[SPOILERS] Mr and Mrs X #8: Recap and Review Thread

[Jasticus]

Now I'm really curious if anyone can find the last time Rogue actually told Gambit that she loved him in a 'main' book. I started flipping through some of the older issues of MMX out of curiosity, but so far nothing.

I'd be willing to bet it was X-Treme X-Men, back in '01. I can't remember anything like that from Milligan or Carey's runs, but I could be wrong.

[PeachFlavoredXanax]

Now I'm really curious if anyone can find the last time Rogue actually told Gambit that she loved him in a 'main' book. I started flipping through some of the older issues of MMX out of curiosity, but so far nothing.

I'd be willing to bet it was X-Treme X-Men, back in '01. I can't remember anything like that from Milligan or Carey's runs, but I could be wrong.

Oooooh! I’d bet money it was probably Milligan. He did that whole “Bizarre Love Triangle” arc in which Rogue was acting like a 13 year old and was REALLY emotional that he didn’t love her.

[AppleJ]

Now I'm really curious if anyone can find the last time Rogue actually told Gambit that she loved him in a 'main' book. I started flipping through some of the older issues of MMX out of curiosity, but so far nothing.

I'd be willing to bet it was X-Treme X-Men, back in '01. I can't remember anything like that from Milligan or Carey's runs, but I could be wrong.

She calls him "my love" in Legacy while remembering some highly intimate moments together, but I'm sure that doesn't count. She basically says she is coming to help him because she loves him in the Gambit 2012 Asmsus run, but I'm sure that doesn't count either. And he is who she wanted to see in UA, when Red Skull is impersonating him, but I'm also sure that counts for nothing as well.

[AppleJ]

Alright, back for my more thorough review.

Things I loved:
1. Remy has his own separate character arc. Spiral was targeting him specifically for a job and is using their freedom and Rogue's safety/treatment as leverage over him.

2. We get to see some awesome Gambit call backs, like the 52 pickup card attack and "Bang you dead" as well as some new moves like the charged punch.

3. All the genres!!! I was worried we'd only get a couple. Loving Country Western and sci fi.

4. Loved the reality show confessionals. The art was pretty here (what, Rogue NOT in green? Yay) AND the dialogue gave key insight into our characters emotional states and outlook.

5. Mojo is SO deliciously meta and he is not wrong here folks and we know it.

6. We are finally seeing the buildup to Rogue's power development and control coming to fruition. Very excited for #9.

7. The fight scene with Longshot is delightful, I could go for more! Action is really where it's at for the art.

8. Spot on Romy banter. Rogue is no damsel!

9. Gambit's inner monologue at the end! How often do we get these in comics anymore?! And I love them!

10. The color work for this series is gorgeous.

Gripe:
There are times the art is off a bit, particularly with Rogue's facial expressions and some body dimensions, hands in particular.

Overall:
This issue is possibly my favorite so far. The series feels like it is picking up some steam this issue and the emotional development for this couple is approaching an important crossroads. Kelly has been letting a lot simmer and build. After a whirlwind wedding, these less than perfect people have some dangling threads to address in their relationship and I am SO here for it.

[remydat]

She calls him "my love" in Legacy while remembering some highly intimate moments together, but I'm sure that doesn't count. She basically says she is coming to help him because she loves him in the Gambit 2012 Asmsus run, but I'm sure that doesn't count either. And he is who she wanted to see in UA, when Red Skull is impersonating him, but I'm also sure that counts for nothing as well.

Yes the Legacy run where after his heartfelt harbor speech, she screws Mags silly a few hours later.

Yes the Asmus run where she badmouthed Gambit to the Avengers and told them they couldn't trust him. Such a sore spot for Gambit that even KT brings it up in the mini.

And the UA run where she tries to kiss Red Skull Gambit but then when the real Gambit shows up she pushes him away.

Yeah not sure any of those "count" as Rogue's actions do not exactly scream love unless you think screwing a dude that almost murdered your supposed love, talking **** about your supposed love to others, and pushing him away because RS tricked you passes for true love these days. I mean two of those are literally two of the worse things Rogue has done to hurt Gambit but we are suppose to interpret that as love. SMH!

[MichelleDiMera]

Sounds like way too much Gambit. Definitely gotta skip this one.

[anyajenkins]

Deadpool and Magneto were to reassure you Gambit fanboys that Rogue had burned bridges with her exes.

Rogues fans would of much preferred having the Sentry and Human Torch, flippant, off panel 'relationships' cauterized.

Lies..no one wants to see sentry, anywhere.

Think issue is Rogue was not always like this. She is typically fiery and hot blooded. Nowadays her reaction to Gambit is all so lukewarm or half hearted.

If we had to replay the scene from XXM where Rogue dragged Gambit back from death, I get the sense this version of Rogue would just let him die and shrug because he is not worth the effort.

She’s always been fiery and head strong but not really with relationships, flirting, yes, but beyond that, she’s always been skittish. The first time she said she loved gambit, she told wolverine.

[Purplevit]

How often has Gambit actually said "I love you" in the series, though? Once, when he was about to go on a suicide run to Deathbird's ship?

It's just not a series in which either of them says "I love you" a lot.

He told it at wedding, then before suicide run and he told that he loves her on camera in MMX 8.

They always can find a time for it. Wedding would be best opportunity for it of course.

[Omegarogue]

Yes the Legacy run where after his heartfelt harbor speech, she screws Mags silly a few hours later.

Yes the Asmus run where she badmouthed Gambit to the Avengers and told them they couldn't trust him. Such a sore spot for Gambit that even KT brings it up in the mini.

And the UA run where she tries to kiss Red Skull Gambit but then when the real Gambit shows up she pushes him away.

Yeah not sure any of those "count" as Rogue's actions do not exactly scream love unless you think screwing a dude that almost murdered your supposed love, talking **** about your supposed love to others, and pushing him away because RS tricked you passes for true love these days. I mean two of those are literally two of the worse things Rogue has done to hurt Gambit but we are suppose to interpret that as love. SMH!

Gambit tried to kill her in Death mode, and was about to mess with FOX Mystique, which is a great unknown, both sides can play blame.

Rogue obviously loves Gambit, because she is with him, and she is always there for him, and Remy obviously loves her and loves her, Rogue is ardent but more reserved.

God how many complaints, your only problem is not Kelly's writing, although Rogue had another attitude would bother you, your problem is that you do not want Remy with Rogue, that's all, that toxic your comments.

[Omegarogue]

KELLY YOU ARE MY FAVORITE WRITER, DO NOT STOP WRITING ABOUT ROGUE AND GAMBIT NEVER.

_____


The spectacular theme, I love the sequences of gambit in action, and especially its final monologue, and the bang you're dead-

As for Rogue spectacular and overpower as of custom, I do not want to sound cruel because I love Remy to also, but I love to see Rogue consume with his powers again and again to Remy XD, Rogue looks so powerfull.

Kelly loves to use all the powers of Rogue, has used the powers of absorption like no other writer in many years, and she does it constantly, as it should be, Rogue must use all her powers, not superman only, and Kelly is also exploring them and they are advancing as they should be.

Kelly is time to DECLARE ROGUE IN A COMIC BOOK AS AN OMEGA LEVEL MUTANT, most of us already know that Rogue of omega level from Xtreme, and it was confirmed more when she gained control and started doing more and more new things and progressing and with this is no longer a question.

Technically Rogue has always been more powerful and its powers of absorption are more dangerous and more powerful than the vast majority of confirmed omega mutants, and that even when he had no control, not any defeat to a single Avengers scudron, which has Thor Vision and WM in it, and she has done it in more than one occasion thanks to her powers of absorption.

[LegoLiz]

This is going to be a long one – I can tell. Sorry for typos. I’ll correct again over time.

Part 1

FIRST OFF: THANK YOU DEAR MACHINE FOR YOUR REVIEW! I LOVE THEM!

Oh MMX #8 – How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!

I can’t! It’s too much! I’m overwhelmed. Seriously. I hate that I’ve been quiet on the forum lately (in the rare possibility that anyone noticed). Work and real life have just been insanely busy – but when another MMX issue comes out (definitely my favourite issue so far), I can’t help but take a moment to discuss. And in this case – declare my love (sitting here typing on my treadmill rather than working out).

Let’s break it down:

Solid Gambit moments. YES! His grand entrance with a Dirty Dancing reference (we all know he is a pop culture junkie – Buffy, Star Trek, Harry Potter, Three Stooges – Yes!). He outwits (loved the distraction leap/kick to conceal the dropped charged cards), outplays (bakers dozen was too cool) and outlasts (he gets the prize as the King of Thieves/Robin Hood should). It’s Survivor baby and I love seeing Gambit win. And hello? It’s not all just about Rogue. The reason they were brought to Mojoworld was for Remy’s thieving skills. Yes, if you need a thief, he’s the best in the galaxy!

Bang, you dead. Alright, am I the only one who felt like they were in the theatre and how everyone breaks into applause when the character does something so characteristically him (https://www.cbr.com/drawing-crazy-pa...bang-you-dead/ - although we’re missing the actual time Remy says the line to Spiral during her fight with Betsy)? Don’t lie! You know you felt it too. And yes AppleJ – Spiral did remind me of Joelle. And I’m still giddy with the “trembling in my magnificent fur boots” line.

Gambit vs. Longshot. See, I’ve heard the rumblings/theories over the years over the similarities between Longshot and Remy – but I never knew this https://community.cbr.com/showthread...=1#post4195697 (thank you Ricochet Rita and remydat – you guys so know your stuff). The Rogue and Longshot connection is an easy plot-point (school girl crush), but kudos to Kelly for playing up the Gambit and Longshot history in their banter. And while I enjoyed Longshot’s appearance (was never the biggest fan, but I’m definitely more interested in him a bit more now), I loved that Gambit wins. Sure, in any storyline, blond and dreamy Longshot might be your obvious prince charming, but for Rogue, it’s the snakecharmer Remy who’ll always win her heart in the end.

Princess and the Scoundrel. It’s hilarious to consider Rogue a princess (she’s not a quite the Cinderella for Gambit’s carriage ride through the park on their first official date and she tells him so in the mini) so I loved her flying down from the tree house while establishing that she has never been and will never be a damsel in distress. Nor does she easily succumb to Gambit’s good looks and charm (she always eventually does, but she isn’t easily swayed). Loved their banter (“what tipped if you off that we’re in a tree house” – Ha!). Has there ever been an X-couple as fun and sexy as these two? And Kelly plays them up well. Also, loved them in the different genres, especially the ultimate princess and the scoundrel – Princess Leia and Hans Solo (thank you R0d for connecting this for me https://community.cbr.com/showthread...=1#post4138532) . And it was fun seeing Rogue pull Gambit in and then push him out of the treehouse (call backs to the many times Rogue exerts her super-strength, which Gambit handles beautifully – for example, basketball game, Rogue’s first Limited Series where she flicks him onto her bed, and even the freaking Muir Island episode in the animated series where she throws him out of her car). I wondered how Kelly would be able to capture all the old beats with this couple, (including cat and mouse play) which were a big part of their appeal, as a married couple. And I believe Kelly has managed to do so in a clever and magical way (It’s Mojoworld – anything in possible).

Gambit’s ending monologue while everyone is after him. Felt like the inner dialogue Gambit has in his first Limited Series when he’s running back to his home to give Belle the elixir with all thieves and assassins closing in on him – “a chance to start over maybe…but what about Rogue Remy, how could you?” And for all of us who criticize Gambit for his unwavering devotion and love for Rogue, he answers us in this moment. He felt he was destined to do only dark things in this world (Thieves Guild, Sinister, Mutant Massacre just to name a few) and he found something/someone who helped him see there is something more and he will do everything in his power not to lose it. This isn’t new (he tells Rogue he needs her to find out what kind of man he is when they fight about Sabertooth and Genevieve, he tells Rogue that without her he has no life when he lets the Phalanx capture him, he says living without her was hard when she tells him she appreciated his kind words to Joseph, it’s mentioned in X-MEN: The End…oh there are too many references – I’m overwhelmed). It speaks to so much of the strength in Gambit’s character. To have gone through everything he has and to still believe in love, believe he is deserving of it and being willing to fight for it? I’m weeping over here! Come on! Why would anyone ever try to argue again that he is a sleazy, morally corrupt and awful character? How could you hate him? Sure, thief with the heart of gold is not new to Gambit fans, but I think this is Kelly responding to the surprisingly high numbers of haters out there, who I believe she is slowly but surely winning over. Come on – even @AgentM admits Gambit is growing on him and now thinks those who dislike him are the minority! https://twitter.com/AgentM/status/1091758415397957632

The promise that Rogue may get control and we’ll likely find out heart of what the problem was. Feels like I’ve been waiting all my life to see this moment and learn the answer (as Rogue puts it, does X-Men Legacy 224 really count if Rogue didn’t really do the work herself and thus is susceptible to losing it all over again). Yes, mikeb called it from the start. There is something jammed up with Rogue’s subconscious and I am all for the ride next month to help Rogue piece it all together. Do you think that this means Rogue always had the ability to control or only now because Xandra helped her evolve? And when Danger and Professor X helped her before, what were those mental blockers inhibiting maturation of her powers? What started it? What strengthened it? Cody? Carol? Captured and collared with the bad guards? Tell us already!!!

[LegoLiz]

Part 2

Rogue needs to grow up. Poor girl. Not only do her powers need maturing, but also her relationship skills. We Rogue to hurry up and grow up, but can we give credit where credit is due and understand that she is trying to. For someone who is terrified of forever, she loved Gambit enough to marry him (and we say very clearly that she never loved anyone else enough to accept a previous and recent marriage proposal). Rogue does look like such a straggler when paired up with all-in Gambit, but let’s give her time. When she realized in the mini that it is time for her to commit and fight her instinctual and ingrained by her life’s circumstances fleeing survival skills, that mean it all works out and everything falls into place? Not only would that be a boring read, but it’s unrealistic. Gambit says it himself. He had to do a lot of growing to get where he is. He realized long ago he wanted a future with Rogue (he says it in the first rogue limited series, then when they broke up in X-Men #45, Harbour Speech, when they were without powers and on the road and they got into a fight with mutant teenagers…ah! too many times…). The mini was just like a few weeks/months ago (maybe not for us, but definitely for the newlyweds) so I think the fact she is planting her heels and trying to work through her issues is a huge sign that she loves Gambit. And isn’t it fair that in this situation she would be the one more insecure about the relationship and to question if love is enough? When you love someone, I think it is easier to be in Gambit’s role where you are willing to sacrifice everything for it. But on Rogue’s side, if you truly love someone, would you want them to? What if being with you puts the person you love most in danger (reminds me of X-Treme X-Men when Rogue didn’t want Gambit on the mission because the possibility of him being hurt would destroy her - much more than if she hurt anyone else she cared about). From Rogue’s perspective, wouldn’t you be haunted by the wondering how much easier Gambit’s life would be if he loved someone else? We all saw her biggest fear replayed over and over in this arc. Being with her right now is life and death. Like what if the bracelet/collar malfunctions? Do you have to recharge it (we’d be in big trouble if it was me and my always red blinking low-battery signs on my cell phone)? One small slip and he’d be dead. Is it wrong for Rogue to wonder that if the most horrible thing were to happen (i.e. her killing Gambit), she’d think back and wonder if love was worth it? Was love enough?

I definitely say the pay-off is coming. Will Rogue step up and finally support her husband? Will she be willing to sacrifice the way he has for her? I say yes and I believe it’s coming in the Thieves Guild arc. This is an excellent opportunity because it’s a storyline driven by his past, life, family and responsibilities. Also, we are treading into a territory that is usually separate from Rogue or one she’s taken the morally high ground towards in the past. With how much Gambit has done for Rogue in the mini and in MMX, I can see this being the foundation where Rogue is willing to adjust her life and perspective to support her man. Especially since Gambit being a master thief will be one of the reason Rogue will be able to hopefully get control of her powers, thanks to the deal with Spiral. I am with you purplevit and Mateo3000 that I feel so starved in waiting to see Rogue declare her love more or show it in her actions. But I think this is deliberate. I bet Kelly is just masterfully weaving her web and when she hears us crying about the lack of love on Rogue’s part, she’s just like mojo/Mr. Burns and thinking “Excellent!” Come on, this issue pleased me so much because I needed more Gambit shine and got it (NOTE: I NEED MORE GAMBIT SHINE), so I figure this wait is the build-up to Rogue stepping up.

Finally THANK YOU KELLY THOMPSON. I see KT as Marvel’s personal gift to those who waited so long for stories like this for Rogue and Gambit. I love the art (okay, yes, RomyShip, sometimes Rogue’s face is off), but the colours are so beautiful. We waited so long and MMX is the pay off. And they’re not done yet. PLEASE LET THERE BE MORE ISSUES AFTER THE THIEVES GUILD ARC!!! And Omegarogue is right. Please Kelly Thompson - write Rogue and Gambit forever. Please! While there are so many call-backs to the past, you bring a fresh and new approach. And it doesn't feel like rewriting history. You just know the characters so well that the references just pop up!

I know I am full of empty promises. But my affirmation - this is the book where I will finally write to the X-Office. So sorry it's taken me so long.

[AppleJ]

Standing ovation to LegoLiz! Well said!

[smokey78]

Thanks for all the recaps! I won’t get this issue til prolly end of month again. Really I don’t keep track of I love you’d it goes back to X-men 91 form me when rogue says I love him and he loves me then we see her scowling when marrow was with gambit

[smokey78]

Does anyone recall which panel which issue of rent looking in a window at rjosephs funeral and saying he will give rogue time and patience to mourn for him? He looked so poignant and gorgeous there