Gambit

Gambit
Real Name	Remy LeBeau
Alias(es)	Gambit
Species	Mutant
Gender	Male
Status	Unknown (original timeline) Unknown (revised timeline)
Appearances
Movie	X2: X-Men United (mentioned) X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Game	X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Actors/Actresses
Portrayed by	Taylor Kitsch (X-Men Origins: Wolverine)

"If I learned anything in my life it's this: Always play the hand you're dealt. My name is Gambit. And I play for keeps."

―Gambit

Gambit (born Remy LeBeau) is a mutant with the ability to charge matter with explosive bio-kinetic energy. Playing cards are his weapon of choice, as well as a long, metal staff.

Biography

Original Timeline

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

During the late 1970s, Remy LeBeau was captured by William Stryker and taken to Three Mile Island. The guards at The Island gave him the name "Gambit" because he kept taking their money in poker games. After two years of imprisonment, Gambit finally managed to escape and kept a low profile.

Gambit is next seen in his hometown of New Orleans. He meets Logan while playing poker. He initially assumes Logan was going to take him back to The Island because Logan had called him "Gambit", a nickname given to him by the guards. Not wanting to return to the Island, he attacks Logan with several playing cards charged with kinetic energy, blasting Logan through the wall and into an alleyway. Logan then finds Victor (Sabretooth) extracting DNA from John Wraith, who he had recently killed. Logan is ready to take his revenge, but Gambit tries to interrupt, to which Logan elbows him in the face. Logan and Victor then fight each other. As they are fighting, Gambit climbs to the top of the casino and leaps down, hitting the ground with a staff charged with kinetic energy, creating a shock wave knocking both Logan and Victor to the ground.

While Victor escapes, Logan attacks Gambit and breaks his staff. Gambit soon retreats to the top of the fire exit of a nearby building. To compensate for this, Logan unleashed his claws and started chopping down the metal structure. He eventually knocks Gambit off the stairs and explains what he is doing in New Orleans, who he was, and why he wanted to go to the Island. Gambit, now fully aware of Logan's intentions, was happy to take Logan to the Island.

When Wolverine jumps off the cooling tower on Three Mile Island after his fight with Deadpool, he hits the ground and he's about to be crushed by a large part of the tower. Gambit arrives just in time to jump and hit the debris with his staff, using kinetic energy to crush it, saving Logan. Wolverine asks him to make sure the escaped mutants are safe, to which Gambit complies, and returns after Logan is shot and loses his memory. Reassuring an agitated Logan that he is not an enemy, he informs him that all of the mutants are safe, and then asks that Logan escape with him. Logan declines, and Gambit wishes him good luck before going separate ways.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

• Kinetic Charging: Gambit has the power to take the potential energy stored in an object and convert it to kinetic energy thus “charging” that item with explosive results. He prefers to charge smaller objects, such as his ever-present playing cards, as the time required to charge them is greatly reduced and they are much easier for him to throw. The only real limitation to this ability is the time required to charge the object. The larger it is, the more time it takes. Most charging takes place through direct skin contact. The power of his explosions is dependent on the mass of the object he is charging; for example, a charged playing card explodes with the force of a grenade. Gambit can also use his powers to accelerate an object's kinetic energy instead of converting its potential energy; for example, he can charge his staff with enough power to level a house.
• Enhanced Strength: Gambit possesses considerable superhuman strength, fighting casually with Wolverine and causing pain.
• Superhuman Durability: His skin, bones, and muscles are denser and tougher than a human being surviving direct attacks from Wolverine
• Superhuman Speed: Gambit can run and move much faster than an ordinary human and is adept at dodging quickly, being exceptionally fast in battle.
  • Superhuman Agility: Gambit's ability to tap energy also grants him superhuman agility and dexterity which gives him an added edge he has used to his advantage by developing a unique acrobatic fighting style.

Abilities

• Master Acrobat: Gambit is an excellent acrobat, performing multiple complex acrobatic maneuvers during his fight against Wolverine, combined with its superior agility.
• Master Astist Martial: Gambit is a formidable combatant and mixed martial artist, being able to hold his own against Wolverine. Gambit employs a mixed martial art of Savate, Budo, Canne de combat , Bōjutsu, Eskrima, tactics of Street fighting and gymnastics. However, he was unable to defeat Wolverine as easily as he thought and was forced to escape.
• Master Thief: Gambit is skilled in the art of theft.
• Staff Mastery: Gambit he has tremendous skill in using a team, demonstrating his prowess during his fight against Wolverine.

Paraphernalia

• Weapons
  • Gambit's Bo - Staff - Gambit usually employs throwing spikes and playing cards. He also often uses a telescoping bo-staff to which he applies his powers.

Relationships

Original Timeline

• Sabretooth - Enemy
• Wolverine - Friend
• William Stryker † - Enemy and Former Imprisoner

Trivia

• James Bamford, who was the stunt double for Wolverine in X2, filmed a scene as Gambit during the Dark Cerebro scene where he would blow up a table. This was cut from the film later on and did not make it on the DVD.
• In X2: X-Men United, Remy LeBeau's name can be seen on Stryker's Computer.
• Gambit was originally going to appear in X-Men: The Last Stand and was going to be played by Keanu Reeves, while Josh Holloway was being considered, James Franco, Gregory Helms and Channing Tatum audition. He was also supposed to be Iceman's rival and love interest for Rogue.
• According to Bryan Singer, the mutants Rachel Summers, Psylocke, Deadpool, Nightcrawler, Gambit, and Jubilee were meant to appear in X-Men: Days of Future Past, but were cut out for running time purposes.
• In the comics, Gambit's love interest is Rogue who has appeared in the X-Men films.
• Scott Porter auditioned for the role of Gambit.
• Channing Tatum was cast in the role for a solo film, however it went through years of development Hell, delays, and various directors. With the Disney purchase of Fox, the film was cancelled.

Behind the Scenes

• Christopher Gordon and Sam Hargrave were stunt doubles for Taylor Kitsch in the role of Gambit.

External links

• Gambit on the Marvel Wiki
• Gambit on Wikipedia