X-Men ’97’s adaptation of a controversial comic book plot has led many to wonder just how big the age gap is between Magneto and Rogue.

A somewhat controversial storyline in X-Men ’97 has led many to wonder how old Magneto and Rogue are in the Marvel series. X-Men ’97 began streaming on Disney Plus in mid-March of 2024 and has swiftly secured itself as one of the best-rated Marvel productions in history. It continues the story of X-Men: The Animated Series, which culminated in the near-death and ultimate departure of the X-Men’s leader, Charles Xavier. This resulted in the X-Mansion being bequeathed to Magneto, who is now attempting to continue his old friend’s legacy.

By extension, the X-Men now fall under Magneto’s purview. While Cyclops still fills the role of the team’s leader on the ground, Magneto is now an ever-present overseer of their operations and now lives within the X-Mansion. This has led to what appears to be a romance sparked between him and Rogue, causing a love triangle between the two and Gambit. A striking facet of this new development is the apparent age gap between the two – but their actual age is never stated.

How Old Rogue & Magneto Are In X-Men ’97

While the age of these characters isn’t explicitly stated in the show, the fact that the animated X-Men series is pretty faithful to the comics gives plenty of room to infer. Magneto, for example, was a child during the Holocaust between 1941 and 1945, which would place him in his sixties in 1997, which is when X-Men ’97 takes place. This tracks with his appearance in the show, as he sports long silver hair and several wrinkles.

Rogue is a little harder to place but is evidently much younger than Magneto. Rogue’s colorful history in X-Men ’97 is exemplified by her relationship with Magneto, given that they talk about their previous encounters. This is because a younger Rogue was taken into the Brotherhood of Mutants before she reformed and joined the X-Men, as was depicted in Season 2 of X-Men: The Animated Series. Assuming several years had passed since being taken in by Mystique, and then five more since her on-screen debut, Rogue is most likely in her 20s by X-Men ’97.

The apparent romance of Magneto and Rogue is an adaptation of a somewhat controversial storyline from Marvel Comics.

How Old Rogue & Magneto Are In X-Men Comics

Magneto being alive during the holocaust has caused a bone of contention among comic book fans, given that he would now be in his 90s in modern-day comics. With comic book magic, this isn’t too difficult to comprehend, as several mutants are several hundred years old. Despite this, Marvel Comics went particularly wild with Magneto by turning him back into a toddler in the 1970s, from which point he has grown into a younger man despite being technically a nonagenarian. Discerning Magneto’s age is made easier by his connection to the Holocaust, but the same cannot be said for Rogue.

Rogue debuted in Marvel Comics in 1981 as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. This would have been some time after her powers manifested as a 13-year-old, and it probably means she would have been a teenager on her debut. Technically, this would put Rogue in her 50s today – though she doesn’t look a day over 30. This means Rogue is one of many characters whose comic book career has been altered to ensure she remains the same age as she is in X-Men ’97, which is typically as a twenty-something-year-old.