The X-Men have lost their final battle, and now the few remaining mutants fight for survival – including the Ragin’ Cajun, Gambit. However, there is a silver lining – up against seemingly unbeatable foes, the X-Men are pushing their powers further than ever before, unlocking Remy LeBeau’s mutant abilities in an explosive new way.
In a preview of Rise of the Powers of X #1 – from Kieron Gillen, R.B. Silva, David Curiel and Clayton Cowles – fans witness the aftermath of the X-Men’s ultimate battle. Set ten years after its twin series, The Fall of the House of X, Rise of the Powers of X depicts a future where the anti-mutant bigots of Orchis have crushed the X-Men. As the godlike being known as the Dominion approaches Earth, Nimrod and the Omega Sentinel finish off the X-Men, killing Emma Frost.
In these dark final days, even old enemies like Gambit and Mystique are working together – with Gambit sacrificing himself to help his shapeshifting mother-in-law escape. Apparently, in the ten years since we last saw him, Gambit has figured out how to charge his entire body with kinetic energy, going out in a true blaze of glory.
Gambit Explodes In the X-Men’s Final Battle
Emma Frost, Jon Ironfire & Gambit Die to Save the Future
X-Men’s Krakoan Era revamp began in 2019, and now it has reached its end, as Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X follow the X-Men’s final battle – and inevitable loss – against the advanced artificial intelligence lifeforms of Orchis. Both the mutants and the robots have repeatedly sent agents back through time to secure victory, and it seems that – with the defection of Moira X – the robots have won. Now, the godlike Dominion is heading for Earth, where it will absorb all AI life and eradicate the remnants of mutant and humankind from the planet.
It’s the final fight, and one which no-one can afford to lose, leading to major plays and major losses. This preview alone shows Emma Frost and Gambit sacrificing themselves to take on Orchis, while it appears that recent recruit Jon Ironfire has fallen in battle. Thankfully, the Xavier School ethos holds strong, and mutant warriors are still finding new ways to tap into their powers. Gambit, who was once unable to charge any kind of biological matter, reveals that he’s figured out how to turn himself into a missile against Orchis’ army of Stark Sentinels. In the midst of death and destruction, it’s a major reminder of Gambit’s incredible potential.
X-Men Officially Gives Colossus Credit For Permanently Upgrading Its Mutant Powers
After years suffering his personal hell, X-Men finally gives Colossus credit for expanding the limits of mutant powers to include godlike feats.
Gambit Has Always Had God-Tier Powers
Gambit Might Be the X-Men Franchise’s Most Underrated Hero
Gambit isn’t thought of as one of the X-Men’s biggest powerhouses, but he should be. Gambit possesses the mutant power to turn any object’s potential energy into a kinetic explosion, with the explosive force growing with the object’s mass. Gambit usually restricts himself to throwing charged playing cards, and he’s actually spent most of his life suppressing his true potential. Gambit’s full power is usually only unleashed in Marvel’s alternate realities, which have depicted what happens when he stops holding back.
In the world of Marvel Zombies: Resurrection, Gambit’s severed hand was used to charge and destroy Galactus, while in Exiles his variant killed Hyperion – Marvel’s answer to Superman. However, his greatest feat took place against the New Sun – a version of Remy from another reality who had mastered his powers and had such extreme control of molecular energy that his attacks damaged reality itself. Given how destructive his powers can be, Earth-616 usually keeps Gambit limited, though with infrequent nods to his potential – for example, in Contest of Champions II, Gambit made the final round of a battle between all Marvel’s heroes, standing alongside Hulk, Thor and the Scarlet Witch. Unfortunately, it’s taken the end of the world to really see him prove his mettle.
The X-Men Are Paying an Immense Price to Beat Nimrod
The X-Men Have Officially Lost, But They’ll Never Stop Fighting
While Rise of the Powers of X just killed off several mutant heroes, it’s only the latest in a line of tragedies over the last year. Orchis’ attack on the Hellfire Gala killed several beloved heroes – including Gambit’s X-Men: The Animated Series allies Jubilee and Jean Grey – and mutantkind has been hounded ever since. Gambit himself was recently forced to kill Angel in Dark X-Men #3 (by Steve Foxe and Jonas Scharf), after the founding X-Men member was turned into a deadly predator by Orchis.
Of course, as long as there are mutants left alive, there will be X-Men, and this issue’s cover showcases the team’s final roster: Synch, Wolverine, Shadowkat, Ms. Marvel, and what appears to be Krakoa using Iron Man’s Mark Nil armor. These are presumably the heroes Gambit has died to give some kind of advantage – the team who must find a way to decisively beat the Dominion after a web of time travel, death and betrayal has brought them to this moment.
1 Founding X-Men Hero Is Stronger Than Every Avengers Member, Marvel Confirms
X-Men unleashes a founding member’s maximum power, revealing that the Avengers can’t hold a candle to them. Meanwhile, an iconic hero changes forever.
Fans have so far assumed that Rise of the Powers of X will conclude in some kind of time travel mission to fix the past, since it’s unlikely that upcoming X-Men comics will be set ten years in Marvel’s future. If so, Gambit could get a reprieve from this heroic sacrifice. However, if the Krakoan Era has emphasized one idea, it’s that time travel is no escape from the inevitable. Gambit’s sacrifice may be canceled out by the time the dust settles, but there’s reason to believe that fans just said a real goodbye to Remy LeBeau.
X-Men’s Deaths May Last into Its New Era
As the 2019-2024 Era Ends, Dead Mutants May Not Be Resurrected
Fans know very little about what will follow the Krakoan Era when Rise of the Powers of X and Fall of the House of X conclude their interwoven five-issue runs. However, Marvel recently announced that the new era will launch in July, and will be titled “X-Men: From the Ashes.” That title suggests that the X-Men’s losses in these twin series won’t be retconned or overwritten, but rather that mutantkind will find itself needing to rebuild in a major way, with its dreams of nationhood and peaceful coexistence burned to the ground.
In the build-up to the final X-Men vs Orchis battle, Moira X has traveled back through time nine times to try and alter events, while the Omega Sentinel has taken similar measures for the AI side. It’s clear that going back in time to fix things isn’t a valid solution to the existential threat mutantkind faces. The X-Men began their new era by conquering death, but as it ends they have lost the vaunted ability to bring back their friends and allies, and are losing more heroes by the day. As Gambit unleashes his powers and dies in defense of mutantkind, there’s only one thing certain about the X-Men‘s future – they’ll need to fight like never before to secure it.
Rise of the Powers of X #1 (2024) | |
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Rise of the Powers of X #1 is coming January 10 from Marvel Comics.
