Gambit (3rd series) #24

Issue Date: 
January 2001
Story Title: 
Sunrise Sunset
Staff: 

Fabian Nicieza (writer), Yanick Paquette (penciler), Dan Green (inker), Kevin Tinsley (colorist), Richard Starkings & Comicraft‘s Troy Peteri (letters), Mike Raicht (assistant editor), Mike Marts (editor), Joe Quesada (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description: 

The New Sun brings Gambit to his own earth which is in ruins. He explains that when they followed their prophecies of the Old Kingdom and the Diable Blanc, the unleashed a chain reaction that literally brought “heaven on earth“ as cascading energy waves caused it to burn like a new sun, killing everyone besides himself. The New Sun wants to prevent the same from happening on any other earth and plans to kill Gambit. They fight at the side of the Old Kingdom, and Gambit blasts his “twin“ full force, burning out his increased powers. The statue of the King topples and impales the New Son on a spear. As that alternate earth evaporates, Courier pulls Gambit through one of Quiet Bill’s portals.

Full Summary: 

The New Sun used Quiet Bill to bring Remy to his earth, which is ruined. Remy realizes he's supposed to see this and fear, so he doesn't lose control of his powers, too. He uses his kinetic abilities to keep Bill frozen in time, so the portal stays open. New Sun wants to talk but expects they'll fight after Remy has heard his story.
He was born in Alpha-1, a lab like Black Womb, and trained as a weapon. As a teenager he incinerated the lab and wandered. He joined the X-Men, but had to leave when he killed Phoenix. Jean Luc took him in and showed him the prophecies of the Diable Blanc, who was to be a vessel of the King of the Old Kingdom, which preceded Atlantis and Lemuria. No one thought that “bringing the burning light of heaven to earth“ was literal, but when he channeled those energies, a chain reaction of cascading energy waves engulfed the world, making it a new sun and killing everyone except the New Sun. He tried to remake time, the ultimate use of his kinetic power, but failed, instead breaking through to other universes (including the Age of Apocalypse), finding many in ruins, till he got to ours. To save it, he plans to kill Remy, and he starts blasting.
Fontanelle has been monitoring Quiet Bill's dreams and wakes him, while Courier reaches him physically.
Remy fights kinetic energy wave with kinetic energy wave; something clicks in his head, and his power goes full-force, blasting New Sun all the way to Iraq. They rush each other, colliding a mile above earth, then land in Turkey at the site of the Old Kingdom. Remy knew how powerful he could be and had Sinister lobotomize him (#16, 23). Less powerful but more cunning, he pumps power into the New Sun, overloading him and knocking himself unconscious. He sees Fontanelle in a dream, then wakes to see a statue of the King fall and impale New Sun with a spear.
Everything evaporates, and Courier and Bill pull Remy through the portal to safety in the nick of time.
Huey is dead, and Bill is distraught. Remy's extra powers have burnt out, so he's back to where he started. Courier asks if Remy will miss being so powerful, but he declines. She asks what he wants, and suddendly he kisses him/her, saying he wants to keep everyone on their toes.

Characters Involved: 

Gambit

Courier

Fontanelle

Huey

Quiet Bill

New Sun
Flashbacks to New Sun’s earth

Colossus, Psylocke, Storm (all X-Men)

Apocalypse

Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic, Thing (all the Fantastic Four)

Jean Luc LeBeau

Story Notes: 

The issue concludes the story of the Nnew Sun and ties up the remaining loose ends, like Fontanelle having seen AoA images in the New Sun’s head (Gambit #5) or Quit Bill finding many alternate versions of Gambit impaled with a spear (Gambit #15).

Issue Information: 
Written By: