History ComicBook / Gambit

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[[caption-width-right:350:"[[VideoGame/XMenVsStreetFighter You don't mess with the Cajun.]]"]]

''Gambit'' is a Creator/MarvelComics character created by Creator/ChrisClaremont and Jim Lee, first officially appearing in ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen'' #266 (August, 1990) due to the comic of his second appearance being released weeks earlier.

Not too long after his birth in [[TheBigEasy New Orleans, Louisiana]], Remy [=LeBeau=] was kidnapped from the hospital by the [=LeBeau=] Clan Thieves' Guild. During this time he was both sought after and feared because of his [[TechnicolorEyes unusual black-on-red eyes]]. In part to protect him from a child trafficker, Jean-Luc [=LeBeau=], the leader of the Thieves' Guild, secretly sent Remy to be part of a gang of young pickpockets before adopting him as a Guild member and his son.

As a teen, he honed his thievery skills, learned acrobatics, Savate (a French martial art) and Bojutsu (bo staff fighting) and learned he had a mutant power: the ability to force objects to explode by "charging" them, converting their potential energy into kinetic energy. The bigger the item the longer it took to charge, so he preferred to use smaller items like his WeaponOfChoice, a deck of playing cards. Around this time he also got mixed up with Mr. Sinister during a mission.

To placate and attempt peace between the Thieves' Guild and their rivals the Assassins' Guild, Remy married Bella Donna, his first love and the granddaughter of the Assassins' leader. After the wedding, he was challenged by her brother Julien to a duel. Remy killed Julian, leaving Jean-Luc no choice but to exile him. Striking out on his own as a thief for hire, [[PowerIncontinence his powers grew beyond his control]]. Mr. Sinister fixed the problem, but at a cost. Gambit formed the [[PsychoForHire Marauders]] and led them into the New York tunnels on Sinister's order. The Marauders were responsible for the Morlock Massacre, killing many of the mutants in the group, with Gambit unable to stop it. He was only able to save one child, who later became Marrow.

After that he traveled the world, saving a thieving de-aged ComicBook/{{Storm}} with LaserGuidedAmnesia from the Shadow King. Storm got her age and memories back and became responsible for Gambit joining the X-Men. Despite helping the X-Men save the day many times and forming a long-running relationship with Rogue, he remained a mysterious figure in the group, with Franchise/{{Wolverine}} never completely trusting him. Eventually, his secret involvement with Mr. Sinister and the Marauders was outed by ComicBook/{{Magneto}}, and once the truth was revealed through a kiss from Rogue, the X-Men abandoned him in Antarctica, effectively kicking him off the team.

Surviving the ordeal with the help of an energy-based mutant named Mary Purcell, Gambit would rejoin and leave the X-Men several times after. At one point, both Gambit and Rogue lost their powers, letting them finally touch and explore their relationship. Despite this, Gambit went through several misfortunes including being blinded, being forced to be one of Apocalypse's horsemen, and [[ComicBook/AvengersVsXMen being defeated in battle]] by Captain America. He currently serves on the X-Men. His and Rogue's relationship remained rocky as Rogue still had trust issues and, of course, had her powers to worry about, resulting in both seeing Emma Frost for therapy. Mystique attempting to seduce Gambit to prove he wasn't good enough for Rogue in the 2005 "Bizarre Love Triangle" story certainly didn't help matters.

As of the end of James Asmus' Gambit solo series, Gambit is now King of the all the Thieves Guilds. In 2013, he left the X-Men to join the All-New X-Factor for a time. As of 2018, he's now married to Rogue, having both Kitty and Piotr's blessing, since Kitty backed out of marrying Piotr.

In other media, Gambit became popular because of his inclusion in the UsefulNotes/TheNineties' ''WesternAnimation/XMen'' animated series, two years after his debut in the comics. He has been played by Creator/TaylorKitsch in ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine''. A solo movie was in DevelopmentHell for a long time, and appears to have been definitely abandoned following the buyout of Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox by Creator/{{Disney}}.

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!! Gambit appears in:

[[AC:Comic Books]]
* ''Gambit Vol. 1'' (1993)
* ''Wolverine[=/=]Gambit: Victims'' (1995)
* ''Gambit Vol. 2'' (1997)
* ''Gambit Vol. 3'' (1999)
* ''Gambit & Bishop'' (2001)
* ''Gambit Vol. 4'' (2004)
* ''Gambit Vol. 5'' (2012)
* ''[[ComicBook/RogueAndGambit Rogue & Gambit]]'' (2018)
* ''ComicBook/MrAndMrsX'' (2018)
* ''ComicBook/Excalibur2019''

[[AC:Film]]
* ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'' (2009), played by Creator/TaylorKitsch.

[[AC:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/XMenMutantApocalypse'' (1994): Appears as a playable character.
* ''VideoGame/XMenVsStreetFighter'' (1996): Appears as a playable character.
* ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomClashOfSuperHeroes'' (1998): Appears as a playable character.
* ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom2'' (2000): Appears as a playable character.
* ''VideoGame/XMenNextDimension'' (2002): Appears as a playable character.
* ''VideoGame/XMenLegends'' (2004): Appears as a playable character.
* ''X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse'' (2005): Appears as a playable character.
* ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance'' (2006): Cameo.
* ''Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2'' (2009): Appears as a playable character.
* ''VideoGame/MarvelAvengersAlliance'' (2012): Appears as a playable character.
* ''VideoGame/MarvelHeroes'' (2013): Appears as a playable character.
* ''VideoGame/LEGOMarvelSuperHeroes'' (2013): Appears as a playable character.
* ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance3TheBlackOrder'' (2019): Appears as a playable character through DLC.

[[AC:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/XMen''
* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries'' (two episodes)
* ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution''
* ''WesternAnimation/WolverineAndTheXMen'' (two episodes)

No relation to anything in the GambitIndex.

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!! Gambit provides examples of:

* NinetiesAntiHero: In the literal sense, as an AntiHero introduced in the 90's, but also clear from his loose morals, [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]], {{Permastubble}}, and outfit consisting of a BadassLongcoat over skintight armor. No guns, at least.
* AdaptationalVillainy: His ''X-Men: Evolution'' and ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' incarnations are less noble, the latter especially so, selling all mutantkind out in the name of money. The former, though, was hinted in the finale to eventually join the X-Men.
* AntiHero: While he was raised a thief, his morality is quite clear as stated in ''Mr. and Mrs. X #3'', ''"My moral compass is just fine. I know what's right."'' He fights for what he considers a good cause and on other matters, his morality is set in stone about what is and isn't right.
* AscendedExtra: After being OutOfFocus for some time, he became one of the leads of All-New X-Factor until he left.
* TheAtoner: He joined the X-Men due to [[spoiler:unwittingly helping the Marauders commit genocide on the Morlocks]]. Admittedly, Gambit [[spoiler:never intentionally took part in said genocide]] and continues to be a much loved thief with a heart of gold to fans.
* BadassLongcoat: Pretty much his iconic outfit.
* BadPowersBadPeople: During his time as the Horseman of Death, Gambit's powers changed from his normal set into "create bio-matter dissolving bombs", [[PoisonousPerson "transmute air into poisonous gas"]] and [[MindRape "corrupt others into his mindless slaves"]].
* BadPowersGoodPeople: Being able to create an endless supply of bombs -- or to turn ''people'' into bombs, if he hadn't crippled his powerset -- is the kind of power you'd normally see used by a villainous character. Gambit, in comparison, is a LoveableRogue who genuinely wants to do good.
* BattleCouple: Fights alongside his long-time lover ComicBook/{{Rogue}} in many forms of media.
* BigBrotherMentor: Gambit used to be protective of the de-aged Storm and both of them became thieving partners before she had turned back to normal. He later becomes a mentor of Laura Kinney (a.k.a. ComicBook/{{X 23}}) during her solo series, which many fans consider to be the start of his finally growing up.
* CaneFu: His particular style of bojutsu focuses on the use of a shortstaff, roughly the size of a cane. At varying times he's been shown to wield a collapsible staff, which he can fold down to be small enough to conceal or extend to either cane-length or full-on quarterstaff length as he pleases.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: During his time as a Horseman of Apocalypse. It took a visit from Mr. Sinister to get rid of most of it.
* TheCasanova: Largely considered to be a reformed example, having given up his whoring ways since meeting Rogue. Until they broke up anyway.
* TheCharmer: He's very adept at sweet-talking others and can really pour on the verbal charm if he wants to.
* CharmPerson: Depending on who's writing at the time, he has a degree of "hypnotic charm" that even [[EvenTheGuysWantHim works on men]]. However, it ''doesn't'' work if the charmee knows about it.
* ComboPlatterPowers:
** Zigzagged. At his core, not so much; Gambit has training in certain skills (sleight of hand, acrobatics, thievery), but his only superpower is to manipulate kinetic energy in order to turn things into explosives. However, over the years, he has sometimes also had a low-level psychic charm ability, as well as the ability to use charged objects as telepathic scramblers.
** That said, the New Sun storyline has established that Gambit could have a much larger and more diverse array of powers if he fully grew into his ability to manipulate kinetic energy. The New Sun has the power of "Total Kinetic Control", allowing him to manipulate kinetic energy on a molecular level. At its basic, this is Gambit's StuffBlowingUp power... except the New Sun can do it much faster, can do it by ''thinking about it'' instead of needing to touch it, and he can use it ''on living beings'', unlike Gambit. He can also affect the ability of other things to move, either preventing them from being able to stop or stopping them dead, manipulate other energies related to kinetic energy (for example, [[PlayingWithFire setting things on fire]] by accelerating their molecular agitation, or [[AnIcePerson freezing them]]] by slowing it), and turn into a being of living kinetic energy, a form in which he can travel between planets, through time, and even between dimensions.
** More recently, he's been using his powers more creatively. For instance, in his 2012 series, he used them to power an Iron Man armor he was stealing in order to keep War Machine from remotely shutting down its regular power source.
* ConspicuousGloves: Gambit also wears gloves. His touch allows him to change the potential energy of objects he touches into kinetic energy; his gloves have a few fingers open or missing so he can "charge" and manipulate his cards (one of his weapons of choice). That said, the gloves' design is also [[RuleOfCool cool]].
* CoolOldGuy: Considered one by the teenage ComicBook/{{X 23}}, and a number of the younger X-Men.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Kidnapped as an infant and raised by a society of thieves who believed that he was destined to unite several warring factions, wound up homeless and living on the streets before he was even a teenager, captured by an immortal mutant and sold into slavery, was later hired by Sinister, was roped into an arranged marriage and wound up killing the brother of his bride-to-be in a duel, was exiled from New Orleans, and eventually wound up taking part in a genocide without even knowing that that was his duty to repay Sinister... yeah, his formative years sucked. The fact that his past tends to have a way of coming back to bite him in the ass does not help matters.
* DeadpanSnarker: He is the absolute King of this trope. Every other sentence that comes out of his mouth is a snark. And you can never tell when he means it.
* DeathDealer: One of the most iconic examples. As he puts it in ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution'':
--> It's like having 52 explosives tucked away in one little pocket.
* DependingOnTheArtist: Some artists and/or colorists cannot get his eye colors right.
* DependingOnTheWriter: His general characterization of "lovable rogue" is pretty consistent, but his level of attachment and sentimentality can vary. Sometimes he's a sweetheart older brother figure. Other times he has more of a "looking out for number one" attitude. His accent can also vary, some writers (like Peter David) don't even use it at all. Some of the details of his powers (even after accounting for his brain surgery) also vary, like whether or not he has enough control over the rate of energy conversion to use objects as noted under MundaneUtility.
* DidNotThinkThisThrough: He ''volunteered'' to be a Horseman, apparently not remembering that Apocalypse likes using brainwashing to control his underlings, and wasn't able to resist.
* DubNameChange: The Spanish dub of the first ''X-Men'' animated series saw a curious example with Gambit. They did not want to translate it literally as "gambito" because, aside from being an extremely obscure word in Spanish, it is an unfortunate homophone for "little male shrimp". The solution? They called him "gámbito", changing the accent from the I to the A. This form doesn't exist in Spain and is basically a made up word, but it was distinctive enough to be cool as a name, and it eventually stuck with the character in Spanish popular culture.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: In Gambit's very first appearance, he charged his cards by way of green energy from his eyes. The artist quickly abandoned this in favor of having him just use his hands.
* EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench: This is part of the reason why he's a Cajun; his Louisiana French accent helps feed his 90s "cool" motif. He also makes free use of this trope when trying to be charming.
* EvilCostumeSwitch: When Gambit was made into Death by Apocalypse, not only does his hair turn white and his skin blue-black, but he finally gets the memo that black cloaks are cooler and wears a black bondage cloak instead of his usual, shabby trenchcoat.
* Main/EvilCounterpart: New Sun, an alternate reality Remy [=LeBeau=] who never got the surgery to reduce his powers (unlike main universe Remy), and came to the main universe to kill Gambit.
* FacePalm: His icon in ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom''.
* FakeDefector: On several occasions in various mediums, Gambit has seemingly turned traitor, only to reveal he was faking it in order to get the drop on whoever he had seemingly allied with.
* FingerlessGloves: Gambit wears gloves that are missing fingers, perhaps as a nod to his past as a thief. Also a necessity for his powers, since his mutant ability to kinetically charge (i.e. blow up) objects depends on him touching the object. If he wore full gloves, he would only be able to blow up his gloves.
* FlightStrengthHeart
** Gambit used to have a power which had no practical applications but meant he could touch Rogue. Though this was useful as the two were lovers. [[RuleOfDrama He lost it, of course.]]
** He also had a "charm" power, which everyone except Chris Claremont completely ignored. It might have helped if he used it more than a couple times a year.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Sabretooth (who was also a Marauder) recognized and casually talked to Gambit during his first encounter with Gambit as an X-Man. It would be ''years'' before the retcon of Gambit's role in the Morlock massacre was finally revealed.
* FunetikAksent: Just like his lover, ComicBook/{{Rogue}}, he has quite buttload examples of this.
-->''[[ItsNotYouItsMe "IT NOT YOU,]] [[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CV9p38NWIAIGM75.png IT GAMBIT"]]''
* TheGambler: The page image for a reason. He energizes playing cards to explode on impact and tosses them with precision at his targets. He could use anything if he felt like it (various incarnations have used chains, billiard balls, and an overturned bus), but playing cards are both convenient and stylish. The explosion is proportional to the size of the object, so cards, poker chips and other thematic objects are consistent and controllable.
** That, and in some media, Gambit is shown to be an avidly-good player of card games, as he naturally has a sleight of hand and/or a knack for those games even without his powers.
* {{Geek}}: Gambit has a healthy appreciation for things like Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer, Franchise/StarTrek, Franchise/StarWars and Franchise/{{Dune}}.
* GlowingEyesOfDoom: His eyes have been known to give off red energy when he's intended to look particularly badass.
* GoodSmokingEvilSmoking: Used to smoke in the early '90s.
* HavingABlast: He has a power to turn any object he touches into a bomb, as small as a playing card or as big as a car (he used that one when teaming up with Ben Grimm from the ComicBook/FantasticFour).
* HighlyVisibleNinja: A skilled thief whose normal outfit is bright purple armor. He's just that good. He switches to bright yellow for All-New X-factor. However, when he's actually working as a thief, particularly in recent series, he's changed into an all-black male cat-suit.
* HotSkittyOnWailordAction: In one issue of his 2013 series, Gambit gets pulled into Camelot where he's lusted after by a flock of beautiful pixies. When he returns to Earth some time later, one of them makes an UnusualEuphemism that indicates he probably had sex with them. Given that he's probably about twelve times the mass and size of any of them, one is left wondering just how that worked.
* {{Hypocrite}}: His treatment of Hellion for killing Karima during the X-23 solo series. Gambit and Wolverine look at him as a pariah at best, a monster at worst, effectively imprison him in the school by locking him in his room, and constantly badmouth him when X-23 comes to visit. This despite Karima ''begging'' Julian to kill her to prevent her programming from taking control again and forcing her to continue her attack on Utopia, and not helped at all that he, Wolverine, and even Laura have done ''far'' worse (both willingly or not) and been forgiven for it (and in fact, in the ''very same series'' Gambit tries to help Laura deal with her own issues over the things she's done in the past). However, it is ironic that during the incident where Hellion destroyed Karima in one X-Men Legacy issue, both Gambit and Wolverine were absent.
* IconicOutfit: Gambit's BadassLongcoat and FingerlessGloves are synonymous with him.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: [[ImprovisedWeapon The exploding playing cards]], not the bo staff. Due to the nature of his powers, he's also been known to use anything in reach if he's somehow unable to reach his cards. He simply prefers the cards since they come in small-packaged in packs of at least 52 naturally, and with his powers, can explode with the force of at least a grenade.
** A tie-in with [[ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} Deadpool]] sees him discover that a can of beans is particularly dangerous in his hands. [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments He makes a note to start carrying them.]]
* KilledOffForReal: In the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe, he died in a fight with Juggernaut.
* KindHeartedCatLover: He has three cats, and is very fond of them.
* LawyerFriendlyCameo: [[Literature/WheresWally Waldo]] makes a background appearance at the end of issue 8 in his 2012 on-going series.
* LongLostSibling: In ''some'' continuities, he's the third Summers brother. In others, he's a half-clone of Scott and Sinister.
* LoveAtFirstPunch: ''Rogue & Gambit'' establishes that he feels this way about the first time he met Rogue. He admits he was attracted to her right away but it was her ability to kick his ass that really won him over.
* LikeBrotherAndSister:
** Him and Storm, more so early on in his tenure than now, but they are still very close.
** He also has similar relationships with Laura and Jubilee.
* MadeASlave: He was sold into slavery as a child. ''Twice.''
* TheMagicTouch: He has the ability to turn anything he touches into an explosive. Although he prefers to charge and flick playing cards at his opponent. In regards to this, other forms of media show that his powers seem to have some effect in altering/handling the flight path of his thrown cards.
* TheMasochismTango: With Rogue.
* MasterOfTheMixedMessage: He and Rogue take turns on this. Early on, Gambit was the one hot for Rogue, with her being extremely wishy-washy about her desire to be with him and angsting about her powers and past. Then, when she got over it and finally returned his feelings, ''his'' DarkAndTroubledPast came to light and ''he'' became the wishy-washy party. From then on, it's continuously jumped back-and-forth between the two. In particular, during his 2012 series, Rogue becomes hostile to Gambit's new lover as the three work together, and when he calls her out on her attitude, she [[AnguishedDeclarationOfLove says she still loves him.]] As of 2018, they're ''finally'' married.
* MinionWithAnFInEvil: During the late 00s, he worked for Sinister, leading the Marauders, though only to protect a severely incapacitated Rogue from whatever Sinister was planning. On one occasion he sabotaged Sinister's plot, destroying Destiny's diaries to prevent anyone else getting them. When using Cerebra, the Stepford Cuckoos note they can feel his emotions, and that he felt "utterly lost".
* MoralityPet: Becomes one for X-23 in her solo series.
* MrFanservice: Gambit has always been ''very'' popular with the female demographic.
* MundaneUtility:
** [[DependingOnTheWriter While it varies from story to story]], he's been shown to have control over how quickly objects release their energy once he charges them. He's occasionally used his powers to turn an object (naturally, typically a playing card) into a light source, and he's also used charged objects to light his cigarettes.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: See "MyGreatestFailure" below? [[spoiler:Remy was still in the sewers when the Marauders started their mass murder of the Morlocks and was horrified by the fact that was what he'd gathered the team for.]]
* MyGreatestFailure: While he was duped into it to repay a debt to Mr. Sinster, there's the fact that there's his role [[spoiler:as the one to gather the Marauders for what'd become the events of ''Mutant Massacre'' (the titular mass murder of a lot of the Morlocks, as well as Angel's wings getting injured).]]
* NonIndicativeName: "Gambit" is actually a TabletopGame/{{Chess}} term. But the Cajun's choice of games is cards. However, it is also a MeaningfulName considering that the chess term refers to a move where the player makes a sacrifice to gain an advantageous position, sort of how his powers blow things up. Also carrying a whole chess set would look kind of strange.
* OutdatedOutfit: Gambit's trademark outfit is very '90s in terms of style. He's had other costumes afterwards, but still wears this one the most.
* OutOfFocus[=/=]DemotedToExtra: He suffers both tropes since the earlier-mid 2000s thereafter. This continues into the movie franchise, lampshaded in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvkCv5cCD5Y Honest Movie Trailer]] of the original trilogy. During the run-down of characters, they announce "Gambit" followed by the words "footage not found."
** This got reverse in the late 2000s, with him getting an increasingly prominent role, including a decent sized solo series in 2013.
* PapaWolf: To X-23.
* PaperMaster: His playing card ammo.
* ParentalAbandonment: His parents left him at the hospital shortly after he was born.
* PermaStubble: A signature.
* PersonOfMassDestruction: Let's face it, a man who can convert mass into explosively unstable kinetic energy is a man who can rearrange the landscape fairly easily. The bigger the thing he charges, the more of a boom he can make -- imagine what would happen if he converted, say, an entire bus into one of his energy bombs. Taken UpToEleven with the New Sun storyline, which reveals that if Gambit had not gone to Mister Sinister for surgery to remove a portion of brain tissue to control his powers, he would have literally been too dangerous to live. As made clear by his alternate universe doppelganger, who didn't get the surgery. He was a PhysicalGod... who basically made the entire planet explode... ''by accident''.
* PieInTheFace: A kinetically charged pie in the face... to Rogue. She still had Carol Danvers' powers at this point, so it was fine.
* PlanetEater: A great number of events from Gambit's life were the direct result of [[spoiler:an alternate version of himself called New Sun trying to prevent him from bringing to fruition a prophecy that foresaw him losing control of his Omega-level powers and unintentionally consuming everything on the [=Earth616=] like a living Sun. In a great number of universes visited by New Sun, various versions of "Le Diable Blanc" had already destroyed their own worlds.]]
* PlayingCardMotifs: He has a playing card theme, with particular fondness for the Joker and the Ace of Spades. When Rogue appears as his love interest, it's common to see her represented in his motif as the Queen of Hearts.
* PowerIncontinence: Though it's oft-forgotten about now, Gambit's original connections to Mister Sinister were because he originally went to Sinister to get some of his brain excised to permanently dampen down his powers, so he couldn't lose control. He also had to deal with a short-lived villain called "New Sun", who turned out to be a version of himself from an ParallelUniverse slash BadFuture who never got his powers dampened, grew to PhysicalGod status, and lost control. He's called "New Sun" because he ''vaporized Earth'' with his powers.
** In ComicBook/UltimateMarvel, this trope is brought up in a comparatively downplayed fashion: The ComicBook/UltimateXMen version claims that he joined Fenris because he was losing control of his powers (basically an even suckier version of Midas since all the food he touches turns into a bomb) and their experiments stabilized him.
* PrettyBoy: He and ComicBook/{{Daken}} actually have a scene in Daken's solo comic where they snark at each other using it as an insult.
* ProgressivelyPrettier: He wasn't all that good-looking in his first appearances, but became steadily more attractive from artist to artist.
* PsychicStatic[=/=]PsychicBlockDefense: Gambit has been known to employ the intentional version, at one point revealing to several Xavier Academy students that he [[BrainBleach pictures the Blob naked]] in order to make sure that telepaths like Rachel Summers and Emma Frost aren't eavesdropping on his thoughts.
** At one point, he could also block telepaths simply by keeping a charged object with him, but this ability seems to have been dropped.
* RaginCajun: Also his [[SuperheroSobriquets nickname]].
* RedHerring: During the early '90s, as part of Bishop's backstory was Bishop finding a garbled tape of ComicBook/JeanGrey warning about a traitor in the X-Men's ranks causing the death of the majority of the team with only a character called the Witness as the SoleSurvivor, who looked and sounded like Remy, leading Bishop to suspect him. However, Jim Lee and Whilce Portacio admitted they had no set suspect with Remy being one idea (and another being Bishop himself thanks to a StableTimeLoop), meaning the subplot was a case of WritingByTheSeatOfYourPants, as was the ''ComicBook/{{Onslaught}}'' event--which made Remy's role in the X-Traitor subplot nothing more than this as the opening of the event revealed the tape [[OnceMoreWithClarity in its entirety]], revealing the titular villain, a {{split personality}} of ComicBook/ProfessorX's, was the real traitor.
* RealMenCook: [[TruthInTelevision He's Cajun; it comes with the territory.]] He once managed to fix together a meal in the middle of a desert with no real supplies around. When asked by Professor X how he did that, he just said "a man has his secrets", before advising Xavier not to drink the bottom part.
* RealMenWearPink: Under his trenchcoat, he wears a magenta vest as well as lots of magenta stripes on the sleeves and pants. His ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' portrayal also has cards with pink-colored backs.
* RelationshipRevolvingDoor: Rogue and Gambit were constantly hooking up, breaking up for whatever reason, and getting back together as they manage to overcome whatever the latest bout of insecurity is. Both characters have a lot of emotional baggage and legitimate reasons to distrust each other, but at the same time they also love each other intensely and can understand each other. The 2018 mini-series Rogue & Gambit actually revolves around the two getting couples therapy, which grows into seeing each other’s perspective on events from their history. As of Mr and Mrs X, they’re married.
* Main/RoguesGallery: Mr Sinister, Candra, Sabretooth, Scalphunter, rival thieves like Fast Jack and Joelle, Detective Noreen Tanaka, vigilante X-Cutioner, ex-wife Bella Donna, along with the Thieves Guild and Assassins Guild, the Black Womb, Fontanelle, the Mendo Brothers and the Pig.
* RuleOfCool: Gambit can make any item explosive by “charging” it. If he wanted he could use more dangerous material to charge, but sticks with playing cards in part because of this trope.
* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: With Courier. In this instance, it was more a case of He Is Not My Girlfriend, because Jakob was [[ShapeshifterModelock stuck in female form]] at the time. They spent several issues denying that they were an item, although that didn't stop Remy from [[AmbiguouslyBi spontaneously making out with him.]]
* ShoutOut: Has cats named [[WesternAnimation/OliverAndCompany Oliver]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Cinderella}} Lucifer]] and [[WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}} Figaro]].
* SimpleStaff: His [[RetractableWeapon collapsible]] [[MadeOfIndestructium adamantium]] bo staff.
* SophisticatedAsHell: Gambit isn't an idiot, and often likes to use fairly sophisticated words to remind people that being a "swamp rat" doesn't make him stupid. It doesn't stop him from interspersing his high manner wordplay with fairly crude comments, though.
* SouthernGentleman: Especially towards Rogue... who often appreciates this.
* StepfordSnarker: Usually Gambit doesn't like to talk about his past or anything personal. Instead, he hides his negative feelings by using snark and charm that he could pass himself off as laid-back and charming to others.
* StreetSmart: As a former StreetUrchin grown into a GuileHero, he would be a card-carrying member of this trope. [[CardSharp Literally]].
* StreetUrchin: He spent most of his young life being raised to be a thief by thieves in the streets and swamps of Louisiana. When he met ComicBook/{{Storm}} for the first time, she suffered from LaserGuidedAmnesia and briefly returned to her thieving ways. The two quickly became partners in crime.
* StuffBlowingUp: His main power is the ability to charge objects, manipulating them into spontaneously releasing all their kinetic energy potential at once. In essence, they explode, with force depending mostly on how big they were.
* SuperPoweredEvilSide: It doesn't come up nearly as often as with Archangel but his Horseman of Death persona does still exist, buried within his mind.
* SympatheticMurderBackstory: Both his duel with Julien and the Molock Massacre.
* TechnicolorEyes: He has red irises with black sclera.
* TechnicolorNinjas: Look up at RealMenWearPink's description. Now bear in mind that the character is a ''thief''.
** Hey, ''you'' try seeing a thing on the bayou.
* ThirdPersonPerson: In the [[TheNineties 1990s]] ''X-Men'' cartoon.
** Occasionally in the comics, like if he's been caught (and being chastized by another X-Man) or trying to be sly and impress someone.
* TraumaCongaLine: Not only that Gambit had a dark past, he also has bad luck with his love life - his childhood friend/ex-wife Belladonna is usually crazy, [[StuffedInAFridge his French girlfriend was murdered by Sabretooth]] and he was usually in a MasochismTango relationship with Rogue. He is also shunned by his own teammates after learning his small involvement in the Morlock Massacre.
* TheTrickster: As you'd expect of somebody who grew up as a thief, Gambit likes messing with peoples' heads.
* TwangHello: [[StuffBlowingUp And then it explodes.]]
* TwoferTokenMinority: Gambit is Cajun, American Francophone, and Catholic.
* UnderhandedHero: Gambit was a thief before joining the X-Men. He is incredibly acrobatic and makes extensive use of his Cajun charm.
* VitriolicBestBuds: Gambit with Comicbook/{{Cyclops}} and Wolverine. Seems to be slowly developing this with [[ComicBook/{{Excalibur}} Pete Wisdom]] as of late, too.
* WeakenedByTheLight: Also subject to DependingOnTheWriter, but Gambit has permanent sensitivity to light. He's eventually caught on and started having sunglasses on hand regularly.
* WillfullyWeak: Gambit actually has the potential to be an Omega-level mutant. But he voluntarily had his powers crippled through the use of brain surgery by Mister Sinister, because he was afraid of how much damage he could cause with them. As his 1999 comic series shows, he was right to be scared: [[spoiler:on many parallel earths where he didn't undergo the surgery, he lost control over his powers and ''caused every human being on earth to spontaneously combust'']]!
* WillTheyOrWontThey: He and Rogue have an on-again, off-again, on-again, off-again thing going. Not helping is things like Mystique actively doing what she can to get rid of Remy.
** They finally get married for the first time in issue #30 of ''ComicBook/XMenGold'', with a 2018 mini-series called "Mr. & Mrs. X" being set on their honeymoon.
* {{Wimpification}}: His usual fate in the SlashFic for the fandom.
* WolverinePublicity: Not as bad as Wolvie himself though.
----

!!Tropes associated with Gambit include:

* LoveatFirstPunch: ''Rogue & Gambit'' establishes that he feels this way about the first time he met Rogue. He admits he was attracted to her right away but it was her ability to kick his ass that really won him over.

As of the end of James Asmus' Gambit solo series, Gambit is now King of the all the Thieves Guilds. In 2013, he left the X-Men to join the All-New X-Factor. As of 2018, he's now married to Rogue, having both Kitty and Piotr's blessing, since Kitty backed out of marrying Piotr.

* AntiHero: While he was raised a thief, his morality is quite clear as stated in Mr. and Mrs. X #3, ''"My moral compass is just fine. I know what's right."'' He fights for what he considers a good cause and on other matters, his morality is set in stone about what is and isn't right.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Sabretooth (who was also a Marauder) recognized and casually talked to Gambit during his first encounter with Gambit as an X-Man. It would be ''years'' before the [[retcon]] of Gambit's role in the Morlock massacre was finally revealed.

* AntiHero: While he was raised a thief, his morality is quite clear as stated in Mr. and Mrs. X #3, ''My moral compass is just fine. I know what's right.'' He fights for what he considers a good cause and on other matters, his morality is set in stone about what is and isn't right.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Sabretooth (who was also a Marauder) recognized and casually talked to Gambit during his first encounter with Gambit as an X-Man. It would be ''years'' before Gambit's role in the Morlock massacre was finally revealed.

As of the end of James Asmus' Gambit solo series, Gambit is now King of the all the Thieves Guilds. As of 2013, he's left the X-Men and joined All-New X-Factor. As of 2018, he's now married to Rogue, having both Kitty and Piotr's blessing, since Kitty backed out of marrying Piotr.

* AntiHero: He was raised a thief and his morality is still very... ''flexible'', in some areas, particularly those relating to other people's property. However he does fight for what he considers a good cause and on other matters, his morality is set in stone about what is and isn't right.
* AscendedExtra: After being OutOfFocus for some time, he became one of the leads of All-New X-Factor.

* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: He has switched sides so many times that it's a wonder that any team, let alone the X-Men, take him. He stops doing this - at least, stops doing it out of choice (when being coerced is another matter) - around the late 00s, but even then, it happens enough that Peter Wisdom, himself no stranger to secrets, lies, and double-allegiances, warns him in his 2013 solo series that he can only keep dancing back and forth over the line for so long before it starts to catch up with him.
* CombatPragmatist: Gambit fights dirty or he doesn't fight at all.

As of the end of James Asmus' Gambit solo series, Gambit is now King of the all the Thieves Guilds. As of 2013, he's left the X-Men and joined All-New X-Factor. As of 2018, he's now married to Rogue, having effectively [[UpToEleven stolen Kitty and Piotr's wedding]].

* LoveTriangle: Him with Rogue and Bella Donna then him with Rogue and Magneto.

* Main/EvilCounterpart: New Sun, an alternate reality Remy LeBeau who never got the surgery to reduce his powers (unlike main universe Remy), and came to the main universe to kill Gambit.

* RealMenCook: He once managed to fix together a meal in the middle of a desert with no real supplies around. When asked by Professor X how he did that, he just said "a man has his secrets", before advising Xavier not to drink the bottom part.

* YourCheatingHeart: He'd been hitting on Rogue for half-a-dozen issues before his wife Belladonna suddenly turned up - although in fairness, he did have good reason to treat the marriage as effectively over.

* PlayingCardMotifs: He has a playing card theme, with particular fondness for the Joker and the Ace of Spades. When Rogue appears as his love interest, it's common to see her represented in his motif as the Queen of Hearts.* PowerIncontinence: Though it's oft-forgotten about now, Gambit's original connections to Mister Sinister were because he originally went to Sinister to get some of his brain excised to permanently dampen down his powers, so he couldn't lose control. He also had to deal with a short-lived villain called "New Sun", who turned out to be a version of himself from an ParallelUniverse slash BadFuture who never got his powers dampened, grew to PhysicalGod status, and lost control. He's called "New Sun" because he ''vaporized Earth'' with his powers.

In other media, Gambit became popular because of his inclusion in the UsefulNotes/TheNineties' ''WesternAnimation/XMen'' animated series, two years after his debut in the comics. He has been played by Taylor Kitsch in ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine''. A solo movie was in DevelopmentHell for a long time, and appears to have been definitely abandoned following the buyout of Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox by Creator/{{Disney}}.

* ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'' (2009)

* MrFanservice: Back in the '90s and ''especially'' in his current solo series.

* ShoutOut: Has cats named [[Disney/OliverAndCompany Oliver]], [[Disney/{{Cinderella}} Lucifer]] and [[Disney/{{Pinocchio}} Figaro]].

To placate and attempt peace between the Thieves' Guild and their rivals the Assassins' Guild, Remy married Bella Donna, his first love and the granddaughter of the Assassins' leader. After the wedding, he was challenged by her brother Julien to a duel. Remy killed Julian, leaving Jean-Luc no choice but to exile him. Striking out on his own as a thief for hire, [[PowerIncontinence his powers grew beyond his control]]. Mr. Sinister fixed the problem, but at a cost. Gambit formed the [[PsychoForHire Marauders]] and led them into the New York tunnels on Sinister's order. The Marauders were responsible for the Morlock Massacre, killing many of the mutants in the group, with Gambit unable stop it. He was only able to save one child, who later became Marrow.

* Main/RoguesGallery: Mr Sinister, Candra, Sabretooth, Scalphunter, rival thieves Fast Jack and Joelle, Detective Noreen Tanaka, X-Cutioner, Bella Donna, his ex-wife, along with the Thieves Guild and Assassins Guild, the Mendo Brothers and the Pig.

* RelationshipRevolvingDoor: Rogue and Gambit were constantly hooking up, breaking up for whatever reason, and getting back together as they manage to overcome whatever the latest bout of insecurity is. Both characters have a lot of emotional baggage and legitimate reasons to distrust each other, but at the same time they also love each other intensely and can understand each other. The 2018 mini-serial Rogue & Gambit actually revolves around the two getting couples therapy, which grows into seeing each other’s perspective on events from their history. As of Mr and Mrs X, they’re married.
* Main/RoguesGallery: Mr Sinister, Candra, Sabretooth, Scalphunter, rival thrives Fast Jack and Joelle, Detective Noreen Tanaka, X-Cutioner, Bella Donna, his ex-we’d, along with the Thieves Guild and Assassins Guild, the Mendo Brothers and the Pig.

* RelationshipRevolvingDoor: Rogue and Gambit were constantly hooking up, breaking up for whatever reason, and getting back together as they manage to overcome whatever the latest bout of insecurity is. Both characters have a lot of emotional baggage and legitimate reasons to distrust each other, but at the same time they also love each other intensely and can understand each other. The 2018 mini-serial

''Rogue & Gambit'' actually revolves around the two getting couples therapy, which grows to include seeing each other's perspective on events from their history. As of ''Mr and Mrs X'', they're married.

* RelationshipRevolvingDoor: Rogue and Gambit were constantly hooking up, breaking up for whatever reason, and getting back together as they manage to overcome whatever the latest bout of insecurity is. Both characters have a lot of emotional baggage and legitimate reasons to distrust each other, but at the same time they also love each other intensely and can understand each other. The 2018 mini-serial ''Rogue & Gambit'' actually revolves around the two getting couples therapy, which grows to include seeing each other's perspective on events from their history. As of ''Mr and Mrs X'', they're married.

* AdaptationalVillainy: His ''X-Men: Evolution'' and ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' are less noble, the latter especially so, selling all mutantkind out in the name of money. The former, though, was hinted in the finale to eventually join the X-Men.

In other media, Gambit became popular because of his inclusion in the UsefulNotes/TheNineties' ''WesternAnimation/XMen'' animated series, two years after his debut in the comics. He has been played by Taylor Kitsch in ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine''. A solo movie was in DevelopmentHell for a long time, and appears to have been definitely abandoned following the buyout of Fox by Disney.

[[AC:{{Comics}}]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine''

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* ''VideoGame/XMenMutantApocalypse''
* ''VideoGame/XMenVsStreetFighter''
* ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomClashOfTheSuperheroes''
* ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom2''
* ''VideoGame/XMenNextDimension''
* ''VideoGame/XMenLegends''
* ''[[VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2]]''
* ''VideoGame/MarvelAvengersAlliance''
* ''VideoGame/MarvelHeroes''

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]