Mr and Mrs X #3 Recap and Review *spoilers*

[DearMachine]

I know this review is late in the day, but it's not a reflection on the quality of the book. In fact, this book helped me get through a bad day. I read it all at once in the morning, and then I rationed my reread out a few pages at a time. Each page was like a little happy pill. I normally rely on Emergency Kittens for that, so this book is as good as at least twenty kittens.

(Obligatory Gambit kitten tax follows.)

threecats.jpg

The book opens up in Chandilar, where Gladiator is chastising the Imperial Guard for their failure to capture or destroy the egg. (If you have this on Comixology and read it on the phone app, the first panel broadens out from Gladiator's speech bubble to show the Imperial Guards' kneeling butts, which made me laugh. The book is delightful even when it isn't trying to be.) However, it turns out that he is actually conspiring with Oracle and Cerise to deliver the egg to the X-Men, though his motives are unclear. Is he loyal to Lilandra's memory? Is he unable to bring himself to kill or use a child in that way? He telepathically commands Oracle to set Cerise free.

Meanwhile, back on the "Honeymoon" ship, Gambit and Deadpool are chasing a tiny, naked Rogue, while large, fully-dressed Rogue is asking Kitty what the hell she has gotten them into. (Kitty privately thinks she would rather be in space, maybe even in a giant bullet, than in X-Men Gold #36....) After a protesting Deadpool is shoved out of the room, Kitty explains to Rogue and Gambit that the egg is the genetically-engineered child of Xavier and Lilandra. Importantly, neither Xavier nor Lilandra initiated her creation; they were both dead when the egg was made. Kitty suggests that the child's appearance is the result of protective mirroring.

At that point, the child reaches into Rogue and Gambit's minds to pull out memories of Xavier and Lilandra. She reshapes her appearance to look like them, and asks to be called Xandra. Before Xandra can give them any more details, though, Deathbird attacks. The "Honeymoon" ship's weapons are down, which means that Gambit has to take matters into his own hands. He ropes in Deadpool and teleports onto that ship. It's debatable whether he wants Deadpool's help or just a guy in a red shirt on an away mission. Gambit knows his Star Trek.

In a fabulous, kinetic sequence that has been posted, Gambit and Deadpool take down Deathbird's troops. Deadpool gets shot in true red-shirt fashion. Gambit stops with his charged staff at Deathbird's throat and notes that it will take a touch for it to explode. Deathbird explains that she is leading a rebellion to take the throne, and needs the child to rally the support of the Shi'ar. Gambit puts an end to her plans, coolly destroying her weapons, transportation system, and most of her functionality. He makes it clear that they won't survive the next encounter. This whole sequence is incredibly badass in the best way.

Gambit and Deadpool beam back on board the Honeymoon ship, and Rogue takes the opportunity to dispatch their honeymoon crasher by teleporting him to a panel with great medical facilities. Gambit finds it incredibly hot when she makes Deadpool disappear, but it's unclear whether he just has a fetish for Miles O'Brien. (Who doesn't, though?)

Gambit and Rogue don't have much of a chance to catch their breath, when Nightside appears in the ship and teleports Xandra into the Darkforce Dimension. Xandra smartly camouflages herself as an egg. Cerise reappears at that point, and explains that, while she can't track the egg in the Darkforce Dimension, she knows where she is going. She is stunned to hear that the egg has hatched, and has an emotional moment when she realizes that she has missed such an important milestone. But she pulls herself together, because it's time to give Gambit and Rogue a make-over so they can go undercover in Chandilar!

As Gambit and Rogue get dressed, they talk about their honeymoon and how it has been interrupted. Rogue begins one of her thoughtless speeches about how they're doing the right thing, and Gambit gets mildly annoyed by her assumption that he doesn't realize that. He asserts that his moral compass is fine and he knows what is right. She says that she wouldn't be with him if he didn't know that, and he agrees with her but he sounds a little unconvinced. It is an excellent conversation, and it is good to see Gambit standing up for himself. As I said elsewhere, this book, this particular issue, is the best written that Gambit has been in YEARS, and it should convince Gambit fans to buy it. Rogue proposes that they kiss and make up, but hopefully she listened to him.

I want to excerpt a few panels, because this is outstanding writing and should be reflected by more than my dumb summary:

mmx3.jpg

Flashforward to Chandilar, where Gambit and Rogue are depowered and upside in chains. Gambit is pleased that he delivered on his promise of new adventure, and excited about the bondage possibilities. I imagine next episode will show how they got into that sexy, Claremontian predicament.

[sifighter]

I said this in the Legion thread but I hope that David gets to meet his new Half-sister soon, maybe in the Uncanny X-men arc coming up.

[Romy Ship]

*Applauds* Excellent review, Dear Machine. Thanks a mil for taking the time to write out such a fun and thoughtful summary. I loved the red shirt comment. This was indeed another great installment to this incredibly fun space arc. Kelly is doing a fine job with this series and I’m excited for the rest of it. I loved that we got tons more Gambit action. I agree this is the best writing he’s gotten in YEARS... I loved that Rogue gave DP the boot (albeit it was a little too nice). I need to give this issue a few more reads and I’m looking forward to it.

[magneticmushroom]

Well this was just great. That Shi'ar fight on Deathbird's ship was masterful. I know that Deadpool's overexposed these days, but he and Remy make a fantastic team. I hope people are buying this book because I want it to continue for a long time.

I see that David Lopez is the penciller for #6 (and presumably onward). Can anyone point me in the direction of some of his work?

[raidensix]

When did Deathbird get healed of her paralyzing injuries?

[anyajenkins]

Deadpool does have a red shirt...very clever, lol.

That was the best 'fight scene' gambit's had in a looong time and he 'won'! So happy KT is delivering on the action front!

Never thought about Legion meeting his half sister, that would be fun, as long as he wasn't in a 'crazy' mood that day...

[Romy Ship]

Well this was just great. That Shi'ar fight on Deathbird's ship was masterful. I know that Deadpool's overexposed these days, but he and Remy make a fantastic team. I hope people are buying this book because I want it to continue for a long time.

I see that David Lopez is the penciller for #6 (and presumably onward). Can anyone point me in the direction of some of his work?

He’s really good however he is only doing #6 and Oscar comes back for the 2nd arc

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pin...t-david-lopez/

[R0d]

One of my concerns with this book was that it could end up being just a series of random adventures without much substance or importance in the broad X-men world, but this issue confirmed that what happens here actually matters quite a lot. By the end of this first arc the entire hierarchy of the Shi'ar empire could be reshaped.
Kelly sure does know about X-men continuity and nails the voices of all the characters, in this issue Gambit was particularly awesome. I still have some minor gripes with the art but overall it was another great issue.
9/10 for me.

[sifighter]

Deadpool does have a red shirt...very clever, lol.

That was the best 'fight scene' gambit's had in a looong time and he 'won'! So happy KT is delivering on the action front!

Never thought about Legion meeting his half sister, that would be fun, as long as he wasn't in a 'crazy' mood that day...

Glad I’m not the only one who likes that idea, I’m not sure how exactly David would react though. Not just cause he has his mental issues but because his family life is very complicated, or at least his feelings towards his dad are but adding a sibling, especially one that is basically an alien princess could make for some fun stories.

[Havok83]

Why does Xandra seemingly have mastery over her skills already?

Do Shi'ar normally lay eggs that hatch? How do they reproduce naturally?

[remydat]

Thought the banter over Wade stabbing and potentially killing people was a bit out of place here. I didn't find it funny that Gambit was talking so casually about it.

Otherwise, it was a good read and does appear to have some real stakes for the wider MU if Xandra does in fact end up threatening for the throne.

[Gambit, King of Thieves]

Yay! That cover from All New X Factor!

[Dantes617]

I have been a fan of X-Men for 25+ years and I've never been a "space" fan (Sorry!). But, I find myself researching Shi'ar more than I ever thought I would due to this book. Also, I'm glad Deadpool is finally gone. I get that he's the comic relief, but we all know that Gambit and Rogue can hold their own. Speaking of which, Gambit was great in this! And I'm not necessarily referring to his fight scenes, although those are fun, but his calling Rogue out on his moral intentions was well-overdue and very satisfying. And of course, Rogue's response was great. I'm so glad that that these things are finally being addressed, so there's not much that this book can do to disappoint me. Well done KT.

[anyajenkins]

Why does Xandra seemingly have mastery over her skills already?

Do Shi'ar normally lay eggs that hatch? How do they reproduce naturally?

Well, xandra was genetically enegineered, after Xavier and lilandra were both dead, so what she's like doesn't have to be 'normal' for human or shi'ar.

[Askani's Flame]

Forgive me as I didn't read this yet, did Deathbird say why she needs this egg/child? Doesn't she have her own child of royal blood (Gabriel/Vulcan, and hers) which also has tons of other attributes? Or was he forgotten?