Warning! Spoilers ahead for Excalibur #22
In the latest issue of the X-Men's Excalibur, Remy Lebeau's Gambit just got a whole new power set thanks to some updated throwing cards. While Remy's mutant ability allows him to charge up any inanimate object with an explosive amount of kinetic energy, he most often uses throwable playing cards to serve as explosive projectiles while using a metal staff for close-quarters fighting. However, his latest adventure with Excalibur sees the team trying to infiltrate Merlyn's tower, and Gambit's new and improved playing cards certainly elevate him as a much stronger asset to the team than he already was.
In Excalibur #22 from writer Tini Howard and artist Marcus To, the great wizard Merlyn arrives at the Starlight Citadel to declare his distaste for mutants, whom he refers to as "witchbreed." Not only that, but he also criticizes Lady Saturnye and her status as an omniversal guardian (a role that Saturnyne somehow took from him in the past). Once Merlyn departs, Saturnyne requests that Captain Britain and Excalibur go figure out what Merlyn has that makes him confident enough to essentially declare war on the Citadel and mutantkind at the same time.
As a result, Excalibur soon finds itself in the heart of Merlyn's tower, trying to figure out what exactly it is the old wizard has planned. While they start in his dungeons, they soon work their way up to Merlyn's chambers and their first real challenge is the magical lock barring the door shut. This is where Gambit comes in with his new and improved cards, though they're not actually the playing cards he's used to throwing. Instead, he stole them from a certain someone whose cards have an added kick beyond the impressive explosions Gambit can produce on his own.
Thanks to Saturnyne's tarot cards, it seems as though each card offers a new ability for Remy to make use of. For example, by throwing the "Luck" card he manages to get the doors to Merlyn's chamber unlocked. While this is certainly impressive, it seems as though this is only the beginning of Gambit's new power set. One has to wonder what will happen when and if he throws the "Magician" card. Will he gain magical abilities for a time? If he throws the "Strength" card will he become stronger? The possibilities are pretty fun to think about.
In any case, Gambit just became a major power player for Excalibur, though here's hoping he won't have to give his powerful new deck back to Lady Saturnyne whenever they return to Starlight Citadel. It's a very cool upgrade, and it would certainly be a shame to see it fade away as a temporary ability that only lasts for a few issues. Regardless, Gambit has always been a fan-favorite member of the X-Men, and this issue does a great job of showcasing that there's plenty of room for the character to grow and be developed further, especially with his impressive powers.