I am a huge fan of Rogue, in both the comics and the movies, so please do not misinterpret my next statement as anything other than constructive criticism.
I hope Rogue was dead at the beginning of X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Why? Well, think about it for a moment. Lots of people are dead. We do not see Nightcrawler, Angel, or Beast, so I think it is fair to assume that they were killed by Sentinels. Wolverine even confirms Beast’s death later in the movie. Since we do not see Rogue, I think it is fair to say that she was killed by Sentinels.
Of course, you know the reason I am writing this editorial: A deleted scene, where Iceman, Magneto, and Professor X rescue Rogue from the clutches of the Sentinels. We will be able to see this scene in an extended cut of the movie that will be released next year. Why do the X-Men save Rogue? To relieve Kitty from sending-consciousness-back-in-time duty. This makes sense when you consider that Kitty has already been stabbed by an unconscious Wolverine, but it makes less sense when you consider that Rogue’s powers have never helped anyone feel better ever.
So what is the problem with this version of the story? Well, if Rogue is still alive, that means that Professor X, Storm, Wolverine, and Iceman left her to die.
Okay, we do not know how she was captured, and if any of these characters were at fault, but we do know that the people that care the most about Rogue are aware she is still alive, and in captivity, possibly being tortured. When do they decide to rescue her? Only when they need her powers.
Now, you could make the argument that they were not capable of rescuing her beforehand, that she was being held captive in a heavily fortified fortress. If that was the case, that would mean that they still would not be able to rescue Rogue once they needed her. And yet, they attempt to rescue her anyway, and are successful (as far as we know).
You could say that the X-Men are just being cold, calculating, and strategic. They may need to be this way in order to survive against the Sentinels.
Okay, that is a fair argument. But if the X-Men no longer have their ideals, then what is the point of their organization? If they do not take care of the people they care about, why do they even exist? Are they really nothing more than refugees?
Finally, I would like you to recall Magneto in the original X-Men. He kidnaps Rogue, straps her to a machine that uses her powers, and leaves her to die. Magneto does not want to kill Rogue, he has nothing against her personally. He is merely using her, because he needs her power. In the extended cut of the film, Rogue has been kidnapped, but the X-Men do not care, until they need her powers.
I assumed that Magneto had joined the X-Men in this film because he had decided to confirm to their ideals. It turns out, it was the other way around. Perhaps that could be interesting, maybe the film would have been an examination of the X-Men slowly losing their morality. However, considering how little screen time was devoted to the future in the theatrical version, I am seriously doubting this was going to be explored in any capacity.
Do you agree with my assessment of X-Men: Days of Future Past? Do you disagree? Let me know in the comments!