The X-Men series features no shortage of iconic, beloved characters with a long and storied history throughout Marvel Comics. There’s Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, and Magneto just to name a few — and of course, Rogue.

While she may not be an A-list headliner like some of her teammates, Rogue is still an incredibly popular member of the X-Men, and has been prominent in several previous adaptations. But while her live action film incarnation (played by Anna Paquin of True Blood fame) served as the POV character for the original X-Men movie, Rogue’s portrayal in the 20th Century Fox film series wasn’t exactly the most faithful depiction of the character. Here are five crucial aspects of Rogue’s comic book characterization that she’ll hopefully retain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — assuming she eventually gets there, of course.

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She Isn’t Always Angsty

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Rogue’s most famous character trait is her deadly mutation: she can steal the powers and memories of anyone she touches, but also drains their life in the process. In other words, Rogue can’t touch another human being without harming or even killing them. Naturally, this depressing condition is a source of much sorrow and frustration for Rogue. But while her appearances in past X-Men films have primarily focused on her struggling with this curse — mainly as it relates to her inability to be intimate with her love interest Iceman — Rogue’s comic book incarnation is rarely so sullen.

In fact, Rogue in the comics is typically among the more upbeat and boisterous X-Men. Far from Anna Paquin’s moody, withdrawn portrayal, the original Rogue is a spirited, fun-loving Southern belle. She’s lively, flirtatious, and always loves a good brawl. Of course, this persona is in part a coping mechanism — she hides her trauma and isolation beneath a rowdy, cheerful mask. The pain caused by Rogue’s powers is indeed a crucial aspect of her characterization, and it would be a mistake to leave it out of any adaptation entirely. However, focus too much on the tragedy of Rogue, and it’s easy to forget that she’s still an incredibly fun character.

She’s Mystique’s Daughter

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Another major character in the X-Men films is Mystique, aka Raven Darkholme, who eventually eclipsed Rogue in prominence thanks to Jennifer Lawrence’s portrayal in First Class and its sequels. But while Rogue and Mystique (originally played by Rebecca Romijn) shared the screen throughout the original X-Men film trilogy, the series never explored the close bond they shared in the comics. Indeed, the source material depicts Rogue as the adopted daughter of Mystique and her lover Destiny, raised by the two since childhood.

Rogue’s relationship with Mystique is a major part of her characterization under Chris Claremont, the writer who introduced both characters. While a hero with a villainous parent is hardly a new trope, Claremont’s take on Rogue is unique in that she bears no ill will towards Mystique. They may be on opposing sides, but Rogue still loves her mother dearly, and takes no joy in fighting her. And Mystique feels the same way — she’s fiercely protective of Rogue, and is willing to kill anyone who would threaten her despite their disparate allegiances. While their relationship would turn more hostile under later writers, Rogue’s familial bond with one of the X-Men’s deadliest enemies has always been one of the most important aspects of her character.

She’s a Major Powerhouse

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Anyone who’s seen the original X-Men trilogy knows that Rogue’s main ability is her deadly touch, which allows her to temporarily copy the powers of any mutant she makes physical contact with. In the movies, Rogue’s usefulness in combat is dependent on her borrowing powers from others, which means that she’s rarely in the center of the action. But in the comics, Rogue’s power-stealing gimmick is merely one part of a larger skill set, which includes superhuman strength, speed, durability, and flight. Not only is the comic book Rogue a formidable fighter in her own right, she’s one of the strongest members of nearly any X-Men lineup she’s part of.

For fans of the 90s X-Men cartoon, Rogue’s flight and super-strength are easily recognizable as part of her character, every bit as much as her power-stealing touch. However, not everyone is aware of the story behind how she got those powers to begin with. It all goes back to her first appearance in 1981’s Avengers Annual #10, in which she faces off against Carol Danvers (originally Ms. Marvel, better known today as Captain Marvel) and permanently steals her powers, leaving her comatose and powerless. Carol’s powers were eventually restored on an adventure with the X-Men, but her flight and super-strength remain key parts of Rogue’s skill set to this day.

She Used To Be a Villain

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Of course, the notion of Rogue delivering such a devastating defeat to a hero like Carol Danvers may seem confusing to those who have only known Rogue as an X-Man. But in her first few appearances, Rogue was actually a supervillain — a member of Mystique’s Brotherhood, no less. It’s not until her ninth appearance, in 1983’s Uncanny X-Men #171, that she finally leaves the Brotherhood. Haunted by the trauma of nearly killing Carol, Rogue asks Professor X to help her learn to control her powers.

At first, the X-Men are distrustful of Rogue, but she eventually proves herself a loyal member of the team after saving Wolverine’s life. Rogue’s journey to redemption as she struggles to find her place among the X-Men is a major part of her character arc, and it’s been completely absent from most adaptations. Hopefully the MCU can remedy this, and perhaps even have Rogue reenact her clash with Carol Danvers on the big screen.

She’s Gambit’s True Love

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Throughout her time on the X-Men, Rogue has developed close bonds with several of her teammates, from Wolverine to Storm to Psylocke. However, the teammate she’s closest to is by far Gambit, who’s been her primary love interest for decades.

Introduced in 1990 as a master thief and close ally of Storm, Gambit shared a turbulent will they/won’t they romance with Rogue throughout the 90s. While the pairing fell by the wayside for a while in the 2000s, it made a major comeback in the 2010s, culminating in an unexpected wedding in 2018. Since then, the duo have been happily married and madly in love. However, to this day they’ve never appeared together in live action — a mistake that the MCU hopefully won’t repeat.

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