At some point, Rogue grew close to a boy named Cody Robbins. During their flirtation, Cody impulsively kissed her, at which point her latent mutant power to absorb the life energy and psyche of others with skin-to-skin contact emerged. Rogue was traumatized by the experience, and Cody was left in a permanent coma. Hence, Rogue wore body-concealing clothing that eliminated the possibility of accidental skin contact. She wished she "did not have to cover up so much around folks" to protect them from her. She thought her power was a curse.