7 Things I Like
7. X-Mas with the X-Men
I love that they made a Christmas episode. It’s not the strongest episode of the season, and I’m not a big fan of the Morlocks. But none of that matters. I love holiday specials, and I love when shows—especially animated shows—set an episode at Christmastime.
They also had the good sense to use Wolverine as the Scrooge of the episode, and to have Jubilee as the wide-eyed kid so happy to spend her first real Christmas with her found family.
6. Building the X-Family
Around midseason, we got back-to-back episodes dealing with family matters.
In “Family Ties,” they reveal that Magneto is Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch’s father. And we learn about Magneto’s devotion to his long-dead wife.
Then, in “Bloodlines,” Nightcrawler learns that Mystique is his biological mother, which makes Rogue his adoptive sister.
There are so many familial connections in the X-Men universe, and I’m glad they start to explore them here, especially when it means expanding the universe by bringing in characters we haven’t met before (like Scarlet Witch) and fleshing out those we’ve met but spent very little time with (like Quicksilver).
5. Beyond Good and Evil
The quality of this four-part arc that ends the season fluctuates a bit. It peaks in Part 2, when more and more characters enter the fray in roles that all make sense. But even at its lowest points, like when Cable acts very out of character, it’s another solid time-travel story built on some really cool ideas.
There’s the idea that Apocalypse is evil incarnate, so maybe he can’t be killed. But there’s also the flipside of that coin—that good and evil are both part of the fabric of existence, so maybe Apocalypse can never achieve ultimate victory, either.
Couple those with Apocalypse’s brilliant—but doomed—plan to destroy all of time and build a new world order outside of time, so he can rule forever without aging or needing his Lazarus Chamber, and it’s a great story.
It also features a villains dream team led by Apocalypse, which includes Magneto, Mister Sinister, Sabretooth, and Mystique.
This is a great wrap-up to Season 4 and springboard into the final season.
4. A Safe Space for Mutants
With only 10 episodes remaining, “Sanctuary Part I” is in the lead as my highest-rated episode of the series. This is where Magneto introduces Asteroid M, his off-world haven for mutants who simply want to leave behind the discrimination they’ve faced from humans all their lives and be left alone.
Sadly, Part II takes a major dip. But that doesn’t change the novelty and brilliance of this idea. It causes so much consternation, not only from mutants like Professor X, but from all of humanity, including President Kelly and all world leaders. And it gets everyone paying attention—even Apocalypse.
You’d think humans who hate mutants would be happy to have them ship out and literally leave the planet. But nope—even then, their fear that the mutants would use Asteroid M as a base to plan an attack on Earth is overwhelming.
3. Magneto’s Transformation Continues
Magneto has a strong season all around. He’s the catalyst of the story in the two-part “Sanctuary” arc I just mentioned. It’s fascinating to see him come up with this plan to leave Earth and to finally feel too tired to keep fighting, when that’s been so foundational to who he is.
There’s also the focus on Magneto’s lost family—his dead wife and two newly-discovered kids.
Magneto is also critical in defeating Apocalypse in “Beyond Good and Evil.” Despite being on Apocalypse’s side at first, and even kidnapping Psylocke to add to his collection of psychics, Magneto suspected Apocalypse was lying all along, and he’s not about to bow down to anyone.
We also get a brief look at Magneto in the “One Man’s Worth” arc, where, in Xavier’s absence, he’s basically the leader of the resistance.
I was thrilled to see him appear in multiple arcs this season, as he’s always one of the most compelling characters in this world.
2. Alternate Timeline with No X-Men
The two-part “One Man’s Worth” arc sees Fitzroy travel back in time at Master Mold’s behest and assassinate Charles Xavier before he becomes Professor X or founds the X-Men.
I love the alternate timeline this creates. I already mentioned that we briefly see Magneto as the resistance leader. That alone makes me wish we could spend more time in this world.
But the real highlight is the romance between Storm and Wolverine. This is one of those romances I never knew I wanted until I saw it. And now I can’t unsee it.
1. A New Hero of Faith and Horror
I never would’ve guessed it, because I’ve never had much of a relationship with this character, but introducing Nightcrawler into the story is one of the best things the series has done.
From the moment his introductory episode opens, and dark, horror-tinged organ music plays, I knew we were in for something special.
Nightcrawler’s look, and his location at the monastery, lend themselves to more of a horror story than anything else we’ve seen in the series.
His faith in God also leads to some of the most compelling conversations we’ve heard, especially when he talks with Wolverine. These two develop quite the bromance because Nightcrawler has such a positive effect on Wolverine and helps him reframe his own anger and bitterness.
But it’s not just with Wolverine that Nightcrawler shines. He’s compelling whenever he’s on screen, through multiple episodes, and also has great moments with Rogue, Mystique, and Jubilee.
With only 10 episodes to go, I desperately hope we see more Nightcrawler before wrapping up.
2 Things I’m Mixed On
2. Here and Gone Again
I’m conflicted about Morph returning, only to leave again at the end of the same episode.
There’s something to be said about tackling PTSD, especially the fact that sometimes, even when you think you have it beat, you really don’t.
I give them credit for making this a storyline, and for having Morph choke when he’s first out in the field with Wolverine, facing Sentinels again.
But, at the end of “Courage,” he faces his fears, singlehandedly destroys Master Mold, and saves the team. You’d think the natural reward would be a little more courage. So the fact that he leaves after his heroism sends a strange, muddled message.
1. The Strange Tale of Kevin MacTaggert
Of all the multi-part arcs the series has done, “Proteus” is the least necessary. I just don’t see a reason to do a two-parter about Moira MacTaggert—an important character in X-Men lore but a bit character, at best, in this series—and her son, who we’d never met before these two episodes.
I really didn’t like or care about Proteus at all in Part 1. The kid was dealt a tough hand, but I have no attachment to him. And I don’t like his world-altering powers. That led to it being my least favorite episode of the season.
But I came around on Part 2, primarily because of how badly affected Wolverine is by Proteus’ powers. He literally rips Wolverine apart at a molecular level, completely messing with him in a way Wolverine has never felt before and causing Wolverine to feel fear for the first time.
3 Things I Don’t Like
3. Who Messed Up the Order?
I won’t harp on this too much, because it’s already tough that the episodes aired out of order 20 years ago and had to be reordered to make the story coherent. I don’t know who did that reordering, but it was annoying when I watched Wolverine go through talk therapy with Professor X in “Lotus and the Steel,” and one of the things Xavier brings up that might be bothering Wolverine is his recently resurfaced memories from his Weapon X days…
… only to discover those memories are actually a major plot point in the next episode, “Weapon X, Lies, and Video Tape.” Episodes 4.15 and 4.16 should’ve been swapped to make more sense.
2. Almost as Annoying as Mojo
I’m thrilled Mojo didn’t return in Season 4. But Bender, who keeps pestering Bishop in the Axis of Time during the “Beyond Good and Evil” arc, is nearly as bad. Luckily, he’s not in those episodes too much. But he’s unnecessarily annoying when he’s there.
And it turns out Bender isn’t even his real identity. But rather than that making it any better, it just makes me question why he hides his identity from Bishop and takes on this dumb persona at all.
1. A Bevy of Lame Villains
I’m glad we see many of the stalwarts this season, like Magneto (who isn’t really a villain at this point anyway), Apocalypse, Mister Sinister, Sabretooth, Mystique, Juggernaut, Master Mold, the Sentinels, and Trask and Gyrich.
But there are some lame-ass villains, too…
I was excited for Silver Samurai because I knew the name, but Wolverine dog walks him in about 15 seconds and sends him out like a chump…
Solarr and his cronies can’t even fight off Cyclops without any other X-Men…
And Fitzroy and Bantam play an important role in assassinating Charles Xavier, but there’s not substance to them. I really wanted to know more about Fitzroy in particular.
Tim Matassa
