10 Things Only X-Men Comic Book Fans Know About Gambit’s Romance With Rogue
Gambit and Rogue have one of the X-Men's most popular and more tumultuous relationships. What do only Marvel comic book fans know about them?
One thing that Marvel Comics loves to do is put characters into difficult relationships. When this is a romance, things can get even more dangerous than fighting a supervillain. However, things often went a little too far in the case of X-Men's Gambit and Rogue, as their relationship veered toward toxic at times.
Rogue started out as a villain raised by the evil Mystique, but she was someone who wanted to be good and learn to control her powers, which didn't allow intimacy on any level. Gambit is a thief by trade and someone with a dubious past, both as a hero and as a partner. When the two hooked up, it was a combustible relationship that fans loved, and one with countless twists and turns.
They Hooked Up Because Of The Shadow King
Marvel Comics fans first saw the two as flirtatious teammates, but there was clearly a spark there. In later stories, their first connection was often cloudy at best, with both characters arguing about their initial meeting. Neither could agree on what really happened.
This is possibly because the evil Shadow King is why they originally hooked up. When the two first met, Shadow King was controlling both of their minds when they were on Muir island and he had the two begin kissing. When it was all over, Rogue had no memories of this, but Gambit remembered it all.
Their First Date Was Crashed By Omega Red
After their first make-out moment, the two finally met while in control of their own minds as members of the X-Men. The two began flirting again, and it was clear they felt something for each other. In 1991's X-Men #4, Gambit tried engaging with her and Rogue pushed him away, but later agreed to a date.
That date didn't go very well. While on their first outing, mutant villain Omega Red attacked and the battle ruined everything. However, this set the template for what their relationship would look like over the years.
Gambit Didn't Want To Know Rogue's First Name
Gambit and Rogue finally went on a date that didn't involve battling a supervillain a short time later in X-Men #24. This allowed them to actually get to know each other better away from their mutant teammates, unsurprisingly over a Cajun dinner of gumbo.
The two realized how hard this would be for them, thanks to Gambit's past and Rogue's inability to kiss or have skin-to-skin contact. However, Rogue was smitten and offered her real name, but Gambit didn't want to hear it. He told her it didn't matter what her name was because all that mattered was who she was inside.
They Shared Their First Kiss Before Age Of Apocalypse
Gambit and Rogue went a long time before they were able to truly be intimate with each other. Right before Age of Apocalypse changed the entire world, the two finally decided it was now or never. The two shared a passionate kiss in X-Men #41.
But, it comes as no surprise that things didn't work out well. Gambit ended up in a coma after the kiss and Rogue had all his memories in her mind. This meant that he was out of action and she suddenly knew everything Gambit did in his shady past.
Gambit's Past Always Threatened Them
The biggest problem with Rogue and Gambit comes from what he did long before he ever met her. Gambit was part of the Thieves' Guild before he was a member of the X-Men. While Rogue was also a villain once, what Gambit did was much worse than anything Rogue ever did.
Gambit was even married once, a fact he kept hidden from everyone. What was worse was when Rogue learned of Gambit's darkest secret, one that almost ended things forever and drove him out of the X-Men. Gambit was partially responsible for the Morlock Massacre, one of the X-Men's most devastating betrayals.
Rogue Abandoned Gambit In Antarctica
When Rogue learned that Gambit was responsible for the Morlock Massacre, she couldn't keep it a secret. While Gambit had no idea Mister Sinister was planning a massacre and was paying off a debt to the villain, he was still partially responsible for the death of hundreds of mutants in one of the X-Men's most devastating moments.
When the X-Men learned about this, they kicked Gambit out and Rogue dumped him. She literally dumped him in Antarctica and left him there alone to die. Luckily, he survived and found his way back eventually.
The Two Have Shared Time Together Powerless
In X-Treme X-Men #15 to 19, Gambit and Rogue had lost their powers. This was a big deal since it was Rogue's abilities that kept the two from touching each other. It was Vargas that cost them their powers, and they decided to hide out after this.
The two ended up in Valle Soleado, a mutant beach town, and they were able to share some amazing moments together and prove what their inner powers were, from Gambit's strength to Rogue's courage. They even finally had a chance to kiss.
Gambit Blamed Rogue When He Went Blind
If there is one thing that Gambit is good at, it is gaslighting people. While the X-Men were in an intense battle, one of Gambit's cards exploded while it was in front of his face, and he went blind. None of his teammates seemed to care that he was now blind, with the exception of Rogue.
Since Rogue was one of the only people who cared enough to try to help him, Gambit lashed out at her and blamed her for the entire accident. She had almost nothing to do with it, and it was just Gambit being Gambit.
They Got Married After Kitty And Colossus's Wedding Fell Apart
In X-Men: Gold #30, Kitty Pryde and Colossus were finally getting married. Anyone who believed this would end with the two tying the knot had never read an X-Men comic with Kitty and Colossus in it. In this situation, Kitty phases into the ground when Colossus is about to put a ring on her finger.
However, there was already a wedding venue set up, a minister on hand, and a reception with lots of food. At that instant, Gambit drops to a knee and asks Rogue to marry him. She said yes, and there was an X-Men wedding after all.
They Have Kids In X-Men: The End
Marvel released a series of comics with The End in the titles, showing how everyone from Hulk to Venom's stories ended. Chris Claremont wrote X-Men: The End, which went years into the future where most of the X-Men have stopped being heroes and are just trying to raise their families.
In this timeline, Rogue and Gambit were married and they had two children of their own in Oli and Becka. Things didn't end well here, as they rarely do in these books, because Rogue ended up dying and Gambit had to raise his teens as a single father.
