The ethics of Gambit and Rogue's powers and relationship

[Home made ectoplasm]

Reading the Claremont / Lee Omnibus, I've been familiarising myself with the first appearances of Gambit. You wouldn't really know it from the current books, but one of his main powers is his ability to seduce people into doing what he wants - he has a charmed voice (similar to Banshee 2's new retconned secondary mutation).

So gambit, a notorious ladies man, has a power that subverts people's will when he speaks to them, and forces them to fall in love with him.


http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/10/101009/1964439-candra_gambit_super.jpg
(from comixvine - caption "Gambit charms Candra to get the elixir")

Rogue is sexually introverted due to the fact that she can't touch, which TBF must suck. However she also has a power that in itself is extremely intrusive - as well as power she absorbs people's psyches. All their innermost secrets and thoughts become privy to her after she touches them. Claremont gets some good story beats out of this, friends and foes alike are shocked and appalled after she violates their psyches, often taking without asking.

The metaphor of Rogue mind raping her targets is extended through her preferred method of absorption - she often fly up to her victim, grabs them by the face and forcibly kisses them - in an action that would count as sexual assault in the real world.


http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqekuwXa5x1qi6zcz.jpg

I think deep down we all feel these two deserve each other, and that is (IMO) one of the reasons there is so much angst about the Magneto relationship.

[darknessatnoon]

It's why Rogue was attracted to Longshot first.

[AcesX1X]

i thought that was darkstar gambit was kissing at first glance. i blame seresecros for the bad fanfic.

[Home made ectoplasm]

I can rationalise why Rogue is infatuated by Gambit, as every time he speaks to her his powers reinforce her feelings, but it's not so easy to understand what he sees in her.

[darknessatnoon]

I can rationalise why Rogue is infatuated by Gambit, as every time he speaks to her his powers reinforce her feelings, but it's not so easy to understand what he sees in her.

She makes him laugh without gritting his teeth, iirc.

[Nicoclaws]

i thought that was darkstar gambit was kissing at first glance. i blame seresecros for the bad fanfic.

The only way I can recognize Candra is if she has an impossible breastplate.

[teddyeatsyourface]

I can rationalise why Rogue is infatuated by Gambit, as every time he speaks to her his powers reinforce her feelings, but it's not so easy to understand what he sees in her.

She's desperate enough to love him.

[Home made ectoplasm]

It's why Rogue was attracted to Longshot first.

Thinking about it that's 2 people on the current X Factor team that have a seduction override power

[teddyeatsyourface]

Did Gambit's charm powers also work on the personalities in Rogue's mind? Did that somehow reinforce her quickly pledged love for him?

[Prodigy55]

remember when he tried it on iceman? but iceman was made of havok's piss at the time so he was immune.

[jarrod]

The only time they worked was when they both lost their powers (Xtreme X-Men).

[teddyeatsyourface]

They only worked because they could have sex.

[jarrod]

They only worked because they could have sex.
That and ♥♥CC♥♥ wrote it.

[Ingonyama]

Gambit's charm power, IIRC, only works on people who are unaware of it. Rogue knows him better than just about anyone (based solely off the times she's kissed and absorbed him, both willingly and against her will), so I'm about 95% sure that's not a factor anymore.

I always thought their relationship played out better on the screen than on the page. The 90s X-Men Animated Series mostly portrayed them as a fun, dynamic couple, with a lot of amusing banter and vacation plans that often went awry, but who had each other's backs when it counted.

By contrast, their relationship in the comics seemed, to me, to be a lot angstier. Rogue seemed to be two different people around him...the needy Southern belle who would cling desperately to someone who cared for her, and the woman tormented by a dangerous power, who couldn't get too close.

Now that she can touch him without fear of reprisals, it seems like she's even more indecisive and hesitant than before, and I'm truly at a loss for why that is.

And Gambit...well, to say he had "loyalty issues" is the understatement of the decade. Not personal loyalty, I hasten to add; his devotion to Rogue was always unquestionable. But how much he cared about the X-Men as a team, or their goals, was an issue that I don't think ever got explored. As Rogue went, so went Remy's country, and I have yet to see anything past that.

I can't help but wish the relationship in the books were more like the relationship on the show.

[Foon4000]

Did Gambit's charm powers also work on the personalities in Rogue's mind? Did that somehow reinforce her quickly pledged love for him?

Oh c'mon, it wasn't that bad. It was 24 issues. Scott and Maddie met and got married within 10.

Gambit's 'charm' only ever seemed to work on flatscans anyway. L'il Storm, Wolverine, Jubilee and Betsy were completely immune.


The only time they worked was when they both lost their powers (Xtreme X-Men).

I just remembered I really liked the way Joe Kelly wrote them in Adjectiveless 51 and 52 for about two pages. It was when Gambit got back from Antarctica and after they made up Rogue got all cuddly and inuendo-y. She was acting drunk ('Remy, yoah mah beeeeeeeessst frrriieenndd'). It was cute.


I can rationalise why Rogue is infatuated by Gambit, as every time he speaks to her his powers reinforce her feelings, but it's not so easy to understand what he sees in her.

She's got great tits. Canon.

She also has the lost little bird factor that appeals to guys like Gambit who want to be Knight In Shining Armour to a lady.


I can't help but wish the relationship in the books were more like the relationship on the show.

Fun? Me too. CC realized it and cut out the angst.

[Pixie_Solanas]

If Rogue isn't shoving a boot heel up a splayed Captain America's nose, giggling like a maniac all the while, then that's NOT Rogue.

Get off the cartoons.

[Ingonyama]

Not when the cartoons are better than the books. ^_^

[Gracie Branch]

Reading the Claremont / Lee Omnibus, I've been familiarising myself with the first appearances of Gambit. You wouldn't really know it from the current books, but one of his main powers is his ability to seduce people into doing what he wants - he has a charmed voice (similar to Banshee 2's new retconned secondary mutation).

So gambit, a notorious ladies man, has a power that subverts people's will when he speaks to them, and forces them to fall in love with him.


http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/10/101009/1964439-candra_gambit_super.jpg
(from comixvine - caption "Gambit charms Candra to get the elixir")

Rogue is sexually introverted due to the fact that she can't touch, which TBF must suck. However she also has a power that in itself is extremely intrusive - as well as power she absorbs people's psyches. All their innermost secrets and thoughts become privy to her after she touches them. Claremont gets some good story beats out of this, friends and foes alike are shocked and appalled after she violates their psyches, often taking without asking.

The metaphor of Rogue mind raping her targets is extended through her preferred method of absorption - she often fly up to her victim, grabs them by the face and forcibly kisses them - in an action that would count as sexual assault in the real world.


http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqekuwXa5x1qi6zcz.jpg

I think deep down we all feel these two deserve each other, and that is (IMO) one of the reasons there is so much angst about the Magneto relationship.

Where was this angst when it made huge money during the Age of Apoclaypse and the X-franchise was on top of the world?

[Canemacar]

Where was this angst when it made huge money during the Age of Apoclaypse and the X-franchise was on top of the world?


http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fX_dsDxavTA/TYqZNq9g9wI/AAAAAAAAADo/BYvTxvVw2cA/s1600/GambitRogue-FamousCouples-Front.jpg

[AliAle]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fX_dsDxavTA/TYqZNq9g9wI/AAAAAAAAADo/BYvTxvVw2cA/s1600/GambitRogue-FamousCouples-Front.jpg

Awwww, I want that collector's pin <3

PS: why is Rogue wearing a preggie blouse?
PS2: Gambit looks like his Igor Kordey self

[remydat]

Gambit's charm power, IIRC, only works on people who are unaware of it. Rogue knows him better than just about anyone (based solely off the times she's kissed and absorbed him, both willingly and against her will), so I'm about 95% sure that's not a factor anymore.

I always thought their relationship played out better on the screen than on the page. The 90s X-Men Animated Series mostly portrayed them as a fun, dynamic couple, with a lot of amusing banter and vacation plans that often went awry, but who had each other's backs when it counted.

By contrast, their relationship in the comics seemed, to me, to be a lot angstier. Rogue seemed to be two different people around him...the needy Southern belle who would cling desperately to someone who cared for her, and the woman tormented by a dangerous power, who couldn't get too close.

Now that she can touch him without fear of reprisals, it seems like she's even more indecisive and hesitant than before, and I'm truly at a loss for why that is.

And Gambit...well, to say he had "loyalty issues" is the understatement of the decade. Not personal loyalty, I hasten to add; his devotion to Rogue was always unquestionable. But how much he cared about the X-Men as a team, or their goals, was an issue that I don't think ever got explored. As Rogue went, so went Remy's country, and I have yet to see anything past that.

I can't help but wish the relationship in the books were more like the relationship on the show.

Yeah Gambit's charm powers worked like only 2 or 3 times in the actual comics mostly during his adventures with Storm against the Shadow King and that chick the Shadow King was with at the time and the other times it was just people commenting on how they would have been charmed if not for the fact they knew about his power. It has been largely ignored by every single writer since and hasn't been shown to actually work for probably 15 years.

And you are right, the relationship was much better in TAS than it ever was in the comics. They had fun together in TAS despite the limitations of the relationship. Frankly a presumed ladies man willing to remain faithful to you despite not being able to touch you should have made Rogue estatic. That shit could only happen in a comic book as in real life, the dude would have been banging half the girls on the X-men behind her back. Hell if she was all angsty about not getting laid, a simple condom and some skin tight gloves would have solved that problem.

[MartinRedmond]

That "charm" power is called a frenchlike accent.

[Gracie Branch]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fX_dsDxavTA/TYqZNq9g9wI/AAAAAAAAADo/BYvTxvVw2cA/s1600/GambitRogue-FamousCouples-Front.jpg

That didn't sell...Age of Apocalypse Omega did. And it ended with Magneto, Rogue, and Charles liberating a world from tyranny.

[MartinRedmond]

That didn't sell...Age of Apocalypse Omega did. And it ended with Magneto, Rogue, and Charles liberating a world from tyranny.

While taking a **** on the Guthries w/e.

[Foon4000]

AOA Rogue has no excuse for her hair.

[MartinRedmond]

Hurgh! Seriously, the 90s fans need to grow up and leave comics forever.

[Foon4000]

Hurgh! Seriously, the 90s fans need to grow up and leave comics forever.

But what will I stack in my shelves???

[Home made ectoplasm]

But what will I stack in my shelves???

ornaments. Vases. Stuff like that appropriate for a grown up.

[AliAle]

That didn't sell...Age of Apocalypse Omega did. And it ended with Magneto, Rogue, and Charles liberating a world from tyranny.

It's the preggy blouse I tell you, everyone thought she was carrying Magneto's baby.

[teddyeatsyourface]

Stop trolling 1Bulma1


Those collectables were of Marvel's (then) Famous couples in some of Marvel's most popular media/events/titles.

Gambit and Rogue (Famous from TAS)got AoA( Which we know they weren't a couple for longer than an issue).

Scott and Jean got X-Factor

Peter and Mary Jane were from his TAS instead of his comic.

[Foon4000]

Still doesn't explain why Rogue looks 50 years old.

[teddyeatsyourface]

Marvel hired cheap ass toy designers.

Have you seen the other figures in their "famous couples" toy line? Ugh.

[Gemmy]

Didn't the most recent AoA have Magneto unable to save Charles and Rogue&Gambit were chomping at the bit to have sex?

I seem to remember I read that page somewhere.

[Home made ectoplasm]

Didn't the most recent AoA have Magneto unable to save Charles and Rogue&Gambit were chomping at the bit to have sex?

I seem to remember I read that page somewhere.

I don't remember it myself

[Gemmy]

It was 'Uncanny X Force' #13