Rogue & Gambit (collected in trade as Rogue & Gambit: Ring of Fire) is a 2018 Marvel Comics limited series written by Kelly Thompson and drawn by Pere Perez, published as part of the Marvel Legacy initiative.
When Cerebra detects multiple mutants simply vanishing after visiting Paraiso Island, an island resort in the Atlantic offering to "free mutants of their trauma", Headmistress Kitty Pryde sends ex-lovers Rogue and Gambit to investigate, as they are the perfect covert agents to infiltrate the resort under the guise of pursuing couples' therapy.
Sounds simple enough, but then again, what's ever simple with Rogue and Gambit...
After a five-issue run, Rogue and Gambit was followed by an ongoing sequel series titled Mr. and Mrs. X, also written by Thompson, which follows them after their impromptu wedding in X-Men: Gold.
Rogue & Gambit includes examples of:
- All Your Powers Combined: After consuming the golems of all the other mutants in issue #5, Rogue assumes a form with demon-like horns, wings comprised of bone struts that support "feathers" of multi-colored light, steely skin, glowing eyes, blue flames for hair, elf-like ears, and a left hand wreathed in flames.
- An Aesop: The ugly parts of your life are just as valid in defining who you are as the more pleasant parts.
- Backdoor Pilot: Of sorts, for Mr. & Mrs. X, which debuted a few months after the conclusion of this series.
- Continuity Nod:
- Rogue's stint in the Uncanny Avengers, and her kiss with Deadpool, are both mentioned in the first issue.
- At the start of the first issue, Gambit joins Rogue, Armor, Pixie and Psylocke in battling some "classic style" Sentinels in the Danger Room.
- A cavalcade of events from their respective pasts are "mentioned" in the form of speech bubble-sized images, during their first therapy session in the second issue. Rogue's history with Magneto and Gambit's ex-wife Bella Donna both make an appearance.
- Issue 3 opens with Rogue & Gambit talking about the infamous "Antarctica" event, their first schism as a couple and which became the foundation for the lack of trust that has been hindering their relationship ever since.
- When Rogue & Gambit are attacked by their clones in issue #3, they're wearing an array of costumes that both characters have worn throughout their appearances in X-men.
- When Gambit destroys his first Rogue clone in issue #4, he sees Rogue's memory of a scene from the first wedding of Cyclops and Jean Grey, specifically after he caught the garter and put it on Rogue.
- Rogue's first "borrowed" Gambit memory in issue #4 references his being kicked off of the Avengers in issue #17 of the 2012 Gambit comic line.
- Crazy Jealous Guy: Gambit does a pretty good job of masking his jealous side, until a failed seduction attempt launches him into a tirade of how he knows Rogue had recently kissed Deadpool, of all people.Gambit: He doesn't even have a face!
- However, this is the first and only time Gambit has ever showed this type of reaction.
- Damned by Faint Praise: After undergoing their first therapy session in the second issue, Rogue and Gambit agree that, even if Dr. Grand turns out to be out to murder them so she can "eat their brains" or whatever, she's done a better job than their last therapist. Who was Emma Frost.
- Danger Room Cold Open: We're introduced to Rogue as she's training with some X-Men in the Danger Room.
- Distinction Without a Difference: In the first issue, Rogue asserts that she did not kiss Deadpool - she made out with him. However the issue in which that happen doesn't support the the made out comment.
- Dressed Like a Dominatrix: Rogue points out that Lavish's buckled catsuit makes her look like she's about to engage in "bondage fun".Rogue: We know this woman, Emma, who would probably like the name of your tailor. Though she's probably gonna want that thing in white.
- Emotion Eater: Lavish's own power turns out to be to absorb powers from mutants by stealing away particularly emotional memories from them; with their long history of mutual drama, Rogue and Gambit are a gourmet feast to her. If she consumes all of their memories, she leaves her victims as empty shells, who wander around like Voodoo-style zombies.
- Enemy Without: Lavish is able to manifest stolen memories from her victims as physical clones of their original hosts.
- Foil: Lavish possesses a very similar power-set to Rogue herself, but was never strong enough to handle the stress and never tried to get strong enough to handle.
- Genre Savvy: Neither Rogue nor Gambit is surprised by anything that happens on Pariso Island. In issue #4, after being captured by Lavish and Strapped to an Operating Table, Rogue actually asks if this is where Lavish will do her Evil Gloating, then starts talking about Lavish's costume, which turns out to be a distraction so that Gambit can pick his cuffs.
- Gilligan Cut: In the first issue —Gambit: It's maybe not the best and easiest mission we've ever done, but it definitely could be worse.(next page) Rogue: YOU WERE SAYING?!
◊ - Golem: Invoked; Rogue uses this term for Lavish's "duplicants" in issue #5.
- Gossipy Hens: According to Gambit, the X-Men's gossip tree might as well have its own phoneline; in the first issue, he complains about how at least eight different people phoned him to tell him about Rogue kissing Deadpool.
- Impromptu Tracheotomy: In issue #4, after he picks his wrist cuff, Gambit "distracts" Lavish from carrying out her plans by stabbing her in the neck with his lockpick.
- Like an Old Married Couple: Rogue and Gambit's interactions with each other showcase very effectively just how long they have been together, explicitly and otherwise.
- Love at First Punch: According to Gambit's recollections in issue #2, whilst he thought she was beautiful the moment he saw her, it was the way she tried to kick his ass that really made him fall for her.
- The Masochism Tango: Rogue and Gambit's complicated relationship, and how depends on the constant push and pull of their mutual attraction versus their various hangups and flaws, is quite extensively examined.
- Mean Boss: Kitty Pryde —leading the X-Men at this point in continuity— kinda acts this way towards Rogue when assigning her the mission.
- Missed Him by That Much: A dark/ironic version; upon discovering the room full of brain-wiped mutants at Paraiso Island Hospital in issue #3, Rogue and Gambit leave noting that they need to look for their newly-missing "therapy neighbors" Theo and Janine - the same panel revealing that the couple were amongst the drooling zombies, just hidden behind a convenient screen.
- Name and Name: Rogue and Gambit.
- Noodle Incident: Psylocke, who worked with Rogue and Gambit while they were still an item, vaguely references a salacious event that happened between them to an eager Armor and Pixie —Psylocke: Well, girls, there was this one time when we were supposed to be having a picnic...
- Power Copying: A strange example; in issue #4, when Gambit and Rogue destroy memory-clones belonging to each other, they find themselves gifted with the other's power - Rogue gains Gambit's kinetic charging ability, and Gambit gains Rogue's strength.
- Relationship Revolving Door: Examined throughout the mini-series, with attention paid to how much the constant breaking up hurts both of them. At the end of the series, they decide to get back together again, hopeful that what they've learned about each other and themselves will help them stay together for good.
- Seeing Through Another's Eyes: In issue #4, when Gambit and Rogue destroy memory-clones belonging to each other, they are exposed to a random memory from their past, allowing them to know exactly what the other was thinking and feeling during that point in time.
- Sequel Series: Mr. and Mrs. X follows this series, after their impromptu wedding in X-Men: Gold.
- Shipper on Deck: Pixie apparently sees Rogue and Gambit this way.
- Shout-Out: The series ends with Rogue telling Gambit about a dream she had where she broke Professor X's favorite vase and used her powers to absorb the cuteness from a kitten so he wouldn't get mad at her. This is a nod to a strip by Hark! A Vagrant author Kate Beaton titled "Rogue Gets In Trouble"
- The Unfair Sex: Invoked In-Universe in the first issue; Gambit informs Rogue that it feels like he's the only one who seems to be making any effort at all to try and hold their relationship together, and that she just tends to give up on it whenever things get stressful.
- What Does She See in Him?: Invoked In-Universe in the first issue; on the flight to the island, an incredulous Gambit brings up the fact that Rogue made out with Deadpool, who, as he points out, doesn't even really have a face.
- Working with the Ex: Much like they've done in Charles Soule's Astonishing X-Men (2017). Rogue is not happy about it.
