Warning: contains spoilers for Uncanny X-Men #4!Currently leading the Uncanny X-Men, Rogue has one of the most iconic superpowers in the franchise. Able to siphon the powers and life force of anyone she touches, Rogue also has immense strength and speed (a remnant of the time she stole Captain Marvel’s powers, nearly killing her.) However, recent events suggest she’s developing a whole other ability that perfectly fits her new role as team leader.
Recently, Rogue’s team have been stalked by Sarah Gaunt, aka the Hag. Last issue, Wolverine took on the Hag, discovering her nails are coated with a mystic metal even more powerful than adamantium. As Wolverine was torn to pieces, he somehow connected psychically with Rogue, begging her to get their new students to safety. In The Uncanny X-Men #4 by the creative team of Gail Simone, David Marquez, Matthew Wilson, and Clayton Cowles, Rogue and Nightcrawler are searching for Wolverine after her disturbing vision.
Combining Rogue’s flight and Nightcrawler’s teleportation, they find Logan near-dead, and Rogue insists she stays to look for his attacker. Wolverine warns Rogue against it, telling her to take some of his power, but Rogue refuses and Nightcrawler teleports Wolverine away. She searches the forest for Hag and thinks, “I feel her. Don’t know how. But I feel her like spiders on my skin.” This seems to be a second reference to Rogue having some new sixth sense, especially because Wolverine’s advanced senses couldn’t identify Gaunt last issue.
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Rogue Is Developing Some Kind of Telepathic Power
So Far, X-Men Isn’t Explaining Rogue’s Sixth Sense – But It Already Saved Wolverine
Secondary mutations have granted X-Men heroes new powers before – for example, Emma Frost’s diamond form. If Rogue’s new abilities are a secondary mutation, they could be a new psychic power appearing, but it’s most likely an advancement of her already existing power set. Several of X-Men’s mutants have their primary power plus some added abilities that adjust their body to using it effectively – for example, Cyclops can fire optic blasts from his eyes, but he also has an instinctive understanding of trajectory, allowing him to use his beams far more effectively.
A more immediate example for mutant powers coming with a sixth sense is Rogue’s old ally Polaris. In X-Men (2021) #5, by Gerry Duggan, Javier Pina and Ze Carlos, Polaris is hit with a flash grenade and is rendered blind, but is still able to sense the people around her, feeling the iron in their blood. Polaris is able to sense what her magnetic powers can affect. Rogue’s powers allow her to absorb the powers, life-force, and memories of anyone she touches. If Rogue’s mutant powers follow the same logic as Polaris’, she may have some latent ability to sense powerful beings around her. That would explain how Rogue was able to sense Wolverine’s pain, and also how she could tell that the Hag was nearby.
Rogue’s Advancing Power Could be Evidence of a Secondary Mutation
X-Men’s New Era Is Making Several Big Changes
It’s possible there’s another explanation for Rogue’s sixth sense, perhaps linked to Sarah Gaunt’s presence (the villain is magical in nature, after all.) X-Men’s ‘From the Ashes’ era is making several major changes to franchise rules, for example introducing villains who can turn humans into mutants, so there’s a lot of possibility for what could be happening to Rogue. X-Men is in a time of major transition, and fans can’t necessarily look to the past to figure out what’s possible in the present. One thing is clear, however – Rogue‘s new power is a significant development, and one that already saved Wolverine’s life.
The Uncanny X-Men #4 is available now from Marvel Comics.
X-Men
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.