Before he joined the X-Men, Gambit was a member of the Thieve's Guild of New Orleans. The rivals of the Thieves Guild was the Assassin's Guild of New Orleans. In an attempt to bridge a peace accord between the two, Gambit was married to Belladonna, a member of the Assassin's Guild. Belladonna's brother, Julian, hated Gambit, though, and challenged him to a duel. Gambit killed Julian, which destroyed the potential of peace between the two Guilds and Gambit left New Orleans.