| “ | The name's Gambit, mon ami. Remember it. | „ |
| ~ Gambit |
Remy Etienne LeBeau, better known as Gambit, was one of the main protagonists of 1992-97 animated superhero series X-Men: The Animated Series and its 2024 sequel series, X-Men '97, as well as a guest character in Spider-Man: The Animated Series. He was a roguish Cajun mutant with the ability to charge objects with explosively volatile energy, most often the thrown playing cards he used as weapons. He also used to be Rogue's romantic partner, until they decided to remain friends.
He was initially voiced by Chris Potter before he was replaced by Tony Daniels in the original series, and by A.J. LoCascio in X-Men '97.
History[]
X-Men: The Animated Series[]
At some point, Gambit joined the X-Men. According to Wolverine, he was "never straight with them". Despite this, Gambit helped the team and became a valuable member.
One night, he was buying cards from a store in the mall. He flirted with the female clerk before Sentinels arrived at the mall, chasing after a young girl named Jubilee. Gambit left the store and assisted her by shooting cards at the Sentinels before being momentarily knocked down. Gambit warned Jubilee to keep running. After Jubilee was saved by Gambit and the others, Gambit had a training exercise with Wolverine. Gambit was helped in defeating Wolverine by Jubilee, who believed that he was in a real fight with him. Later, Gambit saved Jubilee after she left the base and was captured. When he asked her if she missed him, she hugged him and Gambit assumed that was indication that she had. Gambit partook in a training exercise with Rogue, Jean, Storm and Jubilee. He used his cards to destroy several machines before Xavier stopped it and talked about Morph briefly. Gambit was shot at by several blast that Xavier activated with a button. As ordered by Storm, he disabled the targeting cameras. He, Jubilee and Jean tried to slow down a wall in the Danger Room before Storm went ballistic. After Jean and Cyclops were captured, Gambit went with Storm, Wolverine and Rogue to find them, commenting that they find weird places to hangout. When Wolverine told them he was getting someone's scent, Gambit told him that they might be tracking them. The four were attacked by a Morlocks and one hit Gambit and Wolverine and stuck the two to the wall. After the confrontation, Gambit went with the three into a tunnel. As Storm's claustrophobia started to affect her, Gambit told Wolverine to help her, believing she wouldn't make it. When the group found Jean and fought several Morlocks in an attempt to find Cyclops. While fighting, he was about to throw a card before an old Morlock woman got in his way. Using her powers on him, Gambit was convinced he had the plague and taken back to the mansion by Rogue.
Gambit was present when Xavier told Cyclops to select three X-Men to go to an island. He was picked by Cyclops to be second leader of the team, following Storm.
Gambit went with Storm and Jubilee to Genosha, an island in which mutants could apparently rest without worries of prosecution just for being different from ordinary humans. At first, Gambit took a liking to the island, before being abducted from his new home to work as slaves along with Jubilee, Storm and some other mutants. He managed to escape the island and looked for a way to get the shock collar off of him and the others. He ran into Cable, who gave him a device able to do so. When he returned to the island, he used the device to liberate all of the mutants on the island.
While former X-Man Angel was being controlled by Apocalypse, Gambit played pool with Rogue. When Rogue told him that he was behind, Gambit assured her that she had not won yet and told her that she needed incentive, alluding to Gambit wanting a kiss. When Rogue asked him if he wanted to be in a hospital, Gambit assured her that he had plenty of energy. Gambit's pool skills were sabotaged by Jean and were commented on by Storm, who Gambit was surprised to see make a joke.
Gambit went with Cyclops, Wolverine, Jean and Storm to fight of Apocalypse's horsemen. He saved Wolverine, by throwing an explosive card at a pillar that was about to collapse on him. Gambit went with the four and regrouped with Rogue to defeat Apocalypse and his horsemen. After Archangel shot the rest of the horsemen, Gambit and the other X-Men prepared to defeat Apocalypse, before he escaped.
X-Men '97[]
In the months that followed, the X-Men found new acceptance from the world and a sanction from the United Nations, as tensions between mutants and humans de-escalated. The team was joined by Bishop, who had been stranded in the past, and continued their fight for human and mutant coexistence.
The team was soon thrown into disarray when the last will of Xavier revealed that he had left the mansion and the team to Magneto. Magneto assumed leadership of the X-Men, resisting their demands that he prove himself, and instead demanding their loyalty. When the U.N. learned of his location, they sent a taskforce to arrest him. Magneto agreed to come peacefully in order to stand trial for his crimes. While Magneto won his freedom, the trial was invaded by the Friends of Humanity who sought to de-power Magneto as revenge for his crimes. Instead, Storm sacrificed herself and lost her powers, leaving the X-Men.
Gambit was unaware that Magneto and Rogue had shared a romantic past, which both had kept hidden for years and made possible by the fact that Magneto's powers allowed him and Rogue to touch each other. With the two now teammates, they began spending more and more time together, arousing Gambit's suspicions. When the new mutant nation of Genosha was recognized by the United Nations, Magneto, Rogue and Gambit traveled there to attend a celebration.
Magneto was offered the position of chancellor, Genosha's head of government, and accepted on the condition that Rogue also be given a position on the council. Rogue decided to accept Magneto's offer, and told Gambit of her and Magneto's past. Unable to cope with not being able to touch him, Rogue decided to end their relationship. While hurt, Gambit told her that they would still be friends. During the banquet, Magneto and Rogue shared a sensual dance and a kiss, prompting Gambit to leave. The festivities were soon interrupted by the arrival of a giant Sentinel which began laying waste to the island. Gambit, Rogue and Magneto rallied to fight the Sentinel, pushing their way to the bay to rescue trapped Morlocks. After Magneto seemingly died protecting the Morlocks, a furious Rogue tried to blindly attack the Sentinel. Gambit saved her by pushing her out of the way, and launched his own attack.
The Sentinel impaled him, but with his dying breath, he unleashed his powers, charging the entire Sentinel and destroying it. Gambit's burned body was cradled by a heartbroken Rogue, who unbeknownst to Gambit had ultimately rejected Magneto for him after their dance. Gambit was buried on the grounds of the mansion, in a ceremony attended by both the X-Men and his old friends from the Thieves Guild.
Abilities[]
Gambit has the ability to change objects with explosive charges of kinetic energy that his body produces from non-organic matter. He commonly does this to playing cards since he can easily store them and throw the cards. However, this means he goes through them quickly and is often buying new packs of cards. He can also do this to other objects, such as a brick, but does this less often.
He also has a extendable metal Bo-staff that he uses for fending off further attacks and is skilled in martial arts. Gambit also regularly exercises and has the skills of a master thief.
Personality[]
On many occasions, Gambit hardly sees the point of involving himself in life-risking situations, even if its own personal affairs, but his better nature draws him in. Likewise, he likes to flirt with women and frequently makes dumb or reckless decisions because of his libido. But he also does respect consent and boundaries, saying "Gambit don't go where he not invited." Despite his lustful manner, when he is in love, he doesn't need physical gratification, as he was willing to remain with Rogue, even though her uncontrolled powers left them unable to bare touch; he continued to flirt with her, but didn't need physical intimacy, despite her belief that she would forever leave him denied and he'd resent her for it.
While he was capable of jealousy, he respected a lover - or former lover - if they opted to reject him without animosity on his part, as Rogue chose Magneto over him; despite this, he was still heartbroken by it, thus couldn't stand watching them be intimate. Even rejected, Gambit was mature enough to not let his heartbreak interfere during times of crisis, and in fact maintained composure better than Rogue, whom became reckless due to the apparent death of Magneto. He saved her life and sacrificed himself for the survivors of Genosha, showing that despite his repeated claims of being a bad person, he was actually a hero.
Trivia[]
- In season 1 of X-Men '97, Xavier had a vision of Gambit becoming Apocalypse's Horseman of Death, thus hinting at Gambit's possible return in season 2.
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