Gladiator vs. Cannonball
So here it is, the famous fight where Cannonball beat Gladiator. But, that's not really what happened is it. I mean, according to people who don't actually pay attention to what they're reading, it might've happened, but to the people who actually read it, they'd know that the fight doesn't end conclusively. So now i'm gonna de-construct it so people know that no one wins.
So let's start off. The first page where Glads appears, i don't have scanned. But all that happens is Glads teleports in and knocks Sam and a girl he was rescuing into a wall.
So, scan 1- Gladiator doesn't want to fight, he's just looking for the X-Men.
Scan 2- Cannonball starts the fight without hearing Gladiator out.
Scan 3- Cannonball moves the fight outside (but makes a strange detour through another building o.0). Gladiator stops them in mid-blast, which according to Sam isn't possible. Notice the smug grin on Kallark's face, i don't think he's taking this seriously.
Scan 4- Sam is pushing as hard as he can against Kallark, but it's not working. Notice Kallark is still smirking and sais, "Surrender now before you hurt yourself". Still not wanting to fight, or taking Sam seriously. So Sam outsmarts him and uses momentum.
Scan 5- Kallark whacks Sam and Sam feels it through his force field. Then Kallark completely out speeds Sam. Notice all Kallark does is try to subdue Sam with the metal, obviously still not wanting to fight.
Scan 6- Sam breaks out of the metal, and Kallark has finally had it, gets serious and sais he going to punch Sam into the sun.
Scan 7- Sam comes up with something he's never done before and never done since (which is a pity). Kallark's blow has no effect, and Kallark is of course very shaken.
Scan 8- Sam takes advantage of the moment and sends Kallark flying into construction below. (there's a theory that Sam essentially hit Kallark with his own blow when this happens. Because all the power form Kallark's blow is transferred into Sam's force field, and when Sam hits Kallark it's released back against Kallark. This hasn't been confirmed though so it is just a theory.)
Scan 9- The rest of the X-Men arrive and it's explained how Sam managed what he did. And then, Kallark is back up only one page after he is supposedly beaten. Not only is he up, he sends metal girders flying everywhere. Hmm, doesn't really seem like someone who's just been beaten.
Scan 10- Kallark tells the X-Men why he's here. Doesn't look beaten to me. Actually looks like the fight's been interrupted therefore there is no victor.
Scan 11- Kallark teleports the X-Men away, but refuses to send Sam because he considers Sam to be a child. SO still, doesn't take him that seriously. Also doesn't look at all beaten on this page.
1. http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/4905/gladiatorvscannonball05sy.jpg
2. http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/5056/gladiatorvscannonball17pb.jpg
3. http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/9223/gladiatorvscannonball23jc.jpg
4. http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/4466/gladiatorvscannonball35ma.jpg
5. http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/8432/gladiatorvscannonball41tu.jpg
6. http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/6572/gladiatorvscannonball54cb.jpg
7. http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/8996/gladiatorvscannonball60bv.jpg
8. http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/7636/gladiatorvscannonball71bh.jpg
9. http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/7343/gladiatorvscannonball84be.jpg
10. http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/2407/gladscannon014wx.jpg
11. http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/2822/gladscannon023wy.jpg
(sorry about the quality of the last 2 scans. my scanner's being a *****.)
So, if you listen to logic, you see that Sam did not beat Kallark and the fight was interrupted before there could be a clear victor. You'd also see that Kallark was not serious until that last part where he's taken by surprise.
Personally, this is a favorite issue of mine. Sam is finally written as confident and using his abilities in new ways and it's a pity it didn't stick. The art is great, and Kallark is written well. But as i've said there's no winner to an interrupted fight. Now, you can admit what this post proves or you can ignore it. It's up to you. But i have shown proof that no one won this fight.
And if you think Sam could beat Kallark when he's serious, you're mistaken.