X-Men fans' favorite Ragin' Cajun is getting an unbelievable power upgrade, as Gambit as his next herald. Gambit's ability to charge objects with kinetic energy has always packed a punch, but now he'll be raised up to a godlike level with powers on the same level as the Silver Surfer, and a new cosmic redesign courtesy of comic icon Ron Lim.

The change comes as Marvel releases a series of new What If...? stories, imagining versions of reality where Galactus chose various Marvel heroes as his new heralds. In January 2025, it's Gambit's turn, and the heroic thief will transcend humanity after catching the eye of the Devourer of Worlds.

Other heroes being transformed by Galactus are Hulk, Moon Knight, Rogue and Spider-Gwen, with each of their one-shot issues rolling out over January.

Gambit is a legendary thief, and has even stolen Batman's Batmobile in the past, so it makes sense Galactus needs him for a "multiversal heist."

Gambit Is Galactus' Herald in Rewrite of Marvel History

And Other Heroes Are Getting the Same Treatment

In Marvel lore, Galactus is an essential aspect of the cosmic order, consuming worlds in order to briefly satiate his endless hunger. Galactus' true purpose is to collect energy to jumpstart the next cycle of the multiverse, and he conserves energy by imbuing his heralds with immense power, then sending them out into the cosmos on his behalf to find his next meal. While the Silver Surfer is the most famous, Galactus has chosen many other heralds, including Firelord, Red Shift, and Stardust.

Galactus chooses his heralds for many different reasons, always looking for someone who will be truly motivated to serve his hunger. While Silver Surfer volunteered to serve Galactus in order to safeguard his homeworld, the Devourer of Worlds has also chosen his heralds based on their own thirst for power or even their desire to see the galaxy. In Gambit's case, Galactus will apparently empower him due to his legendary abilities as a thief, with the promise of a "multiversal heist" suggesting Galactus has some very specific plans for his new servant.

Gambit is one of the greatest thieves in Marvel continuity, having been raised by the secret society known as the Thieves Guild. He later became the group's leader, and has stolen notable treasures including the second Eye of Agamotto and even Batman's hi-tech car the Batmobile. It's this skill set that will grab Galactus' attention, showing just how incredibly capable Remy LeBeau really is.

Marvel's What If...? series promises to focus on how Galactus' power threatens to rob each new herald of their humanity...

This Isn't the First Time Gambit Got a God-Tier Upgrade by Serving a Villain

As Apocalypse's Horseman of Death, Gambit Embraced Evil

It will be interesting to see why Gambit would agree to serve Galactus, especially given his terrible past experiences accepting upgrades from villains. Believing that Apocalypse could save mutantkind after Scarlet Witch wiped out their powers, Gambit became the new Horseman of Death. This transformation granted him the ability to disintegrate biological matter, corrupt others, and guide projectiles with a limited form of telekinesis.

Ever since becoming Death, Gambit has struggled with this powerful alternate persona, which has taken control of him multiple times. Marvel's What If...? series promises to focus on how Galactus' power threatens to rob each new herald of their humanity, and Gambit's history suggests he'll be particularly susceptible to losing himself to Galactus' "gift." However, he does have one ace up his sleeve that suggests his new master should be careful about crossing him...

Gambit's powers are seriously underrated by fans, and he's proved he can 100% kill Galactus if needed.

Gambit Already Has Enough Power to Kill Galactus

Gambit's A-List Power Level Is Hugely Underrated

While Gambit isn't seen as an A-list hero, he's actually way more powerful than most people think. Gambit actually has the potential to gain total molecular control over all matter - as he learned when he met his variant 'New Sun,' who had unlocked the full version of his powers. However, even Gambit's regular powers pack far more punch that most give him credit for. In Contest of Champions II, he made it to the final round of a contest of strength that saw him stand beside Thor, Hulk, Phoenix and Scarlet Witch after taking down Marvel's other heroes.

Shockingly, Gambit even has enough power to kill Galactus. Fans learned this in Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Leonard Kirk's Marvel Zombies: Resurrection, where Reed Richards' daughter Valeria used Gambit's severed hand to overload and destroy the Devourer of Worlds after he fell to the undead plague. While Gambit hasn't unleashed this level of energy in Marvel's main reality, his ability to do so when pushed suggests that - especially with a Silver Surfer-level upgrade - Galactus might be making a mistake by expecting Gambit to hand over the score of a lifetime.

What If...? Galactus Transformed Galactus is coming January 8 from Marvel Comics.