In a staggering show of strength, iconic X-Men hero Rogue has confirmed that she's among the strongest heroes to ever appear in Marvel continuity, combining the stolen strength of two god-tier Avengers. Rogue famously has the ability to temporarily steal the powers and memories of those she comes into direct contact with, however if she sustains contact long enough, she can permanently absorb their abilities. Having done so to two of the most powerful Avengers, Rogue now packs a beyond-A-list punch.
In Gail Simone, David Marquez, Clayton Cowles and Matt Wilson's Uncanny X-Men #4, Rogue faces off with Sarah Gaunt, aka the Hag. While the villain starts out savagely beating Rogue - just as she did to Wolverine last issue - the Uncanny X-Men's team leader gets her second wind, managing to land some stupendous hits of her own. Rogue reveals that while she permanently absorbed the strength of Wonder Man, she also kept hold of some of Captain Marvel's strength "hidden on the back shelf."
Rogue long ago stole Captain Marvel's powers, badly injuring Carol Danvers and beginning one of Marvel's longest hero feuds. However, she recently traded in those abilities for those of Simon Williams' Wonder Man. However, now Rogue confirms it wasn't a case of simply swapping one power set for the other, but that she's able to draw on the unbelievable strength of both heroes. Indeed, her words imply there are other powers she's still keeping in reserve.
Captain Marvel and Wonder Man are among Marvel's strongest heroes, only officially exceeded by the Hulk himself.
After Absorbing the Strongest Avengers, Rogue Is a World-Class Powerhouse
Sarah Gaunt is a former lover of Charles Xavier who turned against mutantkind after the death of her child. Recently, she's been hunting down a group of young mutants who have turned to Rogue's team for protection. When Wolverine left the team, unwilling to play 'Daddy Logan' to another generation of doomed mutants, the Hag hunted him down and came as close to killing him as any villain ever has. Thankfully, Rogue and Nightcrawler came to his rescue, with Kurt teleporting Logan back to safety while Rogue stuck around to trade blows with the Hag.
Rogue's new combined powers finally redeem her oldest crime, turning her abilities into a symbol of her heroism, not her villainous past.
The Hag already appears to be one of the most powerful villains in X-Men history, claiming to be a "ten times Omega"-level superhuman. This claim has yet to be officially proven, but she appears able to draw power from the natural world, turning every plant and animal on the planet into fuel for her powers. She also appears to be a gifted mystic, forging a new material called 'somber steel' which stood up to and even exceeded Wolverine's adamantium. Rogue is the first hero who actually seems able to hurt the Hag, managing to punch her off her feet.
Marvel has altered how mutants can gain their powers, making a bombshell change to X-Men lore that changes the franchise forever.
Rogue's New Power Level Fixes Her Biggest Sin
Wonder Man Gave His Powers Willingly
Captain Marvel and Wonder Man are among Marvel's strongest heroes, only officially exceeded by the Hulk himself. While Captain Marvel is a human/Kree hybrid who can harness cosmic energy to enhance her physical abilities, Wonder Man is a being made of pure ionic energy, essentially making him immortal and indestructible. Rogue's ability to fly and her superstrength are both down to her violently absorbing Carol Danvers' powers during her early career as a villain.
The two have had a rocky relationship ever since, with them only recognizing each other as allies in recent years. When Captain Marvel's powers ran out of control, threatening to create a black hole, Rogue once again siphoned some of her power, but this time voluntarily and to save her life. This allowed Rogue to finally pay back the damage she did to Carol, and the two parted on good terms.
Cyclops and Rogue are about to break the X-Men in two, replacing Xavier and Magneto as the franchise's core rivalry.
In contrast, Rogue taking Wonder Man's powers was voluntary from the start. Simon willingly allowed Rogue to absorb him during the events of Uncanny Avengers volume 1, leading to Rogue helping to save the Earth by preventing a Celestial from descending on the planet. While Wonder Man's consciousness was later released from her body, Rogue kept his borrowed power, apparently mixing it with the remnants of Captain Marvel's.
Almost as long as she's been around, Rogue stealing Captain Marvel's powers has been a major mark on her record as a hero - an incident which filled her with shame, kept fresh by the fact that the powers she used daily rightfully belonged to someone else. However, following Rogue's choice to save Captain Marvel, Rogue isn't just stronger than ever - her immense power comes from two people who voluntarily gave her their abilities because they saw and respected her heroism. It's a major change from 'repentant power thief' to 'trusted hero among heroes.'
The X-Men lost everything during the "Fall of X" era, and now, they're trying to rebuild in the "From the Ashes" era - but they are utterly broken.
Rogue's Power Level Fits Her New Status as One of X-Men's 2 Most Important Characters
Rogue vs Cyclops Is Splitting the Franchise In Half
Rogue's strength combining Captain Marvel and Wonder Man's power makes her one of the strongest heroes in Marvel history, possibly exceeding Thor. That's appropriate in X-Men's new 'From the Ashes' era, as she's gone from valued team member to one of the two pillars of the franchise, alongside Scott Summers' Cyclops. Indeed, Marvel is teasing that the upcoming 'Raid on Graymalkin' crossover will create a new rivalry between Rogue and Cyclops, turning them into the Xavier and Magneto for a new generation.
Rogue has gone from a villain who the X-Men actively hated to a trusted teammate to a leader who has helmed her own X-Men and Avengers teams. Now, her immense strength level matches her growing significance in the X-Men franchise, with its source finally redeeming the terrible crime that has long contributed to Rogue's belief that her powers are a curse. The X-Men may not have faced many villains as powerful as Sarah Gaunt's Hag, but with Rogue wielding the strength of Captain Marvel and Wonder Man, they at least have the leader they need to come through alive.
Uncanny X-Men #4 is available now from Marvel Comics.
The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.
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