Welcome to the latest edition of "Does Batman Always Win?" The objective of this monthly feature is to examine how Batman would fare against characters not from his universe. Since Batman is a beast with prep time, these will be random encounters, and honestly, I think that makes it far more interesting. This month, I'm placing The Dark Knight against Remy LeBeau aka Gambit!
To make sure the segment is neutral, the matches will always be a random encounter (this means neither has knowledge on the other or prep time) and in a generic, unpopulated city setting at night (NOT Gotham). They'll start roughly 50 feet apart, have their standard gear and they will be in character. Naturally, they have the objective to defeat the other character. Just like over in the Battles Forums, the winner will be declared based on who I think will take the most victories in this scenario if it played out 10 times with these settings. Additionally, it's worth noting that this segment is treating all Pre-New 52 Batman feats as canon (New Earth, of course).
Will the mutant's explosive ability take down the Caped Crusader... or will Batman's skill overcome? Read on to find out what I think!
Fighting Skill
Remy's very talented when it comes to stick fighting and savate. His abilities with a bo-staff and assorted kicks have helped him hold his own against the likes of Daredevil and Blade. He's definitely not one to underestimate in this regard and his agility compliments his abilities well, but let's be real here, Batman has him hugely outclassed. If this was purely a hand-to-hand / melee weapons contest, Batman probably would walk away with nothing more than a bruise or two at most here. Gambit could offer a bit of difficulty with his agility, reflexes and reach via his staff, but it's nothing The Dark Knight couldn't handle and eliminate.
Equipment / Powers
This one's tough to call. Batman obviously has variety on his side here -- there's absolutely no disputing that. He has everything from a standard batarang to cryo pellets on him. Gambit only has cards and a bo-staff, but a lack of options is by no means a bad thing for him in the case. His cards might be his primary option, but they're still highly effective, so a lack of variety doesn't matter. Using his powers, he can make his projectiles weak enough to stun a human or strong enough to collapse a small building. Batman won't be easy to tag by any measure, but the sheer volley of explosions will make this difficult for him. Add in the fact that Gambit can technically charge anything in the environment and his power is a huge factor.
On the flip side, Batman's variety of gear will hugely benefit him. Smoke will hinder Gambit's accuracy, a grapling line could yank on his ankle, gas could daze him, so on and so on. Batarangs won't prove effective at all since Gambit can deflect numerous bullets, but they could still keep him busy for a moment or two, granting Batman a slight opportunity to follow up with something more effective -- especially after seeing how impressive his opponent's reflexes are.
It's plausible Gambit can unleash a volley of cards powerful enough to tag Batman and destroy any potential cover (like vs. Ares, for example) and his regular use of cards certainly won't make things easy for Bruce. That said, it's every bit as likely that Batman could use one of his many tools to help take down Remy. I'll have to say this one's a draw.
Mentality
Batman clearly has Gambit rocked when it comes to raw intellect, but this portion also factors in what their mindset is in combat. Gambit's okay with crossing the line and unleashing if he needs to, and while Batman isn't, that definitely doesn't make him any less dangerous. Both combatants are masters of stealth and prone to using that option, but Batman's stealth feats simply have the X-Man beat in that regard.
On top of that, the DC hero also has better detection capabilities (see image on left). Yes, LeBeau can also use his power to set up a variety of traps and dirtier tactics, but at the end of the day, he has nothing at all to really place him on Wayne's level of intelligence or tactical know-how. Gambit is no fool when it comes to tactics in combat and his powers will aid him in making potential traps, but at the end of the day, Batman is flat-out smarter and sporting a superior tactical mindset.
Physicals
Batman's peak human and has better strength, endurance and pain tolerance feats than Gambit. That's going to be key for him here. He has the agility and speed needed to make him a difficult target for those cards and he has the pain tolerance to stay conscious if one does end up right under his feet. He also has better strength feats than Remy and since his superior skill means he's likely to land more hits, you can bet those strikes will take a toll on the Cajun.
He's impressive when it comes to agility and reflexes (has danced around Nightwing's attacks), but that's an area where Gambit takes the edge. The man has blocked numerous bullets with his bo-staff and even caught a projectile from a firearm. It's safe to say he's superhuman in that regard.
While Gambit has superior mobility and reaction capabilities, Batman is more impressive when it comes to everything else relating to their physicals. Because I view their different advantages as equally important, I'll call this one a draw.
My Verdict
Gambit without question has the speed, agility and explosive power to give Batman a tough time. It won't be easy for Batman to get close, but I do believe he has the equipment, physical means and skill to do so. Once that distance is closed, it's just a matter of time before Batman's superior skill (and variety of tech) makes the difference. Remy puts up a good fight, but I'd say Batman takes this one 7/10 via knockout.
Alright, so I think Batman takes the victory. But what do other Comic Vine staff writers think about this battle?
This battle is killing the fanboy inside of me! I love Gambit, but I also love Batman. How am I supposed to stay rational?! For me, this is no contest. Batman can beat Gambit. "But Gambit has super-powers and is a master thief!" Yep, he sure is. Batman is a ninja and is a master strategist. He's dealt with thieves before. He's dealt with super powers before. If this were a "what super-hero does Mat, in 1993, want to be" contest, Gambit would win every time, but it's not. Batman takes this. It's pretty obvious.
I have to go with Batman on this. Gambit has some skillz but even with the New 52 five year timeline, Batman has the experience and training to take on someone like Gambit. Batman has faced hordes of super-powered foes. I believe the main edge is Batman would take the fight much more seriously. Gambit would try smooth talking Batman or just try talking in general. Batman can be a man of few words...and few punches. Because that's all it would take, a few punches in just the right spot, to take down Gambit.
Batman just has to make sure Gambit doesn't charge up his gauntlets or utility belt during the fight. Chances are Gambit wouldn't get the chance to do so.
Want more Batman battles?
Well, there you have it. We all agree: we love Gambit, but we think Batman has what it takes to win. What do you think? Speak your mind below!
Gregg Katzman is a freelance writer for Comic Vine and IGN Entertainment. This is the part where he shamelessly plugs his Twitter page in hopes of getting a new follower or two.