Uncanny X-Men #5 Reveals The Aftermath Of Rogue's Fight With A Monstrous New Villain [Exclusive Marvel Preview]

Gail Simone and David Marquez's run on "Uncanny X-Men" has been a mix of the old and new. The core cast is five familiar X-Men: Rogue, Gambit, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Jubilee.

After the fall of mutant homeland Krakoa earlier this year, the five have regrouped in Gambit's home state of Louisiana. Unsure what purpose the X-Men even have anymore, Rogue has taken on a leadership role. In fact, she has to, because four young mutants recently showed up on the X-Men's doorstep. The "Outliers" (Ransom, Jitter, Calico, and Deathdream) are on the run from a terrifying new villain called the Hag. Flashbacks have shown that the Hag has some history with Professor X, but her existence is news to Xavier's students and readers. The result has been an X-Men story with flourishes of Southern Gothic horror.

Marvel has shared an exclusive preview of "Uncanny X-Men" #5 with /Film. This will wrap up Simone and Marquez's first story arc, "Red Wave." (Even the Hag isn't as scary as the real red wave we just had in the election.) The full synopsis for the issue reads:

"The brutal conclusion to the RED WAVE storyline is here! The Uncanny X-MEN face an unstoppable force of evil and death who reveals a shocking secret... but they may not survive long enough to face it! Will the next generation of young mutants stand by Rogue and her team or join the other side?"

"Uncanny X-Men" #4 featured Wolverine taking a bad beating from the Hag; while Nightcrawler got Logan to safety, Rogue held off the villain and still came up short. "Uncanny X-Men" #5 will show the aftermath of that battle.

You can see Marquez's cover for "Uncanny X-Men" #5 below. Issue #4's cover leaned into the horror, with a frightened Rogue leaning against a tree as the shadowed Hag lurked. This one goes back to an action-packed mood, showing a battered Gambit standing against a crowd of the Hag's mutant hunters. (Only their swords are seen, letting us imagine just how badly outnumbered Gambit is.)

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The first interior page of "Uncanny X-Men" #5 is a recap, brushing new readers up on "Red Wave" so far and listing off the main cast.

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The Hag looms over Rogue and begins slicing the skin across her head; the art shows only blood trickling down her forehead. As Rogue tries and fails to fight back, the background around her becomes a white void and someone calls her name.

Speculation time: it's possible the Hag is brainwashing Rogue. In "Uncanny X-Men" #1, the Hag and her hunters captured a deer-like mutant named Rosa, who was terrified of them. At the end of issue #4, Rosa (now called Fawn) was leading the Hag's army against the X-Men and the Outliers. Is something similar in store for Rogue?

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Back at the X-Men's temporary base, Gambit prepares to lead the battle against the Hag's forces. Wolverine (wearing a blindfold after the Hag slashed out his eyes) smells at least 400 enemies surrounding them; the X-Men and Outliers are outnumbered 1 to 50. Previews for future "Uncanny X-Men" issues suggest the Outliers are going to remain a key focus of the series, but they'll have to pass this trial by fire first.

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Marvel Comics

"Uncanny X-Men" #5 will be available for purchase on Wednesday, November 13, 2024. The first four issues are available in print and from digital retailers.