Boomerang ! (What Goes Around, Comes Around)

• Writer - Chris Claremont
• Penciler - Salvador Larroca
• Colorist - Liquid!
• Lettering - Tom Orzechowski
• Editor - Mark Powers
• Editor - Matt Hicks
• Editor in Chief - Joe Quesada
• Ass't Editor - Andrew Lis

Summary

  Note: this is part of ‘Nuff Said month, a silent issue.

  Remy runs down an alley and onto a crowded street; slowing, a woman is shoved into him by her abusive boyfriend, whom Remy confronts, trips, and keeps down with his quarterstaff. A truck full of Boxers approaches; Remy tosses cards and blows it up, and then kisses the girl, all while keeping the boyfriend pinned. Remy leaves as the police arrive.

  Lucas and Baltimore flash their police id and try to enter the local mob's elegant club.

  Rogue flies over the city, carrying Remy and crying over the X-Men Vargas killed (see last iss.). She's in an illusion and actually carrying Mastermind.

  Shaw has Sage by the throat as Red Lotus approaches. Lotus leaps and kicks him in the face, but Shaw just gestures for more. Many punches later, Shaw finally grabs his hand and throws him into the stone wall.

  Ororo and Neal fly over the city carrying the Camerons. They see Rogue and Mastermind, who makes Rogue see them as Vargas and the Thaïs twins. Rogue places Mastermind on a nearby roof and plows into her teammates, and the Camerons plummet. Heather sprouts gold armor with wings, while Neal races to catch Davis. Ororo's lightning doesn't stop Rogue, and Heather has to grab Ororo and take the brunt of Rogue's hit; she and Ororo slam into a construction site, which collapses.

  Rogue returns to Mastermind and sees Remy bloody and dying; across the street she sees Lucas as Vargas, and she charges him while he shoots her, to no effect.

  Lotus fights Shaw and hits pressure points, knocking him down.

  Boxers are about to ambush Baltimore while she arrests the mobsters, but Remy then crashes down on them, and a shoot-out ensues. Rogue slams Lucas through the wall, and Baltimore shoots her glasses but doesn't stop her. She sees everyone there as Vargas.

  Davis tries to tackle Mastermind, but she gives him an illusion of being shackled. Then Neal arrives and blasts her, knocking her out.

  Rogue has Baltimore as Vargas by the throat, but the illusion starts to dissolve. Remy as Vargas taps her on the shoulder and she swings at him, breaking the Vargas image like a shell. She repeatedly hits the image, realizes it's Remy, and lifts the image of Vargas from his face. They smile and hug.

  The cops have arrived to clean things up. Lotus has evidently thrown Shaw through the wall, but Sage is still catatonic.

  Here is Claremont's original script:

  Salva: frightening as it may sound, especially for someone with my reputation, we're going to try this issue as an all-silent story. No text whatsoever, aside from whatever is in the background or body of art of each panel. This puts a lot of responsibility on your shoulders, I know, but I can't think of anyone better able to handle the load. However, as a consequence, this will be structured more as a full script than the usual plot. If there are any questions or problems, please let me know and we'll work them out.

  Page 1 (Title page)(Full page splash)

  `Open with an active, powerful and dramatic poster-type shot of Gambit racing through the late-night back-alleys of Sydney. He's all business and pushing himself to the limit, in a desperate attempt to save the woman he loves.

  Running down either side of the page from top to bottom, providing a frame for the shot of Gambit, are a series of Ten headshots (sorry about that, it's a big cast) in oval Insert panels, depicting the major characters of the story. Incorporated into each oval should be a banner where the letterer can insert their names, so we'll at least know who everyone is.

  Left-hand side of the page, top to bottom: Storm, Bishop, Rogue, Thunderbird and Sage. and Thunderbird.

  Right-hand side of the page: top to bottom: Thunderbird, Lifeguard (Heather Cameron, in her armored form, established last issue), Red Lotus, Lady Mastermind and Sebastian Shaw.

  Page 2

  Panel 1: Gambit races out of the alley and onto a wide boulevard, in a hip and trendy district where you'll find lots of young professionals, beautiful people with the money to look great and the time to spend the evening at sidewalk bars and cafés, bistros and the like.

  Panel 2: Gambit's thought is to lose himself in the crowd, so he slows his pace …

  Panel 3: …and moves quickly and purposefully down the street. Problem is, he's so damn' sexy that he can't help attracting appraising looks and interested stares from many of the women he passes. For once, he pays this no mind. Under normal circumstances, this is the kind of attention he loves. Tonight, though, it could get someone he cares for killed.

  Panel 4: Out of nowhere, a lovely young woman crashes headlong into him.

  Panel 5: Gambit catches her and we establish that she's crying and one side of her face is red with the welt and imprint of a slap.

  Page 3

  Panel 1: Girl's boyfriend, a hulking rugby-player type, a wannabe thug in body and behavior, storms up. Major belligerence, major attitude, pumped and muscled and looking for a fight.

  Panel 2: Gambit puts himself between the girl and the guy, turning on the charm in a vain attempt to defuse the confrontation. He really doesn't have time for this.

  Panel 3: The boyfriend gets right in Gambit's face (and it's a good thing this is a silent issue because he's likely saying things we can't print in a family-oriented comic book), poking Gambit in the chest with a stiff finger.

  Panel 4: Gambit politely but firmly (still smiling) pushes the man back.

  Panel 5: The boyfriend doesn't get the hint but instead, throws a wild but powerful punch towards Gambit's head.

  Panel 6: Gambit sideslips the blow, using his quarterstaff to entangle the man's legs …

  Panel 7: … and send him tumbling into a pile of restaurant garbage bags, piled at curbside.

  Page 4

  Panel 1: Using the quarterstaff as leverage, placing one end against the fallen man's chest to keep him pinned where he is amidst the garbage, Gambit turns to the young woman.

  Panel 2: She's looking past him and toward the street with an expression of shock, surprise, disbelief and fear on her face. This night just keeps getting crazier and crazier.

  Panel 3: Establishing shot of a double-decker municipal tourist bus (open roof on the upper deck) bearing down on them, loaded with Boxers. These Triad assassins look armed to the teeth; they mean business.

  Panel 4: Gambit, still keeping the boyfriend pinned, casually draws a quartet of playing cards from an inner pocket of his coat.

  Panel 5: He charges them with energy, the girl's eyes going wide as saucers at this casual display of power. She realizes right here that he's a mutant!

  Panel 6: Gambit throws the cards, and looks so cool doing it. The man has style!

  Page 5

  Panel 1: Half-page shot of the cards striking the engine and chassis of the onrushing bus with a powerful explosion that blasts the vehicle off its wheels and starts to topple it over on its side. Boxers leap for their lives.

  Panel 2: The bus crashes spectacularly onto its side and plows into the wall of a warehouse.

  Page 6

  Panel 1: Gambit turns back to the girl, she looks shocked and borderline scared. She doesn't know what to make of him.

  Panel 2: He reaches gently out to her, cupping the cheek that the boyfriend slapped. A gesture of extreme tenderness.

  Panel 3: Suddenly, and to her surprise, he sweeps her into his arms (remember, he's still got the boyfriend pinned! He's doing all of this one-handed.)

  Panel 4: (Big shot.) And gives her a kiss that she'll remember (and treasure) the rest of her life.

  Panel 5: Shot of her watching (Wow!) …

  Panel 6: (Bigger shot.) … as Gambit leaps over the ruined bus, clobbering Boxers as he goes, as police cars race to the scene, lights and sirens blaring.

  Page 7

  Panel 1: Establishing shot of a downtown Victorian gentlemen's club, the kind that reek of power and majesty. As proper and respectable a place as you'll find anywhere, surrounded as it is by Sydney's towering downtown skyscrapers. Parked out front is Teri Baltimore's motor-cycle, established last issue.

  Panel 2: Close-up of two badges and police identification cards, for Detective-Inspector Lucas Bishop of the Australian National Police, and for Detective-Inspector Teri Baltimore of the Royal Sydney Constabulary.

  Panel 3: Pull back for a full figure front establishing shot of Bishop and Teri Baltimore, in the reception foyer of the Club, doing the cop thing, looking slightly bored (all in a day's work) as they hold up their police identification for inspection.

  Panel 4: (Major panel) Pull back and around to establish the reception foyer crammed to the Max with Mobsters. Mostly men, some women, representing all the surviving major criminal gangs of the city: the Mafia, the Yakuza, you name it. All of them are armed and every gun in the place is leveled right at Bishop and Teri, who don't seem bothered in the slightest. Go for broke, a moment of visual humor to set-up the drama to follow.

  Page 8

  Panel 1: Establishing shot of Rogue(in uniform) flying over the downtown skyscraper skyline with Gambit in her arms. She looks like a woman on a Mission. She's wearing her X-treme Sunglasses. So is Gambit.

  Panel 2: Focus on Rogue's face. There are tears on her cheeks.

  Panel 3: (Flashback) Same shot, no glasses, an expression of absolute horror on her face. She's not in costume.

  Panel 4: (Flashback) Establishing shot of Vargas standing over the bodies of the slain X-treme team, while Rogue stands by helplessly in her nightgown. Standing beside Rogue is Gambit, bare to the waist (since they've just come from bed.)

  Panel 5: (Flashback) Rogue is on her knees, cradling the body of Storm in her arms, her friend's blood staining the pristine perfection of her nightgown as Rogue swears vengeance for this slaughter.

  Panel 6: Back to reality, once more establishing Rogue and Gambit flying. He appears to be trying to comfort her.

  Panel 7: Same shot, but Gambit has morphed (transformed) into his (her) true appearance as Lady Mastermind. She's smiling the most wicked smile imaginable, a born predator with her prey helpless in her grasp. Yum!

  Page 9

  Panel 1: Establishing exterior shot of the hotel skyscraper that the X-treme is using as their base of operations here in Sydney. Very impressive.

  Panel 2: Close-up of a businessman's briefcase. It's open and papers inside are visible. The legend on one reads: From the desk of Sebastian Shaw. There's also a dossier visible, a thick personnel file. Two photos visible on the cover, full-figure shots of Tessa (in her Hellfire Club garb from when she served as personal assistant to the Club's Black King, Sebastian Shaw, and of Tessa in her current incarnation as Sage.

  Panel 3: Nifty establishing shot of Red Lotus making his wary way through the impressively huge suite.

  Panel 4: (Major shot) Establishing shot of the living room, with its spectacular view of the skyline through the bank of windows that open out onto the balcony. In the center of the room stands Sage. Her eyes are open but unseeing; thanks to Lady Mastermind she's in a fugue state, functionally catatonic. Arms draped possessively around her, looming behind her like a predator, is Sebastian Shaw. He's reclaimed a prize possession. Anyone objecting to that will have to fight him. Shawis wearing a pair of X-treme Sunglasses. Sage is not!

  Page 10

  Panel 1: Red Lotus leaps immediately to the attack with a spectacular flying kick that takes him all the way across the room …

  Panel 2: … so he can slam his foot into Shaw's face with pile-driver force. (Perfect aim, too, since the slightest error would have meant him clobbering Sage instead.) Shaw doesn't try to stop him, doesn't flinch in the slightest on contact.

  Panel 3: Red Lotus recovers in mid-air to land on his feet with pantherish grace and agility.

  Panel 4: Shaw smiles indulgently and motions for Red Lotus to try again.

  Panel 5: Red Lotus stands toe-to-toe with the bigger man (taller and broader in the shoulder), hammering a series of powerful body blows to Shaw's midriff, hitting him so hard and so fast that the motion is a blur. Shaw doesn't react at all …

  Panel 6: … until he catches Red Lotus by the hand, closing one of his own hands around one of Red's fists. This surprises Red Lotus big-time!

  Panel 7: Shaw lifts the imprisoned arm so that Red Lotus is dangling off the floor in front of him. At the same time, Shaw has drawn back his other hand to deliver a blow of his own. He's still smiling that infernally arrogant smile. Now it's his turn!

  Page 11

  Panel 1: He hits Red Lotus hard enough to bounce him off the far wall. Ouch!

  Panel 2: Focus on Red Lotus, crumpled in a heap, trying to gather body and wits for the struggle to come. He's never been hit so hard and doesn't know if he can survive another such blow.

  Panel 3: Shaw looms over him like the Wrath of God. This is not good.

  Page 12

  Panel 1: Establishing shot of Storm and her companions flying over the city. In her arms she carries, Davis Cameron. In formation with her flies Thunderbird, carrying Davis's sister, Heather. Mood with these folks is intense also.

  Panel 2: (Major shot) From their higher altitude, they spot Rogue. Being outside the influence range of their adversary's powers of illusion (or perhaps because they've caught her unawares), they see the truth, that Rogue carrying Lady Mastermind.

  Panel 3: (Major shot) Reverse angle shot from Rogue's perspective (in this shot, she's carrying Gambit), where we see the fliers above her according to Lady Mastermind's illusions. She sees Storm as Vargas, and her companions as the Thaïs twins.

  Panel 4: Rogue slings Gambit (Lady Mastermind) to safety on a conveniently adjacent roof-top …

  Panel 5: … and charges the others like a runaway missile, with blood in her eye a rebel battle cry on her lips and righteous murder in her heart.

  Page 13

  Panel 1: Before there's time for them to realize they're under attack, Rogue (who's definitely moving far faster than a speeding bullet) plows through her approaching team-mates with the unstoppable force of a battering ram, knocking them all helter-skelter head over heels. Storm bears the brunt of the impact, which also knocks Davis from her grasp.

  Panel 2: Heather and Thunderbird have also been separated. Our focus is on Heather, who's crying out in horror as her brother plunges toward the ground.

  Panel 3: As Rogue loops around for another pass …

  Panel 4: … Thunderbird (who's closer to the falling young man) streaks down after him.

  Panel 5: At the same time, Heather (who's also falling) starts her transformation into Lifeguard. First, here she turns to the golden armor form established last issue.

  Panel 6: Then, she throws her arms wide apart and wings grow from them, anchored to the full length of her back. (The idea here is that she look like a humanoid bird, with golden metal feathers. However she turns out, she should look spectacular and strikingly beautiful. Cover girl to the max!)

  Panel 7: In the proverbial nick of time, a few scant stories above the street, Thunderbird roars from the sky, trailing a wild streamer of fire, to catch Davis.

  Page 14

  Panel 1: Meanwhile, Rogue has zeroed in on Storm, who's stunned but functional as she unleashes a lightning bolt against Rogue.

  Panel 2: The bolt scores a direct hit, to absolutely no effect. (Do we want to consider scorching Rogue's uniform somewhat?) Storm is toast.

  Panel 3: At the moment of impact, Lifeguard hurls herself between Storm and Rogue, to bear the brunt of the titanic impact on her armored body.

  Panel 4: Lifeguard and Storm go crashing through the air into a nearby construction site, Lifeguard trying to wrap her armored wings around Storm to shield her from further harm.

  Panel 5: The partially constructed skyscraper collapses on top of both women.

  Page 15

  Panel 1: Pleased as can be (she's slain her own personal Gorgon), Rogue returns to the roof-top where she left Gambit …

  Panel 2: … only to find him looking like he's been in a helluva fight, face bruised and battered, collapsed in a pool of his own blood. Who did this?!?

  Panel 3: On her knees, Rogue cradles Gambit in her arms. Gambit is pointing a shaky hand across the rooftops towards the Gentlemen's Club where the mob bosses have gathered.

  Panel 4: Reaction shot of Rogue's face, this can't be possible.

  Panel 5: Shot of the upstairs balcony of the Club, where we see Vargas standing with his sword, a mocking expression on his face, his body language daring her to come after him.

  Panel 6: That she does, leaving Gambit behind.

  Page 16

  Panel 1: Cut: to the balcony, where we find it's Bishop who's standing there, watching Rogue's do-or-die approach.

  Panel 2: Grim-faced, but determined, he draws his pistols.

  Panel 3: Inside, Teri Baltimore (her service automatic drawn and ready, all cop, all business) hustles the bosses and their bodyguards towards the main stairs. Time to go, with a rush. No one gives her an argument, they're not dumb enough to fight a super-powered mutant.

  Panel 4: Establish a strike squad of Boxers lurking in the rafters beneath the huge ornamental skylight. Teri doesn't realize it but she's rushing the bosses into a deathtrap.

  Panel 5: Teri reacts (oh no!) to the sound of gunfire behind her.

  Panel 6: Cut back to the balcony as Bishop cuts loose with all the power at his command, hitting Rogue with every shot and not slowing her down in the slightest.

  Page 17

  Panel 1: Cut: back to the X-treme team's penthouse to see how Red Lotus is faring, as he ducks beneath a hugely powerful roundhouse punch thrown by Shaw. The punch is so powerful it throws Shaw a little bit off-balance. Red Lotus should look like he's taken some serious punches, while Shaw looks untouched.

  Panel 2: Red Lotus spins around in a crouch to take advantage of that by striking the back of Shaw's knee with a kick just hard enough …

  Panel 3: … to topple the bigger man off his feet.

  Panel 4: Red Lotus springs over Shaw's chest …

  Panel 5: Tight isolation shot of Red Lotus stabbing extended fore-and middle-fingers of both hands onto key pressure points on Shaw's chest and throat.

  Panel 6: … to land on his feet well clear of his adversary.

  Panel 7: Shaw likewise rolls to his feet, but his left arm hangs limp and paralysed. He isn't smiling anymore. Suddenly, this fight seems a whole lot more fair.

  Page 18

  Panel 1: Cut: back to the Club as the ornate skylight above the main stairwell (and the fleeing bosses, and the assembled Boxers waiting in ambush) shatters under the explosive impact of a brace of charged playing cards. Everyone reacts: what the hell?!?

  Panel 2: Enter the real Gambit, dropping through the shattered skylight amidst the shower of stained glass (he's probably rappelling down a climbing rope; however you portray him, make him look outrageously good), with a panache and a style that would do Errol Flynn or Douglas Fairbanks proud.

  Panel 3: This flushes the lurking Boxers from hiding and spoils their ambush big-time. Bad guys thrown into chaos and confusion.

  Panel 4: Mobsters and bodyguards react accordingly, by opening fire. Instant, major-league firefight.

  Panel 5: Suddenly, everyone is thrown off their feet as the building shudders under a terrific impact.

  Panel 6: Cut: back upstairs to show Rogue slamming through the wall and into the still firing Bishop.

  Page 19

  Panel 1: Teri Baltimore shoots Rogue right between the eyes, shattering her ruby quartz glasses. Otherwise, the bullet simply bounces off harmlessly.

  Panel 2: Reverse angle shot of the room from Rogue's point-of-view. She sees everyone present as Vargas.

  Panel 3: Cut: to the rooftop where she left Gambit, who appears unhurt now, standing and watching with a cruel and wicked smile (and stance as well) that is totally Lady Mastermind.

  Panel 4: "Gambit" seems totally unaware of Davis Cameron is sneaking up from behind …

  Panel 5: … until Davis suddenly finds himself anchored to the roof by a tremendous number of ultra-strength super-villain shackles that force him to his knees (shackles on his wrists, his ankles, around his waist, around his neck, across his mouth, over his head.) Think of what you'd need to hold the Hulk and then increase that by a factor of ten.

  Panel 6: Show the scene in "reality," with Lady Mastermind smiling wickedly at Davis, who's on his knees. From the position of body and limbs we can assume he's shackled but of course, nothing is visible. The chains are all in his mind.

  Panel 7: Lady Mastermind lifts the toe of her boot for him to kiss. She so loves having beautiful boys at her mercy.

  Page 20

  Panel 1: Then, too late, she realizes something's terribly wrong.

  Panel 2: Pull way back and up into the sky to establish Thunderbird hovering over the city, in the act of throwing a charged plasma sphere.

  Panel 3: It rips across the heavens at the speed of light …

  Panel 4: … and detonates with a thunderclap right in front of Lady Mastermind, with sufficient force (and then some) to smash her down, instantly unconscious.

  Panel 5: Cut: to the Club as Rogue staggers, as though she's been hit. She has Teri Baltimore by the throat.

  Panel 6: Shot of the room, looking past Rogue, as the figures revert to their normal appearance.

  Panel 7: Then, with a cry of rage and vengeance, Rogue scoops Teri (who now looks once more like Vargas) high into the air, meaning to hurl her to her death! Even though Lady Mastermind is unconscious, the effects of her illusions linger.

  Page 21

  Panel 1: The real Gambit taps Rogue on the shoulder from behind.

  Panel 2: She whirls, releasing Teri (who still looks like Vargas), to throw a punch at Gambit, who also looks like Vargas. He ducks beneath it.

  Panel 3: She punchs again, and connects. It's like the Vargas image is a porcelain façade; each time she hits it, bits and pieces shatter, to reveal the true figure beneath.

  Panel 4: She hits again (more Vargas bits shatter and flake off, revealing more and more of Gambit underneath; we'll leave the face for last) …

  Panel 5: … and again (same thing) …

  Panel 6: … and again (same thing) …

  Panel 7: … until only the face is left. The face of Vargas on the body of Gambit.

  Page 22

  Panel 1: Rogue reaches out gently, tenderly, as though to grasp the most fragile piece of gossamer china. The expression on her face is one of confusion and disbelief, but also hope.

  Panel 2: She lifts away the Vargas "mask" …

  Panel 3: … to reveal the true face of Gambit underneath. (The Vargas face vanishes in her grasp; it was after all only an illusion.)

  Panel 4: The two of them embrace. Use this shot to pull back and establish the context. Bishop is tending to Teri while other uniformed cops rush in with drawn weapons.

  Panel 5: Same shot, only our point-of-view is through a set of X-treme Sunglasses.

  Panel 6: Pull around to establish Red Lotus slumped on his backside, sitting wearily against the wall of the balcony beside a huge hole. Obviously something (someone) crashed through here to fall from a great height. Just as obviously, it wasn't him. (Therefore, it must have been Shaw.) Lotus has removed the glasses. He looks exhausted. This was a fight for the record books. But he doesn't look triumphant.

  Panel 7: We end with the reason why, the last shot of the book, showing him seated looking up at Sage, who stands blank-eyed like a statue in the center of the room. She's still trapped in Lady Mastermind's illusion.

  Next: Face the Music!