20 Of Our Favorite X-Men Characters

Rogue (Image via Marvel)

15. Rogue

Originating in Caldecott County, Mississippi, Rogue is the X-Men’s resident southern belle. Sometimes, that’s charming and a fitting addition to the team. At other times, it descends into parody (see the 1990s X-Men animated series, where Rogue’s character will either make you smile or cringe, but nothing in between).

Currently, no one knows Rogue’s surname, though she was called Anne Marie by her parents. Raised largely by her Aunt Carrie, Anne Marie grows to be a rebellious teenager who runs away from home. This may have had something to do with the sudden emergence of her mutant powers. You see, while flirting with a local boy named Cody Robbins, Anne Marie kissed him. Almost immediately, she proceeded to inadvertently feed upon his life energy, leaving the unsuspecting Cody in a coma.

From then on, Anne Marie wore extensive clothing, complete with gloves, in order to protect others from her destructive abilities. Later, it becomes clear that she can also absorb the psyche of another person. Occasionally, someone’s personality may overwhelm her own or remain “buried” within her own for many years.

Despite the story of the 2000 X-Men film, starring Anna Paquin, comics Rogue had a very different backstory. Instead of meeting Wolverine in a backwater Alaskan town, Rogue falls in with supervillain Mystique. She then gets involved with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. During a mission at the Pentagon, she gets into a fight with both Storm and Wolverine. Later on, Dazzler, of all people, overpowers her (told you Dazzler was pretty interesting).

After a rocky road, Rogue turns a new leaf and joins the X-Men. Since then, she’s been a regular member of the team.