X-Men
"X-Men" continues to reimagine classic comic arcs in it's first season. It tackles, arguably, one of the most famous arcs in it's decades long run in the two-parter, "Days of Future Past." The comic story was part of the epic, series defining run of writer Chris Claremont and artist Johny Byrne. The story took place in "Uncanny X-Men" #141-142. The basic story from the comic is the same. Veteran X-Man Kitty Pryde is sent from the year 2013 to 1980 to prevent the assassination Senator Robert Kelly. If you've never read the original comic story, what are you waiting for? You should definitely read it before you watch these episodes. For those of you who have read it, here we go.
"Days of Future Past" Part 1
Wolverine: "Which one of is the assassin?"
Bishop: "I don't remember. It could be any of you."
Cyclops: "It couldn't be Jean."
Jean Grey: "Of course it could. I've had my dark days or have you forgotten?"
In the not so distant future, the world is overrun with Sentinels and they have killed a number of mutants including a majority of the X-Men. They also employ mutants to help them track down and capture renegade mutants. One of those trackers is Bishop who captures Wolverine. He learns the hard way that all mutants are expendable when the Sentinels turn on him for doing too good of a job. Bishop meets the mutant forge who sends him back in time to prevent an assassination that leads to this hellish future. When Bishop gets to the past, he realizes that he doesn't remember the specifics of his mission, just that it involves the X-Men.
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| Old Man Logan. |
It's always impressive to me how the animated series takes these classic comic stories and makes them work within the framework of this series. The first act of this episode features so many classic scenes that are pulled directly from the comics. There is the graveyard of fallen X-Men. There is old man Wolverine, who of course has survived this long. No one cares about the no name mutants that are working with Logan. They are the definition of expendable. They might as well be wearing red shirts.
Bishop was not a part of the comic "Days of Future Past" storyline, but since Kitty Pryde is not a part of the 90's X team, he is a good substitute for her. In the comics, Bishop was a member of the XSE, not bounty hunters, but a police force that's ranks consist of mutants and police their own.
It's great to see Forge, however briefly and things really kick into high gear once Bishop finally makes it to "the present." The selective amnesia is very convenient but I'll go with it. Particularly that it causes Bishop to steal a bus and crash it into the school. They just got done rebuilding it after Juggernaut's attack. They just can't catch a break. There is your stereotypical confrontation between Bishop and the X-Men, but luckily Wolverine never updates his catchphrase so that jogs Bishops memory. Whew.
The team doesn't have to much time to get to the bottom of Bishop's nonsense because a Nimrod Sentinel followed him back to the present. Nimrod's are the next gen of Sentinels and are extremely difficult to destroy. Jean, of course, can't stay upright the entire battle, but at least this time, Jubilee gets knocked out too. But did Logan really need to carry her around after the battle? And like, seriously, how do they justify keeping Cyclops the field leader, when Storm literally saves the day every time they take on anyone?
The episode ends on a great cliffhanger, where Bishop is ready to kill the assassin who he remembers as Bishop.
Grade: B+
"Days of Future Past" Part 2
Cyclops: "Kelly's gone, Professor! There must've been more mutants in that gang than we knew about!"
Professor Charles Xavier: "I don't believe this is the work of the same gang."
Jean Grey: "Why not, Professor?"
Professor Charles Xavier: "Because my watch has stopped."
Cyclops: "I don't understand. Why is that important?"
[the Professor holds up his watch, and drops it... it sticks to his chair.]
Professor Charles Xavier: "Because it's been magnetized."
The team stops Bishop from killing Gambit, but Bishop is adamant that he is the man that kills Senator Robert Kelly and instigates the events that will cause Bishop's future. Gambit is ready to clear his name, but the X-Men leave him behind with Bishop and Wolverine as they go to Washington, DC. It is revealed that Mystique and her Brotherhood of Evil Mutants is behind the assassination attempt. Can the X-Men stop them, particularly when Gambit, still gung ho about proving he's not the killer, shows up in our nation's capital?
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| Mothers and daughters |
This episode is pretty action packed and overall, I enjoy it more than I enjoy part one. It makes sense that Gambit would be the supposed X assassin. He has ties to Bishop's comic book past and he's the shadiest of the animated series team. The X-Men trust Gambit, but not intrinsically. They can't be 100% sure that he wouldn't assassinate Senator Kelly. Their arguments are sound and it doesn't feel like forced conflict. Gambit's response is very realistic, too. It's completely understandable that he'd be hurt and angry about his teammates reaction to all this. He wants them to have his back and they don't. And none of them can see past their own feelings. It really is classic X-Men melodrama and I love that the show puts that stuff at the forefront. This scene is especially impactful, because we get a flashback to right before Rogue and Gambit enter the War Room. They are doing their regular playful flirting thing. Though, maybe Gambit needs to stop this when Rogue is driving. So it's especially hurtful that not even Rouge has the Cajun's back.
This episode follows the comic even more faithfully than the previous. While we don't get Destiny, we do get the remainder of the classic Brotherhood lineup: Pyro, Avalanche and the Blob. We've seen them before but it's fun to get more time with them and their fight with the X-Men outside the Washington Monument is good fun and a highlight of the episode.
Of course the team thwarts the assassination attempt but it's not all wine and roses. Mystique reveals herself to be Rogue's foster mother, a new puzzle in the mystery of Rogue's past. She sends Bishop back to the future only for him to discover that nothing has changed. Could that be because Senator Kelly was already kidnapped by Magneto, as Xavier reveals at episodes end? A great set up for the first season finale.
Grade: A-
"The Final Decision"
[Scott and Jean appear on a monitor]
Jean Grey: "There's nothing more beautiful than the beginning of a new day. You never know how it's going to turn out. That's what gives hope for the future: not knowing."
Mr. Sinister: "Hope for the future. [laughs] Sinister knows what your future holds."
The X-Men track Magneto to an abandoned ocean liner, but find it basically destroyed and the Master of Magnetism in a bad way and Senator Kelly gone. Kelly has been taken by Sentinels back to their creator Trask, who is using Master Mold to mass produce the mutant hunting robots. Unfortunately, Master Mold has gained sentience and isn't content just to hunt mutants. He's determined all humanity is the issue and will be replacing world leaders with robot brains. Can the X-Men save the day?
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| I think I've seen porns that start this way. |
"The Final Decision" is the finale of "X-Men"s first season and it does everything that a season finale needs to do. It sets up a season ending worthy conflict, gives us plenty of actions and ends on a note that makes you excited for what's to come.
Things are bad right from the start. Senator Kelly's kidnapping has launched anti-mutant riots across the country and that is just what Magneto was hoping. He's getting ready to kill the Senator when Sentinels show up and these are made of plastic, so Mags is well and truly fucked. This fight between Magneto and the Sentinels is intense. The mutant killing robots aren't pulling any punches and Magneto is left for dead. I mean, he's bleeding. You don't see actual blood in very many kids cartoons, even today. I enjoy this episode because it makes Magneto more three dimensional. The X-Men take him back to the mansion to recover and they don't bat an eye having their greatest enemy under their roof. It's a nice reminder that deep down, Xavier and Magneto are still good friends, even though he does love a premature gloat, which is kind of a dick move. Magneto returns the favor, joining in the final battle against Master Mold and his Sentinel army and saving Xavier. He hasn't turned over a new leaf, but it's nice to see Magneto is more than just a human hating bastard.
There are a lot of fun moments in this episode. I love how Xavier sees Ghost Rider in Gambit's mind when he scans his memory. No explanation. Just Ghost Rider. When the X-Men go after Gyrich to find out where the Sentinels may have taken the Senator, Storm is going to stop him gently and to her gently is causing a localized snow storm that causes Gyrich's car to crash into a tree, that totally could have killed him.
The action sequence that ends the episode is great. I love Xavier getting in on the action, taking out Sentinels in the Blackbird. The centerpiece of the action, for me, is the showdown between Gambit, Wolverine and an underground tunnel of Sentinels. It really showcases how bad ass Wolverine is as for the first part he's taking out the Sentinels on his own. The shots of him going after the robots in the dark tunnel, the only light flashes from the Sentinels laser cannons is really cool and highlights that Wolverine really is the best at what he does.
The episode ends with a nice epilogue. Senator Kelly is saved and is so thankful for the X-Men's help he becomes a mutant supporter, pardoning Beast. Scott proposes to Jean, not knowing that one of the team's greatest enemies, Mr. Sinister, is watching them. Good times.
Grade: A
Next up, Jean and Scott tie the knot and everything goes super smoothly. Yeah, right.
What do you guys think? Solid first season? Do you like how the show interprets these classic comic arcs? Let me know in the comments.
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