Although it's likely his rumored standalone film will never happen, Gambit is one of the most popular and cherished X-Men since he first made his appearance in Uncanny X-Men #14. With his Cajun accent, a bo staff as his weapon of choice, and a deck of cards always on hand, Gambit is one of the more distinct and unique X-Men characters, using his mutant ability of molecular acceleration in inventive ways.

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While his powers seem simplistic and not overly impressive at first glance, Gambit actually has an imposing set of abilities that have been enhanced through various points in the comics over the years. Here are the 10 most creative uses of Gambit's powers.

10 Explosive Playing Cards

Just because it's Gambit's signature use of his powers, and one that he frequently utilizes, doesn't take away from the fact that charging a deck of cards with explosive energy and then using them as projectiles is, without question, pretty creative.

This unique usage and visualization of his molecular acceleration ability turn what could be a simple touch-and-make-things-explode power into something, not just unique, but character-defining. While this pick probably isn't a surprise, explosive playing cards is a very creative use of Gambit's powers.

9 Bo Staff Charge Up

Gambit bo staff

Gambit's bo staff is another one of his character-defining looks. While he's trained in fighting styles specifically for staffs, Gambit can use this weapon for more than just martial arts. With his molecular acceleration, Gambit can charge his bo staff with pure, destructive force. Anything or anyone unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of a strike is in for a bad day.

When Gambit charges his staff with explosive power, it glows and crackles with purple energy. If charged to high enough levels, Gambit can level a house with his staff.

8 Enhance His Agility

Because Gambit's power allows him to tap into kinetic and potential energy, he has the ability to manipulate the energy within his own body. To this end, Gambit can drastically augment is agility and dexterity. A decently imposing mutant to begin with, Gambit makes himself an even more capable fighter with this creative use of his powers.

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Flipping through the air like an acrobat, dodging attacks with ease, and swinging his staff with blinding speed, Gambit's impressive physical abilities are a well-used extension of his powers.

7 Toxic Transformation

When Apocalypse turned Gambit into one of his Four Horsemen, the modifications his body endured imbued him with a whole new set of powers and abilities. The powers he received included some creative twists on Gambit's standard mutant talents, including the ability to convert any substance into toxic matter.

Most notably with this skill set, Gambit had the power to change the very air you breathe into a poisonous gas that could kill you. Instead of being able to charge objects with explosive energy, Gambit's very touch could convert objects into deadly toxins.

6 Psychic Interference

Gambit's molecular acceleration mutant power allows him to fill his body with static-like energy that prevents even the most powerful mutant psychics from invading his mind. This ability isn't talked about enough and should be referenced more often with Gambit, as this skill is incredibly useful in a mutant world filled with telepaths.

On top of keeping unwanted visitors out of his mind, Gambit's psychic interference can also stop telepathic mutants from even detecting his presence, essentially making him invisible to psychics.

5 Irresistible Charm

Gambit charming Rogue in the X-Men comics

While Rogue and Gambit have an on-and-off-again relationship throughout the comics, Gambit has always been a bit of a ladies' man and it's not just because of his looks and accent. Gambit can manipulate the kinetic energy in a person's brain, giving him the ability to subtly influence them.

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While some minds have proven to be too powerful for Gambit to affect, many mutants can fall prey to his "charms" and follow along with whatever he says or suggests. However, simply knowing that Gambit is trying to influence you can prevent him from being able to.

4 Corrupting Touch

Most of what Gambit can do is all about his physical touch. Referencing again Gambit's time as one of the Four Horseman, his standard explosive molecular acceleration ability was enhanced to something much more sinister. Now, Gambit could creatively use his ability to infect and corrupt the minds of others.

A dark time in Gambit's past to be sure, being able to subjugate others to his will in such a malicious and evil fashion is not what Gambit is known for.

3 Heal Himself

Similar to, but not nearly to the same extent as Wolverine, Gambit's standard mutant ability allows him to heal himself to a small degree. By manipulating his own kinetic and potential energy, Gambit has been able to stimulate the cells in his body and produce a healing effect.

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An exciting twist on his normal skill set, Gambit being able to heal himself is an ability that deserves more attention when considering his rank among the X-Men and other mutants.

2 Trapping Others In His Cards

This is the final time on this list that Gambit's induction to Apocalypse's Four Horsemen will be discussed. This isn't just a creative flip on Gambit's powers, but also on his character's defining trait. Aptly named the "Dark Charge," Gambit could not only transfer explosive energy into his playing cards, but also dark energies that could trap the body and mind of his targets within Gambit's cards.

Nearly placed at #1 because of how it effectively combines Gambit's standard power and his most popular trait, the Dark Charge falls second to a worthy opponent.

1 Becoming Pure Energy

One of Gambit's most important comic stories revolves around him meeting an alternate-universe version of himself, known as New Son. This version of Gambit had lost control of his molecular acceleration abilities, essentially becoming pure energy and accidentally destroying his world.

Gambit later unlocks this same potential so that he can battle New Son. When he does, comic readers are introduced to Gambit's true power, being able to control energy in all its forms of existence, including the ability to manipulate space and the flow of time. Creatively twisting Gambit's power of controlling kinetic and potential energy, Marvel Comics briefly turned the Ragin' Cajun into an Omega-Level mutant.

NEXT: X-Men: The 10 Most Creative Uses of Kitty Pryde’s Powers, Ranked