The possibility of Apocalypse resurrecting Gambit (Remy LeBeau) as one of his Four Horsemen in season 2 of X-Men ’97 is probably the most popular theory floating around in the fandom. While most theories are the result of fans analyzing the show and piecing what they feel are clues together, this isn’t the case here.
Nothing has been officially confirmed, especially since season 2 doesn’t air until July 1. But the creative team behind X-Men ’97 has been dropping hints in a way that makes it clear that fans are onto something.
The Post-Credits Scene That Sent Fans into a Frenzy
The season 1 finale ends with a post-credits scene that shows Apocalypse standing in the ruins of Genosha. The mutant nation had been destroyed in a massacre orchestrated by the human-Sentinel hybrid Bastion, with long-time X-Man Gambit being one of the many casualties.
As he’s digging through the rubble, he finds one of Gambit’s signature playing cards, the Queen of Hearts. “So much pain, my children,” Apocalypse says. “So much… death.”
Many fans latched onto that final word, as it feels like a deliberate nod to the Blood of Apocalypse arc from the comics where Gambit became one of the villain’s Horsemen (more on that later).
When asked by Entertainment Weekly about the scene, supervising producer Jake Castorena responded with “Oh, did something happen with Gambit in the comics? Oh, that’s cool.” He then added that nothing on X-Men ’97 “is happening by accident” and that “everything is meticulously planned.”
The post-credits scene wasn’t the only hint. In season 1 episode 6 “Lifedeath, Pt. 2,” Professor X has a vision of a giant skeletal version of Gambit destroying his classroom. At the time, it was presented as Xavier sensing Gambit’s death due to his telepathy. Looking back at that moment, some viewers saw it as a premonition.
The Blood of Apocalypse Arc
The 2006 storyline Blood of Apocalypse (X-Men vol. 2 #182–187) took place during one of the darkest periods in mutant history. Due to the events of House of M and M-Day, over 90% of the mutant population was stripped of their powers and new mutants weren’t being born either. Apocalypse returned with a plan to reshape the world and assembled a new group of Horsemen.
Those Horsemen included Gazer as War, Sunfire as Famine, Polaris as Pestilence, and Gambit as Death.
Unlike the other Horsemen who were captured and brainwashed, Remy chose to join Apocalypse. He believed he could resist Apocalypse’s influence to work as a double agent and help protect what was left of mutantkind.
He was wrong.
After drinking Apocalypse’s blood, Gambit’s skin turned dark blue, his brown hair was now white. His ability to charge objects with kinetic energy was upgraded by Apocalypse’s Celestial technology to include the power to turn the air itself into poison. He also lost control of himself and turned against the people he cared about, including his lover Rogue.
And then the arc was scrapped by the writers. Eventually Gambit was restored and back with the X-Men like the whole Death thing never happened.
Why this Theory Resonates
The main reason the Gambit-is-coming-back-as-Death theory is so popular is because the marketing for X-Men ’97 keeps fueling the flames.
The trailer makes it clear that Apocalypse will be a major antagonist in season 2. At the same time, Gambit is notably absent while Rogue is still mourning his death.
His absence has only added to the mystery of his ultimate fate.
When producers Eric and Julia Lewald were asked about the Gambit-as-Death theory, they didn’t shut it down. Julia said, “We probably don’t wanna get too close to answering that specifically, but appreciate that a lot of folks are picking up breadcrumbs.” Eric was even more direct. “If you were a betting man, I would say, follow the breadcrumbs.”
Again, none of the creatives working on the show have confirmed that Gambit is coming back. But it does sound like they want to without spoiling the show.
Season 2 of X-Men ’97 premieres on Disney+ on July 1, 2026.
