First Things First…
Welp, we’ve reached the end, and I assume I know what the fate of the Phoenix will be, but let’s see…
1 Thing I Like
1. Who’s Right and Who’s Wrong?
“Could Lilandra be right? Is Phoenix too dangerous to exist?”
Gambit
The first half of the episode is really good, as the team wrestles with what the right thing to do is in this impossible situation.
Aside from Professor X, who puts the team in position to fight for Jean’s life despite the continued—but temporarily contained—existence of Phoenix inside of her, the only one with conviction that saving Jean is truly the right thing to do is Beast.
Beast has a well-reasoned argument in Jean’s favor, which probably comes from his extensive studying of various philosophies. When the team is with Lilandra and her crew, setting the terms of battle, Beast declares…
“To kill an innocent creature to get at another is barbarous!”
Later, when Storm comes to him to ask whether they’re doing the right thing, or if it’s too dangerous to let Jean live, despite their love for her, Beast says…
“Jean has committed no crime, has injured no one. Yet, we are asked to allow her to be destroyed to prevent the possible future crimes of another.”
And when Storm counters by saying at least Jean has been allowed a trial by combat, Beast says…
“Such a trial is no contest of reason, it is a war. Such a position mocks justice. Lilandra is wrong.”
I love how he calls out the lack of logic in using trial by combat to determine someone’s fate when combat is totally irrelevant to the argument at hand.
But despite Beast’s conviction, the rest of the team still wonders—even Cyclops and Wolverine.
Cyclops says to Rogue…
“I can’t help thinking, Rogue, what if Lilandra’s right? If the psychic circuit breakers Xavier placed in Jean’s mind fail, a universe full of innocent life would be at the Phoenix’s mercy.”
He then asks himself…
“If I were in Lilandra’s place, would I act any differently?”
Meanwhile, when Gambit asks the question highlighted at the top, I expected Wolverine to fly off the handle. Instead, despite saying that ultimately, he’ll stand with Jean no matter what, he admits that “maybe” she’s too dangerous to leave alive.
Even Jean herself has grave concerns. Although she fights for her survival alongside her teammates, she confides in Cyclops…
“What if she breaks free? What if… what if the next world we ravage is Earth?”
This part of the episode feels like something that could’ve happened on Battlestar Galactica. It’s a question of morality without a clear right or wrong answer. And I’m very impressed with how they handle it, giving some insight into each character’s thoughts, feelings, and concerns.
3 Things I’m Mixed On
3. Kree & Skrulls
I’m always game for introducing new characters from the comics to this series. And in terms of alien races, the Kree and Skrulls are the most well known (at least, as far as I know). But their role here is so small that they feel shoehorned in.
Maybe they’ll play larger roles down the road. Then, it might make sense to have introduced them already, however briefly. But for now, if I wasn’t aware of who they are already, I’d be very confused why we wasted 30 seconds on this scene.
2. Trial by Combat
“My X-Men! I never dreamed it would end like this.”
Professor X
The fight between the X-Men and Lilandra’s Imperial Guard takes up most of the back half of the episode. And it’s fine. The opponents look cool and different from one another.
But they’re all new to the show except Gladiator. So even with, potentially, the fate of the galaxy at stake, I find it harder to enjoy scenes like this when I don’t know who half the characters are.
1. Lovers’ Farewell
“The part of me that is woman wants to comfort him with every breath that I take. But an Empress must be made of steel, even at the cost of her heart.”
Lilandra
Maybe this is a me thing, but I’ve always seen Professor X as asexual. So his romance with Lilandra is something I didn’t care about to begin with. And now, their disagreement about Jean and Phoenix puts their long-distance romance in serious peril. They still love one another, but Charles wants them to work together to solve the Phoenix problem, while Lilandra insists it’s too dangerous. And she prioritizes her people over her own heart.
It makes sense when she cuts off part of her mind from Charles at the end of the episode and resigns herself to being alone, but it doesn’t hit me emotionally like it should.
3 Things I Don’t Like
3. Probing Lilandra’s Mind
“I have probed Lilandra’s mind. The Shi’ar have an ancient law, the challenge to a duel of honor which cannot be refused. I have made the challenge in our names.”
Professor X
The Professor probes Lilandra’s mind and sets up the battle and the stakes so fast it’s ridiculous.
Not only does he figure out everything he explains in the quote above, he also apparently learns how to make the challenge in the Shi’ar language—all from probing Lilandra’s mind for approximately 0.7 seconds.
2. Expedited Resurrection
Forget three days… how about two minutes!
If this is how you’re going to resolve the story—with Jean’s death forcing the Phoenix out of her, at which point Phoenix becomes a good (or at least neutral) character and helps bring Jean back—I’d make this a five-part arc instead of four. I’d have Jean’s death happen here, and then have her dead for most of Part V before resurrecting her at the end.
Her death barely has time to register before she’s already brought back to life, with her teammates each contributing part of their “flame.” Let me feel something about it first.
1. Phoenix Face Turn
The Phoenix turned into an absolute maniac during this saga. Like, a potentially genocidal maniac with the ability—and, suddenly, the desire—to wipe out countless star systems and galaxies. But in the blink of an eye, she’s back to the peaceful guardian we met in “The Phoenix Saga”?
After Jean dies and Phoenix is no longer inside of her, she basically says she lost her way when she discovered emotion. But with Jean dead…
“I am as I was, guardian of creation.”
What???
I hate how this plays out. And worse, it’s unfulfilling because the Big Bad goes away without ever being defeated by the heroes.
Tim Matassa
