Bullseye comes back to wreak havoc and immediately challenge Gambit’s decision to spare him in Chris Claremont’s second installment of Gambit: Wanted.
This issue was a blast for me because unlike what I expected, it doesn’t drag out a core emotional conflict to the 4th or 5th issue. Remy instantly has to face his repercussions and suffer consequences, somewhat rare for a Marvel mini-series.
Spoilers ahead chère. Proceed with caution.
Bullseye is at his worst and doesn’t make it any easier for the King of Thieves. The marksman is genuinely trying to harm kids and admittedly doesn’t feel an ounce of remorse about it, flexing his actions with a smirk. The art is fantastic. Whether it’s Bullseye’s sadistic smile or Gambit’s pained expressions while trying to protect his close ones. It adds weight to Remy’s predicament.
On the topic of making things harder, Remy doesn’t have much help. He has to take hard hits—Bullseye literally punches his face inwards at one point—and use his coat to cast away bombs in rough situations. The Cajun’s leadership here is impressive to watch, as Remy is a capable leader—as seen when he teaches Danger Room classes—and it’s enjoyable to see it in action again.
His control over the situation all comes crashing down when it’s revealed that Elodie, the girl who he was initially trying to save, has been brainwashed by the villain Suzerain. Elodie attacks Remy, who does his best to fight off Bullseye while both avoiding and protecting her.
Bullseye taunts Remy for saving Elodie while she attacks him, wanting Remy to forgo his protectionism and the love he has for his friends. The deadeye covets chaos and violence, and would like nothing more than to see Remy give up. Again, this is the man he decided to save. Haunting.
In the climax, when Suzerain returns with a deal, Remy shows empathy by trading his place with Elodie’s. Gambit is now fully under the villain’s control.
It’s interesting to see how the Cajun will break out of the spell, but the more interesting aspect for me is what exactly she will have him do and if she’ll increase his sin tally.
That’s one of Gambit’s biggest character aspects. Even though they’re married now, Gambit’s sins and regrets were one of the reasons for initial problems between him and Rogue. He didn’t feel he was worthy of Rogue’s innocent love after all the lying, cheating, and stealing he’d done (shout out to the legendary Eddie Guerrero). Gail Simone’s Uncanny X-Men #34 featured him admitting he didn’t feel worthy of heaven.
And now I wonder how this retrospective by acclaimed writer Chris Claremont will add on to his sins and retroactive characterization.
Rating: 3.9/5
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