I Refuse To Accept X-Men "97"s Gambit Storyline After 27 Years Of Marvel Mistreating Him
Summary
The opening episodes of X-Men ‘97 effectively flipped decades of Marvel Comics - not to mention X-Men: The Animated Series’ long-gestating storyline - by rekindling a lost romance between Rogue and Magneto. Worse still, the compelling boundary between Rogue and Gambit, which forced their chastity - Rogue’s succubus-like powers - was thrown back in Gambit’s face. Magneto - many years older than Rogue but exhibiting an ageless allure - was able to touch her without having his powers drained. And all while Gambit watched from the shadows. This injustice cannot stand.
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Related Every New & Returning Voice Actor Cast In X-Men '97 (So Far) The 90s X-Men are back in the all-new revival X-Men '97 but the voice-acting ensemble is an exciting mix of returning actors and new faces. Rogue & Gambit’s X-Men History Explained The Mutant Will-They-Won't-They Was Big Business For Marvel Close Rogue and Gambit were the Ross and Rachel of X-Men: The Animated Series (with the mildest hint of Pepe Le Peu thrown in for effect). Their flirtation was immediate, and their relationship grew across the entire 5 season run of the show. It flourished because of their similarities, but their differences and their conflict added the real spice. I was immediately gripped by them as a duo, just as innumerate other instant fans were. They had darkness in their pasts and were two of the most swaggering animated characters ever conceived.
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Related 10 Harsh Realities Of Watching X-Men: The Animated Series 27 Years After It Ended X-Men: The Animated Series is remembered fondly, but X-Men '97 will have to make some changes to avoid its mistakes. Honestly, Gambit in X-Men: The Animated Series was as cool at the time as Wolverine became in Fox's live-action movies: he was cocky and charismatic, but his enigmatic exterior hid a softer, wholesome heart. It also helped for my formative brain that both he and Rogue dressed like counter-culture adults: like punks who grew up to be superheroes, instead of accountants who'd retired their safety pins for pin stripes. They were the opposite of the straight-laced Cyclops, but had considerably less "grumpy old man" vibes than Wolverine, who was always a bit of a prick.
Over in the comics, Rogue and Gambit shared a similarly tumultuous relationship, defined for long periods by the limitations of Rogue’s powers. They eventually married after Gambit proposed in 2018's X-Men Gold #30, paying off the long-developed storyline of X-Men: TAS and essentially confirming the epilogue fans never got to see. The mutants with murky pasts had always belonged together, and the comics merely confirmed the obvious after a decades-long game of romantic chess.
Rogue & Magneto Have History Too X-Men '97's Flirtation Isn't Out Of Nowhere Close Now, however, Rogue’s apparently rekindled tryst with the new X-Men leader Magneto, has crumbled the happy ending away. At least temporarily. Obviously, it would be wrong to ignore the romantic past of Magneto and Rogue from the comics, which first sparked in 1991 when the magnetic malevolence saved Rogue's life and they grew close when it was revealed he was immune to her powers. Unfortunately for Rogneto shippers, Magneto then went back to his old ways, having temporarily tried out as a good guy, and Rogue broke things off, horrified.
Beyond that early flirtation, Rogue and Magneto have been together at different times (and in different realities). Most tellingly, in Marvel Comics' Age of Apocalypse timeline, the pair were married with a child. Elsewhere, Rogue also had a thing with Magneto's clone, Joseph, but he was rather unceremoniously killed off. And in the aftermath of Avengers vs X-Men, they got back together and Magneto proposed (but was, thankfully, rebuffed). In all cases, Rogue and Magneto were never truly meant to be: Rogue and Gambit were the real endgame. But then, the Marvel Comics' Gambit was never made to endure so much as his screen iteration has over the years...
Gambit’s Victimization Continues An Unfortunate Marvel Trend Close Considering his popularity in X-Men: The Animated Series, it was always surprising to me that Gambit didn’t make it into Bryan Singer’s first live-action X-Men movie. He was a strong brand, had great potential for a real character performance, and the cool factor was undeniable. But then Fox’s universe adapted Rogue in a very different way and made the potential dynamic between the long-time lovers problematic. Perhaps it didn’t make sense to use Gambit when his mirror was a child…?
In actual fact, Gambit has significant history with the X-Men movies. The first movie almost featured a brief cameo that would have revealed his existence; the second almost showed him as a victim of Stryker’s mutant killing Cerebro 2; and The Last Stand almost used him as a love interest for Rogue. The first two cameos were simply lost to creative preference, while the third was dropped because X-Men Origins was already in the works and Fox wouldn’t use the same characters in both.
In both the novelizations for X2: X-Men United and X-Men: The Last Stand, Gambit appears. His original cameo in the former is preserved, while the latter introduces him as a new student at Xavier's school at the end.
Origins’ take on Gambit was misguided at best but showed some potential in a very uneven movie. And then, eventually, Channing Tatum boarded the biggest near miss in Gambit movie history until development hell finally claimed that project as Disney bought the mutant rights back. Since then, all is quiet, other than some rumblings of a Tatum cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine to pay off the lost production.
The idea that the best movie Gambit ever will either be Taylor Kitsch’s charisma-less version, or a cameo joke pointing to a non-existent movie that most modern Marvel fans won’t understand is a tragedy. And in that context, X-Men ‘97 further sidelining Gambit for the sake of narrative drama feels incredibly mean spirited. My boy deserved more.
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X-Men '97 ![]()
X-Men '97 is the direct continuation of the popular 1990s animated series X-Men: The Animated Series. Taking up where the third season left off, Marvel's revival brings back famous mutants such as Wolverine, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Cyclops, Beast, Magneto, and Nightcrawler, who fight villains like Mr. Sinister, the Sentinels, and the Hellfire Club.
Cast Jennifer Hale , Chris Potter , Alison Sealy-Smith , Lenore Zann , Cal Dodd , Catherine Disher , Adrian Hough , Ray Chase , Chris Britton , George Buza Release Date March 20, 2024 Seasons 1 Streaming Service(s) Disney+
[圖擷取自網路，如有疑問請私訊]
- Gambit's character in X-Men '97 is being short-changed in favor of a Rogue-Magneto storyline, a disservice to longtime fans.
- Rogue and Gambit's complex relationship in X-Men: The Animated Series was a fan favorite due to their chemistry and backstory.
- Gambit has been consistently sidelined in the live-action X-Men movies, missing out on opportunities for his character to shine.
The opening episodes of X-Men ‘97 effectively flipped decades of Marvel Comics - not to mention X-Men: The Animated Series’ long-gestating storyline - by rekindling a lost romance between Rogue and Magneto. Worse still, the compelling boundary between Rogue and Gambit, which forced their chastity - Rogue’s succubus-like powers - was thrown back in Gambit’s face. Magneto - many years older than Rogue but exhibiting an ageless allure - was able to touch her without having his powers drained. And all while Gambit watched from the shadows. This injustice cannot stand.
Related Every New & Returning Voice Actor Cast In X-Men '97 (So Far) The 90s X-Men are back in the all-new revival X-Men '97 but the voice-acting ensemble is an exciting mix of returning actors and new faces. Rogue & Gambit’s X-Men History Explained The Mutant Will-They-Won't-They Was Big Business For Marvel Close Rogue and Gambit were the Ross and Rachel of X-Men: The Animated Series (with the mildest hint of Pepe Le Peu thrown in for effect). Their flirtation was immediate, and their relationship grew across the entire 5 season run of the show. It flourished because of their similarities, but their differences and their conflict added the real spice. I was immediately gripped by them as a duo, just as innumerate other instant fans were. They had darkness in their pasts and were two of the most swaggering animated characters ever conceived.
Related 10 Harsh Realities Of Watching X-Men: The Animated Series 27 Years After It Ended X-Men: The Animated Series is remembered fondly, but X-Men '97 will have to make some changes to avoid its mistakes. Honestly, Gambit in X-Men: The Animated Series was as cool at the time as Wolverine became in Fox's live-action movies: he was cocky and charismatic, but his enigmatic exterior hid a softer, wholesome heart. It also helped for my formative brain that both he and Rogue dressed like counter-culture adults: like punks who grew up to be superheroes, instead of accountants who'd retired their safety pins for pin stripes. They were the opposite of the straight-laced Cyclops, but had considerably less "grumpy old man" vibes than Wolverine, who was always a bit of a prick.Over in the comics, Rogue and Gambit shared a similarly tumultuous relationship, defined for long periods by the limitations of Rogue’s powers. They eventually married after Gambit proposed in 2018's X-Men Gold #30, paying off the long-developed storyline of X-Men: TAS and essentially confirming the epilogue fans never got to see. The mutants with murky pasts had always belonged together, and the comics merely confirmed the obvious after a decades-long game of romantic chess.
Rogue & Magneto Have History Too X-Men '97's Flirtation Isn't Out Of Nowhere Close Now, however, Rogue’s apparently rekindled tryst with the new X-Men leader Magneto, has crumbled the happy ending away. At least temporarily. Obviously, it would be wrong to ignore the romantic past of Magneto and Rogue from the comics, which first sparked in 1991 when the magnetic malevolence saved Rogue's life and they grew close when it was revealed he was immune to her powers. Unfortunately for Rogneto shippers, Magneto then went back to his old ways, having temporarily tried out as a good guy, and Rogue broke things off, horrified.
Beyond that early flirtation, Rogue and Magneto have been together at different times (and in different realities). Most tellingly, in Marvel Comics' Age of Apocalypse timeline, the pair were married with a child. Elsewhere, Rogue also had a thing with Magneto's clone, Joseph, but he was rather unceremoniously killed off. And in the aftermath of Avengers vs X-Men, they got back together and Magneto proposed (but was, thankfully, rebuffed). In all cases, Rogue and Magneto were never truly meant to be: Rogue and Gambit were the real endgame. But then, the Marvel Comics' Gambit was never made to endure so much as his screen iteration has over the years...
Gambit’s Victimization Continues An Unfortunate Marvel Trend Close Considering his popularity in X-Men: The Animated Series, it was always surprising to me that Gambit didn’t make it into Bryan Singer’s first live-action X-Men movie. He was a strong brand, had great potential for a real character performance, and the cool factor was undeniable. But then Fox’s universe adapted Rogue in a very different way and made the potential dynamic between the long-time lovers problematic. Perhaps it didn’t make sense to use Gambit when his mirror was a child…?
In actual fact, Gambit has significant history with the X-Men movies. The first movie almost featured a brief cameo that would have revealed his existence; the second almost showed him as a victim of Stryker’s mutant killing Cerebro 2; and The Last Stand almost used him as a love interest for Rogue. The first two cameos were simply lost to creative preference, while the third was dropped because X-Men Origins was already in the works and Fox wouldn’t use the same characters in both.
In both the novelizations for X2: X-Men United and X-Men: The Last Stand, Gambit appears. His original cameo in the former is preserved, while the latter introduces him as a new student at Xavier's school at the end.
Origins’ take on Gambit was misguided at best but showed some potential in a very uneven movie. And then, eventually, Channing Tatum boarded the biggest near miss in Gambit movie history until development hell finally claimed that project as Disney bought the mutant rights back. Since then, all is quiet, other than some rumblings of a Tatum cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine to pay off the lost production.
The idea that the best movie Gambit ever will either be Taylor Kitsch’s charisma-less version, or a cameo joke pointing to a non-existent movie that most modern Marvel fans won’t understand is a tragedy. And in that context, X-Men ‘97 further sidelining Gambit for the sake of narrative drama feels incredibly mean spirited. My boy deserved more.
X-Men '97 
X-Men '97 is the direct continuation of the popular 1990s animated series X-Men: The Animated Series. Taking up where the third season left off, Marvel's revival brings back famous mutants such as Wolverine, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Cyclops, Beast, Magneto, and Nightcrawler, who fight villains like Mr. Sinister, the Sentinels, and the Hellfire Club.Cast Jennifer Hale , Chris Potter , Alison Sealy-Smith , Lenore Zann , Cal Dodd , Catherine Disher , Adrian Hough , Ray Chase , Chris Britton , George Buza Release Date March 20, 2024 Seasons 1 Streaming Service(s) Disney+
[圖擷取自網路，如有疑問請私訊]
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