Picked up #5 this week. Now, Claremont has clearly lost something, as has been apparent by his work on Uncanny and Excalibur.

Maybe he put his energy into X-Men: The End. I'm truly loving these books. Issue 5 was the most interesting to date.

Basically, we've got a new Origin for Mr. Sinister and Gambit.



***SPOILERS****




So it turns out, Apocalypse "mutated" Nathanel Essex into Mr. Sinister, promising him "life eternal". Essex enjoyed what he became in Sinister. As the years went on, he noticed he was still getting older. So he developed a cloning technology that allowed him to transfer his "life essence" and brain into younger clones of himself. Over the years, he grew to despise Apocalypse, and began thinking of ways to overthrow him. This was around the time the first mutants were popping up on Earth. Using his science, he started creating his clones with mutant DNA collected from various mutants over the years. Figuring he could make himself powerful enough eventually to overthrow and take down Apocalypse. Eventualy, he came across two of the most powerful mutants the world has ever seen: Scott Summers, and Jean Grey. Deducing that the DNA from these two would be enough for him to overthow Apocalypse, he sought them out.

Now, in this issue we also learn that one Remy LeBeau, aka Gambit, is the "Half-Brother" of Cyclops. How you ask? Simple. Gambit is one of Sinister's clones of himself, with Cyclops' DNA added to the mixture. That's where he gets his kinetic energy Mutant power from.

Now, I've never muched cared for Gambit, and personally, still don't. But this makes him a bit more interesting in my eyes. It also goes back to those early 90's issues of Uncanny and X-Men with the rumored "3rd Summers Brother".

 

I skipped your poiler because I haven't ead 5 yet but I think you are right, Clearmont definately is putting his guns to The End. I know I diss the guy at every turn because I think it's all true but for this one time, I'll give him props.

Except last year when I had my dealer badge on while getting The End 1 signed and he insisted I read the copeis of 2 and 3 so I can "up my order" because that's what others dealers did.

 

i am probably gonna pick it up next week as a guy who just got into comics i get lost in some of the stuff they are explining but i'm still enjoying the books

 

I loved it. I think it's the best issue so far. The stuff about Gambit is crazy. I wonder where, if anywhere, he's going to go with it.

 

The thing I'm wondering is this: does any of the stuff that's revealed in these books affect the main titles? Does Gambit's new origin become his official origin or is it just something that's going to be ignored once this series ends?

 

I wouldn't hold this to cannon since it's already outdated with the reviving of Phoenix in the regular titles. However I would like this to be Gambit's origin. It's actually pretty cool.

I could definately see Clearmont slipping in Sinister/Gambit references like Morrison did with Wolverine in New X.