| Rogue | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Various incarnations of Rogue, as depicted inExcalibur (vol. 4) #18 (2021). Art byRussell Dauterman. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publication information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publisher | Marvel Comics | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | Avengers Annual #10 (1981) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | Chris Claremont (writer) Michael Golden (artist) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| In-story information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alter ego | Anna Marie (maiden name unknown)[1][2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Species | Human mutant | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of origin | Caldecott County,Mississippi,United States[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team affiliations | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Partnerships | Gambit | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable aliases | Anna Raven[5] Anna Marie LeBeau | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abilities |
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Rogue is a character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics, commonly in association with theX-Men. Created by writerChris Claremont and artistMichael Golden, she first appeared inAvengers Annual #10 (1981). In theMarvel Universe, Rogue is depicted as amutant, a subspecies of humans born with an "X-gene" that grantssuperhuman abilities. She is capable of absorbing the life force, attributes, memories, and superpowers of anyone through physical touch. The character is initially portrayed as a reluctantsupervillain, but she soon joins the X-Men as asuperhero and has since endured as one of its most prominent members.
Rogue's early history was only revealed over twenty years after her introduction in her self-titled solo series. The backstory written byRobert Rodi established her real name asAnna Marie, although her surname remains unknown. Arunaway from the fictional Caldecott County,Mississippi, Rogue isadopted byMystique andDestiny and inducted into theBrotherhood of Evil Mutants. She permanently absorbsMs. Marvel's psyche andKree powers and, fearing for her sanity, defects from the Brotherhood to join the X-Men to use her powers for good. Although she would later gain full control of her mutant abilities, Rogue considers them a curse for many years as they prevent her from getting close to others, including heron-off love interest and eventual husbandGambit, with whom she stars in the team seriesRogue & Gambit andMr. and Mrs. X. A white streak that runs through her hair and gloves that enable her to regulate her powers serve as Rogue's visual motif.
Often listed as one of the most notable and powerful female characters in Marvel Comics, Rogue has been adapted in variousmedia incarnations.Anna Paquin portrayed the character in20th Century Fox'sX-Men film series, whileLenore Zann, Meghan Black, andKieren van den Blink have provided her voice inanimation.
Rogue was first slated to appear inMs. Marvel #25 in 1979 (and artwork for the first half of the story was completed),[6] but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade until it was printed inMarvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992, where she absorbed her current powers permanently from Ms. Marvel.[7] Rogue's first published appearance was inAvengers Annual #10 (1981).[8][9][10] Her second appearance and first cover appearance wasRom #31 (Jun 1982) tied withUncanny X-Men #158 (Jun 1982), but #158 is also her first X-Book appearance. She next appeared as an antagonist inDazzler #22-24 (Aug-Oct 1982) before joining the X-Men inUncanny X-Men #171 (1983). Rogue has also had two miniseries and one ongoing title.
Rogue's real name and early history were not revealed until more than 20 years after her introduction. Until the backstory provided byRobert Rodi in the ongoingRogue series, begun in September 2004, her background was only hinted at. This resulted in Rodi's version of Rogue's origins inadvertently conflicting with earlier information. InX-Men Unlimited #4,Scott Lobdell indicates that Rogue ran away from her father after her mutant powers manifested, but inUncanny X-Men #182, Rogue reflects that she never knew her father because he had left before she was born, and several issues, includingUncanny X-Men #178 andX-Men #93, indicate that Rogue was taken in byMystique andDestiny before her mutation became active.
Chris Claremont said in June 2016 that, had he not left Marvel in 1991, Mystique would have been Rogue's real mother. It is a storyline that appeared in a 2009 run of the seriesX-Men Forever.[11] Claremont also revealed that the only advice he gave to artist Michael Golden was that Rogue should be inspired byGrace Jones and that she should have streaks of white in her hair. However,Michael Golden did not know what Jones looked like so the visual he submitted did not resemble Jones at all. Still, Claremont immediately approved, telling Golden he "nailed it."[11]
Rogue was a regular character inUncanny Avengers (2012), beginning with issue #1.
Rogue had twolimited solo series between 1995 and 2000, followed by anongoing series from 2004 to 2005, and she is slated for a fourth volume set for release in 2026.
2025 saw the publication of a limited series titledRogue: The Savage Land by writerTim Seeley and artist Zulema Lavina.[12][13]
Her parents, Owen and Priscilla, were married early in their relationship and lived in a back-to-naturehippie commune in Caldecott County,Mississippi.[14] Born as Anna Marie, she enjoyed the attentions of her Aunt Carrie, on her mother's side. Anna Marie was raised speakingcolloquialEnglish andFrench, common to the Mississippibayou area.[15] The commune's failed attempt to useNative American mysticism to reach the "Far Banks" results in Priscilla's disappearance. Carrie takes over Anna's care, and in her grief at the loss of her sister, becomes a strict and authoritarian guardian. Anna Marie was a rebellious child[14] and, at some point, the exact event or reasons still unclear, she ran away from home as a young teenager.
At some point, Rogue grows close to a boy named Cody Robbins. During their flirtation, Cody impulsively kisses her, at which point her latent mutant power to absorb the life energy and psyche of others with skin-to-skin contact emerges. Rogue is traumatized by the experience, and Cody is left in a permanent coma.[16][17] Hence, Rogue wears body-concealing clothing that eliminates the possibility of accidental skin contact. She wishes she "did not have to cover up so much around folks" to protect them from her, and starts to think of her powers as a "curse".[18]
Not long after, she is approached byMystique, who seeks her out on the advice of her precognitive partnerDestiny.[17] Mystique ultimately takes Rogue in and raises her as a daughter.[16] Her role as a mother figure allows Mystique to gradually twist Rogue's loneliness, envy, bitterness, and despair into anger and hatred, before recruiting her into theBrotherhood of Mutants.[volume & issue needed]
After Rogue gains a measure of control over her powers, Mystique begins coaxing her into taking part in terrorist activities as a member of the Brotherhood of Mutants. Although Rogue does not blindly hate humans like Mystique, she is led to believe that a normal life is impossible for her in a world where mutants are feared, and so willingly chooses to help the Brotherhood.[19]
The more Rogue uses her mutant power, the more her mind becomes filled with fragmentary psychic echoes of the people she absorbs.[20] The permanently absorbed Carol Danvers (Ms. Marvel) is a completely distinct, albeit dormant, personality in her head, andMastermind subtly exacerbates Rogue's psychological distress as a means of revenge against Mystique.[21] Desperate, Rogue turns toProfessor Charles Xavier and the X-Men for help.[22][23] The Professor is unable to do a psychic scan of her, due to the clashing human andKree portions of her psyche, but nonetheless decides to not only welcome her into the school, but make her a probationary member of the X-Men. The X-Men threaten to leave the school should Rogue be accepted, even though none of the active members aside from Storm and Nightcrawler had even met Rogue before. However, Xavier is adamant and convinces the X-Men to stay.[4][24]
Sacrificing herself to stopMaster Mold, Rogue is pulled through theSiege Perilous, where she is judged by other-dimensional forces with the promise of a "new life".[25][26] Rogue is purged of the remaining portions of Carol Danvers's personality, as well as Carol's powers, and teleported back to the X-Men's Outback base. She finds it has been taken over by theReavers in her absence, and the now-physically separate Danvers persona attacks her. Rogue flees, absorbing the powers of the mutantGateway to teleport herself to safety. She ends up in theSavage Land, and spends the ensuing days learning how to survive in the inhospitable land. She is eventually attacked again by Danvers, who is now under the mental enslavement ofShadow King. There is not enough life force between the two to sustain both Rogue and Danvers physically as a result of the separation, and Rogue is unwilling to kill Danvers. With Danvers on the verge of draining Rogue's life completely,Magneto intervenes and kills the Ms. Marvel persona.[27][28]
Rogue is part of theX-Treme X-Men team led byStorm. The team's first mission is in search ofDestiny's diaries (which prophesy future events). During an invasion of Khan (an alien conqueror from another dimension) of the island nation ofMadripoor, Rogue requests thatSage use her power of jump-starting abilities to evolve her to a point where she can control all of the various powers that she has ever absorbed. Sage agrees, and Rogue becomes a one-woman army, able to use the powers of anyone she absorbed in the past all at once.[29]
Rogue and Gambit return to the X-Men as part of Marvel'sX-Men Reload. Over time, Rogue's own abilities return, although exactly how and when is never revealed or discussed. However, she no longer possesses the abilities she absorbed from Ms. Marvel. Rogue and Gambit are both put onHavok's team and participated in various missions.[30]
As described in her own miniseries, Rogue then travels down south to save a young mutant girl from her powers. While there, she meets Campbell St. Ange, a young man immune to Rogue's lethal touch. Also while there, Rogue forcibly absorbs knowledge from her Aunt Carrie that explains that Rogue's mother traveled to the Far Banks, a dream-realm, to stop her father from getting there. Rogue encounters the incorporeal spirit of her mother therein and absorbs her memories. After the reunion, her mother's trapped spirit can finally move on. Rogue subsequently goes back to her Aunt Carrie and makes amends with her.[31]
In the events that followedM-Day, the mutantApocalypse is reawakened. Gambit, seeking redemption from Rogue and his fellow X-Men, volunteers to be transformed into Apocalypse'shorseman Death. Gambit believes he can control whatever Apocalypse will do to him, in hopes of gaining more power to protect Rogue and the X-Men from the villain.[32]
As Professor Xavier goes into space withHavok and several other X-Men to pursue the villainVulcan, Cyclops gives Rogue the authority to form her own team, complimenting her inspired improvisation in battle situations. She is hesitant at first, because of Gambit's recent disappearance with Sunfire, but accepts the position, saying that when he comes back, she will still be at the school. She choosesIceman,Cannonball,Cable,Sabretooth,Lady Mastermind,Karima Shapandar (Omega Sentinel), andMystique, a line-up with which Cyclops does not agree.[33]
The X-Men attacks the Marauders' Antarctic base to rescue Rogue and the mysterious mutant baby who is at the center of Messiah Complex. However, the baby eventually takes precedence and the X-Men do not recover (or even see) Rogue.[volume & issue needed]
Mister Sinister, now in possession of the mutant baby, relocates the Marauders to Muir Island. While standing by Rogue's bedside, Mystique is visited by Mister Sinister, who tells her that there will be no cure for Rogue and she will eventually die. Without warning, Mystique ambushes Sinister and shoves his face onto Rogue's. The instant contact seemingly kills Sinister.[34]
Rogue takes some time off from the X-Men and travels around the Australian Outback on a motorcycle.[35] She returns to the X-Men's former headquarters in Maynards Plains, Australia. Once there, she has a conversation with Mystique (a part of Rogue's psyche), telling her that no one else can help her with her powers and that it was down to her to figure out how to control them.
Rogue, Gambit, and Danger decide to go to San Francisco to regroup with the other X-Men. On their way there they are intercepted byPixie, who teleports them into the city, which is in a state of chaos due to the anti-mutant and pro-mutant movements. Cyclops admonishes Rogue for her disappearance and sends all three out to locate several missing students and bring them home. During their mission, Rogue faces off against the newMs. Marvel; finding that she cannot touch her opponent, Rogue resorts to a trick and flees the site.[36]
As Utopia has become a safe haven for mutants, the entire population were on high alert following an attack on the X-Men byEmplate, who feeds on mutant bone marrow for sustenance. The X-Men instruct everyone to stay close to each other and report anything out of the ordinary.Bling goes to check out an old amphitheater on her own when Emplate captures her to use as a food source.[volume & issue needed]
Unable to enter Emplate's cross-dimensional base, Rogue absorbs Trance's astral projection ability to enter the dimension and save Bling. As she investigates his lighthouse home for clues to Bling's whereabouts, Rogue was attacked by psychoplasmic ghosts. After fighting them off, she rescues Bling from Emplate.[37]
In an attempt to finally achieve godhood,Selene, along with her servantEli Bard, resurrected many of the X-Men's greatest deceased allies and villains under her control. Among the resurrected is Rogue's foster mother, Destiny, who attempts to contact Rogue but instead contactsBlindfold.[38]
Following theSiege of Asgard, Rogue was present at the funeral of Robert Reynolds,the Sentry. She stated that Reynolds was immune to the ill effects of her power and that, in a time in her past when she could touch no one else, she had at least one intimate encounter with him.[39] However, between two episodes of psychic blocks that caused Reynolds to completely forget his life as the Sentry, when he regained those memories for a few days, he contacted Charles Xavier telepathically and did not recognize Rogue when he "saw" her through that telepathic bond.[volume & issue needed]
During the event in which Cable andHope return to the present timeline, Rogue is able to sense Hope's presence, like Destiny prophesied, although neither she nor Emma Frost can explain it. After a short confrontation with some ofBastion's men, the X-Men and Cable decide for a diversionary tactic. Cable, along with some of the X-Men, stays behind (since it was him they were tracking), while Rogue, Nightcrawler, and Hope leave so that their enemies do not capture Hope. To that end, Rogue absorbs the power sets of Colossus, Wolverine,X-23, the Archangel, and Psylocke.[40]
Rogue, along with Magneto,Loa, andAnole, accompanyIndra to India: Indra because his wealthy parents informed him of his brother being ill; Magneto because he wanted to investigate strange anomalies in electromagnetic fields over Mumbai. They are attacked by giant Servidores who are chasing Luz,[41] a young woman who claims to be a mutant, but later turns out to be from Quitado, an alien city populated by lab-created superhumans.[42]
After the events of the "Age of X" storyline, Rogue decides not to wipe her memories. Gambit admits the extent of his feelings for her, but is also frustrated by her indecisiveness. He tells her that it is better they are apart until she decides to be with him for good and that he would be waiting for her when she is ready.[43] She becomes torn between her feelings for Gambit and Magneto. After Rogue confronts Magneto about his past, she spends a night with him, promising nothing else.[44]
Although Rogue was initially neutral in thewar between the Avengers and the X-Men, when the Jean Grey School was surrounded by theShe-Hulk, theMoon Knight, and theFalcon to stop other X-Men from joining Cyclops' team, Rogue was forced into action when some students attacked the She-Hulk,[45] declaring her allegiance to Cyclops afterIron Man sent a remote-controlled armor to attack the school.[46]
Rogue attends Xavier's funeral alongside Wolverine. Later, after seeing theScarlet Witch placing flowers on Xavier's grave, Rogue confronts her and orders her to leave, blaming her for his death; the two begin a verbal conflict that results in Rogue punching her in the face, though the Scarlet Witch refuses to fight back. Rogue intends to absorb her powers, but it fails. They are then attacked byfive mysterious assailants. During this conflict, the Scarlet Witch is impaled while defending Rogue, and the two are both seemingly defeated.[47]
It is later revealed that the instigator behind the attack on Rogue and the Scarlet Witch was theRed Skull, who has since fused his and Xavier's brains to give him access to his tremendous mental powers.[48] Despite the Skull's attempts to control them, he is eventually defeated by the 'Avengers Unity' team — includingCaptain America,Thor, Wolverine and Havok — but manages to escape.[volume & issue needed] In the aftermath, Rogue accepts membership of the team, seeing it as the best way to continue Xavier's dream, but notes that she will still not forgive the Scarlet Witch for her actions.[49]
The team makes their debut as the Avengers Unity Squad (which also containsSunfire, theWasp, andWonder Man as the team's latest recruits) during a press conference that debuts them. The press conference is then crashed by a resurrectedGrim Reaper, who attacks the Avengers Unity Squad while claiming that he is now unable to die. During the fight, Rogue absorbs some of Wonder Man's powers and seemingly punches the Grim Reaper harder than normal, which apparently kills the Grim Reaper again.[50]
She was later seen fighting alongside Captain America with the Avengers A.I.[51]
Rogue absorbs Wolverine's powers and is told to stop the Scarlet Witch, who is seemingly helping the Apocalypse Twins, but in reality, she plans to use her powers to bring as many of Earth's heroes as she possibly can to defeat the Twins.[52] Wolverine tells her that no one is to be killed if it can be helped, but upon seeing Wanda, Rogue goes into a berserker rage and murders her. Rogue is then killed by the recently re-resurrected Grim Reaper, who had been revived once again by the Apocalypse Twins to be one of their four horsemen of death.[53] Her death was undone when Havok and the surviving members of the Unity Squad were sent from the future by Kang to stop the Twins from destroying Earth, their minds projected back into their past selves so that they could not only warn Rogue what was to come, but then arranged for her to absorb the powers of numerous superheroes to give her the strength to hold the Celestial back. Rogue also finally made peace with Wanda and forgave her.[54][24] After the crisis was over, Rogue was in the process of being driven mad by all the heroes Rogue had absorbed (all of the Avengers and the X-Men). The Scarlet Witch cast a spell to return those powers to their owners, although Rogue still retained the powers and the very essence that she absorbed from Wonder Man.[55] She has also lost her ability to freely touch others.[56]
In 2013, Marvel revealed a new comic book simply namedX-Men. Written byBrian Wood,X-Men features an all-female cast includingStorm,Jubilee, Rogue,Kitty Pryde,Rachel Grey, andPsylocke.[57] Rogue was removed from this series' cast after theBattle of the Atom crossover, to avoid contradicting her death inUncanny Avengers.[citation needed]
After her resurrection, Rogue took part in AXIS with the X-Men, her powers allowing her to sense the aspect of Professor X that remained within the Red Skull.[58] During this time, the AUD was disbanded when various heroes underwent a moral inversion due to a spell cast byDoctor Doom and the Scarlet Witch to stop the telepathic Red Skull. In the aftermath, the Unity Division was reformed, with Rogue as leader of the team.[59][60]
Following the Incursions, Rogue remains as the field leader of the Avengers Unity Squad, although she accepts Steve Rogers' official oversight and recommendations for membership, such asDeadpool. She is also depicted as suffering side-effects from the mass terrigenesis, requiring regular injections to stop herself from becoming ill or dying.[61] When various Avengers are brainwashed into civilian lives in the community of Pleasant Hill – a S.H.I.E.L.D. project to 'reprogram' supervillains into regular civilians using fragments of aCosmic Cube that has since gained sentience – Rogue's new identity of Claire sees through the deception thanks to telepathic training provided by Professor X, allowing her mind to plant various clues that lead her to the rest of the team.[62] The same training helps her to resist telepathic attacks by the Red Skull who is keen to use her powers.[63] Later on, the Red Skull attempts to mount a new attack on the team and Rogue succumbs, but Deadpool is able to resist the telepathic attack long enough to get Magneto's old helmet on Rogue so that she can resist the Skull's telepathy.[64] Rogue subsequently takes the Skull to a new facility whereBeast is able to extract the uniquely Xavier elements from the Skull's brain, depriving him of Xavier's telepathy. Rogue andJohnny Storm incinerate the brain, rebelling against the orders of theHydra Captain America. Absorbing Deadpool results in the return ofWonder Man (whom she had previously absorbed).[65] She seems to have at least partially gained control of her powers, as seen when she touches Johnny Storm and is held by Wonder Man.[66][67] She fights against the Hydra forces in Washington D.C. during the dictatorship of Hydra Captain America.[68] She resumes her relationship with Johnny Storm[69] and avenges his apparent death by killingCorvus Glaive.[70]
Rogue returns to the Xavier Institute for Mutant Outreach and Education in New York after the incarceration ofKitty Pryde and forms a secondary team with theIceman,Armor,Ink,Magma, andMagik.[71] Later,Kitty Pryde sends her on an undercover mission with her ex-boyfriendGambit to the island of Paraiso. Their mission, as an estranged couple requiring relationship therapy, was to investigate the disappearance of mutants.[72] This results not only in them confronting their emotions and relationship challenges, but also finding that their memories and powers (as well as those of the missing mutants) are drained into their clones by a mutant called Lavish. Although they are severely weak, they fight against Lavish and the clones, restoring their memories and powers.[73] The couple decide to reunite and Rogue thanks Kitty for having sent them on the mission.[74] A conversation withStorm andNightcrawler spurs Gambit into proposing to her at Kitty andColossus' cancelled wedding and the couple decide to take advantage of all their friends being present. They are married by the rabbi who was present for officiating Kitty's wedding, with Nightcrawler and theIceman as Rogue's bridal party and with Storm andX-23 as Gambit's best women.[2]
While in space, their honeymoon is interrupted when they receive a message from Kitty Pryde about a secret package that they must find; however, the unknown package involves the Shi'ar Empire and several others are after it as well.[75][76] They soon discover that the package is actuallyXandra, who is the bio-engineered daughter of Xavier andLilandra Neramani.[77] The newlyweds are soon caught by the Shi'ar but are able to free themselves; with the help ofCerise and theStarjammers, they escape. Having read Rogue's mind, Xandra offers to fix her abilities so she can touch anyone; however, Rogue refuses; when Gambit questions her, she explains that the last time it happened, she never learned to control it herself. The ground is interrupted by the Imperial Guard and byDeathbird and a fight ensues.[78] Realizing they are losing the fight, Xandra uses her abilities to make everyone think she and Rogue were killed; after the Imperial Guard and Deathbird leave, they return, only to have Rogue's ability become uncontrollable, as she can now absorb memories without touching anyone. Xandra explains that her powers have evolved, Rogue will have to learn to control it on her own; Gambit and Rogue return to Earth.[79]
During the holiday season, Gambit and Rogue are pulled into theMojoverse.[80] They are, at first, unaware of what is going on due to their minds being wiped and living in a Noir setting until Rogue's ability becomes unstable, killing Remy in the process,[81] forcingMojo to constantly reset their lives to Fantasy, Western, Horror, Romance, Sci-Fi and Comedy. During a reality talk show, Gambit walks off and into a bar, where he meets a mysterious brunette who turns out to beSpiral. She restores his memory and makes Gambit an offer that if he steals something for her, she will help Rogue with her powers and help them escape. Spiral meets Rogue in her mind and explains to her that, until she became self-aware of what her abilities should be doing, she was subconsciously blocking control over her powers.[82]
Rogue was later contacted by Hijack afterSpider-Girl (Makawalu Akana) saved him fromDoctor Tramma and accidentally tapped into his powers enough to deactivate the power in New York City. She helped Hijack carry Makawalu back to her apartment. When Makawalu regained consciousness, she met Rogue for the first time who stated that she is with the X-Men. With her mother coming up and noting that she will be grounded, Makawalu asked Rogue to leave her the number for the X-Men which she can use when she is no longer grounded.[83]
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Rogue possesses themutant ability to absorb the psyche and abilities of another human being or members of some sapient alien races through skin contact.[84] Rogue can absorb the memories, knowledge, talents, personality and physical abilities (whether superhuman or not) of the person she touches, as well as occasionally duplicating in herself physical characteristics of her victim.[85][86][87][88] As a young woman, Rogue permanently absorbs the superhuman powers and the psyche ofCarol Danvers, the originalMs. Marvel.[89] This provides her with superhuman strength, stamina, durability, reflexes, speed and a seventh sense.[10][84] In the ongoing comics, Rogue possessesWonder Man's essence, including his powers and psyche. Her organic tissues are permeated with ionic energy, granting her an array of superhuman abilities. She possesses superhuman strength sufficient to lift well over 100 tons, as well as some degree of superhuman speed, agility and reflexes. In addition, Rogue is virtually invulnerable to damage and is capable of flying at high speeds. Rogue's eyes glow in the dark and her vision extends somewhat into the infrared spectrum, allowing her to see in the dark. Her new ionic physiology also grants her a form of immortality, protecting her from age and disease.[90]
Following the conclusion ofMessiah Complex, Rogue's slate is wiped clean. The touch of mutant babyHope erases all of the previous memories and abilities Rogue has absorbed, including those of the Hecatomb. It also cures her of the Strain 88 virus. Rogue's touch now simply steals the memories and abilities of individuals with whom she comes in direct skin-to-skin contact. She controls her powers, making her touch lethal — or non-lethal — at will.[91][92]
Following the events ofX-Men: Legacy, Rogue appears to be able to activate her powers at will, as opposed to them being constantly active, as demonstrated when she kissesGambit without incident.Professor Xavier hypothesizes that her inability to control her powers stem from mental blocks which separate her psyche from those she had absorbed, crippling the development of her powers in their nascent stage. When Xavier removes the blocks, her powers are allowed to develop normally.[93] With this new control, Rogue absorbs all the powers of the New X-Men to defeat a rogue Predator X, with no apparent harm to either them or herself.[94] She uses this new control during her fight with the Avengers, making theFalcon and the She-Hulk immediately unconscious and absorbing their powers without any negative feedback (although she does acquire She-Hulk's green skin).[95]
For the first two decades of the character's existence, Rogue's real name was unrevealed; inX-Men #24 (Sept. 1993), she tries to reveal it toGambit while on a date, but he stops her. The first media to give Rogue a real name was the20th Century Fox filmX-Men, released in the year 2000, in which her first name was "Marie" (with the official novelization of the film giving her surname as "D'Ancanto").X-Treme X-Men #31 (Nov. 2003) has Rogue use the name "Anna Raven" while living a civilian life, a joint reference to actressAnna Paquin, who played Rogue in the film series, and to her foster mother Mystique, whose real name is Raven Darkholme.
These two names were combined to create Rogue's real name, which was finally established as "Anna Marie" in issue #2 of her 2004 ongoing series.[14] The name was subsequently listed in Rogue's profile in theX-Men 2005 issue of theOfficial Handbook of the Marvel Universe[96] and has been consistently used to refer Rogue both by other characters and by Rogue herself ever since.
Rogue's surname remains unknown; alternate-universe versions of the character have used the name "Anna Raven" (Exiles #99, Oct. 2007) and "Anna Marie Darkholme" (Secrets of the House of M, Jul. 2005). Chris Claremont used the name "Anna Marie Raven" in reference to Rogue innon-diegetic establishing text inX-Men Forever: Alpha (May, 2009).
Martyn Warren ofScreen Rant referred to Rogue as "one of the greatest X-Men of all," writing, "Rogue made her first appearance inAvengers Annual #10 in 1981 and since her debut, she has become one of the most recognizable super-powered mutant members of the X-Men. Her power to absorb the life force of humans and the powers of mutants with physical contact does make her a potentially dangerous ally. But with such a caring heart and an upbeat personality, she always takes a challenge head-on, no matter how difficult it is. With multiple appearances in comics, television shows, and films, she has gained a huge fan base who treasure the many quotes she has delivered over the past 40 years."[97] Michael Austin ofCBR.com called Rogue "one of X-Men's most popular women," saying, "One of the most popular superhero teams of all time, the X-Men's roster is made up of many different iconic characters. Marvel has also used those characters to craft some of the best stories in comic book history. One of the most important of these characters is Rogue. Although initially a villain, Rogue quickly rose to become one of the most popular X-Men. She has come a long way since her villainous beginnings and has been a part in some of the best X-Men teams and stories ever."[98] Darren Franich ofEntertainment Weekly described Rogue as one of the characters "who left a significant footprint on X-history," asserting, "She's been a young villain-ingenue and a flowing-hair babe with a Gambit fixation, but there's always something fundamentally sad and fascinating about Rogue. Her superpower is tragic at the level of great science fiction: If she touches anyone, she absorbs their powers, their memories, and their whole life. (Touch them too long and they die.) Rogue is how you teach kids about melancholy."[99] Jacob Threadgill ofThe Clarion-Ledger stated, "Hailing from fictional Caldecott County, Mississippi, the character Rogue has gone from misunderstood villain to one of the most beloved female characters in comic book history as a member of the X-Men. In popular culture, Rogue's backstory of isolation as a confused teen who has the ability to absorb fellow mutants' powers, memory and personality has struck a chord with fans worldwide."[100]
George Marston ofNewsarama referred to Rogue as one of the "best X-Men members of all time," asserting, "Rogue started out as a villain, but for the Avengers rather than the X-Men. Since reforming to heroism, Rogue has become one of the most long running and powerful members of the X-Men."[101] Matthew Aguilar ofComicBook.com asserted, "Over the years the X-Man known as Rogue has seen many changes to her powers, costume, and even personality. Those are interesting in their own right, but today the focus is squarely on the many looks she's adopted over the years, each of which has its own cadre of fans. The character left quite the impression on the Avengers in her first appearance (1981'sAvengers Annual #10), and ever since she's been a stalwart of the X-Men universe. Granted she started out on the wrong side of things, but hey, it doesn't matter where you start, only where you finish. Fortune cookie psychology aside, Rogue appeals to fans because of her unyielding charisma, her southern charm, and an intriguing powerset that comes with its own struggles. She can fly, lift a tank, and punch through a wall, but being cut off from physical contact with others has always been a fly in the ointment, and that struggle is an essential part of the character."[102] Matthew Perpetua ofBuzzFeed stated, "She's easily one of the best characters on a purely thematic level. She's a walking, talking metaphor for sexual anxiety, particularly during the AIDS epidemic of the '80s – she can't touch ANYONE without absorbing part of them and potentially killing them. The character has suffered a bit in recent years thanks to writers insisting on giving her control over her powers and reversing a lot of what makes her special, but Rick Remender has done a good job of reconnecting Rogue with her impulsive, surly roots over inUncanny Avengers."[103] Sara Century ofSyfy said, "Gambit and Rogue are a couple that becomes infinitely more intriguing due to their ability to find stability with one another. The easier and more lighthearted the dynamic, the sexier it becomes. In more recent days, Rogue and Gambit have gone from being a hopelessly melodramatic and toxic pairing to being the X-Men's most endearing couple. They worked through their issues together in therapy and reunited in a surprisingly healthy way. When Kitty Pryde left Colossus at the altar, Gambit took the opportunity to propose to Rogue, and they turned attention from an exhausted relationship to a promising new future together. Without question, Gambit and Rogue are at their very best now, and it's refreshing to read a couple who are just flat-out good for one another in a mythos mired so often in frustration and personal tragedy."[104]
In theAge of Apocalypse reality, Rogue is brought toMagneto and his X-Men for education in her powers by Mystique.[135] Soon after this, Rogue would battle against Apocalypse's son Nemesis (who later became Holocaust) alongside the Scarlet Witch, and would witness the death of the latter. During the next few years, Rogue would express an attraction to both Gambit and the leader of the X-Men, Magneto. She would ultimately become romantically involved with Magneto after he worked out a way for them to touch by surrounding his body in a tight electromagnetic 'sheath' that prevented her from actually making contact with his skin, while still feeling as though she was. The two would later conceive a son named Charles, after Charles Xavier, who was slain byLegion whose target had actually been Magneto himself.[volume & issue needed] The Age of Apocalypse universe was later revealed to have been preserved due to the actions ofJean Grey. Rogue and Magneto, along with that reality's X-Men continue their lives.[volume & issue needed] This reality's version of Rogue had her uncontrollable absorption abilities and permanently possessed around half of Polaris' magnetic abilities. Unlike her husband Magneto and Polaris herself, Rogue appeared to prefer to use these abilities to fly and augment her physical strength and durability to superhuman levels.
In theUltimate Marvel continuity, Rogue is first introduced in the story arcReturn to Weapon X[136] as a prisoner ofWeapon X and she worked with theJuggernaut andNightcrawler. In this version, her name appears to beMarian Carlyle.[137] Her powers are exploited to steal sensitive information on the location and layout ofthe Xavier Institute for Gifted Children. Using this information, agents of Weapon X storm the school and capture the X-Men. Rogue is released along with the X-Men, the Juggernaut, and Nightcrawler, when a combination of theBrotherhood of Mutant Supremacy andS.H.I.E.L.D rescues them and destroys Weapon X's facility. Though offered a place on the X-Men, she joins the Brotherhood. She later joins the X-Men in theReturn of the King arc.[138]
In theCry Wolf story arc,[139] the X-Men are attacked byGambit who kidnaps Rogue and takes her to his employers,Andreas and Andrea von Strucker. They hope to use her powers for "corporate espionage". In exchange for her help, they promise her they will help her control her powers through a power-dampening material they had developed. She turns them down, feeling that her powers are her penance. Rebuked, they attack Rogue and Gambit. She touches both of them and uses their powers to fend off their guards. The X-Men arrive to take her back, but she turns them down and leaves with Gambit.[140]
Rogue does not appear again untilUltimate X-Men Annual #1, in which she and Gambit fight the Juggernaut. Gambit sacrifices himself to save Rogue and she kisses him as he dies at his request. With this kiss, she takes his powers that seemingly override her own, ridding her of her 'death touch' through several of the books (this also affects Rogue's appearance, as she acquires black eyes with red irises). In the subsequent story arcDate Night,[141] Rogue decides to rekindle her relationship with theIceman after she loses her virginity to him (something possible due to her being able to touch him now).[142]
DuringUltimate X-Men Annual #2, Rogue speaks toProfessor Xavier about her concerns regarding Gambit's powers still remaining. Xavier theorizes this is only a temporary change and her powers will return within time. Towards the end of theAnnual, Rogue touches a delusional Nightcrawler and her old powers re-emerge, causing her to start teleporting randomly, and she loses Gambit's power, sending her back into the shell of hiding her skin, much to her and the Iceman's dismay.[143]
DuringUltimate X-Men #77, she loses her arm during a fight withCable. However, after absorbing some ofWolverine's healing power, her arm appears to grow back.[144]
InUltimate X-Men #80, Cyclops disbands the X-Men following Xavier's death. Rogue stays with the Iceman at the Xavier Institute as a student. Xavier later returns and reveals himself to be alive. Rogue once again becomes an X-Man. At the end ofUltimate X-Men, aBanshee-enhanced Rogue is seen to be a member ofColossus' team. Her appearance heavily altered, it seems her abilities have been enhanced such that she can call on absorbed abilities, as she has Colossus' armored flesh and theAngel's feathered wings extending from her arms. While telling Cyclops the benefits of Banshee she kisses him. When asked why, she replies "'Cause I can."[145]
InUltimate X-Men #95, she reveals that when her father got drunk he wouldmolest her. Once when he tried to touch her, she took his life. She also appears to have found out whoVindicator was, but before she could elaborate, Vindicator took her out.[145]
Addicted to Banshee, Colossus' X-Men began to acquire more Banshee from theAcolytes. When they were discovered by the others, a battle raged. She absorbed the Iceman's power and kissed him to show what Banshee could allow her, but the kiss was broken off byFirestar. Hostilities ceased whenNorthstar turns up — alive, but crippled.[146]
After theUltimatum Wave hitsManhattan,Jean Grey refuses to allow Rogue to join her as she cannot be trusted. Rogue then attacksDepartment H, absorbingSasquatch's power and attackedJubilee. It is then revealed that Vindicator is, in fact, John Wraith, whom she blames for ruining her life. She threatens him for help in killingMagneto. They travel toMontreal, where Rogue poses as a stripper to get close to Sabretooth and the Juggernaut.[147] The Purifiers soon attack the X-Mansion and the Juggernaut dies fighting alongside Rogue. Rogue absorbs his powers just before he dies and now permanently possesses them. She then helps the X-Men in their effort to defeat Magneto and his Brotherhood. They do so, but suffer many casualties. Rogue is one of the few X-Men to survive to battle alongside Jean Grey, the Iceman,Shadowcat,Storm, and Colossus. She is last seen helping Jean Grey and the Iceman tear down the Xavier Institute and everything on the estate. They bury the remains of the deceased X-Men in its place.[148]
Rogue has been adapted into severalanimated television series and films, first appearing inX-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997), where she was voiced byLenore Zann.[149][150] Initially, the director Larry Houston planned an X-Men team without Rogue, withShadowcat in the original lineup. However, Marvel requested that Shadowcat be replaced with Rogue.[151] The character later appears in therevivalX-Men ’97 (2024–present), with Zann reprising her role.[152] Rogue also appeared inSpider-Man: The Animated Series (1994–1998), again voiced by Zann in the second season, titledNeogenic Nightmare (1995–1996).[153]
Rogue also appeared as asupporting character inX-Men: Evolution (2000–2003), where she was voiced by Meghan Black.[153] In this version, she is reimagined as a sullen andreclusive teenagegoth, as the producers of the series believed her absorption powers would make her isolated, cynical, and insecure due to her desire to get close to others.[154][155] She also appeared inWolverine and the X-Men (2009), voiced byKieren van den Blink.[156] This version was anamalgamation that mixed traits from the earlier animated series with elements from the films.[153] Rogue also made aminor non-speaking appearance in theMarvel Anime: X-Men (2011) episode "Destiny - Bond".[153]
A film adaptation of Rogue appeared in20th Century Fox’sX-Men film series (2000–2024), played byAnna Paquin.[157][158] The film series depicts a different version of the character compared to her in the comics.[159] Paquin first appeared as a supporting character inX-Men (2000), and reprised the role inX2: X-Men United (2003), andX-Men: The Last Stand (2006).[160] She later returned inX-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), though only for a briefcameo in the theatrical release. According to directorBryan Singer, the majority of her scenes had been cut from this version of the film as her subplot "became extraneous". The scenes were later included in thedirector's cut, titledThe Rogue Cut (2015).[161][162][163][160]
Rogue has appeared in numerous video games since 1990. Zann voiced the character inX-Men vs. Street Fighter (1997) andMarvel Rivals (2024).[164][165][166]Jennifer Hale provided her voice inSpider-Man 2: Enter Electro (training mode, 2001),X-Men: Next Dimension (2002), andX-2: Wolverine’s Revenge (2003).[164][165]Megan Fahlenbock voiced Rogue inX-Men: Mutant Academy 2 (2001), whileErin Matthews voiced the character inX-Men Legends (2004) andCatherine Taber inX-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse (2005).[164][165]
Rogue also appeared in other games without voice acting credits, includingX-Men 2: Fall of Mutants (1990),Sega GenesisX-Men (1993), theX-MenGame Gear trilogy (X-Men in 1994;X-Men: Gamemaster’s Legacy, in 1995;X-Men: Mojo World, in1996),Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes (1998),Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (2000),X-Men: Reign of Apocalypse (2001),LittleBigPlanet (2008,DLC),Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2011),Marvel Super Hero Squad Online (2011),Marvel Avengers Alliance (2012),Deadpool (2013),Marvel Heroes (2013),Marvel Puzzle Quest (2013),Marvel Contest of Champions (2014),Marvel Future Fight (2015),Fortnite Battle Royale (alternate skin), andMarvel Snap (2018).[164]
The character appeared in theMarvel Knights: Wolverine versus Sabretoothmotion comic, voiced byKazumi Evans.[165] She also appeared in theDeath Battle! episode "Rogue vs.Wonder Woman".[167] Additionally, Rogue appeared as a meet-and-greet character atMarvel Super Hero Island.[168]
| Title | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo series(1995–present) | |||
| Rogue | Rogue (vol. 1) #1–4 | November 1995 | 978-0752201030 |
| X Men Icons: Rogue | Rogue (vol. 2) #1–4 | May 2002 | 978-0785108764 |
| Rogue Vol. 1:Going Rogue | Rogue (vol. 3) #1–6 | March 2005 | 978-0785113362 |
| Rogue Vol. 2:Forget Me Not | Rogue (vol. 3) #7–12 | October 2005 | 978-0785117346 |
| Rogue: The Complete Collection | Rogue (vol. 3) #1–12 | September 2015 | 978-0785197218 |
| Other series | |||
| X-Men: Gambit & Rogue | Rogue (vol. 1) #1–4 andGambit (vol. 2) #1–4 | October 2016 | 978-1302902483 |
| Rogue & Gambit: Rings of Fire | Rogue & Gambit (vol. 1) #1–5 | July 2018 | 978-1302911607 |
| Mr. and Mrs. X Vol. 1:Love And Marriage | Mr. and Mrs. X #1–6 | March 2019 | 978-1302913519 |
| Mr. and Mrs. X Vol. 2:Gambit and Rogue Forever | Mr. and Mrs. X #7–12 | August 2019 | 978-1302913526 |
| Captain Marvel Vs. Rogue | Avengers Annual #10,Uncanny X-Men #158, 171, 269,Ms. Marvel #9–10,X-Men: Legacy #269–270,Captain Marvel #4–5 and material fromMarvel Super-Heroes #11 | June 2021 | 978-1302926519 |
| Rogue & Gambit: Power Play | Rogue & Gambit (vol. 2) #1–5 | January 2024 | 978-1302948061 |
| Rogue: The Savage Land | Rogue: The Savage Land #1–5 | September 2025 | 978- 1302964412 |
{{cite web}}:|first1= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)When we were creating our version of Rogue, we were trying to think, logically, 'What kind of a personality type would [being unable to touch anyone] lead her to become?' And that led us to making her a goth where she dresses, behaves and acts as if she doesn't want to fit in.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
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