When Channing Tatum strutted in with a thick (possibly misconstrued) New Orleans accent in Deadpool & Wolverine, the entire world jumped on the bandwagon of memes reciting Wooimabouttomakeanameformyselfhere on a loop and loving every second of it. Although the love for Gambit may be belated, it is greatly deserved with Marvel Studios itself being the latest to join the mutant’s fan club.
In the animated Disney+ series What If…?, Marvel envisions an alternate reality where Gambit has taken center stage as the Herald of Galactus, imbued with the cosmic strength that once made the Silver Surfer soar through the universe as Galactus’s emissary. After a drab Season 2, What If…? seems to have finally shifted back on track as Marvel cashes in on Gambit’s renaissance with this bold new storyline.
Who are the Heralds of Galactus?
The Marvel Comics universe isn’t just superheroes suiting up and fighting the good fight when disaster strikes. Tragedies, family, friendship, and histrionics dot the pages of the countless issues. Among the numerous storylines that exist to entertain the reader’s imagination, one of the best includes the Heralds of Galactus – cosmically enhanced beings infused with a fraction of his power in order to serve him.
Tragically, the saying: With great power comes great responsibility applies to the Heralds of Galactus most appropriately as the empowered beings then have to soar the universe in search of planets for Galactus to devour. Born from the Big Bang, Galactus’s never-ending hunger drives him to feed on entire worlds, consequently earning him the title, Devourer of Worlds.
Whether by irony or accident, every Herald in Galactus’s employ ended up either betraying him or being killed. Of all the beings that assumed the role, Silver Surfer was certifiably the most famous in the comics, although not the strongest. As time passed, more fearsome Heralds were added to the Marvel Comics lore including Superman (yes, the DC superhero), Hulk (who became the World-Breaker as a result of Galactus’s power in World War Hulk), and Cosmic Ghost Rider aka Frank Castle (the Punisher).
Now, with Gambit as a Herald, the hierarchy of power in the Marvel universe is about to face some serious restructuring.
Gambit Becomes the Herald of Galactus
With the Power Cosmic flowing through his veins, Gambit will effectively be the single most powerful being in the universe with very few exceptions. In the new What If…? series of storylines, the Ragin’ Cajun becomes imbued with a minuscule amount of the Devourer’s powers in order to become the next Herald. Only time will tell whether he will snap out of Galactus’s influence and regain his sense of identity or go on to become a being powerful enough to challenge the Silver Surfer himself.
Becoming the Cosmic Gambit is the biggest power upgrade ever bestowed on the part-time X-Man/professional thief since his conception on the pages of The Uncanny X-Men Annual #14. Created by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee, Gambit has remained a niche fan-favorite of Marvel fans, only recently given voice by Channing Tatum after his 20-year-long crusade.
Keeping in stride with every Herald that came before him, Remy LeBeau’s future seems to hold a cosmically enhanced revision of power that will supercharge his already inherent ability to charge inanimate objects with explosive energy. His ability to manipulate energy and organic objects in his vicinity without ever touching them and his hypnotic charm that grants him a subtle influence over most sentient minds, compelling others to believe what he says and agree with anything he suggests, would also get a boost. Not only will he then be able to control minds but disrupt biomagnetic energy fields strong enough to destabilize entire planets.
Suffice it to say, making Gambit a Herald of Galactus is one of the most unhinged ideas to take shape in Marvel’s What If…? timeline.
What If…? is available to stream on Disney+.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
