First Things First…
This episode originally aired as Episode 4.17.
The thumbnail on Disney+ shows Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, which has me excited. We’ve seen Quicksilver once or twice as part of X-Factor but never truly got to meet him. I’m not sure if they even called him by name before. And we’ve never seen Scarlet Witch.
I have to assume, based on the episode title and seeing them together in that thumbnail, that we’re exploring their relationship as brother and sister. I just hope we’re also digging into their history from the comics as Magneto’s kids.
6 Things I Like
6. Unlikely Allies
“I hate to see piling on, even on Magneto.”
Wolverine
Magneto easily overpowers Wolverine early in the episode so he can get into the mansion and talk with Professor X. Once he leaves, we’re reminded how much Wolverine hates Magneto.
Despite that, Wolverine comes to Magneto’s aid when he needs help against the High Evolutionary’s minions. They don’t work together for long—if they did, this would probably be higher up the list—but still, I can’t keep out Wolverine and Magneto teaming up.
5. Two Loose Ends
We’re starting to close in on the end of the series, so I can’t assume any loose ends or open-ended stories will get resolved or be revisited. But I still like when they leave open the possibility of future stories, when it makes sense. And there are two loose ends at the end of this episode I’d love to revisit. (It’s probably no surprise both involve Magneto, a character I love.)
One is that, when the High Evolutionary takes his creatures and hightails it out of Wundargore, Magneto says…
“There is no place on this planet for him to hide from me.”
Magneto hunting down this lunatic sounds like a great future episode.
The other loose end is Magneto’s relationship with his kids, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. They all just discovered the nature of their relationship. Right now, Pietro and Wanda want nothing to do with their father. But time could change that. I’d love to see them reconnect eventually.
4. Accelerating Evolution
“The Scarlet Witch possesses the mastery of probability, which will increase my chances of matching genetic codes a thousand-fold. Together with the speed-enhancing powers of her brother’s DNA, I am now able to complete a year’s work in seconds.”
High Evolutionary
There’s a very specific reason the High Evolutionary lures Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch back to Wundargore. Their DNA has specific attributes that will accelerate the progress of the evolution he’s perpetuating. He says he’ll now be able to do a year’s work in seconds.
I don’t care so much about the science behind his plan. I just care that there is a reason, and that it makes sense. The fact that the High Evolutionary needs these two specifically—that it’s not just a coincidence that it’s them, and it’s not like any two mutants will do—helps sell the whole plot.
3. Magnus’ Heartache
“I have no excuses. Losing Magda is the greatest regret of my life. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of my love for her. But as for the two of you, I swear I would have come for you if I had known you were alive.”
Magneto
It’s clear from everything Professor X knows about Magneto’s past and his searching that he desperately loved his wife. And here, despite knowing he might be walking into a trap (spoiler: he is), Magneto allows himself to hope, against all reason and logic, that his wife might still be alive, and that he might’ve finally found her.
Instead, he experiences the pain of losing her all over again.
At the same time, he just discovers he’s the father to these two heroes, Wanda and Pietro. But they know who he is… they know his reputation… and they want nothing to do with him. He offers the olive branch, but they reject it.
Even if you don’t like Magneto as much as I do, it’s hard not to feel for him in this instance.
2. Wolfman Logan
This could’ve been silly, but I found it pretty badass to see Wolverine turned into one of the High Evolutionary’s creatures. I wondered if he’s supposed to be an actual wolverine, but he seems like a werewolf—a werewolf with adamantium claws. I loved it for the few minutes it lasted.
1. The Mystical Wundargore
“Balkan legend has it that a mystical valley, known as Wundargore, flourished amidst these mountains.”
Magneto
I love the idea of a mystical or magical place hidden in the real world. I talked about this the last two seasons with the Savage Land. Even when the stories weren’t great, it was still a cool idea to have a tropical paradise hidden within Antarctica. I love the idea of Atlantis for the same reason. Wundargore is no different.
I was also excited as soon as someone mentioned Wundargore because I know the location from the MCU, even though this series obviously came way earlier.
But it’s not just the place itself I like…
There’s also the High Evolutionary running it. I know him from the MCU, too, although there he’s on another planet and not connected to Wundargore.
His fixation on accelerating evolution is fascinating. He’s the archetypal villain who believes he’s creating a better world for everyone but doing heinous things to achieve it. Early in the episode, you see he thinks he’s the hero when he says…
“Soon the world will know the peace and joy I can give it.”
Later, he goes even further as he explains his plan…
“New beings, perfect, without sin, to populate a new world. The recreation of life on Earth. Soon, there will be enough of my children to bring enlightenment to a dark, troubled world.”
As for these new beings—like I mentioned with Wolverine being briefly turned into a creature, this entire operation could’ve come off as hokey. But it doesn’t. I love seeing this crazy new civilization of advanced, humanoid animals doing his bidding.
2 Things I’m Mixed On
2. Wolverine Knows Who the Scarlet Witch Is
It’s cool when the world these characters inhabit feels lived in. Characters should be aware of each other’s existence. And maybe Wolverine is aware of the Avengers, which would explain how he knows who the Scarlet Witch is.
At the same time, we’ve never met her in this series before, and no one mentions her name prior to him saying it. It would be nice to get some indication of how he knows who she is. Y’know, like, “Wow, I can’t believe an Avenger is here!”
And if they don’t want to do that, just have Quicksilver say her name first.
1. Wundargore’s Collapse
I don’t know how much sense this makes, or if I like it. When the High Evolutionary gets chased out of Wundargore along with his creations, everything in their valley returns to normal. Wolverine’s transformation is undone, and the valley magically transforms into something desolate.
It makes it feel like the whole operation the High Evolutionary was running there was an illusion, which I don’t think is the case.
This also seems to take Wundargore off the board. It’s the opposite of the point I made earlier about loose ends. Why would the series ever revisit this place now?
2 Things I Don’t Like
2. What Happened to Cerebro?
The whole point of Magneto’s break-in at the mansion to talk to Professor X is to ask him to use Cerebro to help him determine if he’s walking into a trap. But they never revisit the point. Did Xavier help? He sends Wolverine to follow Magneto all the way to Europe, but that’s not what Magneto asked for, and it only helps him after he’s surrounded by enemies.
1. Easy Escape
The Wundargore story starts to fall apart just a little when Magneto escapes his restraints. He, Quicksilver, and Scarlet Witch are all trapped, but when they learn the truth, Magneto says he’s now going to stop holding back, and suddenly he breaks free with ease.
Not only does this seem way too convenient…
But the High Evolutionary even calls Magneto the most powerful mutant on Earth.
Now, as much as I’d disagree (Apocalypse must have him beat, and I’m pretty sure Scarlet Witch does, too), if the High Evolutionary thinks that much of Magneto, then maybe have more of a plan than those simple restraints.
Tim Matassa
