"Rogue Story"
by Phil

Rogue is among the most complex of Marvel's characters. From her debut in Avengers as a villianess, to her time with the X-Men, people have had varied opinions about her. Some see her as a reformed villain, others as the truest of heroes, others as a whiner.

She first came to the X-Men hoping that they could help rid her of Carol Danvers' persona, which had been absorbed into Rogue's consciousness permanently, and perhaps help her control her powers. When the door of the mansion was answered by Colossus, Rogue fell over herself in fear, not wanting a fight. (NOTE: Rogue and the X-Men had had unpleasant meetings before this time). Her powers had taken a toll on the young woman.

Xavier made the decision to not only try to help Rogue with her powers, but also make her a probationary member of the X-Men. Naturally, this created friction with the rest of the team. Some even threatened to quit should Rogue become a member.

Perhaps the best way to describe Rogue in her first issues with the X-Men is shy. When the group flew to Japan to meet with Wolverine and his fiancee, Mariko, she remained detached from the group.

As time passed, she needed to prove herself. When the rest of the team was incapacitated, she demaned to help Wolverine with his quest to stop the Silver Samurai from harming more innocents. When Wolverine declined, she pushed. On the mission she proved to Wolverine that she could handle herself, saving the life of Wolverine's love, Mariko by nearly sacrificing her own life.

Even after this, it took time for her to develop a friendship with the rest of the X-Men. During a battle with what appeared to be Dark Phoenix, Rogue saved Storms life, while musing to herself how the team still thought of her as an evil mutant.

In the early days of her involvement with the X-Men, Rogue's driving force was her desire to be accepted by the team. The desire to control her powers quickly faded. Perhaps she saw that her powers could be a great asset to the world at large, the answer is for Rogue alone to know.

Issues used: Uncanny X-Men #171-175