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Editor's Note: The following article contains spoilers for X-Men '97 Season 2, Episode 6.
This week's episode ofX-Men '97, "Danger.EXE," was a game changer in more ways than one. It finally sees Polaris (Carolina Ravassa) breaking free of X-Factor and rejoining the X-Men, while also accepting the legacy of her father, Magneto (Matthew Waterson). It has Charles Xavier (Ross Marquand) take the X-Men into a new era, as he turns over leadership of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters to Storm (Alison Sealy-Smith) and forms the international organization known as X-Corp so that he and the X-Men can protect mutantkind. But the most shocking moment comes in the final scene of "Danger.EXE," and it involves the resurrection of a fan-favorite X-Men character.
At the end of "Danger.EXE," Apocalypse resurrects Gambit (AJ LoCascio), transforming him into the Horseman of Death. This transformation is also marked by the return of Gambit's iconic playing cards, which wrap around his body and transform into a deck of tarot cards. Gambit's resurrection has been heavily teased throughout X-Men '97, as the Season 1 finale featured Apocalypse taking one of his playing cards from the ashes of Genosha, while an upcoming episode of Season 2 bears the title "The Dead Man's Hand." Gambit's origins as the Horseman of Death have their roots in the "Blood of Apocalypse" storyline by Peter Milligan and Salvador Larroca, which is one of the more obscure X-Men storylines.
Gambit Becomes The Horseman of Death During the 'Blood of Apocalypse' Storyline
The "Blood of Apocalypse" storyline might not be well-remembered by fans, even though it takes place in one of the darkest periods of X-Men history. After the House of Mstoryline, the Scarlet Witch reshaped reality so that only 200 mutants on the planet still had their powers. As a result, Cyclops split the X-Men into three teams: the "Astonishing" team that he led, the "Uncanny" X-Men with Storm, Bishop, and Nightcrawler, and a team led by his brother Havok that also featured Polaris, Gambit, and Rogue in its roster. "Blood of Apocalypse" finds Apocalypse seeking to lead mutantkind again, and turning members of the X-Men into his Horsemen. In addition to Gambit becoming Death, Polaris is transformed into Pestilence, while Sunfire is transformed into Famine.
Gambit's transformation also marked a turning point in his relationship with Rogue, as the two were going through a rocky patch that wasn't helped by her adoptive mother Mystique taking up residence at Xavier's School for the Gifted. X-Men '97 took a similar path, though Gambit and Rogue found themselves on the outs after he learned about her past relationship with Magneto. This eventually led to the siege of Genosha and Gambit's death, breaking Rogue's heart. Things are about to escalate now that Gambit's back in the picture, and Marvel Animation head Brad Winderbaum delivered what's probably the perfect quote to sum it up:
"There’s a lot of romance to go around. But these poor characters — they never get a break. But that’s why we love them. The soap opera and the family dynamics are very, very strong, exactly, and kind of keeping in line with the X-Men."
'X-Men '97' Continues A Major Tradition in Marvel's TV Shows
If Gambit's resurrection wasn't already a big deal, the scene that precedes it definitely is. Prior to witnessing Apocalypse's resurrection of Gambit, Uatu the Watcher's silhouette can be seen in the starry night sky. Marvel Comics fans know that Uatu comes to bear witness to significant moments in history, and it's a trend that's been present in multiple Marvel shows. The Watcher appeared in X-Men '97's devastating episode "Remember It," which marked Gambit's death; he also showed up in Daredevil: Born Again before Vanessa Fisk's death and in the Season 1 finale of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
Gambit's return marks a big year for the Ragin' Cajun, as he's slated to play a major role in Avengers: Doomsdayand has his own comic book series, Gambit: Wanted, which is penned by legendary X-Men writer Chris Claremont and made its debut this year. It seems like Remy LeBeau is getting dealt a new hand and a new lease on life.
