Carlton's miserable six-game losing streak is over after obliterating a disappointing Gold Coast by 59 points at the MCG to ease pressure on coach Michael Voss.
The Blues came to a life with an extraordinary 9.3 to 0.3 second quarter to blow Sunday's match wide open with 30 minutes of power.
After conceding the first two goals of the match, Carlton slammed through the next 12 in a performance more reminiscent of their 8-2 start to the 2022 season rather than this year's disappointing campaign.
The Blues' run of unanswered goals was their most in a row for 25 years as they cruised to a 18.12 (120) to 8.13 (61) victory after the Suns mostly held their own after halftime.
But the damage was done during a devastating period of dominance during the second quarter, with the 54-point margin the second greatest by any term this season after Geelong hammered Hawthorn 10.5 to 0.0 on Easter Monday.
They had lost their past six matches and eight of their past nine, frustrating the club's large supporter base that had dreams of ending their 10-year finals drought.
Unlike recent weeks when the Blues have been booed, supporters gave their team a standing ovation as players walked off the MCG at halftime and cheered as Carlton scored 100 points for just the third time this season.
Carlton's under-fire midfield lifted, with out-of-contract tall Tom De Koning firing in the ruck and allowing Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps, Sam Walsh and Adam Cerra to dominate the Suns' young brigade of Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson.
In his 100th game, Harry McKay finished with a game-high three majors in a confidence boost for the 2021 Coleman medallist who has experienced some mental demons kicking for goal this year.
As good as Carlton were, Gold Coast's lack of workrate in the second quarter was a huge concern for a team with ambitions of playing finals for the first time in their 13-year existence.
The Suns notched up impressive wins in Darwin against finals contenders Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs.
But the bye came at the wrong time for Gold Coast, putting in their worst performance of the season when a victory would have catapulted them into the top eight.
The Blues' bye coming up will be much more enjoyable after a badly needed victory, before facing Hawthorn at the MCG in round 16.
Meanwhile, Gold Coast (6-7) have a season-defining fortnight back at Heritage Bank Stadium ahead with home games against Hawthorn and premiership favourites Collingwood to come.
