Superhero Origins: Rogue of the X-Men

Some people really don't like to be touched – and with Rogue, there's a reason for that. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we will explore the comic book origin of the Rogue of the X-Men. As with most comic book characters, there are often re-imaginations and different versions to a character’s past. We have chosen primarily to follow the storyline which unfolded in 1990's Classic X-Men #44 and which was expanded upon in 1994's X-Men Unlimited #4, and 2004's Rogue #2 and #3. Rogue's first appearance in the Marvel Universe was in 1981's Avengers Annual #10, but she didn't debut as a hero. Instead, Rogue was an integral part of fellow mutant Mystique's plan to disable the Avengers and free her colleagues from prison. Rogue's origin wasn't revealed during this appearance but readers did witness her special powers, a result of her mutant genes. Rogue possessed the ability to absorb the memories and powers of anyone with whom she came in skin-to-skin contact, incapacitating them as she did so. Rogue eventually switched from villainy to heroics and became an invaluable member of the X-Men. Along the way, more details emerged about her origins. 1990's Classic X-Men #44, for example, related that as a youth she lived with Mystique and another mutant, Destiny. As the story opened, young Rogue was playing with a friend named Freddy. When Freddy attempted to kiss her, Rogue was clearly interested but pushed him away. Later, Mystique reminded Rogue that she was different from others and needed to stay away from boys. Rogue resented this advice and instead ran off to meet up again with Freddy – at which point, she gave in and kissed him. When her lips touched his, Rogue's powers kicked in. Freddy was knocked unconscious while Rogue absorbed his memories, which drove home for her the fact that she could not lead a normal life. When she left Freddy, she returned to Mystique – and told her she was ready to join her efforts to help mutants overthrow humans. On her first mission under the command of Mystique, Rogue was sent to absorb the powers of Ms. Marvel. Because of Ms. Marvels strong will and formidable powers, this encounter was neither short nor easy. When the dust cleared, Rogue had permanently gained all of Ms. Marvel’s powers, which most notably included flight and super strength, as well as aspects of Ms. Marvel’s psyche. Rogue's meeting with Mystique was further explored in 1994's X-Men Unlimited #4. In this re-telling, the boy she kissed was named Cody rather than Freddy, and the kiss happened just before she met Mystique. It also put Cody into a coma, after which Rogue was forced to flee – and that was the point at which Mystique took her in and raised her as her own child. There were various other modifications over the years, and in 2004 readers met Rogue's real parents. Rogue #2 and 3 related that Anna Marie, as Rogue was called at birth, was born on a commune in Mississippi. The members of the commune, including her parents, dabbled in mysterious forces in an attempt to raise their consciousness to a higher level. During one such attempt, the men secretly slipped the women a special drug, which lead to disastrous consequences. A gateway to another dimension was opened, and Rogue's mother, enraged at the duplicity of her husband, vanished into that other world. Rogue's father, shaken by his experience, abandoned Rogue and left her with her Aunt Carrie, who raised her – until the fateful day she kissed a boy and fell under the sway of Mystique. Rogue has been featured prominently in other media, making many appearances in film and TV adaptations of the X-Men comics. Her unique power is intriguing, and the fact that it prevents her from engaging in direct human contact makes her a compelling and fascinating character and a fan favorite. Are you a fan of Rogue? For more comic book origins, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.