Uncanny X-Men #171 (Jul 83): Rogue

Creative Team: Chris Claremont, scripter; Walt Simonson, guest penciler; Bob Wiacek, finisher; To Orzechowski, letterer; Glynis Wein, colorist; Louise Jones, editor; Tom DeFalco, editor-in-chief

Starting Line Up: Storm, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Wolverine (DNA), Colossus, Sprite

Guest Star: Binary

In New Mutants #5: The New Mutants meet Team America at a fair, where they are attacked by Viper and the Silver Samurai; Viper captures Psyche and blackmails Team America into stealing a certain object; the New Mutants and Team America join up to go to the rescue.

Synopsis: Storm commands the Morlocks to never again attack humanity for any reason. The weakened Callisto vows to someday kill Storm and retake her spot at leader. Nightcrawler worries about Storm's attitude change. In Alaska, Madelyne Pryor awakens from a nightmare and Cyclops comforts her. She tells him she used to be a pilot for a commercial airline and one day ran into an electrical storm that caused to her to crash. She was the sole survivor. The crash happened the same day Jean Grey died. In Beverly, Mass, Binary says goodbye to her parents. She reveals Xavier has helped her regain her memories that Rogue absorbed, but there are no emotions attached to them. So she may remember a person from her past, but not feel anything for them. At the school, Kitty throws a temper tantrum over nothing until Illyana calms her down. Xavier still has trouble rehabing his legs. Lilandra wonders if it might be something physical after all. Colossus tries to follow a cookbook until Xavier warns him of danger at the front door. He opens it to find Rogue begging for help. Later, she explains to Xavier she needs his help. All the memories she's absorbed over the years are becoming too confusing for her to straighten out. None of the X-Men trust her and doesn't believe she deserves help. Xavier tells them all to leave so he may question her in private, to learn her motives. Storm has the team blow off steam in the Danger Room. Illyana sets up the program. It's a recreation of Belasco's Limbo. Kitty doesn't think it's funny, so she shuts it down. Illyana goes nuts, summons a sword out of nowhere, and attacks Kitty. Kitty is cut by the sword even when she phases. Kitty still manages to subdue her. Illyana breaks down and cries over the memories of living in Limbo. Storm broods over how bad things have gotten for her since becoming leader of the X-Men. She feels she had to give up her life out of Xavier's responsibility. Her powers suddenly go out of control, but she quickly restrains them. Xavier summons her to his study. She angrily curses him before doing so. Once the whole team has assembled, Xavier announced the Rogue has been admitted to both the school and the X-Men. Storm immediately objects. Binary shows up to visit and instantly clobbers Rogue into space. The two beging to fight, but Colossus restrains Binary. Xavier explains that Rogue is now a member of the team and under his protection. Storm and Nightcrawler threaten to leave if Rogue is an X-Men. Xavier explains that once upon a time nobody thought Wolverine should have been an X-Men, but he proved himself. He asks that they give Rogue the same chance. They all agree. Binary refuses to forgive Rogue and takes off. Storm has another moment of brooding. She realises to be the leader, she must sacrice a part of herself. Or if she can simply leave the team and escape the responsibility Xavier has engrained in her.

Yeah, but is it good? Looking back through, it's been a while since a new X-Men joined. I guess I'm just used to the days when X-Men came and went and switched teams without any thought or reason. So I guess at this time a new member is a pretty big deal. Rogue gets to take the Wolverine spot of being the untrustworthy one. Rogue would have made a great counterpoint to Kitty. The young girl who was instatly accepted and loved vs the young girl who isn't accepted and hated. That really never developped. We finally get some insight to Illyana after he adventures in Limbo. She obviously has powers if she can make a sword appear out of nowhere. What other mysteries does she hold? We finally cast off Binary as a regular supporting character. I can't say I'll miss her as she really didn't add anything. Well... now she would as Rogue joined the team. But whatever. Enough people hate Rogue at this point. Storm's mental state continues to change. A few issues ago when she "lost" her power was a preview of what becomes Storm "losing control" of her power. Her emotions are affecting her control of the weather. When she can't keep her emotions in check, she can't keep her powers in check either. This is nothing new, as we've seen it before, but now it's getting to be a major part of her character. And Madelyn Pryor has a plane crash on the same day Jean Grey died... something sinister is going on.

Significata: Rogue joins the team. Binary stops hanging out with them. Storm is becoming darker and losing control of her powers. Madelyne Pryor reveals she crashed on the same day Jean died. Illyana has flashbacks of Limbo.  ¶ 2:27 PM