Acclaimed author Gambit such an underrated hero. For 35 years, Gambit has been one of the X-Men’s most popular and enigmatic , and has evolved from the “mysterious loner’ archetype into a fun-loving, devoted husband. Gambit’s powers are also undeniably cool, and New York Times best-selling author Brandon Sanderson feels they make the X-Man one of comic’s most underrated characters.

In a video posted to Brandon Sanderson’s YouTube page, the author sits down with Wren Weichman of Corridor Crew to discuss their favorite superpowers. Sanderson kicked off the conversation by stating that Gambit had a “top five” superpower. Sanderson feels that certain creators have utilized it more creatively than others, and that Gambit’s powers represent a kind of distillation of the Silver Age ethos. Elaborating further, Sanderson stated that by the Silver Age, heroes came with more specialized, defined powers than their Golden Age counterparts. Silver Age creators, according to Sanderson, used this to create more compelling characters.

Brandon Sanderson Hit the Nail on the Head With Gambit and His Powers

Gambit's Powers Make Him a Massive Asset to the X-Men

Sanderson’s assessment of Gambit and his powers is spot-on: they are some of the unique in comics. The X-Men are particularly noted for characters with odd (but still cool) powers, such as Multiple Man’s ability to create duplicates of himself, or Forge’s “machinesmith” skills. Such powers and abilities can potentially stretch creators’ imaginations, a fact Sanderson acknowledges in the video. Sanderson revealed the X-Men cartoon of the 1990s was his introduction to the character, but felt it never used Gambit’s abilities in a creative or appropriate fashion.

Gambit’s powers have helped make him one of the most popular of the X-Men. Gambit’s ability to “charge” up inanimate objects and turn them into weapons gives him an unlimited supply of ammunition to use against foes. While Sanderson is correct that the X-Men cartoons usually just had Gambit use playing cards, the comics have shown a number of unique uses for his powers. Sanderson and Weichman joked about potentially silly uses for Gambit’s powers as well, such as charging up a walking stick and acting like a wizard. Gambit’s powers make for cool visuals as well.

Gambit’s evolution since his debut in 1990 has been one of the most gratifying to watch in the entire Marvel Universe, and the way he uses his powers reflects that.

Gambit’s evolution since his debut in 1990 has been one of the most gratifying to watch in the entire Marvel Universe, and the way he uses his powers reflects that. In Gambit’s first few years, he used his trademark playing cards as weapons. These “charged-up” cards were highly effective as weapons. These cards were light and easy to throw, especially for someone with Gambit’s training. This grew old, however, and later writers and artists began looking for more creative, fun ways to showcase Gambit’s power set. Mutants with energy-manipulation powers are common, but Gambit stands above the rest.

Gambit's MCU Debut Sets Him Up For Great Things

The MCU Will Hopefully Show Creative Uses for Gambit's Powers

Channing Tatum's Gambit will return for Avengers: Doomsday.

Gambit’s powers, when coupled with his charming and affable personality, have made him a true asset to the X-Men, justifying Brandon Sanderson’s praise. While Gambit is powerful and cool, he still manages to fly under the mainstream’s radar, but that is poised to change now that the character has made his MCU debut, played by Channing Tatum. Gambit was one of Deadpool and Wolverine’s breakout characters. While Gambit only used playing cards in the film, it was still a cool showcase for his powers, and fans can hope he uses them more creatively in future MCU appearances.

Source: YouTube