s come to rescue, is the Thieves’ Chosen One. Bobby is also responsible for Gambit having been part of the guild in the first place, which Gambit resents.
We don’t get a lot of depth in terms of the centuries-old rivalry between the guilds. Gambit even says, “When will it stop? Assassins kill Thieves. Thieves kill Assassins. For 300 years! No one knows why anymore. This feud is crazy!”
But simply seeing these two warring factions is pretty cool. They seem to be ingrained in the culture of New Orleans.
And there’s a very Romeo & Juliet-type twist, because Gambit was engaged to Bella Donna—the Assassins’ Chosen One—once upon a time…
1. Gambit’s Choice(s)
When Jean telepathically shows the External Bella Donna’s treachery, the Thieves are given the opportunity to end their rival guild once and for all. Bobby tries to take it, but Gambit stops literally shoves him out of the way and tells him to shut up, then makes a total good guy move by saying, “We need no more killing to honor you! Take her powers, but not her life.”
Gambit’s act of mercy shows more than anything else to this point in the series how much he’s grown since his time with the X-Men.
And he ends his time there with one more massive choice for himself, saying…
“This is not my home. I am not Thief or Assassin. I am an X-Man. And I’m never coming back.”
1 Thing I’m Mixed On
1. The External
“You broke the covenant! To betray the tithe is dishonor! Fly from this world to a darkness never-ending!”
The External
The only thing I wasn’t too sure about when it comes to the guilds is the inclusion of this powerful, mystical character, the External.
Each guild owes her a tithe every 10 years. If they deliver, she increases their power. But if they don’t, she… banishes them to another dimension, I guess? It’s not entirely clear—but it’s not what you want.
I would’ve liked a little more background on her. I’m not sure where she comes from or why they owe her anything. She mentions having a covenant with them, and that they’ve been tithing to her “throughout the centuries,” but it’s not clear why this covenant exists.
She also seems like a neutral character—not really a hero or villain. But when I compare her to other powerful characters, particularly some of the best villains, I don’t know what motivates her.
Tim Matassa
