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May 8, 2024

X-Men ’97 – “Tolerance is Extinction – Part 2”

By Joe
Written by Anthony Sellitti.

Magneto was right.

That was the realization many characters seemed to share at the end of last week’s episode of X-Men ’97. As we roll into the penultimate episode of the show’s first season, a lot is on the line and the show is drawing inspiration from several different sources related to the X-Men over the course of decades. We’ve seen costume changes for both Storm and Jubilee, one to her original look harkening back to the ’70s while the other jumped forward to a slightly more modern interpretation. We’ve been seeing scenes of the Dark Phoenix Saga play out in the opening credits much of this season while Bastion, an enemy associated with the new millennium, has been the puppet master for much of the show, though only recently outed.

Have we witnessed the death of a dream and the realization of another?

And then we had the conclusion of last week’s episode. The still alive and well Charles Xavier was outed to the world by Bastion through the media while the world would be reintroduced to another thought dead individual – Magneto. Valerie Cooper, heralded as the show’s center by showrunner Beau DeMayo before the season began, made the choice to free Magneto from Bastion’s clutches. We don’t know what Bastion had planned for the Master of Magnetism or if some of those plans may have already begun, but we do know that once freed Magneto immediately turned to a familiar refrain – revenge. Traveling to one of the Earth’s poles, Magneto unleashed a massive EMP through his magnetic powers which were likely amplified by the Earth’s own magnetic field. This both saved the mutants and quite possibly doomed humanity as the power grid was effectively neutralized. Wolverine called it a declaration of war.

A “blink and you’ll miss it” moment from the opening title is the insertion of Prime Sentinels in the middle of the Xavier and Magneto confrontation.

And this is what made the original series and now this one so effective. It’s a melting pot of different eras of the team and their stories distilled into one. I’d call it a greatest hits, but some misses still managed to slip in (looking at you Cody and the Not Brood) and X-Men ’97 hasn’t been immune from that. It’s a great approach and whoever at Disney or Marvel is put in charge of bringing the X-Men back to cinema really should go back and watch the original series and this one. Not because they’re perfect, mind you, but because they had the right approach. And whomever does so can see what worked and what didn’t or what stories could have been expanded upon or resonated in a different way. Just maybe don’t do Phoenix. I know it’s a classic, but everybody does it. Or if you’re going to do it, make sure to bring something new to the table (or maybe don’t just jump right to the Dark Phoenix Saga).

Look who came back.

That’s another a discussion for another day, today is all about “Tolerance is Extinction – Part Two.” The opening “Previously…on X-Men” responsibilities are turned over to everyone’s favorite Canadian Wolverine and the credits feature the return of Storm in her classic threads. We’re still checking out the Dark Phoenix Saga, Asteroid M, and Cable facing down Apocalypse as clips from the old show as clues to what is to come. When the episode begins, we’re reintroduced to Charles Xavier, better known as Professor X, as he wakes up in what remains of his bedroom. The mansion has been destroyed (really, no one should be trying to sleep in it) for the second time this season and at least the third overall (not counting the time Rogue put a hole in every floor of the thing including the roof). Xavier has to deal with not just the fallout of what Magneto has done, but the fallout for leaving the school in his care. Elsewhere, Bastion is seen collecting his mother’s deactivated body as the EMP deactivated all of the Prime Sentinels. This allowed both Roberto and Jubilee to escape, and they’re quickly rescued by the duo of Storm and Forge from a gang of angry humans.

It’s quite a mess Charlie returned home to.

Reckoning needs to happen between Xavier and his pupils. There’s a nice conversation between he, Scott, and Jean over his decision to leave the school to Magneto where Xavier’s intentions are well illustrated. Still, this isn’t a happy reunion as Cyclops wasn’t the only one displeased with the professor’s decision and they’re certainly not happy he wasn’t there when the world went to hell. There isn’t much time for all of that though as Magneto returns and he brought his asteroid with him. There’s no more words to be shared between he and his old friend. Magneto has made his choice and he is only there to offer an invitation to any who wish to join him on Asteroid M. Some will leave, most will stay, and for the first time the show will separate the members into Blue and Gold teams, though the membership of each doesn’t really align with such from the books aside from the leaders being Cyclops and Storm.

Not the happy homecoming Charles may have been looking forward to.

And why do we need two teams? Because in order to save the world, or at least prevent a full blown war, the X-Men must take down Bastion and restore the damage done to the Earth’s magnetic field through Magneto. That means one team seeks out Bastion while the other heads into space to confront Magneto. The tricky part might not be defeating either one or convincing Magneto to undo what he has already done, it’s that both teams need to be successful, but at different times. If the Blue Team succeeds before the Gold Team neutralizes Bastion then they very well may restore all of the Prime Sentinels to a functional state which would probably doom the Gold Team. Unfortunately for the Gold Team, Bastion is revealed to be what the show refers to as a technopath, meaning he can communicate with machinery like his Sentinels. He is likely unaffected by what Magneto has wrought so both teams are in for a fight.

Magneto has an offer to make to his X-Men and it’s an offer he’s made before.

And fights are what we get! One aspect of X-Men ’97 that has not been as strong as that of the original series is how the original was able to spotlight basically every member of the team. The show didn’t do it in every episode, that would have been foolish, but found a way throughout and especially so in the show’s second season. What X-Men ’97 has done instead is give characters their own moments typically in action scenes. And this week it’s Jean’s turn to kick some ass while Morph gets to unleash another cameo. We also get to see Mr. Sinister in action (I hope you didn’t forget about him) which is a lot of fun for those who grew up with the ’92 series. Perhaps those watching didn’t even realize it at the time, but that show’s animation budget just wasn’t what it needed to be for a complicated character design like Sinister. As a result, he basically just stood in fairly neutral positions. He couldn’t turn or do anything dynamic, but in X-Men ’97 he is unburdened by such constraints and it’s pretty cool to see in action.

I don’t like to spoil the easter egg moments from this show, but this time I’m making an exception: Raise your hand if you had that Wolverine motorcycle as a kid!

Another major change for X-Men ’97 where the original is concerned is that it’s not afraid to change the status quo nor is it afraid to “go there.” The X-Men can’t expect to come out of every confrontation unscathed and this penultimate episode ends on a pretty major development. This is one of those episodes where I’m a tad jealous of the bingers who are just waiting patiently for the whole season to be available to them. Instead, we have to wait until next week to see how this all sorts itself out. That melting pot I referred to keeps us folks who know these stories from the comics slightly in the dark. We know how they all end, but the show is setting up for these stories to just smash in to each other. The results could be largely the same, or radically different. And that’s the beauty of it.

Previously…on X-Men ’97:

X-Men ’97 – “Tolerance is Extinction – Part 1”

Ever since the episode list was released for X-Men ’97 I’ve been looking forward to what reads like an epic, three-part, season finale. In truth, given that X-Men ’97 is a serialized show you could basically call every episode “X-Men ’97 Season 1 Part 1” and so on, but the titles do add a dramatic…

Keep reading
by Joe

X-Men ’97 – “Bright Eyes”

When we last saw our beloved X-Men, their world had just been destroyed. An idyllic place set to the soundtrack of the very on-the-nose choice of “Happy Nation” by Ace of Base in Genosha was laid to waste. Mutants of all backgrounds were slaughtered including our beloved Gambit and less beloved Magneto. In the aftermath…

Keep reading
by Joe

X-Men ’97 – “Lifedeath – Part 2”

Last week’s episode of X-Men ’97 ended in spectacular and heartbreaking fashion. If you were hoping to experience the fallout of that one, you’re going to be disappointed by this week’s episode. Like the week before which saw an episode end with Forge and Storm in a precarious situation, this week’s episode is willing to…

Keep reading
by Joe

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Television

May 1, 2024

X-Men ’97 – “Tolerance is Extinction – Part 1”

By Joe
Written by Beau DeMayo and Anthony Sellitti

Ever since the episode list was released for X-Men ’97 I’ve been looking forward to what reads like an epic, three-part, season finale. In truth, given that X-Men ’97 is a serialized show you could basically call every episode “X-Men ’97 Season 1 Part 1″ and so on, but the titles do add a dramatic element. Pretty much all of the episodes have been linked and the only two that feel even a little stand-alone were the two containing parts of the Lifedeath arc. Otherwise, X-Men ’97 has pretty much stuck to its central conflict of humanity and mutants and the violence that can lead to. Violence like what we saw in the fifth episode, “Remember It,” which has proven to be the catalyst for what’s to come.

Look who is back in the opening title.

The “Previously…” intro is delivered this week by Cyclops once again, so apparently Wolverine, Morph, and others had their turn skipped. Returning to the character lineup this week is Professor X. I guess knowing he’s alive and likely on his way back to Earth is reason enough to add him in. Nothing really new in the opening credits to speak of when it comes to the scenes. The inserted scenes are the recreated Danger Room scenes from the original show’s intro plus a quick look at Magneto orbiting Asteroid M from the “Sanctuary” arc and a return of Cable vs Apocalypse (he’s got to be coming at some point, right?). This also reminds me that showrunner Beau DeMayo shared a list of recommended episodes of the original series for viewers to brush up on before embarking on this three-part finale. Those episodes include: One Man’s Worth (Parts 1 and 2), Sanctuary (Parts 1 and 2), Descent, and Graduation Day. I’m pretty well-versed in all of those episodes, but I never need much of an excuse to go back and watch episodes of the original series, especially good ones like the ones above.

Cable and the X-Men must work together to find Bastion.

Last week’s episode ended with a lot of reveals, some more shocking than others. Rogue had been searching across the planet and trying to figure out what “OZT” referred to. Well, now we know and it’s Operation Zero Tolerance. And the one leading that is called Bastion (Theo James), a mutant-sentinel hybrid. It was actually revealed by DeMayo that Bastion has been lurking this whole season and has brief cameos in other episodes. The only one I saw on first viewing was in the fifth episode, but I do plan on going back to search for more (if it’s not spoiled for me ahead of time). At the end of “Bright Eyes,” it was revealed that Trask was converted into one of these hybrids and he packs a hell of a punch since he felled Rogue in one blow. Old pal Cable resurfaced to put him down and in the process Jean mind-zapped him to discover that he is Nathan Summers from the future (a detail she seemingly forgot after doing the same in the “Time Fugitives” arc from the original series – that’s probably why it wasn’t on the recommended viewing) and he’s tangled with these things before. We also learned another detail about the attack on Genosha and it’s the one reveal I mentioned I felt the show had given away and it’s that Magneto lives. We got to see the Master of Magnetism strapped in a barber’s chair and collared as Bastion shaved his face to the sounds of “Flying Purple People Eater.” He seemingly has plans for Magneto and he needs him to look his best.

Bastion takes smug to another level. Also, I’m sure there are some cameos bathed in pink on those monitors some of which are revealed later.

Another reveal for the characters, but not the viewer, was Bastion revealing to Sinister that Xavier lives. He was able to get footage of Xavier’s introduction as emperor to the Shi’ar people via a satellite or some nonsense. Either way, it’s a catalyst for stirring anti-mutant sentiment as Bastion has released that footage to the globe via the United Nations. The news paired with the assassination of Henry Gyrich (by Bastion in last week’s episode) is not well-received by humanity as the conclusion many seem to be drawing is that the X-Men faked Xavier’s death to gain sympathy for mutants. Never mind that the last the world heard from Xavier was a recording that he’s fine (which was Morph) so I have no idea how his death was faked. Did no one demand to examine his corpse? A man was presumably tried for murder over it or at least detained.

I’m loving the addition of Nightcrawler to the team as he serves as a moral anchor for the group.

Early in this episode, Cable explains what’s going on and all he knows about Bastion and his new Prime Sentinel creations. Perhaps the most important detail, and likely the question all would be asking if it wasn’t explained, is that Cable has tried in vain multiple times to stop the attack on Genosha, but every time he gets pulled out as we saw in “Remember It.” The poor guy has likely witnessed the murder of his mother more than once. He’s taking a new approach now as he gained some intel on where Bastion may have been operating from. He, Cyclops, and Jean are dispatched to check it out while the rest hang back.

Two people the world assumed were dead are very much alive.

Elsewhere, Bastion has Magneto chained to a wall on a giant “X” evoking memories of a famous Uncanny X-Men cover featuring Wolverine. And it’s here in his base we learn the fate of another – Valerie Cooper. It seems she survived and has some connection to Bastion. She is here to give Bastion a soundboard, someone to explain his plans to, and react in a manner similar to the audience. At the mansion, Beast is busy examining the remains of Bolivar Trask while Nightcrawler keeps vigil over an unconscious Rogue. Jubilee is also still hanging out with Roberto’s family and isn’t really enjoying herself since Roberto’s mother, Rose (Kari Wahlgren), is far more concerned with making sure no one knows her son is a mutant rather than helping out in a meaningful way. As someone who has maintained a life of privileged, she sees no reason for involvement in human-mutant conflicts outside of sending some money Genosha’s way and doesn’t understand why the status quo should ever change.

In true X-Men ’97 fashion, all of this build-up is for an action-packed third act. The X-Men can’t go looking for a guy like Bastion without getting into some fights and viewers will be treated to some fun. There’s fan-service to be had in these battles and if you’re someone who has been waiting for Wolverine to do something ever since he and Gambit’s team-up move back in the first episode then you’ll be happy with what unfolds.

There has been some great action in this series, but this sequence from Wolverine’s perspective as he impales a robot and Nightcrawler teleports them is amazing.

This first part of the season’s finale is mostly as expected. It needs to lay the ground work for what’s to come and there’s plenty of exposition to be found in order to get there. We’re fed breadcrumbs when it comes to the X-Men’s adversary and we’re likely to learn even more over the coming episodes. The show has done a tremendous job of not losing sight of its central conflict and the racist undertones that conflict contains. Bastion is a great example of this as he highlights how portions of humanity has felt left behind. It echoes real world racist manifestos like The Great Replacement Theory only in this world there’s actually a touch of truth to it as Bastion explains how a mutant-powered human can do things a normal person can’t which could actually cut into job opportunities. Mostly, Bastion is like any other figurehead preying on ignorance and fear who sees racist tropes as a path to power. Racists typically do not function on logic and reason so having even a kernel of truth to his replacement theory makes it all the more powerful.

Storm a couple of episodes ago plus Jubilee here has me wondering if we’ll be phasing out the Jim Lee looks for the characters.

The episode does end with a “bang” moment that is sure to leave viewers eager for more. We’re adapting an era of the X-books I’m not as intimately familiar with as other eras and it’s nice not knowing where this is headed. It’s unlikely the adaptation will be direct anyway, but I’m doubtful this will all be wrapped up in a neat little package in two weeks since a second season is in production already. And that’s fine, give me all the X-Men ’97 you can, Disney!

Previously…on X-Men ’97:

X-Men ’97 – “Bright Eyes”

When we last saw our beloved X-Men, their world had just been destroyed. An idyllic place set to the soundtrack of the very on-the-nose choice of “Happy Nation” by Ace of Base in Genosha was laid to waste. Mutants of all backgrounds were slaughtered including our beloved Gambit and less beloved Magneto. In the aftermath…

Keep reading
by Joe

X-Men ’97 – “Lifedeath – Part 2”

Last week’s episode of X-Men ’97 ended in spectacular and heartbreaking fashion. If you were hoping to experience the fallout of that one, you’re going to be disappointed by this week’s episode. Like the week before which saw an episode end with Forge and Storm in a precarious situation, this week’s episode is willing to…

Keep reading
by Joe

X-Men ’97 – “Remember It”

Last week’s episode of X-Men ’97 saw the show take a breather with a fairly low stakes plot involving Jubilee and Roberto getting sucked into a video game. The last 7 or 8 minutes of the episode concluded with a more serious tone as Storm and Forge found themselves at odds in the wildlands of…

Keep reading
by Joe

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Television

April 24, 2024

X-Men ’97 – “Bright Eyes”

By Joe
Written by Charley Feldman and JB Ballard.

When we last saw our beloved X-Men, their world had just been destroyed. An idyllic place set to the soundtrack of the very on-the-nose choice of “Happy Nation” by Ace of Base in Genosha was laid to waste. Mutants of all backgrounds were slaughtered including our beloved Gambit and less beloved Magneto. In the aftermath of the episode’s airing, series creator Beau DeMayo took to social media to explain his reasoning for writing such a destructive story. In his view, the first four episodes were the nostalgia episodes. Things weren’t perfect, but a lot of what the X-Men had fought for in the original series had come to pass. Genosha was now their place where they belonged. It was a safe haven, but it was all so fragile.

DeMayo likened the attack on Genosha to both September 11th and the Pulse nightclub shooting. As a gay man himself, DeMayo designed much of the atmosphere of Genosha to mimic that of a gay club. Both are places where individuals who may normally feel pressured to hide who they really are can be themselves. And who they are is what also makes them a target. The world is not a safe place and we’re reminded of that constantly. In that, the world these characters inhabit is not unlike our own.

Rogue gets to do some ass kicking in this one.

This week’s episode doesn’t just have the events of “Remember It” to dwell on, but also those of last week’s episode, “Lifedeath – Part 2.” In that one, Storm regained her powers and also seemingly rediscovered some classic threads while Xavier had a vision of what transpired on Earth and was compelled to give up his life with the woman he loves. And in the closing moments, we saw who orchestrated the attack on Genosha. Mr. Sinister, with an assist from the DNA of Bolivar Trask, has seemingly assumed the role of catalyst for what could be a war between humans and mutants. It’s not surprising that a man who literally named himself Sinister is the one behind such a thing, but what does it mean for the character? Did he find another way to synthesize his perfect mutant from the DNA of Scott Summers and Jean Grey and is now ready to unleash his creation upon the world? Or is he acting on behalf of another? Perhaps someone who has always desired to bring about the apocalypse itself?

The opening “Previously…” for “Bright Eyes” is delivered by Rogue. In the scenes to follow, we mostly bare witness to what took place in episode 5 with the only piece from last week’s episode being Xavier’s voice over as he received his vision of what transpired. The opening title appears to be completely unchanged from last week. Storm has not been added back in and Nightcrawler gets to go two weeks in a row in a prominent spot. When the episode does begin, it gets right to the aftermath we have been waiting for. It’s Gambit’s funeral, and in attendance aren’t just X-Men, but Gambit’s former allies and would-be wife from the Thieves Guild. They’re just window dressing and it falls on Nightcrawler to lead the service since he’s a man of the cloth. It’s an understandably somber scene, but once absence garners much attention.

Perhaps Nightcrawler’s role will be like a team chaplain going forward?

Rogue, apparently not yet willing to deal with her grief, is on a one woman mission to find the man she believes is responsible for the loss of Gambit and so many others on Genosha: Bolivar Trask. Her mission will take her all over the globe and include in some interesting cameos from the greater Marvel Universe. She’ll eventually be forced to deal with her grief, but there’s a lot of anger in the woman and it’s fun to see Lenore Zann get to play Rogue in a different manner from what we’re used to. Elsewhere, the X-Men have decided their place is on Genosha helping out with the clean-up. Scott and Jean are still in a bad place, but this isn’t an episode with much room for the soapy drama we’re used to. Sunspot is also left to ponder if keeping the fact that he’s a mutant a secret the right way to go about things. After all, what if he was on Genosha that day and his parents found out he’s a mutant by IDing his corpse?

Eventually, anger gives way to sorrow when confronted by a great loss.

The last act of the episode is what pushes the narrative forward. We’ll learn more about how the attack on Genosha came about and the show is clearly setting the stage for the three-part finale that’s to follow. The X-Men will have a new enemy, and if there is a theme to this enemy it’s probably escalation which has been building since the start of the season. Whenever humanity scores a win over bigotry, be it in the real world or a fantasy like this one, the bigots always fine a new way to attach the marginalized. When the Emancipation Proclamation was put in place, the country went to war to actually free those from the bondages of slavery. When the war ended, Jim Crow surfaced followed by segregation, Tulsa, the Voting Rights Act, etc. Victory is often temporary, and the X-Men learned that the hard way. The end of the episode contains a pair of reveals as well. One we, the audience, were already in on and another we technically weren’t, but the show basically telegraphed. As such, I don’t think the final scene lands with the impact the show may have wanted, but people are sure to remember the song for the scene, at least. If you thought Ace of Base was an interesting pull, just wait until you hear this one.

“Bright Eyes” is another slow episode, one that is clearly building towards something. The show is clearly setting up for something spectacular, and now we get to see if it can stick the landing. I’m a bit sad there are only three episodes of X-Men ’97 left before the first season comes to a close, but I am very excited to see how it ends.

Previously…on X-Men ’97:

X-Men ’97 – “Lifedeath – Part 2”

Last week’s episode of X-Men ’97 ended in spectacular and heartbreaking fashion. If you were hoping to experience the fallout of that one, you’re going to be disappointed by this week’s episode. Like the week before which saw an episode end with Forge and Storm in a precarious situation, this week’s episode is willing to…

Keep reading
by Joe

X-Men ’97 – “Remember It”

Last week’s episode of X-Men ’97 saw the show take a breather with a fairly low stakes plot involving Jubilee and Roberto getting sucked into a video game. The last 7 or 8 minutes of the episode concluded with a more serious tone as Storm and Forge found themselves at odds in the wildlands of…

Keep reading
by Joe

X-Men ’97 – “Motendo/Lifedeath Part 1”

X-Men ’97 continues on into it’s fourth episode with a bit of a change-up. The first three episodes were rather weighty dealing with the fallout of Xavier’s death, Storm losing her powers, and the whole clone situation of the third episode. And that third episode did reveal a few cracks in the foundation of the…

Keep reading
by Joe

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Television

April 17, 2024

X-Men ’97 – “Lifedeath – Part 2”

By Joe
This week’s episode was written by Charley Feldman, his first sole writing credit on an episode of X-Men ’97.

Last week’s episode of X-Men ’97 ended in spectacular and heartbreaking fashion. If you were hoping to experience the fallout of that one, you’re going to be disappointed by this week’s episode. Like the week before which saw an episode end with Forge and Storm in a precarious situation, this week’s episode is willing to let those characters dangle a bit longer because now we’re going back to check-in on Storm. And we’re also going beyond the stars to check-in on the one major plot thread still left unaddressed from the original series.

This week’s episode, “Lifedeath – Part 2,” begins with the usual “Previously…” tagline and this time it’s delivered by Storm (Alison Sealy-Smith). In keeping up with current events, both Magneto and Gambit have been removed from the opening title because it does not care about your feelings. There is a surprising addition in the form of Nightcrawler, but if you’re wondering just what’s going on with that situation then it’s again something that will have to wait until next week. The recreated clips of the old show inserted include shots of the Shi’ar along with a shot from “One Man’s Worth,” Mastermold, Nim’rod, and Apocalypse.

Look who has been added to the opening title!

The episode opens with a battle taking place in space. The Shi’ar are taking on the Kree, and people just jumping over from the Marvel Cinematic Universe may be surprised to see a comic accurate depiction of Ronan The Accuser (Todd Haberkorn). He’s in some trouble as upon him is the Shi’ar Imperial Guard lead by the virtually indestructible Gladiator (David Errigo Jr.). Also there is princess of the Shi’ar, Deathbird Cari Kabinoff), who was last seen in the original series serving at the pleasure of Apocalypse. They’re interrupted by a transmission from the empress herself, Lilandra (Morla Gorrondonna), who has an important announcement to make: she is to be wed. Her chosen suitor? None other than Charles Xavier.

Xavier (Ross Marquand) being alive isn’t what I would consider a spoiler. The final episode of the original series depicted Xavier being taken to space by Lilandra where the technology of the Shi’ar could potentially save his life. This outcome was expected and it was only a matter of time before we’d hear from Charles Xavier once more. And it would appear he’s made a full recovery from his mystery ailment, and not only that, the Shi’ar have a suit capable of allowing him to walk again. Still, the announcement from Lilandra that she intends to wed what the Shi’ar term a Terran is met with resistance, especially from her sister, Deathbird. It would seem even in the far reaches of space, Xavier is still a victim of racial prejudice. And it turns out, there’s an ancient, Shi’ar, custom that allows for the people to make a demand of any outworlder looking to marry into power. It’s played as a “gotcha” from Deathbird who clearly hopes to draw a wedge between her sister and her lover first, then between her sister and her people following that, all in a bid to take the throne for herself.

Ronan The Accuser makes his X-Men ’97 debut.

In order to wed Lilandra, Xavier will have to make a terrible sacrifice that will prevent him from ever seeing his X-Men again. As an audience, we’re privy to more information than Charles and we obviously want him to not make a decision that will keep him from returning to Earth. The show does a good job of framing the decision in a sympathetic light so that we can see why Xavier might do so, and needless to say, we’re pretty invested in where this will go.

Elsewhere, the other plot of the episode concerns Storm and Forge. When we last saw them, they were under attack by The Adversary, a demonic entity (also voiced by Sealy-Smith, but with a monstrous quality), which had grievously injured Forge. The bite of the demon is poisonous, and Forge is in bad shape when we find them. The Adversary is there to prey on fear and self-loathing which is what draws it to Storm who needs to overcome both the demon and herself in order to save Forge. And the only cure for this demon bite rests with a certain cactus known to grow in dark places. In other words, an old mine shaft which is a place that will be a challenge for Storm to traverse given her extreme claustrophobia.

It can’t be fun having a literal demon dwelling in your rafters.

Storm’s plot is one of self-discovery, while Xavier’s is more on the lines of cultural integration and power. The events in Texas move at a fairly brisk pace as they did in the previous episode featuring this pairing. It does lead to some problems, but it feels less severe than it did before. As for the events in space, they move at a much more leisurely pace. It helps that we’re getting reacquainted with two characters with a lot of backstory and a pre-established relationship and the show operates in a manner that tells the audience you better know your stuff because it’s not slowing down to bring new viewers up to speed. And as much as I want to see the show deal with the Genosha fallout, this is the right time to bring Xavier back into the fold as a plot element. The X-Men have lost their Xavier replacement, it’s foundational pieces in Cyclops and Jean are at odds, and they have lost members of their team and community on top of that. It’s a time of tremendous turmoil and uncertainty and I bet they would love to have the guidance of Charles Xavier once more.

Deathbird has designs on her sister’s throne. She should really hire a PR firm because that name “Deathbird” seems like it would be a hard sell.

“Lifedeath – Part 2” might not be the episode people wanted to watch this week, but it’s the one we got and it does tie-up some loose ends of its own. It’s another cool down episode (what episode wouldn’t be following last week’s?) for X-Men ’97 and it moves at a more deliberate pace. Those waiting for a big action piece may be left wanting, but it has its own moments of elevation and there is some nice action bits at the front of the episode. There are also some cameos for those who enjoy them, and one in particular definitely feels like one the show wants you to notice. My only real gripe was some tonal changes in the Storm/Forge plot, but I think that’s just the reality of a show speeding towards what showrunner Beau DeMayo has described as a big one. And that finale is going to air in three parts which means we only have one more episode of setup before it can begin. I expect next week to be the show setting the stage for a major climax. And I’m already bracing myself for a major cliffhanger of a finale and, if so, the wait for Season Two will be excruciating.

Previously…on X-Men ’97:

X-Men ’97 – “Remember It”

Last week’s episode of X-Men ’97 saw the show take a breather with a fairly low stakes plot involving Jubilee and Roberto getting sucked into a video game. The last 7 or 8 minutes of the episode concluded with a more serious tone as Storm and Forge found themselves at odds in the wildlands of…

Keep reading
by Joe

X-Men ’97 – “Motendo/Lifedeath Part 1”

X-Men ’97 continues on into it’s fourth episode with a bit of a change-up. The first three episodes were rather weighty dealing with the fallout of Xavier’s death, Storm losing her powers, and the whole clone situation of the third episode. And that third episode did reveal a few cracks in the foundation of the…

Keep reading
by Joe

X-Men ’97 – “Fire Made Flesh”

Well, that was a long wait! After the two episode premiere of X-Men ’97 on March 20th I was ready for that third episode. The week long wait felt both excruciating and exhilarating. It’s been a long time since we’ve had an X-Men show to get excited about, or really an X-Men anything, and it’s…

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by Joe

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April 12, 2024

X-Men ’97 – “Remember It”

By Joe

Last week’s episode of X-Men ’97 saw the show take a breather with a fairly low stakes plot involving Jubilee and Roberto getting sucked into a video game. The last 7 or 8 minutes of the episode concluded with a more serious tone as Storm and Forge found themselves at odds in the wildlands of Texas. It ended with a shocking visual and if you wanted immediate closure on that thread you’re going to be left wanting by this week’s episode, “Remember It.” I don’t think that will bother many because “Remember It” is the most impactful episode of the season so far and has a lot of people already declaring it the best episode yet.

The phrase “Remember It” is a callback to a particularly bad ass line delivered by not one, but two, characters from the original series. Interestingly, those two characters now have a real world link as the former voice actor of Gambit, Chris Potter, is now the voice of Cable who makes his X-Men ’97 debut this week, albeit in a brief manner.

It’s a bit hard to tell, but I think this week’s “Previously,” is delivered by AJ LoCascio, otherwise known as the current voice of Gambit. The opening title features a lot of clips that we’ve seen before as someone really wants the Dark Phoenix plot to be at the forefront it would seem. Newly added is a recreation of Cable’s encounter with Apocalypse from the “Beyond Good and Evil” arc and it’s nice to see that Apocalypse still has his unique to the show color combo of blue and purple.

It seems Madelyn has found a new purpose.

“Remember It” features an A and a B plot in a more traditional manner as the episode isn’t split like last week’s. At the mansion, reporter Trish Tilby (Donna Jay Fulks) is on-hand to interview the X-Men for television to give them a chance to humanize themselves in front of the world. At least, she’s interviewing the few willing to go on camera which seems to be limited to Beast, Cyclops, and Jubilee. Elsewhere, Jean is still trying to sort out her memories while Wolverine is ducking the cameras and checking up on her. Magneto, Gambit, and Rogue are enroute to Genosha as they’ve been invited by the new council there for unknown reasons.

That trio will land to discover that Genosha is a pretty happening place. Mutants parade out in the open in a Mardi Gras like atmosphere of music and dance. Gambit takes notice of the incredibly high prices at street vendors and seems to be the only one who thinks maybe not everything is as it seems. Magneto is expected to meet with the council of Genosha while Rogue and Gambit get to do some sightseeing with an old friend. Returning from X-Men is voice actor Adrian Hough reprising his role as Nightcrawler. The fuzzy, blue, elf is a much happier and high spirited character now that he’s in a place that accepts him. He’s eager to reconnect with Rogue and Gambit and happy to be their escort on this day. Also in attendance on Genosha is Madelyn Pryor, aka the clone of Jean. She has accepted a position on the council and is Magneto’s introduction to the rest.

Everybody is happy about the return of Nightcrawler!

And that council is comprised of a lot of old faces, some more welcomed than others: Sebastian Shaw (Todd Haberkorn), Emma Frost (Martha Marion), Moira McTaggert (Marion), Callisto (Courtenay Taylor), and Banshee (David Errigo Jr.). Valerie Cooper is also present, but not a part of the council, and if she was she would object to what Magneto has been summoned here for. They wish to make him chancellor of Genosha by reason that since Xavier entrusted him with the X-Men, they can entrust him with Genosha. Magneto requires little convincing, but has one requirement for accepting the position: that Rogue be his queen.

There aren’t many people on this council I’d call trustworthy.

This puts the love triangle at the forefront that’s been percolating a bit since the second episode between Rogue, Gambit, and Magneto. If you have been waiting for some resolution there, as well as more info on just what happened between Rogue and Magneto before the events of the original series, your questions will at last be answered. At the mansion, we will similarly see Cyclops and Jean start to address their own issues as a couple, as well as the fact that Cyclops had to bid his newborn son farewell. It gets heavy at times and certainly adds to the soap opera nature of the show (Nightcrawler even has a quip about that), but it’s what we’re here for.

There’s a lot of good character detail in those moments, but what everyone is going to talk about where it concerns “Remember It” is really just the last seven minutes or so. I do not want to spoil anything, but there is an attack on Genosha and it leads to a spectacular action sequence. X-Men ’97 has firmly established that it knows how to stage flashy and creative action pieces with its cast. If you’re someone who has been waiting for Gambit to do something in this show, you’ll enjoy this section as he gets to go into full bad ass mode in a way that we’ve never seen. The original show had far more restraint when it came to the powers of basically everyone on the X-Men, but X-Men ’97 is breaking those chains. And it’s not just action on display as there are some very emotional moments captured in the chaos and you may need to keep some tissues handy for this one.

How does he do that? With style!

“Remember It” is a spectacle and an episode that is getting a lot of just praise. It’s a pivotal episode as well, and once you’ve watched it I would advise you to check out the Twitter handle of series creator Beau DeMayo as he has shared a lot of thoughts on this one. It’s an episode that will stay with you, especially those who grew up on the original series, and it’s one I needed to let gestate a little longer than the last few before sharing my thoughts. There is an undeniable heaviness to the episode, though there are some light elements and fun portions. Genosha is a setting designed for cameos and there’s plenty of that to be found. There’s even a really well choreographed dance scene too, but virtually all of that is overshadowed by the final act. This is one we’ll be talking about for a long time and is a prime example of why the weekly release schedule is so much more rewarding than the drop even if the wait for next week is going to be excruciating.

Previously…on X-Men ’97:

X-Men ’97 – “Motendo/Lifedeath Part 1”

X-Men ’97 continues on into it’s fourth episode with a bit of a change-up. The first three episodes were rather weighty dealing with the fallout of Xavier’s death, Storm losing her powers, and the whole clone situation of the third episode. And that third episode did reveal a few cracks in the foundation of the…

Keep reading
by Joe

X-Men ’97 – “Fire Made Flesh”

Well, that was a long wait! After the two episode premiere of X-Men ’97 on March 20th I was ready for that third episode. The week long wait felt both excruciating and exhilarating. It’s been a long time since we’ve had an X-Men show to get excited about, or really an X-Men anything, and it’s…

Keep reading
by Joe

X-Men ’97 – “Mutant Liberation Begins”

The first episode of X-Men ’97 left me grinning from ear to ear and eager to see what would happen next. I’m happy to say, the show’s second episode left me feeling very much the same. “Mutant Liberation Begins” starts off right where the previous episode ended. Magneto, has revealed that it was the wishes…

Keep reading
by Joe

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Television

April 3, 2024

X-Men ’97 – “Motendo/Lifedeath Part 1”

By Joe

X-Men ’97 continues on into it’s fourth episode with a bit of a change-up. The first three episodes were rather weighty dealing with the fallout of Xavier’s death, Storm losing her powers, and the whole clone situation of the third episode. And that third episode did reveal a few cracks in the foundation of the show. While I still enjoyed the episode and ultimately gave it a positive review, it did feel rushed and there were some character actions and moments that were head-scratching. Cyclops refuses to abandon his child, so he walks out on his child? The clone Jean realizes what she is and decides to go make a new life for herself and pulls the name Madelyn Pryor out of thin air with no explanation? A bit bizarre.

A new scene added to the intro includes an Iceman cameo, the best X-Man.

That third episode tried to condense a fairly lengthy story from the comics into a single episode and the results were clumsy. This week’s episode is actually inserting two plots into one episode. As evidenced by the title, this episode is like two small episodes. Back in the original series, the second season did end most of its episodes with a little glimpse at a parallel story involving Magneto and Xavier, but those would occupy a minute or two of the episode runtime. This week’s isn’t quite 50:50, but the first sequence, “Motendo,” takes us to about the 18 minute mark while “Lifedeath – Part One” occupies the final 10 minutes or so. It’s also an episode that’s going to dial back the soap opera elements a bit in favor of fan service fun.

That takes me back.

The episode begins with Jubilee giving the “Previously…” line. The opening title has also dropped Bishop’s card since he went back to the future at the end of last week’s episode while the new images thrown in include shots of Mojo, the Inner Circle, and X-Factor. “Motendo” takes place on the 18th birthday of Jubilee. She would like to spend part of the day at the arcade with her fellow X-Men, but apparently headmaster Magneto has other plans. This leaves her upset, and once again, her boy Roberto is just hanging out at the mansion. He’s only somewhat sympathetic to her plight as he thinks video games are for dorks. Jubilee is defensive and insists they play something and it just so happens a mysterious console is present in her room. It looks like a bootleg Sega Genesis and the game pack inside it looks a lot like the first X-Men video game released for the console only with Apocalypse added to the background. Jubilee thinks it’s a gift from one of her teammates and sees no harm in playing it, but once turned on she and Roberto find themselves pulled into a digital world.

The video game visuals are a ton of fun.

As the title of the episode alludes, this is the work of Mojo (David Errigo Jr.). It would seem he’s swapped television for video games and he’s decided to make Jubilee the star of his game. The visuals from here on out will switch from the usual to something pixelized. It’s very reminiscent of the classic Konami arcade game and it’s pretty fun seeing how Jubilee might have looked had she been included. The two have to figure out a way out, but they’ll get help from a mysterious woman seemingly trapped in the game who is basically another bit of fan service for those who loved the original animated series. It’s a very low stakes sort of plot, but it does further Jubilee and Roberto’s relationship so it’s not as if the show is completely spinning its wheels. It does contain a message for Jubilee that she can’t avoid growing up and just live in the past, a somewhat bold declaration for a series relying on a great deal of nostalgia for success.

There’s definitely a lot going on down in Texas.

The last chunk of the episode takes us back to Texas where Storm and Forge (Gil Birmingham) are working on a way to restore her powers. We got a little taste of this pairing at the end of the third episode and if anyone is going to be able to whip up a device to cure Storm of what ails her it’s going to be Forge. It’s a bit clumsy given the time constraints placed upon it. Why is Forge in Texas? What happened to X-Factor? We see an image of the team so the show isn’t ignoring it and I guess it’s something we’ll learn in time. There is some drama inserted into this plot as Forge harbors a secret, and while it does feel a little rushed, I was relieved that this plot wasn’t as rushed as I thought it might be. There are some more horror elements at play with this story, and following some of the visuals in last week’s episode, it makes me wonder if our writers (Beau DeMayo and Charley Feldman, who was also a co-writer on last week’s episode) have an affinity for that genre.

Forge is hard at work at trying to restore Storm’s powers.

“Lifedeath” is the part of the episode meant to further the main, overarching, plot of the season and it also ends on a cliffhanger. It’s probably a confusing one for most, though this is yet another plot pulled right from the comics. It’s a plot I have not interacted with in decades so my memory is hazy on the subject which I see as a good thing for my viewing of the show. There’s not a ton to chew on this week, but I do wish to point out how Alison Sealy-Smith has established herself as the best of the returning cast from the old show. Not because her voice has been less touched by age, but just in her performance. She really gets her role. I used to find her Storm a bit wooden, but there’s a lot more depth to her this time around. It’s amazing what a better script can do for a character.

I guess the fate of X-Factor will have to wait for another day.

“Motendo/Lifedeath – Part One” is a solid piece of X-Men entertainment. When all is said and done on this first season I doubt many will be citing it as their favorite episode of the bunch. Some may feel the video game inspired visuals marked a high point on their own, but a large chunk of the episode is more disposable than others. It’s a classic come down episode, one where we get to reset a little bit before the show dives headlong into its next arc (or not, as the next episode is titled “Remember It” and the one following that is “Lifedeath – Part Two”). There was no Cyclops or Jean in this one so no fall-out at all from the third episode for them was explored, but since they weren’t present it’s not like everything went back to status quo. I’m guessing that’s being saved for either next week or later on as the final, parting, shot we had of those two was pretty heavy. The show will get back to them eventually, for now, enjoy this kind of goofy throw-back to classic video games and wonder what the future holds for Forge and Storm.

Previously…on X-Men ’97:

X-Men ’97 – “To Me, My X-Men”

It used to be that when a show got cancelled that was it. It simply ceased to exist as a new product. If there were enough episodes it could last in syndication on both broadcast and cable for a good while, but rarely was it accessible to the point where a fan could have the…

Keep reading
by Joe

X-Men ’97 – “Mutant Liberation Begins”

The first episode of X-Men ’97 left me grinning from ear to ear and eager to see what would happen next. I’m happy to say, the show’s second episode left me feeling very much the same. “Mutant Liberation Begins” starts off right where the previous episode ended. Magneto, has revealed that it was the wishes…

Keep reading
by Joe

X-Men ’97 – “Fire Made Flesh”

Well, that was a long wait! After the two episode premiere of X-Men ’97 on March 20th I was ready for that third episode. The week long wait felt both excruciating and exhilarating. It’s been a long time since we’ve had an X-Men show to get excited about, or really an X-Men anything, and it’s…

Keep reading
by Joe

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Television

March 22, 2024

X-Men ’97 – “Mutant Liberation Begins”

By Joe

The first episode of X-Men ’97 left me grinning from ear to ear and eager to see what would happen next. I’m happy to say, the show’s second episode left me feeling very much the same. “Mutant Liberation Begins” starts off right where the previous episode ended. Magneto, has revealed that it was the wishes of Charles Xavier that all of his assets be turned over to his longtime friend and often adversary. Magneto now leads the X-Men, and everyone is worried about where his loyalties truly lay.

The episode begins with a familiar refrain: Previously, on X-Men. Before, it was usually delivered by Norm Spencer, the voice of Cyclops. For the second episode it’s delivered by Matthew Waterson, the voice of Magneto. The opening credits are also updated to feature Magneto first reflecting his new status (and new, big M costume) as headmaster of the institute. This was a plot foretold by the official trailer for the show so it comes as no surprise. It’s also a plot from the comics as is another plot from this episode: the trial of Magneto. In addition to his new presence, there are also new shots included in the intro that mostly replace the classic shots we’re used to seeing. These new ones are recreations of scenes from the original series so it would appear that the opening title will be a little different for every episode which is kind of fun.

Magneto has been welcomed to the opening title.

This episode has to confront the issue of how the X-Men will exist with Magneto in charge and how humanity will respond. Magneto is essentially branded a terrorist by most of the world governments, which is why his reveal as being affiliated with the X-Men leads to a confrontation with Valerie Cooper and the federal government. Perhaps to the surprise of everyone present, Magneto surrenders as he views this as the clearest path to gaining the trust of the team. He does make it clear that he does not share Xavier’s world view that peace between mutants and humans can be achieved, but for the sake of his departed friend, it would appear that he’s at least going to try while also doing things his way.

Magneto will be forced to answer for his crimes before the United Nations.

Much of the episode takes place before a United Nations council set to judge Magneto. It also introduces a new villain: X-Cutioner. Pronounced by the character as “Executioner,” the character is voiced by Lawrence Bayne who is known to fans of the original X-Men cartoon as the voice of Cable. Cable will appear at some point in this show, but with a different voice actor. That choice was justified by series creator Beau DeMayo as being a necessity so that they could cast Cable as someone who sounds closer to Cyclops, something the original series likely didn’t take into consideration. Even with that, I was disappointed at the news as Bayne’s Cable was one of my favorite performances in the old show. He’s fine as X-Cutioner who is an enemy allied with the Friends of Humanity packing some serious fire power, but I’m sure I’ll miss him as Cable whenever that character debuts.

X-Cutioner may be just some guy, but he packs a lot of firepower.

The episode does include a B plot which would be unusual for the original show, but may be a sign of things to come. It’s also a humor-based B plot which would also be unusual and concerns Wolverine and Jean. Everyone except them has gone to the UN to watch Magneto’s trial unfold, so naturally this is the time when Jean goes into labor. It’s up to Wolverine to get her to a hospital and he seems far more unnerved doing that than facing down Apocalypse. It’s not something that chews up a ton of screen time and it was kind of nice to see the show willing to embrace a bit more humor. It also leads to some important character moments like what happens when an extremely powerful mutant shows up in labor at a hospital? And how does Wolverine feel about the woman he loves having a baby with another man? It gives us a great moment between Wolverine and Morph too that elaborates on their friendship, something we were told was a thing in the original series, but really didn’t get to see much of.

There is a history between these two and Magneto seems especially interested in rekindling that.

And speaking of everyone’s favorite love triangle from the original show, we’re apparently about to be served up another. When the writers were handed the keys to the mutant kingdom with that first show, it was a group unfamiliar with the X-Men that had existed in print for decades prior. As a result, they seemed to view the show as a new beginning. Some of that would be retconned in later series when it was acknowledged that the team had existed for awhile prior to the events of the show and more of that is being addressed here with Rogue and Magneto. It would appear their prior relationship before Rogue joined the team is now canon and it’s likely going to lead to some uncomfortable moments between they and Gambit. It just wouldn’t be X-Men without a little soap opera drama. I will say, one of my few criticisms of this episode takes place during these Rogue and Magneto scenes, but not because of the character development, but because of Rogue’s forced dialogue. It would seem writer Beau DeMayo could not get her line about looking as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs out his head because Rogue has a lot of cat puns in this one scene. And they’re not very good. Perhaps the show can add an actual southern, female, writer to the staff just for Rogue lines going forward.

I love the little character moments like this one between Morph and Wolverine. I hope for many more.

For a show that stylizes itself as a superhero action drama, an episode about dry court proceedings would have been dreadfully boring. That’s why “Mutant Liberation Begins” includes more wonderful action set pieces and also contains some pretty earth-shattering shakeups to the team. Like the first episode, this is still a show building towards bigger plots and laying the groundwork for how the series will go. It’s at times uncomfortable, but also exciting and I definitely want to see more. The episode also ends on another shocking reveal. Fans of the comics likely have ideas on where this development will lead, but I also wouldn’t expect a 1:1 recreation of any comic book plots. There will likely be some wrinkles thrown in and a change or two or three. As far as plots that could have been sourced from the books, I think it’s one of the top ones and it’s a plot that I’m glad the original series saved for this show because the more lax standards and practices should allow X-Men ’97 to do it justice.

One thing that’s definitely different from the previous show, X-Men ’97 is not afraid to shake-up the active roster.

Episode two of X-Men ’97 is more of the same, which is great. It’s going to be a long wait each week if all of the episodes are structured like the first two. Never mind the wait we’ll be in for when the season ends. I plan to review every episode of this inaugural season, though I don’t know how quickly I’ll be able to post reviews. It could be a Friday thing each week if I can find the time, or maybe it makes more sense to have a Mutant Monday on this blog? I guess we’ll see, but I’m definitely looking forward to taking this journey with all of my fellow X-Men fans around the globe.

Check out the other X-Men coverage we have here:

X-Men ’97 – “To Me, My X-Men”

It used to be that when a show got cancelled that was it. It simply ceased to exist as a new product. If there were enough episodes it could last in syndication on both broadcast and cable for a good while, but rarely was it accessible to the point where a fan could have the…

Keep reading
by Joe

Marvel Legends X-Men ’97 Jean Grey

If you are reading this the day it goes live then Happy X-Men ’97 Day! Today is the day the long-awaited sequel series to X-Men debuts on Disney+. Rather than fast-track a review of the first two episodes to this blog, I decided instead to do what I most often do: review an action figure!…

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by Joe

Wolverine and the X-Men

It might seem amusing to folks younger than me who grew up on Marvel’s Avengers, but back in the first decade of the new millennium there wasn’t a hotter team of superheroes than the X-Men. The X-Men had been around since the 60s, but really took off as a comic book property in the 80s.…

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by Joe

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Comics, Television