| Rogue | |
|---|---|
 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) |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Anna Marie (maiden name unknown) |
| Species | Human mutant |
| Place of origin | Caldecott County,Mississippi |
| Team affiliations | |
| Partnerships | Gambit |
| Notable aliases | Anna Raven[1] Anna Marie LeBeau[2] |
| Abilities |
|
Rogue is a character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics, commonly in association with theX-Men. 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. The backstory 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 and abilities 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.
Often listed as one of the most notable and powerful female characters in Marvel Comics, Rogue has been adapted in variousmedia incarnations.Lenore Zann voiced the character inX-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997) and itsrevivalX-Men '97 (2024-present).Anna Paquin portrayed the character in20th Century Fox'sX-Men film series (2000–2014).
Rogue was first slated to appear inMs. Marvel #25 in 1979 (and artwork for the first half of the story was completed),[3] but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade until it was printed inMarvel Super Heroes (vol.2) #11 in 1992.[4] In the story, she absorbs her current powers permanently from Ms. Marvel. Rogue's first published appearance was inAvengers Annual #10 (1981).[5][6][7] In sharp contrast to her later appearances, inAvengers Annual #10 Rogue is depicted as having no conscience.[8]
Her second appearance and first cover appearance wasRom #31-32 (Jun 1982 and July 1982) tied withUncanny X-Men #158 (Jun 1982).[citation needed] She next appeared as an antagonist inDazzler #22-24 (Aug-Oct 1982) before joining the X-Men inUncanny X-Men #171 (1983).[8] The writer ofUncanny X-Men and of Rogue's first appearance,Chris Claremont, explained that he had Rogue join the X-Men because he was disturbed that other writers were using her inRom andDazzler, and making Rogue an X-Man meant that no other writer could use her without consulting him.[8]
In 1994 Rogue received her ownlimited series, a sequel to the 1993Gambit limited series which starred Rogue's love interest.[8] It was created under theMarvel method and was the first work byMike Wieringo for Marvel Comics.[8]
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.[9] Claremont also revealed that the only advice he gave to artistMichael Golden was that Rogue should be inspired byGrace Jones and that she should have streaks of white in her hair.[9]
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.[10][11]
Anna Marie (full name unknown)[12][13] was originally presented as being born inGeorgia, United States,[14] though this was changed shortly afterward to a fictional place called CaldecottCounty, located inMississippi.[15][13] She was born in acommune near theMississippi River[13] to herhippie parents, Owen and Priscilla, who married early in their relationship.[1][16] She grew up nearthe banks of the Mississippi River,[15] and was raised speakingcolloquial English andFrench.[17] After her parents became involved in a plan to find the mythical "Far Banks", they performed aceremony during which Anna's mother "crossed over", leaving her father alone.[13] He asked his sister-in-law, Carrie, to help raise Anna; however, Carrie's strict nature led Anna to rebel, earning her the nickname "Rogue",[13] and she eventuallyran away from home. In the nearbyswamps, the shape-shifting mutantMystique found Rogue, offered to take her in, and soon Rogue came to see her as asurrogate mother.[13]
Rogue's mutant powers first manifested during her teenage years. When she kissed Cody Robbins, he fell into a coma, and Rogue unintentionally absorbed his memories. Terrified, she fled and was chased by an angry mob who tried tolynch her, but she managed to escape afterNathan Summers helped her.[13] Mystique then taught her how to use her powers, though she could not teach her how to control them.[13] Accepting that she could never live a normal life, Rogue began participating in Mystique's criminal activities and eventually joined Mystique'sBrotherhood of Evil Mutants.[13]
WhenDestinyforesaw thatMs. Marvel (Carol Danvers) was connected to a tragedy that could one day cost Rogue her life, Mystique tried to destroy Danvers. Wanting to please Mystique, Rogue attacked Ms. Marvel, and during the fight, she permanently absorbed Danvers' powers and memories.[13] Later, Mystique set Rogue against Angel (Warren Worthington), hoping to locate theX-Men through him. During the mission, Rogue, growing frustrated by her inability to control her powers and rid her mind of Danvers' psyche, asked for help from ProfessorCharles Xavier and his team, the X-Men. Despite the team's objections, Rogue joined them.[13]
Shortly after, Rogue entered theSiege Perilous, a mystical gateway that gives people a second chance at life. The gateway split Rogue and the Danverspersona, creating the Danversconstruct, which attacked her, forcing her to flee to theSavage Land.[18] Rogue eventually surrendered to Danvers, but both were rendered unconscious byMagneto, who used a device to transfer Danvers' powers back to Rogue, effectively destroying the construct. Rogue stayed with Magneto until she witnessed his brutal murder of Savage Land priestessZaladane.[18] She then briefly fell under theShadow King's control until his defeat by the X-Men andX-Factor.[18] She then rejoined the X-Men and became attracted to a new recruit,Gambit. They eventually fell in love and shared a kiss, during which she absorbed his memories and learned about his past involvement withMr. Sinister. Disturbed by what she discovered, she ran away toSouth Carolina and worked as awaitress until she was attacked by the anti-mutant forces ofOperation: Zero Tolerance.[18] She was saved by the young Magneto clone,Joseph, and joined him in helping the X-Men battleOnslaught, remaining with the team afterward.[18] Later, Rogue became an X-Men field leader,[19] and was part of theX-Treme X-Men team led byStorm.[12]
AfterAvengers vs. X-Men,[20] Rogue accepts membership in the 'Avengers Unity' team,[21] and the team makes its debut as theAvengers Unity Squad.[22] Later on, Rogue becomes the field leader of the Avengers Unity Squad.[23] Later, she returns to theXavier Institute in New York after the incarceration ofKitty Pryde and forms a secondary team withIceman,Armor,Ink,Magma, andMagik.[24] Rogue eventually married Gambit.[25] Following theAshes era, and shortly after Xavier Institute was transformed into Graymalkin Prison, Rogue becomes the leader of a team consisting ofWolverine, Gambit,Jubilee, andNightcrawler. The team operates from a new base in New Orleans, Louisiana, which serves as both their headquarters and a training home for young mutants.[26][27]
A number ofalternate universes in theMarvel Multiverse feature different versions of Rogue. In theAge of Apocalypse reality, Rogue is brought to Magneto and his X-Men by Mystique to learn control of her powers.[28] Rogue and Magneto's relationship develops after Xavier's death leads Magneto to lead the X-Men. Though Rogue is initially with Gambit, she chooses to save Magneto during a battle with Wolverine, causing Gambit to leave.[25] After permanently absorbing Polaris's magnetic powers, Rogue becomes able to touch Magneto, and the two eventually marry and have a son named Charles.[25]
Rogue also appears in theUltimate Marvel continuity, where her real name is Marian.[29] She is an orphan raised by Mystique and trained for the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants before eventually breaking away and joining the X-Men. In this universe, she is introduced as one of several mutants captured and experimented on by the government'sWeapon X program before becoming part of the main team.[30] She later appears inUltimate Universe.[31]
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Rogue is amutant with the potential of reachingOmega-level.[32] She was initially introduced as anantagonist to the X-Men and arival toCarol Danvers, the originalMs. Marvel, before eventually becoming a hero.[33][20] Rogue has the ability to gain superpowers through tactile contact,absorbing the abilities, energy, and memories of others,[34] but this drains their life energy in the process.[35] The longer she maintains physical contact, the more powers, memories, and emotions she can absorb.[32] Most notably, she permanently absorbed the powers and psyche of Carol Danvers.[36][37] This gives hersuperhuman strength, speed, durability, and flight.[35]
Her absorbing power makes her a "formidable and often feared member of any team she joins".[34] She can use these powers both to defend against opponents and to attack in combat,[34] with such abilities often described as "stolen",[38][37][35][34] which highlights her reliance on others' powers and distinguishes her from traditional heroes who gain their abilities naturally or through personal merit.[34] However, this power prevents her from maintaining close relationships, especially intimate ones,[34] even though she still desires connection with others.[39]
In contrast to the "masculine Americanmonomyth," which often depicts male heroes assolitary and independent figures who may enjoy the "occasional romantic dalliance" yet ultimately remain alone, Rogue is defined by herquest for "relational connection", a trait that positions her as relatively weaker than her male counterparts.[39] This also aligns her with the alternativenarrative structure Maureen Murdock calls theheroine's journey, in which female heroes often operate collaboratively, something traditionally not essential for male heroes, who are usually shown to act alone, neither out of necessity nor preference.[39] Rogue is thus an illustrative example of the relative powerlessness andsubordinate roles of women within mainstream comic books.[40]
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."[41] 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."[42] 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."[43] 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."[44]
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."[45] 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."[46] 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."[47] 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."[48]
Rogue has been adapted in severalanimated television series, first appearing inX-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997), where she was voiced byLenore Zann.[80][81] 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.[82] The character later appears in therevivalX-Men '97 (2024–present), with Zann reprising her role.[83] Rogue also appeared inSpider-Man: The Animated Series (1994–1998), again voiced by Zann in the second season, titledNeogenic Nightmare (1995–1996).[84]
Rogue appeared inX-Men: Evolution (2000–2003), voiced by Meghan Black.[84] This version 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.[85][86] She also appeared inWolverine and the X-Men (2009), voiced byKieren van den Blink.[87] This version was anamalgamation that mixed traits from the earlier animated series with elements from the films.[84] Rogue also made aminor non-speaking appearance in theMarvel Anime: X-Men (2011) episode "Destiny - Bond".[84]
A film adaptation of Rogue appeared in20th Century Fox'sX-Men film series (2000–2024), played byAnna Paquin.[88][89] 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).[90] 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).[91][92][93][90]
The film series depicts a different version of the character compared to her in the comics.[94] In the film, her role is reduced, her superpowers weakened,[95] and she is depicted as adamsel in distress.[40] This depiction has been examined as it reflects traditional cultural portrayals of women in comic books and illustrates the subordinate roles often assigned to them in mainstream comics, as well as the "marginalization of Marvel's female superheroes in films".[40]
Rogue has appeared in numerous video games since 1990. Zann voiced the character inX-Men vs. Street Fighter (1997) andMarvel Rivals (2024).[96][97][98]Jennifer Hale provided her voice inSpider-Man 2: Enter Electro (training mode, 2001),X-Men: Next Dimension (2002), andX-2: Wolverine's Revenge (2003).[96][97]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).[96][97]
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: Gamesmaster's Legacy, in 1995;X-Men: Mojo World, in 1996),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).[96]
The character appeared in theMarvel Knights: Wolverine versus Sabretoothmotion comic, voiced byKazumi Evans.[97] She also appeared in theDeath Battle! episode "Rogue vs.Wonder Woman".[99] Additionally, Rogue appeared as a meet-and-greet character atMarvel Super Hero Island.[100]
| 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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