Rogue and Magneto’s 'X-Men '97' Relationship, Explained

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MARVEL FINALLY HAS a winner on its hands. X-Men '97 isn't part of the MCU, and it isn't a box office draw. Instead, it's a reboot of an old TV show, X-Men: The Animated Series. It turns out, fans aren't necessarily fatigued with comic book stories; they're ready for something different.

Picking up right where the original left off, X-Men '97 keeps the same '90s animation style, and has many of the original show's voice cast to boot. The show follows the X-Men after Charles Xavier, their fearless leader, leaves the Earth with the Shi'ar. In his absence, Cyclops, Jean, and the rest of team have to find a new way to move forward.

In the first episode of the new series, there's a shocking twist at the end: it turns out Xavier had a will... and gave everything he owned to Magneto, meaning the X-Men are now under their former adversary's direction.

As we see Magneto attempt to win the trust of both humans and mutants in an effort to carry on Xavier's dream of harmony, we also see his interactions with each of the X-Men. Most of them are obviously wary of Magneto, but one person appears closer than expected to the powerful mutant: Rogue.

While we don't have much context, the two reference a past relationship. Even viewers of the original show are probably confused, so here's what we know, and what it could mean for the future of the series.

What's going on with that Rogue and Magneto relationship?

First off, don't worry. If you didn't watch the original series, it's not lore you missed from X-Men: The Animated Series. We'll likely have to wait for more episodes of X-Men '97 to find out the real reason for this secret relationship.

That said, Magneto and Rogue's relationship does have comic book origins. There are multiple instances where the two get together, as both Rogue and Magneto have both at one point or another been villains.

As The Nerdist points out, the two have gotten together on in both alternative realities and in the main timeline, including Uncanny X-Men #274, when the two get close on a trip to the Savage Lands. Despite Rogue's power-sapping tactile abilities, she manages through various means to touch Magneto as well, through taking Polaris' powers (her magnetism cancels out Magneto's) or at times when her powers aren't working.

We see a hint of this in X-Men '97, although we don't have the exact explanation for how she'll be able to touch him in the series. It could also be that Magneto, as powerful as he is, can withstand Rogue's touch, or that she has a better handle on her powers in this new series.

X-Men: The Animated Series has already covered the Savage Lands storyline in Season 2, so there'll likely be a different story ripped from the comics to explain this new attachment between Rogue and Magneto.

While we don't have all the answers to this major twist, we can all agree on one thing: Gambit won't be happy.

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