Rogue Recruit

Rogue Recruit is the third episode of Season One of Kids' WB's X-Men: Evolution. It was written by Simon Furman and directed by Steven E. Gordon. It is the third episode of the series overall, and premiered on November 18, 2000.

Overview
''When a young woman, who finds herself being called Rogue, accidentally triggers her mutant ability by absorbing a local boy's memories, strengths, and abilities via mere skin contact, the X-Men head off to Caldecott County, Mississippi to recruit her. Afraid and confused, and unable to differentiate her memories from the absorbed ones, she runs away -- straight into the hands of Mystique who convinces Rogue that X-Men are hunting her down.''

Synopsis
In Mississippi, outside of a school dance, a girl is standing on the deck outside. She seemingly wants to go inside and dance, but for some reason, she decides to stay outside. Two boys come outside as well while her back is turned, one encouraging the other to make a move and reasoning that he had been staring at her all night. Though he initially hesitates, his friend convinces him and he comes up to her. Rogue turns to him and asks him if she can help him. Cody struggles to ask her for a dance before she starts to tell him that she's really just hanging out but soon changes her mind when she sees his sad expression, questioning what the harm would be in one dance.

She begins to dance with him and is soon knocked over. At that same moment, her foster mother Irene is sensing her contact with him and though she cannot hear her, urges her foster daughter not to touch him. After she does, she utters "Oh, my dear child," in horror. However, this has not commenced yet, as Cody and Rogue are dancing away from each other. It does occur when Cody's friend, Ty tells him to get closer and to make his move before pushing him towards her, unintentionally knocking him into her. After Cody apologizes for pushing her down, he tries to help her up before he inadvertently touches her skin. Rogue's mutant power manifest itself for the first time as the touch knocks Cody out.

Rogue soon has his memories and questions what and who she is after seeing them in her mind. While shaking and asking his comatose friend what was wrong, Tyler asks Rogue what she did to him as she clings to her head and begins to run for the door. Tyler runs after her and tries to block her exit. While seeing a memory of Cody pushing a rival player out of the way during a football game, Rogue does the exact same and pushes the boy in front of her. After being pushed aside and watching Rogue run, Tyler remarks that he thought only Cody had moves like that.

Around the same time, Irene's talking with someone on the phone. Irene defends her attempts to isolate Rogue as her powers allow her to see probabilities and pathways but she wouldn't know of how Rogue's mutant powers would form. Irene begins bringing up the different ways she kept Rogue hidden, but soon laments that she is a teenage girl and she could not be kept away forever. Irene tells the person on the phone that she understands she is coming, and mentions that Xavier's team will soon be coming as well.

Meanwhile with aforementioned team, a ninja sneaks into the X-Mansion. Storm notes that she's impressed by the ninja getting past the automated defenses via using the air vents and before she used her powers to create a large gust of wind, saying that he would not get past her. The ninja retreated back into the air vents, Storm questioned if he was testing her and she told him that it was time he remembered why they called her Storm as she created lightning bolts and rain storm clouds. Storm intended to flush the ninja out of the vents as he was hit by the impact of her powers, falling into the Danger Room. In the control room, Storm teasingly told him that he looked a little flushed and that the forecast wasn't good.

As the ninja lunged at her, Storm used the Danger Room's controls to freeze him. While breaking free of his confinement, the ninja revealed to be Wolverine told her that was cold before being attacked by another weapon, which Storm justified using as a way to warm him up. Wolverine begins to tear apart her next few deployed machines, before being stopped by Xavier, who reasons that at the moment it is the most they can afford. Wolverine adds that when he gives a demo, he gives a demo.

However, in the control room, Scott asks sarcastically if he means demolish or demonstration before questioning what the point was. Storm tells him that the point was to show him and the others to find the weak points in sophisticated security systems, being followed by Wolverine stating that their security system needs some work. After Kurt gives Wolverine a positive rating on his demonstration, Wolverine suggests to Storm that they implant some electro fields or poison gas sprayers before she scowls his name and he then settles for knock-out gas sprayers.

Kitty then questions if anyone besides her is freaked out by the X-Men's standard protocol, promptly being starred at by her fellow members of the group and concluding that it was just her. Kurt however, tells her that she would be fine and teleports around her, much to her horror as Kurt reassures her that she's among friends while offering her some popcorn. Upon telling Kitty that he will alert her of his next transportation, she leaves the group by phasing through the floor and stating that she's going to drop out. While Jean reassures Kurt that Kitty just needs time, Xavier comes and tells Scott to assemble the full team. Xavier explains that Cerebro has detected a new mutant signature in Caldecott County, Mississippi, of whom is Rogue and he believes to be a danger to herself and others. He tells the group that they are dealing with a rogue. In the meantime, Rogue is frantically running around in streets and nearly gets ran over by a car before the man stops as she continues running and calls her a crazy kid.

While the X-Men board onto the Blackbird, Cyclops compliments Nightcrawler on his piloting skills. Cyclops informs the rest of the team that he, Xavier compleiments on Cyclops ___________ skills. Soon after, Shadowcat relates her positive impressions of Cyclops to Jean Grey on how calm and collected he is, even calling him cute. While Jean relates to Shadowcat that he is stiff, she does begin to admit from a certain angle that he may be before being cut off as the scene changes to Nightcrawler, who overhears their conversation and teleports outside to the front of the Blackbird, in an attempt to impress Shadowcat. However, he loses his footing and begins to fall, teleporting into the Blackbird and falling on Shadowcat. After scolding from Xavier, whom reminded him that he had frightened her, Nightcrawler apologizes. However, Shadowcat is completely disgusted with Nightcrawler as she tells him to stay away from her and walks away to sit in the front with Cyclops. As she walks past, Wolverine merely utters "kids" in annoyance.

Meanwhile, Principal Darkholme arrives in a private jet. She meets with Irene at the airport where she morphs into Mystique, asking her what happened as the limo drives away. Irene relates that Rogue was attending a school dance and made physical contact with a local boy. Mystique laments that the two kept her hidden for five years and in only a few minutes, it all falls apart. She then tells Irene that they cannot lose Rogue, especially to Xavier and tells her that Rogue has the potential for limitless power. After Mystique asks Irene where she will go, Irene merely replies "Home... or what she thinks is home". Sure enough she is correct, as Rogue goes back to Cody's house. She even gets into the house, using the hidden spare key left on the roof. Inside, she starts talking to herself and it becomes apparent that she doesn't know whether she's herself or Cody.

While waiting outside a hospital in the X-Van, the X-team try to extract information from Cody, which Wolverine questions if it's really neccessary. Charles relates that Cody holds the secret to their rogue and explains that he needs to isolate Cody's memory patterns, but Cody is unconscious so Charles cannot pinpoint them. He needs Jean, who is posing as a nurse, inside to help calm Cody's mind while Xavier extracts the memory patterns. It works, and the X-Men go off in search of Rogue.

Meanwhile, as Mystique and Irene's limo stops in front of Cody's house, Irene questions Mystique's intentions by asking her if she will hurt Rogue, followed by stating "After all she is your..." before Mystique cuts her off telling Irene that she knows. She further reassures Irene by telling her that "She will come to us willingly... given the right incentive" while morphing into Wolverine. While still inside Cody's home, Rogue is seemingly attacked by Wolverine as he uttered the X-Men's name while doing so. Rogue "manages" to escape and Mystique chases Rogue out of the house and then soon morphs into Storm continuing her pursuit. The real Wolverine is with Shadowcat and Nightcrawler, searching for Rogue in a alley. He explains that her mind is confused and thus, difficult for Charles to pinpoint before telling them that he smells fear.

Still portraying Storm, Mystique attacks Rogue with fake lightning. Irene tries to get a hysterical Rogue to come with her, saying that she'll keep her safe from the X-Men, who are mutant hunters. before Wolverine comes with Shadowcat and Nightcrawler, causing Rogue to continue running. Nightcrawler convinces Wolverine to let him talk to Rogue since she seems terrified of Wolverine. He agrees and tells them that he will go back to Charles and the other X-Men. He also tells Nightcrawler to "put on his best face" and to watch Shadowcat, much to her irritation. After engaging his holowatch, Nightcrawler gets there before Shadowcat and seems to be succeeding in winning Rogue over. However, still bitter over Wolverine's comment, Shadowcat lunges at Rogue and pins her down before being pushed off.

While in the midst of their struggle, Rogue accidentally hits Nightcrawler's holowatch when he tries to stop her. Completely terrified by his demonic appearance, Rogue tries to push him away only to accidentally touch him and absorbs his abilities, inadvertently teleporting away. Nightcrawler is rendered unconscious, with a panicked Shadowcat as she begs for him to come back to his senses. Shadowcat concludes that she can contact Charles with her mind.

Right before he was contacted, however, Xavier lost Cody's brainwave patterns and concludes that Rogue's effect on others must be only temporary. After being told by Xavier to calm down and lower her volume, Shadowcat relates to Xavier that Nightcrawler is injured and Charles relates the same information to the X-Men, Wolverine blames himself and states that he should have gone with them. Xavier then picks up Nightcrawler's brainwave patterns and he tells the other X-Men to go to the graveyard (where he detects Rogue), while Wolverine goes to help out Shadowcat with Nightcrawler.

In the graveyard, Rogue suddenly appears there, completely stunned. She soon figures out that she must be Kurt like she was Cody. She then starts experimenting and having fun with Kurt's teleportation powers but then realizes what a bad situation she is in. While keeping to the shadows, Mystique enters the graveyard and she's about the reveal herself to Rogue but Jean Grey confronts Rogue while being viewed by Mystique. Rogue identifies her and concludes that she is like the others. However, Jean convinces her to trust her by telling her that if she knows who she is, then she knows she won't hurt her. Jean gives her a communicator and Storm tells Rogue that all the X-Men have one after arriving. Recognizing her and their previous encounter, Rogue runs off. Storm realizes that Rogue is afraid of her and Cyclops tells them that she could not have gotten far.

Rogue hides inside a large memorial structure when Mystique disguised as Cyclops comes down into the structure saying that "the X-Men don't leave loose ends." as he starts trying to crush Rogue with heavy pillars. She narrowly escapes and goes outside, only to run into the real Cyclops. Confused yet terrified, Rogue pushes Cyclops to the ground and accidentally activates his visor, which blasts a near powerline. Rogue runs back into the memorial only to be confronted by Mystique who's now disguised as Jean Grey. She tells Rogue that "some people just won't be helped" and was about to use her "psychic powers" on Rogue, when the girl teleports to another place in the graveyard - being several feet above the ground. Rogue collapses to the ground as the real Jean Grey runs up to her, asking if she's hurt and tells her not to move.

While Rogue backs away from Jean, Storm comes behind her and tries to calm her, telling her that the X-Men are her friends before she is touched by Rogue. When Cyclops runs over to the three, he questions what the added details of Rogue's powers are from before realizing that she has gained Storm's powers and soon tells Jean to both trying to shot her down, telling her that she has Storm's powers, yet Rogue does not have her control.

Rain starts to pour down everywhere, along with multiple bolts of lightning hitting nearly everything. One hits the damaged powerline mentioned earlier, prompting Cyclops to tell Jean that if they hit the water Storm is in, she will be electrocuted. Rogue stresses that she has too much power and that she cannot control it before teleporting away. After Cyclops and Jean get down, the former asks the arriving Charles what happened to Rogue. Charles tells her that she has teleported away and that he cannot detect her before relating that he senses the work of another person in their attempts to recruit Rogue. Wolverine sniffs and smells Mystique, stating that she can change her appearance, but not her scent. After Shadowcat tells them that they have to go after her, Charles tells her that they have had enough damage and Rogue must come of her own free will or not at all, also noting that they must tend to their wounded. Nightcrawler awakes from his comatose state, prompting Shadowcat to happily exclaim that he was alright, indicating she has begun to like him.

While Cody lays in the hospital, his friend tells him that whatever happened to him needs to be shaken off by next week because they "didn't want Stevens to get his position". While Cody is happily tossing a football, the Blackbird can be seen leaving in the distance. Later, Mystique as Principal Darkholme welcomes Rogue to Bayville High and ensures her that she will be happy and safe there. Rogue, still unsure about all this, thanks her and leaves before Magneto begins to talk to Mystique. Magneto cites that Rogue is a fine addition to their side as Mystique relates that they were lucky to get to Rogue first. Magneto asks if she is certain that all of Rogue's positive memories of the true X-Men have faded. Mystique confirms this by telling him that she's positive. Outside the office, Rogue reaches into her pocket and pulls out the communicator that Jean gave her earlier and stares at it, unsure. She then clings on to it as she looks on.

Credits

 * Written by:
 * Simon Furman


 * Directed by:
 * Steven E. Gordon


 * Starring:
 * Meghan Black - Rogue (first appearance)
 * Maggie Blue O'Hara - Kitty Pryde / Shadowcat
 * Brad Swaile - Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler


 * Also starring:
 * Coleen Wheeler - Raven Darkholme / Mystique
 * Kirby Morrow - Scott Summers / Cyclops
 * Ellen Kennedy - Irene Adler / Destiny (first appearance)
 * Scott McNeil - Logan / Wolverine
 * David Kaye - Prof. Charles Xavier / Professor X
 * Venus Terzo - Jean Grey
 * Kirsten Williamson - Ororo Munroe / Storm
 * Christopher Judge - Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto


 * Additional voices
 * Sam Vincent - Cody
 * Tony Sampson - Tyler

Quotes
Cody: (about talking to Rogue) I'm just, you know, picking my moment. Taking it slow. Ty: Cody, I've seen glaciers move faster.

Storm: (after Wolverine is washed out of the air vents) You look a little flushed and the forecast isn't good. [Wolverine pounces to attack but Storm blows ice on him thus freezing him in solid ice] Wolverine: (as he beaks free of the ice) Now that was cold.

Cyclops: Nice job, Kurt. You'll make a pilot, yet. Nightcrawler: Thanks! (Kurt starts piloting with his feet.) Cyclops: ...or maybe not.

Shadowcat: Scott seems so, like, together! So cool and he's kinda cute. Jean Grey: Cute?! Stiff - maybe, exacting - definitely, but... hmm... (looks at Scott) You know, from a certain angle...

Nightcrawler: Was? Got a scent? Wolverine: Yeah... I smell fear.

Wolverine: (to Kurt, referring to Kitty) ...and keep an eye on the half-pint here. Shadowcat: Hey!

Nightcrawler: (to Rogue) I was like you once. Alone, unsure of what I was, afraid to show my face... (runs his hand through his hair) Can you believe it?

Professor Xavier: Wolverine, it's Nightcrawler. The Rogue has his mind and his abilities. Wolverine: This is my fault. I should never have left the little squirrel in charge!

[After Rogue accidentally knocks Nightcrawler out and flees the scene, leaving Shadowcat alone with him.] Shadowcat: Say something, Kurt, please. Tease me, scare me, anything. Oh, please... don't be dead. Come on, Kitty, okay... what would Wolverine do, besides dice up, like, half the landscape?

Nightcrawler: (finally wakes up and sees the destruction around him) ... Looks like I missed quite a party... Shadowcat: Kurt, you're all right! (Kurt faints slightly as Kitty hugs him) Easy, you fuzzy elf. Everything is going to be just fine. Cyclops: (mouthing) Fuzzy elf?