The 80s were an important time for the X-Men. The team and the Uncanny X-Men comic book series finally found their footing after a decade in limbo. Once Chris Claremont and artists Dave Cockrum and John Byrne took over the reins, the series rocketed in popularity and quality.
One of the best things about the series in the early 80s was the sheer number of new concepts and characters being introduced. Every time you turned around, there was someone new, and someone we still enjoy today. Two of the best X-introductions were Kitty Pryde and Rogue. Let's take a look at which one might have been the better X-Men debut of the 80s.
10 Rogue: Former Villain
While Rogue made her official X-Men debut in Uncanny X-Men #171, back in 1983, she actually made her first appearance in Avengers Annual #10 in 1981. There she's introduced as a new member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants along with Mystique and Destiny. She battles the Avengers and has a catastrophic encounter with Carol Danvers - which we'll come back to - that ultimately leads her to the doorstep of the X-Men for help. Her transformation from villain to hero is one of the great turns not just in the X-Men, but all of 80s comics.
9 Kitty Pryde: Point of View
The primary reason Robin was introduced to the Batman comics was to give younger readers a surrogate and to humanize Bruce Wayne a bit. Kitty Pryde served pretty much the same function when she was introduced in Uncanny X-Men #129 in January of 1980. Only thirteen years old when she comes to the Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, Kitty Pryde broke the mold. She looked up to the older characters and provided a new perspective on many of them. She didn't see the demon in Nightcrawler; she didn't see the animal in Wolverine. However, she did see the hunk in Colossus. Naturally.
8 Rogue: The Stewardship of Carol Danvers
Carol Danvers was a member of the Avengers, but she wasn't exactly treated with the same care as other team members. It might have seemed cruel for Rogue to absorb her powers and her consciousness, but actually Rogue did the character a huge favor. Until then, Ms. Marvel had been an unwitting victim, and it was Chris Claremont, writer of not just the X-Men but the aforementioned Avengers Annual #10, who decided the character deserved better. Rogue carried Carol with her for years, providing a fascinating dynamic as the two struggled for control over Rogue's psyche. It allowed Carol to grow, and once free, continue her journey toward becoming Captain Marvel.
7 Kitty Pryde: Someone To Grow With
More than just a point of view character for the other X-Men, Kitty Pryde also provided younger readers someone they could recognize: a growing, changing young person with all the struggles of adolescence. Times ten. Kitty evolved pretty rapidly during her time with the X-Men.
Her name changed from Sprite to Ariel to Shadowcat. Her costume changed from the standard yellow and black X-Men jumper to a blue look. She continues to evolve to this day, never staying in one spot for long, eventually becoming a leader, teacher, and even a pirate.
6 Rogue: Uncertain Identity
Like another famous X-Man, Wolverine, Rogue's true identity has been a mystery for much of her history. Her true name wasn't revealed until 2004, in her own monthly comic. We learn Rogue's real name is Anna Marie, which jives with references to Anna sprinkled throughout her appearances. Chris Claremont had intended to establish Mystique as Rogue's mother had he stayed with the franchise past 1991, which would have certainly caused some extra drama. For comic fans though, the question over her identity mirrored that of a lot of young readers as they discovered who they were.
5 Kitty Pryde: Indespensible
It's impossible to think of the X-Men without Kitty Pryde. Batman and Robin. Joker and Harley. Wolverine and Kitty. Part of the character's evolution was making a strong connection to the team's gruff loner. This was on full display in the aptly named Kitty Pryde and Wolverine mini-series from 1984, in which Kitty levels up after being possessed by a demon. Ogun conveys on her 100% bad-ass ninja skills, which come in handy later, because pirates, but the series gives her a mentor and friend in Logan. The relationship provides another, gentler dimension to Wolverine, making her introduction all the more critical.
4 Rogue: Unwavering
You're not an X-Man if you haven't died, gone evil, or just taken a really long break. Though she's had her share of ups and downs, Rogue is perhaps the most unwavering of all of Charles Xavier's students. Despite her condition, which prevents her from touching others (or used to), and despite the initial distrust of her teammates, Rogue has proven her commitment to the cause time and time again. Her debut in 1983 is essential because ever since she has held the line. Enter the Siege Perilous: a mystical orb that grants a person their greatest wish, many X-Men entered it to discover their heart's content. Rogue stepped into it and right back out, into X-Men headquarters (in the Outback, at the time. Long story).
3 Kitty Pryde: Representative
Besides being a surrogate for younger readers, Kitty Pryde has been a role model and representative for people who at the time didn't necessarily see a lot of themselves in comic books. The first aspect of that is Kitty's Jewish background, of which she is enormously proud.
The second is one that is less acknowledged, but no less important. Chris Claremont intended the love of Kitty's life to be her friend and teammate Rachel Summers. Her deep connection to Rachel and maybe/maybe not official status - exposed in the moment Rachel realizes Colossus has returned from the dead (see? everyone gets a vacation) and Kitty will no longer be sharing her bed. Kitty's connection to other women in her life - Ilyana Rasputin and Karma to name just two - provides a glimpse into a character that may still be growing.
2 Rogue: The Ultimate Team Player
Besides being a fundamental member of the X-Men, Rogue is a team player in more ways than one. Her connection to the Avengers remains strong, and her growth as a hero comes full circle as she joined forces with the team to form the Uncanny Avengers in the wake of the events of House of M. Despite Scarlet Witch nearly rendering mutants extinct, Rogue set aside her differences - and Wanda's jaw - to form an alliance to take on the Red Skull, who had stolen the dead Xavier's brain. Because reasons.
1 Kitty Pryde: X-Men Literally Wouldn't Exist Without Her
The deciding factor in Kitty Pryde's debut being the most essential of the 80s - maybe ever - is pretty easy. Not too long after her debut, she plays a critical role in the legendary story Days of Futures Past. While the film changed a few things, Kitty was the one in the comic books who went back in time from a horrific future in which Sentinels had driven mutants to the brink of total annihilation. Uncanny X-Men #141 and 142 gives us the biggest reason why Kitty matters most - without her, there would be no X-Men and no future at all for mutants.