First Things First…
Time Fugitives was awesome, but now that Bishop and Cable stopped the plague, we’re back to status quo, so I don’t expect any carryover from those two episodes.
Now, I assume we’re getting more background on Rogue. It makes sense, after we got Wolverine and Gambit background stories earlier this season.
Also, Professor X and Magneto were notably absent from the past two episodes. Are we headed back to the Savage Land? I find that place fascinating, but it’d be nice to make some real headway there as we near the end of Season 2.
3 Things I Like
3. Muir Island Reunion
“A fat boy and a pair of juvenile delinquents. Old buddies from Muir Island.”
Rogue
I love continuity—especially in my 90’s cartoons.
Needless to say, I was excited not just to see Blob, Pyro, and Avalanche still working as Mystique’s goon squad, but that Rogue remembers them from their time on Muir Island in Season 1.
2. Professor X’s Disappearance Has Repercussions
“Dr. Charles Xavier is no longer with the X-Men… like sheep without a shepherd, they become lambs to the slaughter. Defeat them and you can reclaim your daughter.”
Mister Sinister
Is Mister Sinister’s bigger plan taking shape?
I’ve assumed all along that tricking Professor X and Magneto into getting stranded in the Savage Land was about hurting them. But maybe it’s about getting them out of the way so he can hurt the X-Men.
This is the first time he’s taking advantage of the professor’s absence, when he shares this intel with Mystique and tells her now is the time to get Rogue back.
Obviously, it doesn’t work out for Mystique. And we still don’t return to the Savage Land. But I hope in these last few episodes of the season we get more of this scheming from Sinister.
1. Becoming Rogue
Rogue has always been a sympathetic character. No touching, no intimacy… it’s a lonely existence.
She becomes even more sympathetic when we see that her father disowned her after her powers showed up, causing her to run away. That memory was one of the more emotional things the series has done so far, especially because Rogue is so damn likeable.
But there’s more to her past that we learn here…
I never think much about her having super strength and the ability to fly (even though she uses those powers all the time), just her power to absorb energy and memories through touch. Turns out those abilities didn’t come to her naturally. She permanently absorbed them from Ms. Marvel because she was manipulated by Mystique to hold on to her for too long.
I don’t know if there’s anything comics accurate about this, but I find it compelling that such a good character got some of her powers by doing such a bad thing.
1 Thing I’m Mixed On
1. Professor X Screws Ms. Marvel
When Professor X first met Rogue, he understood that she absorbed more than Ms. Marvel’s powers. She absorbed her consciousness. But he said he couldn’t return Ms. Marvel’s mind to her body. The only solution was to suppress Rogue’s memories and blot out Ms. Marvel.
It was a band-aid, at best, for Rogue. But worse, he didn’t even try to help Ms. Marvel. He showed no empathy for her. And his actions turned her into a vegetable.
I’m intrigued by this crueler side of Professor X, even if it’s not intended that way. Sadly, they kind of gloss over it, which makes me think they won’t follow up on it or treat it as the big deal I believe it is.
2 Things I Don’t Like
2. Who Could Forget Rogue?
We see flashbacks of Rogue learning to use her powers with help from Mystique—disguised as her adoptive mother—and her henchmen. So why don’t they ever recognize her? Even last season, I don’t remember any indication that they knew her. And Rogue is pretty memorable.
1. No Justice for Ms. Marvel
Thanks to the MCU, Carol Danvers is a lot more mainstream today. I’m not sure how big of a deal it was to have her show up in this series 30 years ago. Regardless, she comes off terribly, and it’s not her fault at all.
She was obviously powerful, because we’ve been seeing her powers in Rogue all along. But we don’t really get a sense of how powerful, or how much of a hero she is.
She’s here to try to take over Rogue’s mind and body. And even though she’s justified, considering she had her life stolen from her and has been cast aside like trash, it doesn’t come off as heroic.
I mean, she’s literally depicted as a lizard person.
This definitely ain’t justice for Carol.
Tim Matassa
