(WARNING: This contains spoilers for Mr. and Mrs. X #9. If you’re not already reading this Kelly Thompson title, what’s the matter with you?)
Mr. and Mrs. X #9 started as what appeared to be a simple heist story. By the end turned into a much deeper chapter in a bigger story.
Kelly Thompson’s run with the best couple in Marvel Comics (yeah, you read that right) has featured a healthy mix of both Gambit and Rogue. As much as both characters are essential to Mr. and Mrs. X, Rogue is the main character between the two — which makes sense.
There are plenty of interesting Gambit-driven stories that have been told, and even more that have not been written yet. No matter who’s writing Rogue, she is without question a more dynamic character than Gambit, while the latter being a fairly steady hand under Thompson’s watch.
Rogue’s most recent struggle has been with her newly amplified powers. She’s become even more withdrawn as a result.
She’s forced to address the events that led her down this path in Mr. and Mrs. X #9. As she looks inward Rogue realizes her powers make near impossible for anyone to hurt her. Not just physically — we all knew that already — mentally, too.
“I wouldn’t have to risk anything. My heart, my body, any of it. The Untouchable Girl.”
(Sidenote: Untouchable Girl would have been the perfect 50’s nickname for Rogue.)
Rogue let her fear take control. Her concern over her powers was simply a mask. Rogue, like so many, was afraid of being hurt by others. For the longest time, I’ve always gotten the impression that Rogue didn’t want to get too close to anyone in order to protect those she cared about. The nature of her powers and inability to control them made her a threat to those she loved most of all.
That wasn’t the case though.
She’s no different than the average Mr. and Mrs. X reader that is dealing with the unrelenting battle of being accepted. Everyone has different reasons why they battle this, and some, like Rogue, hide it better than others.
Even those who do identify this problem still battle with it on a day-to-day basis. It’s an unfortunate human flaw that, in the real world, has become amplified thanks to social media. The push for likes and an increased following can bring what might normally be a manageable problem to the forefront.
Thompson’s message of self-acceptance has been an important theme throughout writing Rogue & Gambit into Mr. and Mrs. X. Seeing how it can impact the health of a relationship provides a unique, worthwhile comic for those looking for something different.