Rogue has been one of the most iconic X-Men of all time, thanks largely to her sassy Southern belle persona from X-Men: The Animated Series. Not to mention Anna Paquin’s melancholy version in Fox’s X-Men films. Soon, Obsession star Inde Navarrette will play her in the upcoming MCU X-Men reboot. But rumors suggest this Rogue won’t be a part of the team initially. Which means the version we’re about to meet may utilize an aspect of the character that almost all media adaptations of Rogue have glossed over or ignored. And it’s that the mutant heroine actually started as a villain, a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
Rogue’s power set makes her one of the most tragic characters in the Marvel Comics universe. Born in rural Mississippi, her mutant X-gene activated when she had her first kiss at age 13. Rogue’s powers cause her to absorb energy and memories from those she comes into skin-to-skin contact with. If she holds on to someone too long, she not only absorbs their memories, but can also kill them. After putting her boyfriend in a coma, she runs away from home. She soon winds up being adopted by the mutant terrorist Mystique and her partner, Destiny. The X-Men Fox films kept her regional background and tragic power activation, but ignored the rest of her comic origins.
Rogue First Appeared as a Villain Fighting the Avengers
Rogue’s first appearance wasn’t actually in the pages of an X-Men title, it was in 1981’s Avengers Annual #10. That issue introduced her as a member of Mystique’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Created by Chris Claremont and artist Michael Golden, the power-absorbing mutant was first introduced as a villain. She was the reason the Avenger Carol Danvers, then known as Ms. Marvel, was in a coma. They revealed that Rogue held on to Carol too long, not only absorbing her strength and flight powers permanently, but also much of Carol’s personality as well. This left poor Carol comatose.
In Rogue’s Earliest Appearances, She Fought Dazzler and the X-Men
Rogue made a few more appearances as a villain, and in some unlikely places. Her first cover appearance was on ROM: Spaceknight, a series based on the Hasbro toy. She then became an enemy of Dazzler, making several appearances fighting the pop star mutant. These early stories laid down some early groundwork for the character, such as Rogue coming from Mississippi and her deep-fried Southern accent. Also, her adoptive mother being the shapeshifting Mystique, leader of the Brotherhood. Dazzler artist Danny Fingeroth drew Rogue as a full-grown adult, her hairstyle even made her appear as someone in her 40s. But soon, Marvel would reveal that she was just a teenager.
After fighting the X-Men in 1982’s Uncanny X-Men #158, Rogue disappeared for a bit. She’d reemerge in 1983, when Rogue appeared at Xavier’s School, begging for Professor X to help her gain control over her powers. This took place in Uncanny X-Men #172. The other X-Men were not on board with taking in a criminal at the school, but Xavier insisted on helping her. Over time, Rogue, who did not reveal her true name, slowly built up trust and friendship with the X-Men.
Rogue Becomes the X-Men’s Sassy Southern Bombshell
Rogue became especially close to Wolverine, because his mutation could also seriously hurt people. During this era, artists Paul Smith and John Romita Jr. softened up Rogue’s appearance considerably, making her seem much younger. As the character aged, artists grew her hair out, drawing her in a sexually suggestive manner. The idea here was that the team’s sexiest member couldn’t physically touch anyone, adding to her overall tragedy. That made things especially dramatic when the Cajun mutant Gambit joined the team, and the two fell in love.
Outside of Comics, Rogue’s Villain Backstory Is Glossed Over or Removed
X-Men: The Animated Series introduced Rogue as a hero from the get-go, although her backstory as a criminal working for Mystique did eventually get revealed in flashbacks. Meanwhile, Anna Paquin’s live-action Rogue had no criminal backstory, and no familial connection to Mystique. However, Rogue revealed her real name as Marie in that film, and eventually Marvel Comics incorporated that into the comics canon. Actually, her true full first name is Anna Marie, as a tribute to Anna Paquin.
Nerdist’s Take: We Believe MCU Rogue Will Be the First Time She’s a Villain First in Live-Action
We have a strong suspicion that the MCU is going to introduce Inde Navarrette’s Rogue as a villain first. Or at least, as a misguided figure who is an adversary to the X-Men. Think of how Jean Grey was portrayed in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. We even think she could be a member of a rival school, one run by the psychic Emma Frost, another X-Man who was their adversary at first. Of course, by the end, we expect Rogue to have a change of heart, and join the X-Men. We’re not sure where that leaves Mystique, who isn’t even rumored for this film, but it allows for her to exist as Rogue’s mother in a sequel. Fans have waited years for a comics-accurate Rogue on the big screen, and we think Inde Navarrette might be just that.