The X-Men famously boast some of Marvel’s most powerful heroes, but no-one ever suspected this iconic member was powerful enough to bring down Galactus. However, that’s exactly what just happened, as a beloved mutant reveals they’ve been holding back until now…
Rogue Just Revealed She Can Beat Galactus
The X-Men Hero Stole His Power… At a Huge Cost
In this week’s Unbreakable X-Men #1 – from Gail Simone, Lucas Werneck and Clayton Cowles – Galactus attacks Rogue’s Uncanny X-Men, seeking mutant hero Dome as his newest Herald. Of course, Rogue refuses to allow her student to be taken, sacrificing herself in an attempt to stop Galactus.
It’s an effort that seems doomed to fail, but Rogue reveals that her ability to siphon the powers of others has grown stronger and stronger the older she’s become. At this point, she’s so powerful that she can steal Galactus’ cosmic powers, reducing him to a flickering ember. Sadly, bringing down a cosmic god comes at a price, and Rogue is petrified into a sixty-foot statue, standing guard over the X-Men’s Haven House.
So far, it’s unknown why Rogue became a statue, but Gambit confirms she has no heartbeat or brain activity in this new form. It’s likely that Rogue burned out Galactus’ powers or willingly petrified herself rather than take his place as a Devourer of Worlds.
Galactus Isn’t Done with the X-Men
His Fall Has Created a New Monster
Sadly, the issue ends with the reveal that – deep beneath the ocean – Galactus is paralyzed but still animated by a tiny flicker of cosmic energy. That flicker is stolen by some kind of deep-sea monstrosity. Over the next two issues, Gambit and the Unbreakable X-Men will face off against this monster and Atlantis itself, as the fall of Galactus creates a new inconceivable threat to mutantkind.
This new miniseries is part of the Age of Revelation event, telling bold new stories by leaping ten years into Marvel’s future. Despite this, Rogue’s battle with Galactus takes place only seven years in the future, suggesting that her powers may already be on the cusp of this kind of cosmic-tier feat in the modern day.
Our Take on X-Men’s Rogue Beating Galactus
Is the World Devourer Still Special When He Falls This Often?
Rogue has always been incredibly powerful, stealing Captain Marvel’s powers as one of her formative moments in Marvel lore. However, stealing Galactus’ near-infinite power is a feat on a whole other level. Fans are likely to be divided over the moment, asking if it really makes sense for Rogue to be this powerful, and whether this epic defeat weakens Galactus’ purpose as an unknowable god.
In relation to the first question, Rogue has a history of truly surprising power levels. Most notably, Uncanny Avengers volume 1 saw her siphon the powers of the combined Avengers and X-Men, becoming strong enough to push a Celestial Executioner out into space (with help from the Sentry.) In that case, Rogue was limited by her body’s capacity to hold enough energy, but used Hulk’s powers to grow physically larger.
It’s therefore not beyond the bounds of possibility that – with her powers stronger than ever, and growing into a sixty-foot-tall giant – she’d be capable of draining Galactus’ powers.
In the case of Galactus, it’s an unavoidable problem that every loss takes away from his awe-inspiring nature. This is more common in alternate-universe stories, where Galactus tends to undergo a downgrade in power – most recently, Rogue’s longtime love Gambit destroyed Galactus in Marvel Zombies: Resurrection (or rather his severed, weaponized hand did.)
However, Unbreakable X-Men seems to be handling this better than most. Defeating Galactus outright kills Rogue, and the cosmic god’s last flicker of energy is enough to create a major new threat capable of destroying the X-Men. If Marvel is going to keep bringing Galactus down, then including some serious consequences is the way to do it, and the following issues of Unbreakable X-Men will likely shine a new light on the consequences of Rogue’s jaw-dropping victory.
Unbreakable X-Men #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.
- Movie(s)
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X-Men (2000), X2, X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), X-Men: First Class (2011), The Wolverine (2013), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Deadpool (2016), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Logan (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), Dark Phoenix (2019), The New Mutants, Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
- First Film
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X-Men (2000)
- TV Show(s)
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X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men, X-Men (1992), X-Men: Evolution (2000), Wolverine and the X-Men (2008), Marvel Anime: Wolverine, Marvel Anime: X-Men, Legion (2017), The Gifted (2017), X-Men ’97 (2024)
- Character(s)
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Professor X, Cyclops, Iceman, Beast, Angel, Phoenix, Wolverine, Gambit, Rogue, Storm, Jubilee, Morph, Nightcrawler, Havok, Banshee, Colossus, Magneto, Psylocke, Juggernaut, Cable, X-23
- Video Game(s)
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X-Men: Children of the Atom (1994), Marvel Super Heroes (1995), X-Men vs. Street Fighter (1996), Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter (1997), Marvel vs. Capcom (1998), X-Men: Mutant Academy (2000), Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (2000), X-Men: Mutant Academy 2 (2001), X-Men: Next Dimension (2002), Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (2011), Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2011), X-Men Legends (2005), X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse (2005), X2: Wolverine’s Revenge (2003), X-Men (1993), X-Men 2: Clone Wars (1995), X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse (1994)
- Comic Release Date
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213035,212968
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.
