First Things First…
I don’t know if all the new characters are going to stick around. But I’m sure we’ll see more of D’Ken, the mad emperor behind this war. It looks like shit’s about to get crazy now that he’s entered the X-Men’s galaxy.
I’m worried about even more new characters, though. The Disney+ episode description says the X-Men are attacked by space pirates. I assume they’re the Starjammers. But is there time, with only two episodes left in “The Phoenix Saga,” to introduce more characters? I really want to spend time with D’Ken, Gladiator, Lilandra, and—if they’re still around—Banshee and Black Tom. Not to mention to get more time with Phoenix.
3 Things I Like
3. All Powerful
Thanks to some questionable decisions, and Phoenix not being fully powered yet, D’Ken gains control of the M’Kraan Crystal.
Now, there’s a lot of gibberish about how the crystal works, what it does, and how its power can be harnessed. I’m not gonna try to recap all that. But the important thing is, D’Ken is now the most powerful being in the galaxy. And that should set up a fun conclusion to “The Phoenix Saga.”
2. Surprising Starjammers
“Pirates? Where do they keep their swords and eye patches?”
Gambit
I’m not gonna say my concerns about bringing in more new characters so close to the end of the saga was totally wrong. But I like the Starjammers, and especially their leader, Corsair.
What’s more, I wasn’t expecting them to turn out to be good guys (relatively speaking). At least they’re also working against D’Ken.
1. How Much Is Your Honor Worth?
I love a good moral quandary. And that’s exactly what Cyclops finds himself in.
After capturing Cyclops, Corsair wants him to “play” prisoner while Corsair gives the crystal to D’Ken. Cyclops should get one clean shot at D’Ken with his eye lasers at full blast before D’Ken is ready. But Cyclops refuses, saying, “I won’t take a life in cold blood.”
Corsair understands but makes the stakes abundantly clear when he replies, “If D’Ken lives and gets his hands on the crystal, and eventually he will, billions of lives will be lost. Is your sense of honor worth so much?”
Corsair is right, of course, and Cyclops knows it. Later, when Corsair returns to ask again for his help, Cyclops says, “You know that, for the sake of the galaxy, I have no choice.”
But Cyclops isn’t the only one compromising his principles…
After learning that D’Ken killed Corsair’s wife, Cyclops questions whether they should even risk this ruse at all if Corsair’s main motivation is revenge, asking, “Is one woman’s life important enough to risk the fate of an entire galaxy?”
And then there’s Gladiator…
After D’Ken and Corsair strike a deal, Gladiator questions D’Ken’s orders to destroy Corsair and the Starjammers as soon as Corsair hands over the crystal, saying, “But, my lord, you swore the Sacred Oath!” Eventually, his loyalty wins out over his honor, but I wonder how much longer that will last.
1 Thing I’m Mixed On
1. Phoenix’s Load Management
“I’m still weak, but be patient. I will recover. Each time I use my powers, I grow stronger.”
Phoenix
I understand that Phoenix isn’t fully powered yet. She says she gets stronger every time she uses her powers, but for now, they still take a lot out of her.
It just seems to be a storytelling crutch these past few episodes. When they need the enemies to get away or to overpower the good guys, she’s too weak. But when they need the good guys transported somewhere fast, she’s suddenly strong enough again.
1 Thing I Don’t Like
1. Father and Son
As much as I enjoyed Cyclops’ interactions with Corsair, the revelation that Corsair is his father comes out of nowhere, and I don’t know how it makes sense.
For one thing, even though Corsair tells Cyclops he’s from Earth, they look about the same age.
Also, is it just pure coincidence that they wind up in this situation together? Considering they’re not even on Earth—this is an intergalactic story—that’s pretty hard to believe.
And how does Phoenix even come to know this? I know she’s powerful, but what sort of power would give her this knowledge? It can’t be mind-reading, because Corsair doesn’t even know Cyclops is his son.
Tim Matassa
