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Rogue is an often overlooked character in the Marvel universe. Whenever the X-men face some super powerful or difficult to deal with opponent, I always wonder why no-one thinks "Let's just let Rogue deal with it." Whenever I see discussions on what can kill Wolverine or the Juggernaut, she is almost never mentioned despite the fact that she could kill them with a touch.

In all of the continuities that I am aware of (except for the terrifying Escher painting of overlapping timelines that is the cinematic universe) if Rogue kills someone by using her power, then she permanently gains that person's abilities and memories. But is there a limit to this power of hers? Could she absorb Xavier's mind powers, then use those mind powers to immobilize other mutants so that she can absorb their powers as well? Is the limits of her powers ever discussed in the comics or cartoons (I am not terribly interested in the movies)? Could she conceivably absorb Galactus's power, making her the most powerful character in the Marvel universe?

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    I'm reasonably sure Rogue wouldn't become the most powerful character in Marvel universe after absorbing Galactus' power, at least because Galactus isn't the most powerful character in the Marvel universe.
    – Gallifreyan
    Jul 28, 2017 at 10:33
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    You raise a valid point @Gallifreyan, but I was more referring to the fact that she'd have Banshee powers, Galactus powers, and her own power of absorbing power.
    – Magikarp Master
    Jul 28, 2017 at 10:36
  • marvel.wikia.com/wiki/…
    – Voronwé
    Jul 28, 2017 at 10:39
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    In the films it's only temporary
    – Valorum
    Jul 28, 2017 at 11:01
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    Do you have any support for her gaining permanently the powers of those she kills? As far as I remember, the only permanent powers she got were from Ms Marvel, who survived. And she has since lost that, I think.
    – FuzzyBoots
    Jul 28, 2017 at 11:38

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Rogue's power not only absorbs powers, it also generates an intense mental and empathic shock with her victim. The greater the power of her target, the more powerful the shock, the same happens with extremely powerful psyches.

There have been times when Rogue tried to absorb the powers of singular individuals and the extreme feedback knocked her unconscious before she were able to even get them down. I recall now clearly she trying to do this with Mojo and becoming overwhelmed by the primal, visceral, evilness of the character, but I'm pretty sure it happened at least other couple of times with other powerful characters.

This impact when using her power, that was presented from the beginning of the character (in fact is one of her personality leitmotifs, at least on the first issues where she appears), is surely a failsafe Marvel's creative minds implemented to avoid facing a situation in the future where Rogue absorbs Galactus' powers.

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  • Nice answer @Bardo. I'd still love to see an alternative universe story where Rogue absorbs everyone. The order of attack would be Xavier->Wolvie->Jugger->Quicksilver->Multipleman->Nightcrawler then (with the help of Cerebro) everyone.
    – Magikarp Master
    Jul 28, 2017 at 19:27
  • @MagikarpMaster: ^_^ Years ago, I remember reading a very amusing fanfic which had her more or less doing that, absorbing all of the powers of the X-Men at once, due to her ill-advised decision to wear a bikini one day for the pool. It was, of course, played for humor.
    – FuzzyBoots
    Aug 14, 2018 at 16:38
  • A similar example: In Marvel Team-Up 150, she tried to absorb the Juggernaut's power. She had a hard time maintaining control of herself, and Juggernaut still retained half of his power.
    – RDFozz
    Aug 14, 2018 at 16:57
  • @MagikarpMaster - and of course, on more than one occasion, she has absorbed everyone's powers, when the team needed her to combine their powers to defeat someone. However, that was a voluntary thing, and was not permanent - it sounds more like your plan would be closer to what she did to Ms. Marvel. And, I might go for Daredevil, then Nightcrawler - DD's hypersenses might let her blind-teleport quite effectively, in which case she'd be able to get to anyone. A telepath might work as well.
    – RDFozz
    Aug 14, 2018 at 17:03

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