‘Mr. and Mrs. X’: A Rogue and Longshot Retrospective

When are Rogue and Gambit ever going to get a break? The newlywed couple just got back from their bust of an intergalactic honeymoon when they were whisked away to the Mojoverse by the spineless one himself, Mojo. In MR. AND MRS. X #7, Rogue and Gambit were placed in one of Mojo’s bizarre TV shows before Rogue started to remember who they really were... and she accidentally killed Gambit when her powers flared out of control.

Don’t worry, we’re sure he’ll be fine. In the interim, Mojo pulled a stunt casting by replacing Gambit with Longshot, a former member of the X-Men. Rogue and Longshot were never actually a couple, but there were some romantic sparks between them back in the day. And if Gambit is temporarily out of the picture, who knows where that may lead?

Before Kelly Thompson and Oscar Bazaldua continue their story in MR. AND MRS. X #8 on Wednesday, February 13, we’re taking a look back at the history shared by Rogue and Longshot. And to really understand that relationship, we have to go back to the days when Rogue was a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.

When she was much younger, Rogue was jealous of Alison Blaire’s fame as Dazzler, and she hated her for it. That hatred may have been born out of Rogue’s self-loathing and her struggle with Carol Danvers’ presence in her mind. Regardless, Rogue was one of Dazzler’s most dangerous foes, and she came very close to ending Alison’s heroic career before it really began.

Years later, Rogue came to her senses and sought out the X-Men for help. She was sincere in her desire to reform and truly became a heroine. Dazzler wasn’t initially quick to forgive Rogue, but they eventually came to terms with each other. They may not have been close friends, but they were at least friendly. Until something came between them. Or rather, someone.

That someone turned out to be Longshot. He was quite literally dropped in the laps of the X-Men in the classic UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL #10. Both Dazzler and Rogue immediately showed signs of attraction towards Longshot, but he eventually gravitated more towards Alison than Rogue.

Even though Longshot clearly favored Dazzler, there were signs that he and Rogue could have also had a relationship. In the Savage Land, Rogue briefly absorbed Longshot’s mind and Dazzler felt very threatened by that. Outwardly, Dazzler wondered if it meant that Rogue had a greater insight into how Longshot felt about her. But perhaps she was worried about how Longshot felt about Rogue as well.

Those fears weren’t necessarily unfounded. A short time later, Rogue “borrowed” some of Alison’s clothes and went skating with Longshot. There was definitely an undercurrent of attraction between them before Dazzler angrily broke up their date. Longshot seemed hurt by the insinuation that he belonged to anyone, which implies that he didn’t understand that he was in a committed relationship. But Rogue and Dazzler understood. They were rivals once again.

Even after that, Rogue and Dazzler were still fairly cordial with each other. Note that Dazzler genuinely mourned for Rogue when she was thought to be either lost or dead in UNCANNY X-MEN #247. Longshot left the team soon after, leaving Dazzler on a greatly depleted squad of X-Men.

When Rogue finally returned, Longshot was the farthest thing from her mind. In the Savage Land, Rogue formed an emotional connection with Magneto. Their burgeoning romance was cut short when Magneto killed Zaladane, a powerful villain who may have been his daughter. Around the same time, Gambit joined the X-Men, and Wolverine remarked that the Cajun mutant’s moves reminded him of Longshot. Perhaps Rogue thought the same thing when she first encountered Gambit on Muir Island.

Once she officially reunited with the X-Men, Rogue found herself growing more attracted to Gambit. By the time that Longshot reentered Rogue’s life, he was once again in a relationship with Dazzler. Rogue showed no hint of her former attraction to Longshot in that story, and she seemed ready to move on with Gambit.

Despite their love for each other, Longshot and Dazzler ultimately didn’t last as a couple. It’s unclear how much they remember about their time together, considering that their minds were wiped more than once to preserve the complicated timeline of their son, Shatterstar. Longshot’s presence in MR. AND MRS. X’s Mojo storyline suggests that he has once again been enslaved by his former master to star in his television programing.

Of course, Rogue would never knowingly cheat on Gambit. However, Mojo appears to have wiped her memory as well. This may temporarily give Rogue and Longshot a chance to explore their own romance, even if it’s within the context of one of Mojo’s insane shows. And we can’t wait to see the sparks fly -- especially when Gambit finds out.

MR. AND MRS. X #8, written by Kelly Thompson with art by Oscar Bazaldua, goes on sale Wednesday, February 13. You can pre-order your copy online or at your local comic shop!