Rogue (Marvel Comics)
| Rogue | |
|---|---|
| File:Rouge24.jpg Rogue. Art by David Finch. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Avengers Annual #10 (August 1981) |
| Created by | Chris Claremont Michael Golden |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Anna Marie |
| Species | Human Mutant |
| Team affiliations | X-Men XSE Brotherhood of Mutants |
| Notable aliases | Anna Raven, Dr. Kellogg, Miss Smith |
| Abilities | Current powers:
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Rogue (Anna Marie) is a Marvel Comics superheroine, a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Michael Golden, she first appeared in Avengers Annual #10 (August 1981). More than most mutants, Rogue considers her powers a curse. She involuntarily absorbs the memories, physical strength, and, in the case of super-powered persons, abilities of anyone she touches. This prevents her from making physical contact with others, including her longtime love Gambit. But even so, she still remains one of Marvel's most beloved characters.
Hailing from Mississippi, she is the X-Men's self-described southern belle. A runaway, she was adopted by Mystique of the Brotherhood of Mutants but turned to the X-Men when the aftereffects of her repeated use of her mutant power - particularly the permanent absorption of Ms. Marvel's psyche and Kree powers - threatened her sanity.
Rogue has been a popular and consistent member of the X-Men since the 1980s. She has been featured in both of the X-Men animated series and various video games. In the X-Men film series she is portrayed by Anna Paquin. Her trademark is the white streak that runs through her hair.
Publication history
Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 (1979), (and artwork for the first half of the story was completed) but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual 10 (1981). She made her first X-Book appearance in Uncanny X-Men 158 and joined the X-Men in Uncanny X-Men 171. Rogue has also had her own series:
- "Rogue" #1-4 (1994-1996)
- "Marvel Icons: Rogue" #1-4 (2001)
- "Rogue" #1-12 (2004-2005)
Rogue is unusual among the X-Men in that her real name and her early history were not revealed until more than twenty years after her introduction. Until the backstory provided by Robert Rodi in the Rogue ongoing series begun in September of 2004, Rogue's background was only hinted at in various issues. This resulted in the previous hints of information inadvertently conflicting with Rogue's origin story. In X-Men Unlimited #4, Scott Lobdell indicates that Rogue ran away from her father after her mutant powers manifested, but in Uncanny X-Men #182 Rogue reflects that she never knew her father because he'd left before she was born, and several issues, including Uncanny X-Men #178 and X-Men #93, indicate that Rogue was taken in by Mystique and Destiny before her mutation became active.
Fictional character biography
Early life
Rogue's history begins in Caldecott County, a fictitious county of Mississippi. Her parents, Owen and Priscilla, married early in their relationship and lived in a back-to-nature hippie commune.[1] Although the marriage seems to have been an unsteady one, both Priscilla and her younger sister Carrie doted on Priscilla's infant daughter Anna Marie.
The members of the commune became interested in Native American mysticism, and convinced a shaman to try to help them gain access to a mystical place called the "Far Banks" where they believed dreams would come true. However, the ritual they attempted resulted in Priscilla's disappearance, and Owen brought Anna Marie to Carrie to raise.
Carrie, in her grief at the loss of her sister, was a strict and authoritarian guardian. Anna Marie was a rebellious child[2] and having an equally poor relationship with her father, prompted her to run away from home barefoot as a young teenager and to begin using the name "Rogue." Not long after, she was approached by Mystique, who sought her out on the advice of her precognitive partner Destiny and took her in as a daughter.
At some point, Rogue grew close to a boy named Cody Robbins. During their flirtation, she impulsively kissed Cody, at which point her latent mutant power to absorb the life energy and psyche of others with skin-to-skin contact emerged. Rogue was traumatized by the experience, and Cody was left in a coma from which he would not awaken. She began to wear excessively covering clothes to prevent more accidental skin contact with other people, but she still wears as little as possible in moments of privacy, or controlled recreational environments, such as swimming alone. She prefers to wear only haltered tops with shorts or swimsuits under acceptable circumstances or when completely alone, wishing she could, "not have to cover up so much around folks, to protect them from me."
In time, Mystique turned Rogue's loneliness, bitterness, envy, and despair into anger, thus recruiting her into the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
Brotherhood of Evil Mutants
Mystique Gets To Rogue
After Rogue's mutation emerges, Mystique begins coaxing Rogue to take part in her terrorist activities as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Rogue is initially not interested, wanting only a normal life and to be able to have fun, but after an incident (depicted in Ann Nocenti's "Her First And Last" in Classic X-Men #44) in which she absorbs and knocks out a boy named Freddie when he dares her to kiss him, she seems to give up on normality and begins taking part in Mystique's plans.
During this period, Rogue and Mystique associate briefly with a mutant named Blindspot, whose power to erase the memories of others by touch somehow counteracts Rogue's mutation enough to allow them to make physical contact safely. Blindspot and Rogue become good friends, but when Mystique decides to sever professional ties with Blindspot, Blindspot erases all memory of her from both Mystique and Rogue in order to protect herself.
Ms. Marvel
When Mystique debuts her Brotherhood of Evil Mutants ( Pyro, Blob, and Avalanche), Destiny advises her to keep Rogue out of the action, advice which proved important when several members of the new Brotherhood - including Destiny herself - are arrested and imprisoned. Here, again, the comics are contradictory: Avengers Annual #10, which included Rogue's first appearance, indicated that part of Mystique's plan to free Destiny and the other members of the Brotherhood involves having Rogue attack and absorb Carol Danvers (then retired and living in San Francisco) in order to make use of her formidable powers. However, in Marvel Super Heroes #11, probably in an effort to make Rogue's actions less villainous, Destiny is shown having a premonition that Ms. Marvel will be a threat to Rogue, and Rogue, overhearing this, sets out to defeat Ms. Marvel on her own.
Regardless, Rogue ultimately confronts Ms. Marvel on the Golden Gate Bridge and deliberately absorbs her powers. Something goes wrong with the transfer, and Rogue kills Ms. Marvel, permanently gaining her powers and memories. Rogue later felt tremendous guilt over the incident and it still haunts her to this day.
Fighting The Avengers and The X-Men
Meanwhile, Rogue uses her new powers of flight, super-strength, and near-invulnerability to attack and absorb Captain America, at Mystique's instruction. The absorbed powers enable her to battle the Avengers, and she absorbs Thor as well before escaping to join Mystique in her attempt to free Destiny and the other members of the Brotherhood. The attempt fails, but Mystique and Rogue escape.
Shortly thereafter (in Uncanny X-Men #158), Rogue happens to encounter the X-Men, along with Carol Danvers, at the Pentagon, where Mystique maintains a secret identity as a government agent. During the resulting fight, Rogue absorbs both Wolverine and Storm, but can not control Storm's weather powers.
A second attempt at breaking the Brotherhood out of prison is foiled by Rom, the Spaceknight, in ROM #31-32. During combat, Rogue touches the Spaceknight's armor and absorbs a bit of his nobility; perhaps as a result of this, Rogue shows for the first time a potential for goodness when she refuses to abandon Rom to fight alone against Hybrid, who plans to enslave the Earth.
Tangles With Dazzler
Later, Rogue tangles several times with Dazzler (in Dazzler #22-23 and #28), developing a grudge against her for her controllable mutation and her relationship with Angel of the X-Men. Mystique intends for Rogue to absorb Angel - the only X-Man whose identity is publicly known at the time - in order to learn the team's whereabouts, but Rogue balks, afraid of the effect of absorbing a physical mutation like Angel's wings, and is defeated by Dazzler a few times before Dazzler is publicly outed as a mutant and goes into hiding.
X-Men
Being Accepted
The more Rogue used her mutant power, the more her mind became filled with fragmentary psychic echoes of the people she absorbed, and Carol Danvers' psyche was nearly a completely distinct personality within her mind. It became harder and harder for Rogue to hold on to her own personality, and she feared that her powers would drive her insane. Unbeknownst to her or Mystique, the process was also helped along by Mastermind, who subtly exacerbated Rogue's already severe psychological distress as a means of revenge against Mystique. Desperate, she turned to Professor Charles Xavier and the X-Men (X-Men #171). He was unable to do a satisfactory psychic scan of her, due to the clashing human and Kree portions of her psyche. Still, Xavier's charity towards all mutants led him to welcome her into his home and the X-Men, regardless of his team having previously fought Rogue and in spite of the X-Men's own strong objections. The X-Men even threatened to disband themselves and leave the school should Rogue be accepted. It was only Xavier's argument that all mutants deserve a chance for redemption that prevented the dissolution of the X-Men.
Further Adventures
Her initial months with the team were rough, as she was seen as a latent threat, a Brotherhood mole within the X-Men. When the team met up with Wolverine in Tokyo (where he was preparing for his marriage to Mariko Yashida), she was given a chilly reception by him -- Wolverine, having been a good friend and professional partner to Carol Danvers, expressed a desire to "cut out her heart". However, after the rest of the team (save Rogue, Storm, and Wolverine) were incapacitated by poison, they were forced to learn to work as a team to find the culprit. Wolverine was not impressed by Rogue's brashness and lack of experience, and even threatened to kill her after she jokingly suggested kissing him after he knocked her out of the way of a trap. The plot was traced back to the Viper and her lover, the Silver Samurai, whom they met in the hospital that the X-Men were admitted to. Rogue nearly died during the battle by taking a prolonged laser blast from the Viper to shield Mariko, who had shown her genuine trust and kindness. Wolverine, after the battle and over Rogue's own objections, kissed her to transfer his healing powers to her. She had gained his trust and respect for her efforts to protect his fiancee.
Soon after, she gained the full trust of the rest of the team by again risking her life to save Colossus, who had been superheated and then rapidly cooled by Pyro. She absorbed Colossus' powers, leaving her in the same rigid, melted form as he was to allow the Morlock healer to heal the damage done to Colossus.
X-Men in Austraila
Among the X-Men, Rogue's life improved, but she continued to struggle with Carol Danvers' residual personality until Rogue was pulled through the mystical gateway known as the Siege Perilous, where she was judged by otherdimensional forces with the promise of a "new life." Returned to Earth, Rogue was purged of the remaining portions of Carol's personality, truly becoming her own woman again, but was also temporarily stripped of her powers for a time. However, after Rogue emerged from the Siege, she found herself back in the abandoned ghost town in Australia the X-Men had taken up residence in after the Fall of the Mutants storyline. She was confronted by not only the Reavers, but by Carol Danvers herself, whose disembodied psyche had been re-integrated by passing through the Siege and being separated from Rogue. Rogue fled from Carol as she battled the Reavers, and absorbed the powers of the mutant Gateway in order to teleport herself to safety. But Carol arrived before she could escape and plunged through the portal Rogue had summoned, and both of them disappeared.
More Adventures
Rogue, as it turned out, ended up powerless in the Savage Land, but Carol had been teleported to Muir Island, where she came into conflict with some of the X-Men's allies who had fallen under the mental enslavement of the Shadow King. Carol fought him, but his vast psionic powers overwhelmed and corrupted her. He then sent her to the Savage Land to find Rogue and the two battled fiercely. It was also shown during the fight that there was not enough lifeforce between the two to sustain both of them physically as a result of the separation. Just as Rogue was on the verge of being drained completely, Magneto suddenly intervened and destroyed the Ms. Marvel Persona, saving Rogue's life. The two briefly toyed with a romance. Rogue ultimately saw through Magneto's noble facade when he killed the high priestess Zaladane, who had amassed an army of Savage Land natives. Rogue's perception of her potential lover shaken, when her powers had fully returned, she flew to Muir Island to rejoin the rest of the X-Men. Like the others on the island, however, she fell under the influence of the Shadow King, until freed by the efforts of Forge to help in the battle against the Shadow King, Legion, and Malice. After the battle was over and the X-Men divided into two teams to better make use of their large number of active members, Rogue was assigned to the Blue Team, under the leadership of Cyclops and alongside new X-Man Gambit.
Gambit
Rogue and Gambit were immediately attracted to each other, but the development of their relationship was slow and rocky, partly as a result of her inability to control her powers and partly as a result of long-term issues with secrecy, dishonesty, and fear of intimacy on both sides. Incidentally, Cody Robbins, the first person to fall victim to Rogue's powers, was later killed by Gambit's ex-wife Belladonna.
Family Issues
It was eventually revealed that Mystique had two sons: the now-deceased anti-mutant politician Graydon Creed and Rogue's long-time teammate, Nightcrawler. Rogue and Nightcrawler consider themselves to be siblings, although the revelation has not particularly altered their friendship.
Team Leader
Following the supposed 'death' of Cyclops, the X-Men team underwent major changes, amongst them Rogue being made the team's new field commander. Her evened temper and years of X-Men service made her an ideal leader and she continued to lead the team until Storm returned.
When the Galactic Council transformed Earth into a maximum-security penal colony for hundreds of extraterrestrial criminals, Rogue absorbed the attributes of Z'Cann -- a telepathic alien shapeshifter who had joined Cadre K, Xavier's Skrull equivalent to the X-Men. Z'Cann purposely touched Rogue to activate the mutant's abilities as the two evaded bounty hunters. Z'Cann used her telepathy to amplify Rogue's capacity to assimilate memories, causing her powers to mutate.
X-Treme X-Men Team
Khan War
Rogue was part of the X-Treme X-Men team lead by Storm. The team's first mission was in search of Destiny's Diaries (which prophesied future events). During an invasion of Khan (an alien conqueror from another dimension) of an isle nation Madripoor, Rogue requested that Sage use her power jump-starting abilities to evolve Rogue to a point where she could control all of the various powers that she has ever imprinted. Sage agreed, and Rogue became a one-woman army, able to use the powers of anyone she had absorbed in the past all at once.
During Khan's invasion, Rogue was also confronted by Vargas who was said to be "a new species altogether." Vargas foresaw himself being killed by Rogue in Destiny's diaries and, despite his belief in the prophecies, attempted to stop this eventuality from happening. Thus, in the midst of the invasion battle, Vargas ambushed Rogue as she was trying to rescue Gambit (see X-Treme X-Men), spearing both Rogue and Gambit with his blade before escaping (see X-Treme X-Men). Rogue survived due to possessing Wolverine's and Hulk's powers. Returning to the city shortly after the battle to recover his sword, Vargas was surprised in turn by Rogue dressed in Psylocke's costume (Vargas having killed Psylocke earlier for sport). After a lengthy battle, Rogue "fulfilled her destiny" by seemingly finishing Vargas off with his own weapon. It is later revealed that Rogue may have in fact let Vargas live (the camera that was filming the battle lost power at the moment of what seemed to be an impending death blow), since we see him as part of the XSE in X-Men: The End, although that particular series is not canon. Returning to Gambit, Rogue, with the help of Jean Grey, forced him from near death.
On The Road
Following the repulsion of the invasion, Rogue realized that Destiny's Prophecies were only possibilities and that trying to follow them was more dangerous than ignoring them. She also learned that she had inherited a mansion in New Orleans from Destiny, as well as a sizable fortune, and the X-Treme X-Men team retired there to recuperate. Rogue soon left the team with Gambit, since they both emerged powerless from their ordeals and wanted to explore their relationship further.
While on the road, Rogue and Gambit encountered mutants who hated non-mutants. Not wanting to provoke them, Rogue tried to negotiate but they started a fight and Gambit and Rogue (both powerless) fought them. They lost, and their opponents destroyed Rogue's bike. Shortly thereafter, Rogue and Gambit met a young mutant going by the name of Paint, who possessed the power to "paint" tattoos by touch alone. Rogue complimented Paint on her tattoos and in return, Paint gave Rogue some tattoos of her own.
Back With The Team
Rogue ended up living in a beach house in Valle Soleada, a town where mutants and humans coexisted peacefully. She subsequently received a visit from Bishop and Sage and, after a series of events involving an investigation into the murder of a human girl's family, Rogue and Gambit signed up with Bishop and Sage to help Storm's X-Treme X-Men stop Sage's enemy and former boss Elias Bogan. After the battle, Rogue asked Sage to restore Gambit's abilities, which she did.
Return To The Main Team
Havok's team
Rogue and Gambit returned to the X-Men as part of Marvel's ReLoad. Over time, Rogue's own abilities returned naturally. However, she no longer possessed the abilities she had absorbed from Ms. Marvel. Rogue and Gambit were both put on Havok's team. On their first mission back, the X-Men battled against a Chinese mutant team to rescue Xorn.They succeeded and brought Xorn back to the X-Mansion with them.
The X-Men then faced a new Brotherhood in Philadelphia. The Brotherhood followed them back to the Mansion and attacked them at home. Rogue notably fought Black Tom Cassidy, while the other X-Men fought off the rest of the Brotherhood. Black Tom almost killed Rogue, but she was saved by Northstar.
Miniseries
As described in her own mini-series, Rogue then traveled down south to save a young mutant girl from her powers. While there, she met Campbell St. Ange, a young man who was immune to Rogue's lethal touch. Also while there, Rogue forcibly absorbed knowledge from her Aunt Carrie that explained that Rogue's mother had traveled to the Far Banks, a dream-realm, to stop her father from getting there himself. Rogue encountered the incorporeal spirit of her mother therein, and absorbed her memories. After the reunion, her mother's trapped spirit could finally move on. Rogue subsequently went back to her Aunt Carrie and made amends with her, considering her Aunt Carrie her mother now.
Rogue then returns to the X-Men and fights with the team against the monstrous Golgotha—large space creatures with limited telepathic abilities that induce insanity in some by bringing forth deep fears, insecurities, and hidden thoughts. During this ordeal, as the result of Golgotha influence, Rogue and Gambit get into a fight about the reality of their relationship when limited by Rogue's powers. Wolverine, also under the influence of Golgotha, then reveals he has always had feelings for Rogue, and kisses her. While recovering from Logan's mind, Rogue receives a call from Emma Frost, who, in perceiving that she has gotten really old and ugly as the result of Golgotha, is trying to kill Havok, mistakenly thinking Havok to be Cyclops who would now stop loving her. Rogue defuses the situation and prevents Havok from having to defend himself. Rogue later absorbs both Havok and Polaris' powers when the X-Men fight and apparently defeat a herd of Golgotha in space.
Sunfire's Powers
While on a trip to Japan to investigate an incriminating photo of her and Sunfire engaged in criminal activities, both Rogue and Sunfire, learn that Rogue's former friend and teammate of the Brotherhood, Blindspot, has erased both their memories of the event. In this storyline, Rogue accidentally and permanently absorbs Sunfire's fire abilities (who has lost his legs to Deathstrike and thus doesn't want to live) and fights Lady Deathstrike and later the X-Men, after Blindspot removes her memories of the X-Men from Rogue's mind (which return to her eventually in the arc).
Love Problems
Rogue returns to the X-Mansion only to find that Gambit was being seduced by the student called Foxx. It is later revealed, however, that Mystique, displeased with Rogue's choice of lovers, actually infiltrated Xavier's Institute by shapeshifting into Foxx. She joined Gambit's squad in an attempt to ruin his relationship with Rogue. After Gambit resists her charms, Mystique reverts to her true form and offers Gambit something significantly more difficult to refuse: she transforms into Rogue and offered Gambit a Rogue with whom he could have a physical relationship. Whether or not they actually engage in a sexual relationship, however, is uncertain (although Gambit insists that nothing happened). Rogue eventually discovers her mother's presence in the school and her attempts to seduce Gambit. Because Gambit fails to tell Rogue of Mystique's presence before she finds out for herself, this leads to the exact rift for which Mystique was hoping and allows her to set up her daughter with her accomplice, Pulse. After being discovered, Mystique asks the X-Men for permission to stay at the Mansion. The X-Men vote and Mystique is allowed to be a probationary member of the X-Men, a decision neither Rogue nor Gambit like.
Blood of Apocalypse
In the events that followed M-Day, when the mutant Apocalypse was re-awoken, Gambit, seeking to protect Rogue and his fellow X-Men from Apocalypse, is transformed by Apocalypse into the newest Death. However, failing to resist his mind-altering transformation, Gambit tries to kill Rogue twice (first under orders from Apocalypse and the second time at the urging of Sunfire in order to cut all ties to the X-Men). After the X-Men defeated Apocalypse, Sunfire (who was also transformed into one of Apocalypse's Horsemen) left with Gambit to help Gambit clear Apocalypse's brainwashing and live as entirely new beings.
Rogue's X-Men
Children of The Vault
Afterwards, as Professor Xavier goes into space after Vulcan, taking Havok and several others with him, Cyclops gives Rogue the leadership of her own squad with freedom to choose anyone she wants for her team. At this point, the roster consists of Iceman, Cannonball, Cable, Sabretooth, Lady Mastermind, Karima Shapandar, and Mystique. She chooses this team against Cyclops's warnings in order to battle the Children of the Vault. To control Sabretooth, she injected him with Nano-Sentinels. Rogue also rejected her foster mother's advances towards repairing their relationship before the team's first mission, still wary of Mystique's motives and believing Mystique may prove traitorous.
After the immense battle, in which Rogue's X-Men overcame the Children of the Vault, Rogue announced her team's departure from the mansion.
Pandemic and The Hecatomb
During an encounter with the enigmatic being known as Pandemic, Rogue was hospitalised on Providence as her allies battled the Hecatomb. Cable, desperate to defeat it, awoke Rogue from her coma. She found that Pandemic's experiments had amplified her absorption powers, and she accidentally killed a nurse that touched her. She confronted the Hecatomb and defeated it, but in the process, absorbed eight billion psyches stored within it. She recovered, but now seems to crave the process of absorbing.
Powers and abilities
Due to the nature of her unique mutant powers Rogue has had several different abilities over the years:
Mutant powers
Rogue's mutant ability allows her to absorb the essence of anyone she touches through skin to skin contact. This includes their personality, memories, and often their physical characteristics. In the case of super-powered individuals she also absorbs any extra abilities they might possess. This absorption usually leaves its victim weakened, and sometimes unconscious. Their powers may also be temporarily weakened or removed.
This transfer is usually temporary, lasting for a period of time relative to how long contact is maintained, but if Rogue holds on to her victim for too long, the transfer may become permanent. Most often this process happens instantly when Rogue touches someone, but in certain instances where a being has possessed an extraordinary level of power they are able to resist her, and she may only share part of their memories and power.
As Rogue is absorbing the total psyche of a person, there is a risk of a personality overwhelming her and taking control of her body. It has also been shown that even though Rogue forgets the memories she has absorbed when a psyche returns to its body, 'echoes' of their personalities remain buried in her mind.
Rogue is able to absorb psyches and abilities of several beings at once, though the experience can be confusing and disorienting for her.
Ms. Marvel powers
As a young woman Rogue permanently absorbed the many powers and psyche of Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers):
- Superhuman strength (For some unknown reason, Rogue possessed greater strength than Ms. Marvel ever demonstrated).
- Superhuman durability (to most forms of physical harm, though she could still be injured in extreme cases. While fighting Viper in Tokyo, Rogue sustained a long-term laser blast that overwhelmed her invulnerability, nearly killing her, and characters with superhuman strength could also affect her).
- Flight (her speeds were often inconsistently presented).
- Precognitive seventh sense (this ability was also inconsistently utilized).
- Resistance to telepathy (said to have been a byproduct of two minds existing in the one body and/or Carol Danvers' Kree physiology).
When Rogue later lost all of her superhuman abilities for a time, her Ms. Marvel abilities vanished and did not return.
'X-Treme' powers
During the Maximum Security Rogue absorbed an injured Skrull girl named Z'Cann. The girl held on longer than necessary, using her telepathy to boost the process and because of this (perhaps because she had absorbed a fluid Skrull physiology) Rogue mutated further, gaining the ability to 'recall' the powers of anyone she had ever absorbed before, though she could not control when or which of these powers surfaced. For a short time Rogue also had a Skrull appearance, scanned as though she had Skrull DNA and had their shape-shifting powers, but these soon faded and she returned to her normal appearance.
Through meditation Rogue learned how to suppress the random manifestations of most of these abilities, but found herself with Wolverine's claws and healing factor, and Cyclops' optic blasts for a time (she had to wear Ruby Quartz glasses), while also still retaining her mutant and Ms. Marvel powers.
Later Sage used her own mutant abilities to 'jump start' Rogue's power, giving her the control to manifest any ability she had ever absorbed, whenever she wished to. It is generally accepted that after regaining her powers after X-Treme X-Men, she has lost this ability.
Though Z'Cann was a telepath Rogue did not ever display this power (she did manifest telepathy, but it was with the Phoenix energy form, so it was most likely an echo of Jean Grey's powers).
Powerless
For a time Rogue lost all of her powers, including her original mutant ones. During this period she displayed exceptional fighting skills and agility, though it was said these were not superhuman in nature.
She also still possessed a 'fluid genome' that enabled Sage to use her as a conduit through which to channel the mutant powers of the X-Treme X-Men team in a fight against Bogan.
Mutant powers return
Rogue's mutant abilities eventually returned during Chuck Austen's brief run on the "X-Men" title in 2004, but without any explanation as to how, why, or when they returned. However, she only regained her absorption ability, and lost her powers imprinted from Ms. Marvel as well as the ability to recall powers she's absorbed in the past, although the genetic potential for her to do so is likely still there.
Sunfire powers
In Rogue's mini-series (2004-2005), Rogue absorbed a large portion of the mutant Sunfire's solar-absorption based powers. In addition to her own natural mutant abilities Rogue can now:
- Project intense heat and flame.
- Envelop her body in a fiery aura.
- Focus her power inward to increase her strength (though not at her Ms. Marvel levels).
- Exercise immunity to heat and radiation.
- See the infra-red spectrum.
Rogue's name
Rogue was one of the few comic book characters whose real name had never been revealed, until very recently. This was a controversial topic for years. In the films X-Men, X2: X-Men United, and X-Men: The Last Stand, Rogue's real name is Marie d'Ancanto. In the comics, her chosen name (according to Essential X-Men #133) is Anna Raven when her powers are inactive (See below paragraph). The readers came close to finding out her name in X-Men #24 (when she was about to reveal it to Gambit on a date), but the Cajun stopped her before she could finish her sentence.
After the movies, X-Men writer Chris Claremont introduced a non-super-powered human character named Marie D'Ancanto in the series X-Treme X-Men, in which Rogue also appears. In this series, Rogue and Gambit had both lost their powers after a battle in which Rogue saved Gambit's life. They had left the X-Men and Rogue was found by some fellow team members living a normal life, having taken up the alias "Anna Raven." A movie poster of Anna Paquin's Oscar-winning film, The Piano, filled an entire wall of Rogue's home and she tells her friends she is going by the name "Anna" (in the X-Men movies, Rogue is played by actress Anna Paquin). Part of a poster of Castle in the Sky is also seen, an anime movie to which Paquin lent her voice in the English dub (this also honors a longstanding tradition of anime references in Claremont-penned X-Men stories).
A recent solo series established Rogue's name as Anna Marie, having her aunt and the astral form of her mother refer to her as so, and Rogue acknowledging it. Rogue's profile in the most recent edition of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe lists this as her real name.
Rogue is known as Malicia (Evil) in French, Titania (Titan) in American Spanish, Pícara (Mischievous) in European Spanish, Ruda (Red) in Polish, Vampira in Portuguese (which means (female) Vampire), and previously as Parasit in Danish.
Other versions
Age of Apocalypse
In the Age of Apocalypse, Rogue was one of Magneto's X-Men, his wife, and the mother of his son: Charles Lensherr. Rogue was taken to Wundagore by Mystique, following a fight with Lorna Dane, in which Rogue permanently absorbed half of her magnetism powers. Honoring the dying wish of the Scarlet Witch, Rogue became a close friend for Magneto, but eventually the two became lovers when Magneto learned a way to touch Rogue (covering himself in a skintight magnetic aura that prevented Rogue's powers from affecting him), which caused Gambit, also in love with Rogue in this timeline, to leave the X-Men. Sometime later, Rogue and Magneto had a son, whom they named Charles in honor of Magneto's old friend Charles Xavier.
By the time the X-Men met Bishop and hatched a plan to undo Xavier's death, Rogue, alongside Morph, Sabretooth, Sunfire, and Blink fought against Holocaust and his Infinites and stop the Chicago Cullings.
In the Age of Apocalypse reality, her powers are based on magnetism due to the fact she absorbed half the powers of the AoA Polaris. AoA Rogue can control magnetic fields to move, lift, and manipulate ferrous metals. She can surround herself with a magnetic field that is the same polarity as the Earth's own magnetic field, causing the Earth to push her into the air (by magnetic levitation) thereby letting her fly at high speeds. She can use her magnetic powers to increase the energy of her movements, thus giving her super strength.
House of M
Although another reality, the Rogue of House of M is the 616 Rogue. She is an Agent of Shield and part of the Red Guard, working with Wolverine, Mystique, Toad, Nightcrawler, and Jessica Drew. She plays an important role in the resistance to Magneto. After being contacted by the resistance movement, Rogue briefly touches Layla Miller and appears overwhelmed as the acquired power emanated from her and awakened others in the vicinity to the reality of the House. In the final battle, Rogue, finally able to unleash her powers to their full extent, tackles both Namor and Princess Ororo and absorbs their abilities, causing her to overflow with power.
Ultimate Rogue
In the Ultimate Marvel continuity, Rogue is first introduced in the story arc Return to Weapon X (Ultimate X-Men #7-12) as a prisoner of Weapon X and she worked with Juggernaut and Nightcrawler. Her powers are exploited to steal sensitive information on the location and layout of The 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, Juggernaut, and Nightcrawler, when a combination of the Brotherhood of Mutant Supremacy and S.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 the Return of the King arc (Ultimate X-Men #27-33).
In the Tempest arc (Ultimate X-Men #46-49) , Rogue begins dating Iceman. She has a steady relationship with him until, in the Cry Wolf story arc (Ultimate X-Men #50-53), she catches him kissing Shadowcat. The X-Men are attacked by Gambit 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.
Rogue does not appear again until Ultimate X-Men Annual #1, in which she and Gambit fight Juggernaut. Gambit sacrifices himself to save Rogue, and she kisses him as he dies. With this kiss, she steals his powers and seemingly overwrites her own (this also affects Rogue's appearance, as she acquires black eyes with red pupils). In the subsequent story arc "Date Night" (Ultimate X-Men #66-69) she rejoins the X-Men and rekindles her romance with Iceman, now able to touch people without hurting them. In 'Ultimate X-Men 68' Rogue charges Icemans shirt accidently, making it explode. She reveals she can now touch people without aborbing abilities or damaging them. This then leads to Rogue and Iceman having sex.
During Ultimate X-Men Annual #2, Rogue speaks to Professor Xavier about her concerns regarding Gambit's powers still remaining. Xavier theorises this is only a temporary change, and her powers will return within time. Towards the end of the annual, Rogue touches Nightcrawler & her old powers re-emerge, causing her to start teleporting randomly, and she loses Gambit's.
During Ultimate X-Men #77 she loses her arm during a fight with Cable. However after absorbing some of Wolverine's healing power, her arm appears to grow back.
X-Men: The End
In an alternate future featured in the series X-Men: The End, Rogue and Gambit are married and have two children named Oliver & Rebecca "Becca" LeBeau. Rogue has also gained complete control over her abilities in this timeline and eventually is killed by Mister Sinister after defeating Shaitan and rescuing her children from the Neverland Camp.
In other media
Television
- Rogue appeared in X-Men television series (1992-1997), where she was one of the most important members of the X-Men. In this animated series, she had all her comic powers, including the Ms. Marvel abilities. She had a close relationship with Gambit. During the series Rogue almost gets "the cure" which Apocalypse and Mystique secretly use to make mutants into their own private army. However Rogue does not get the cure. Rogue was also present when Lillandra had to take Professor Xavier up to space with her, Rogue, Magneto, and the other X-Men watched as Lillandra and Xavier flew up into space. Rogue was voiced by Lenore Zann.
- This version of Rogue, also voiced by Zann, appeared on Spider-Man:The Animated Series, where she appeared to be attracted to Spider-Man.
- In the animated series X-Men: Evolution, Rogue is re-imagined as a rebellious, yet deeply insecure teenager, with a stereotypical goth appearance. In contrast to her previous depictions as warm and generous, her powers make her cynical and reclusive, but deep inside she is consumed by the desire to touch the people she loves. She was raised by Mystique and Destiny, but left them when she found out that they only nurtured her as a potential tool for power. In this continuity, she has a heavy crush on Cyclops, although later episodes showed an interest in Gambit who she later kissed in the season 3 finalle (of course this was just to steal his powers). Rogue's power-draining abilities are very strong in this series, nearly killing her at one point, but prove vital in the final episode; unlike in other versions, the powers she duplicates never fade completely, and at times she had the ability (not always intentional) to use powers long after she had absorbed them. At times, she had more control over absorbed powers than their natural owner had (after absorbing Cyclops' power, she did not have to keep her eyes shut, but instead they were surrounded by a red energy). She was voiced by Meghan Black.
- In the new animated series Wolverine and the X-Men Rogue will appear and she'll be voiced by Kieren van den Blink. [1]
Films
- Rogue was portrayed by Anna Paquin in the 2000 film X-Men, the sequel X2: X-Men United (2003), and the third installment X-Men: The Last Stand (2006).
- In the first film, Rogue, whose real name is given as Marie, runs away from home after her power manifests itself while kissing her boyfriend, which causes him to go into a seizure, and is picked up on the road by Wolverine, with whom she develops a relationship similar to that shared by Wolverine and Kitty Pryde in the comic books. Magneto later kidnaps her and uses her to power a machine he has invented which turns normal humans into mutants. Since this machine operates using Magneto's mutant abilities but severely weakens and eventually kills the user if he/she uses it for too long, Magneto temporarily transfers his powers to Rogue, who is nearly killed by the machine before Wolverine disconnects her and allows her to absorb his healing ability. Her near-death experience leaves her with a permanent white streak through her hair.
- In X2: X-Men United, she begins dating Iceman, despite her continued inability to make direct physical contact, a factor which is a source of great frustration for both of them. Iceman at one point is overcome by his attraction to Rogue and kisses her, but is forced to pull away when her powers begin affecting him. They are eventually both promoted to the X-Men team and are seen in uniform alongside the other X-Men at the end of the film. She is shown to be incredibly attractive - in the second film, when Pyro, Iceman and Rogue are talking to two brothers, Pyro tries to impress her, and Iceman expresses displeasure and defends her, and one of the brothers gives her some flirty looks to which she appeared rather disgusted.
- In X-Men: The Last Stand, a pharmaceutical company announces that they have a cure for the mutant gene. Rogue expresses interest in getting it, evidently still wanting to lose the fear of touching someone. When Iceman begins to develop a friendship with Kitty Pryde, Rogue disappears to take the cure. Iceman follows her to the pharmaceutical company, but cannot find her. At the very end of the film, she comes back to the school, simply saying, "I'm sorry, I had to." When Iceman expresses disappointment and says it wasn't what he wanted, she says, "I know. It's what I wanted." However, in the novelization and an alternate scene that appears on the DVD release of the film, Rogue did not take the cure, saying she could not bring herself to do it. Although at the end of the film, Magneto, who recieved the cure, was shown using his powers implying that the cure isn't permanent.
- Several major changes have been made to Rogue's history in the films: she was not adopted by Mystique, she did not join the Brotherhood, and she didn't absorb the powers of Ms. Marvel. Therefore, she is not seen flying or displaying super-strength in any of the films. Neither does she display her 'southern belle' accent.
Video games
- Rogue appears in many X-Men video games. She has appeared in some of the Marvel Vs. Capcom games, as well as X-Men: Mutant Academy 2, X-Men: Next Dimension, and X-Men vs. Street Fighter; in this video game, her ability to steal life force was translated to a special move that allows her to steal a move from her opponents, much like Kirby in the Super Smash Bros. series. This makes her the only Marvel character to ever use the Shun Goku Satsu taken by draining Akuma. In Marvel vs. Capcom 2, she instead stole power-ups from the characters she drained, and the colors in her outfit were changed.
- She appears as a playable character in X-Men: Mojo World for the Game Gear and Sega Master System
- She appears in the X-Men game for the Sega Genesis though not as a playable character.
- Rogue appears in the training mode in Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro and is voiced by Jennifer Hale.
- Most recently, Rogue appears in X-Men Legends and its sequel, X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse, where she was voiced by Erin Matthews in X-Men Legends and by Cat Taber in its sequel.
Miscellaneous
Rogue is eponymous in the song "Rogue" by the band Smoochknob that is about her.
Trivia
 | This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. (June 2007) |
- The issue in which Rogue joins the X-Men (Uncanny X-Men #171) was voted 49th greatest Marvel Comic of all time. ("100 Greatest Marvels Of All Time", Marvel Comics, 2001)
- Rogue was #5 on IGN's Top Twenty-Five X-Men list[2], and #4 on their Top Ten X-Babes list[3].
- In her early appearances as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Rogue's white highlights were on the side of her head, much in the same as Mr. Fantastic or Nick Fury confusing some artists and resulting in her being drawn much older than she was intended to be.
- The voice actor of Rogue in the Marvel vs. Capcom series is Lenore Zann.
Footnotes
External links
- Shrine of the Green Goddess - Features exhaustive appearance list & chronology
- http://www.freewebs.com/new-generation-x/"
- MarvelDatabase:Rogue - Marvel Database Project
- MarvelDatabase:Character Gallery Rogue (Anna Marie)
- UncannyXmen.net, Spotlight feature on Rogue
- Marvel.com entry on Rogue
- [4] UltimateRogue
- Articles with trivia sections from June 2007
- Characters introduced in 1981
- Female video game characters
- Fictional characters from Mississippi
- Fictional characters with precognition
- Marvel Comics characters who can fly
- Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength
- Marvel Comics mutants
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