The X-Men have had several different adaptations that capture various elements of their comic book mythos. The most notable of these are the ’90s X-Men cartoon and the later live-action movie series. Both continuities featured their own takes on the character of Rogue, one of which hued far closer to the comics while another was a more original take. A more forgotten entry in the franchise, however, combined these disparate incarnations.
Rogue in Wolverine and the X-Men was an amalgam of her vivacious comic book and ’90s cartoon incarnations and the more taciturn movie and X-Men: Evolution versions. This produced a Rogue that was both unique and incredibly familiar to the fans, making her story and characterization incredibly fresh.
Rogue’s Story in Wolverine and the X-Men
In Wolverine and the X-Men, Rogue was an established member of the team, though she also worked alongside the Brotherhood of Mutants as a double agent. This sees her loyalties heavily questioned by her former teammates on the X-Men, but she reunites with them by the show’s end after it was revealed that she was simply trying to get information out of Magneto.
Her isolationist behavior is amped up after the X-Men disband, putting a rift between her and Wolverine. This is made worse when she seemingly sets them up into a trap involving Senator Kelly. Despite the X-Men turning on her, they remain her only true family when the Brotherhood’s extreme ways are revealed. Most interestingly, Rogue in this continuity never met or interacted with Gambit.
How Wolverine and the X-Men’s Rogue Was an Amalgam Character
In the Marvel comic books and the ’90s X-Men animated series, Rogue was an incredibly lively and proactive character. Despite her inner sadness, she was flirtatious and outgoing. Her characterization in the movies and on X-Men: Evolution, however, was much different, making her a standoffish loner, and a goth at that in the cartoon.
Wolverine and the X-Men takes elements from all of these versions in its portrayal of Rogue. Though she’s more proactive than the movies or even Evolution, she’s still not quite as “fun” as her classic self. Likewise, she lacks the super strength and flight of the classic version, relying more on stealth and her ability to steal others’ powers. The more fatherly relationship that Wolverine has with her in the movies is also brought in.
This all has the effect of making Rogue a more well-rounded character, showcasing her isolation while still having her make forward decisions for her own self-interest. The lack of a Gambit romance actually helps this, allowing Rogue to come into her own more so with its absence. Her pinballing from the X-Men to the Brotherhood makes her one of the show’s more developed characters, and each decision feels natural and not forced for drama. Sadly, Wolverine and the X-Men only got one season, so Rogue and the others could never quite have their entire story told. With X-Men: the Animated Series soon getting a revival, perhaps a second season of Wolverine and the X-Men could further use the best version of Rogue ever.
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