First Things First…
The team is in a BAD way heading into this finale. No one more than Wolverine, of course, who just had the adamantium ripped from his skeleton. But both the Blue and Gold Teams are getting their asses handed to them. I don’t know how—or if—this gets resolved, where it’s going, or what it’s setting up for Season 2.
7 Things I Like
7. Wolverine Sidelined
Considering the gruesome trauma Wolverine suffered at Magneto’s hands to close out the last episode, I’m so glad he doesn’t just heal instantly, as he usually does.
Now, if he never heals from having the adamantium ripped from his skeleton, I’ll question how that makes sense. But this injury feels different from anything else I’ve ever seen him endure, and I like that it’s putting his healing factor to the test.
Actually, now that I’m thinking about it, it reminds me of when Proteus ripped him apart in the original series. That seriously fucked him up for a while. This injury rises to that level.
6. Hero Rising
Not only is Roberto back with the good guys, but he’s prepared to die to save the world from Bastion.
It sounds like he doesn’t expect to survive this fight when he says goodbye to Jubilee. Next thing you know, he’s out in space, fighting side by side with Rogue against Bastion. He even claims the name Sunspot.
His storyline has been one of the weaker points of the season, but at least he ends on a high note.
5. Destroying Sinister
There’s a good chance he’ll figure out a way to return. But in a show with real stakes, this feels like the right time to kill off Mister Sinister.
The Phoenix wipes out all his DNA enhancements from the past century-plus, turning him into an aged raisin (or maybe a baby Voldemort) who suffers the fear of finally facing death and the indignity of seeing what he’s been reduced to, despite years of genetic modifications that seemingly made him immortal.
Sinister’s brilliance is undeniable, but he’s often felt like an 80’s and 90’s-era cartoon villain whose incompetence bleeds through in the end. Granted, he was scarier than ever when he showed up early this season. But as soon it was clear he was playing second fiddle to Bastion, he seemed out of his depth. If this is really curtains for our favorite mad scientist, I’ll miss him—but he had a good run and goes out sniveling, as he should.
4. Heroes Come Out When the World Is on the Brink
This entire world is on the brink of destruction as Bastion tries to crash Asteroid M into Earth. This isn’t just a mutant issue, and it will affect more than just the X-Men characters.
Other Marvel heroes and villains have made cameos throughout the season. We saw some, like Spider-Man, react when Magneto turned the power out. But now, they’re in the game.
Most notably, Captain America and Iron Man are in the room with President Kelly and the Joint Chiefs as they debate whether to enact the Magneto Protocols. Kelly also talks with King T’Chaka during this meeting.
This is more than fan service. With so much hanging in the balance, it’s logical for these major players in the Marvel Universe to be involved.
3. Lost in Time
“Luckily, this ain’t our first time at ‘the X-Men are dead’ rodeo. But it’s less a question about where, and more when.”
Bishop
I love how they tease Season 2 at the end of the episode. For starters, my guy Bishop is finally back! He’s been gone since the end of the third episode, when he took baby Nathan to the future. Now, he’s in the present timeline again and is reunited with his buddy Forge, who we’ve seen him work with in the future numerous times. It looks like they’ll be heading up the search party, probably with Jubilee and Sunspot in tow.
As for the rest of the team, they’re divided into two camps…
Scott and Jean are way in the future. I don’t know Mother Askani or Clan Askani, but they have a young Nathan with them. I guess it’s their Nathan, but I’m sure we’ll find out.
The rest are in ancient Egypt and encounter young Apocalypse. On top of that, there’s a stinger with a more recognizable Apocalypse in the main timeline, looking at the ruins of Genosha and, interestingly, picking up one of Gambit’s cards. It’s unclear what he’s up to but, going back to the original series, I love Apocalypse almost as much as I love Magneto.
2. Goodbye, Nathan
Turns out Cable really was under Sinister’s control last episode and into this one. Once that’s rectified, he’s back with the good guys.
After Bastion tears off his bionic arm and beats him with it, Cable is out of action for the rest of the fight. But he has an incredible scene where Jean uses her telepathy to project herself and Scott from a distance so Scott can avoid the same mistake his father made, and that he made when he sent baby Nathan away—not saying goodbye.
Considering the stoic characters involved, this is a surprisingly emotional scene. It’s especially cool when Cable tells them about the way people tell stories of the X-Men in the future. They’re basically folklore—larger than life. Yet Cable says…
“I’ll tell ya. Those legends really didn’t do my folks justice.”
1. In the Mind of Magnus
“Alas, my new friend, in my experience, minds are far harder to bend than metal.”
Magnus
Not surprisingly, Magneto gets the best scenes in the finale. And he shares them with his old friend.
The episode starts with Charles bringing them back to a scene at a bar when they first met, talking, dreaming, and revealing their powers to one another for the first time.
Even then, Magneto’s fear and bitterness were evident. When Charles acknowledges that mutants will be feared when they’re revealed to the world, Magneto immediately corrects him, saying, “Hated.” And when Charles hints that he might be a mutant, Magneto tells him…
“Run and hide before someone starts dreaming of camps.”
It’s interesting that, back then, he was in favor of hiding their mutant powers. He knew humanity would persecute them for being different, just like—if I have the story right—he experienced as a child who survived the Holocaust but whose parents tragically didn’t.
Eventually, Magneto becomes aware the scene isn’t real and that Charles has invaded his mind. He calls it a violation—which it is—but, thankfully, Charles understands there’s more at stake, saying…
“You declared war against mankind. Turned my X-Men against each other. Allowed your torment to flood the world. And Logan…”
There’s so much more, too. Charles follows through on his threat to hijack Magneto’s mind and forces him to undo the damage he did to Earth. It’s a breathtaking scene as some epic music—which reminded me of my favorite music from The Rings of Power—plays while the X-Men watch Charles attack Magneto and penetrate his psyche.
Then, Charles races the clock in helping Magneto repair his shattered psyche just in time for Magneto to play the hero and save the world from a crashing Asteroid M.
1 Thing I’m Mixed On
1. The Phoenix Reemerges
Because of Jean’s identity crisis and everything that happened with Madelyne, her stint as the Phoenix came up a few times this season. So maybe I shouldn’t be surprised that the Phoenix reemerges here when Jean and company need her most.
She’s way more powerful than even Bastion. She easily gets the neutralizing collar on him before overpowering and nearly destroying Mister Sinister.
I just don’t understand how this happens. Didn’t the Phoenix leave Jean ages ago? Their only explanation is when Jean says afterward…
“The Phoenix Force is gone now, but I could feel it deep inside, pulling me back, to protect my son.”
So, it’s really fun scene, but I’m not sure I can make sense of it.
3 Things I Don’t Like
3. Jubilee in Space
Sunspot saves Jubilee… but she’s in outer space just breathing normally? Without a spacesuit? WTF? Have we seen mutants do this before? Sunspot’s powers make me think he’d be able to handle it, but Jubilee?
2. Beyond Saving
“I massacre you freaks and you’re recruiting me? You’re suicidal.”
Bastion
I know it’s a good guy thing to want to give the villain a chance at redemption. But Bastion is in the middle of trying to end the world. Still. And Cyclops is trying to talk sense into him and save him.
Of course, it can be argued that Magneto also just killed thousands of people and now wants to end all of humanity, yet Charles is still trying to save him. But at least with Magneto, Charles has such a strong bond that it’s reasonable to think he might be able to talk sense into him. And he’ll never abandon him, no matter how they fight.
With Bastion, there’s no such connection with anyone.
So what are you doing, Cyclops? You finally have him defeated. Let him go.
1. Bastion’s Evolution
“He’s more than flesh or metal, more than unstoppable. Bastion is the future incarnate.”
Jean Grey
It’s Bastion again.
I really don’t understand how he evolves even after it looked like the Phoenix took him out.
Instead, he becomes scarier than ever. I guess his ability to “talk” to machines explains how he wills Cable’s bionic arm to transform into something else for him. But I found this whole aspect of the episode confusing. And calling him “the future incarnate” is kinda nonsensical.
Tim Matassa
