"Hated and Feared" Re-Watch: "Out of the Past" Parts 1 & 2

 X-Men

It's time to start season 3 and the prelude to "The Phoenix Saga," my favorite episodes of "X-Men: The Animated Series." When "Out of the Past" Part 1 premiered it premiered on Fox in the summer in primetime. I remember watching it at my grandparents house. It aired right after the episode of "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" that introduced Lord Zedd. It was great, but it made the wait for the rest of season three's episodes in the fall interminable.

"Out of the Past" Part 1

Jubilee: [BEEPING] "Hey. Message coming in. Nobody's picking up. Looks like we're it. Hello."

[Leech appears on screen.]

Wolverine: "Man, we gotta talk to Storm about who she gives our number to."

Jubilee: "Shh! Wolverine!"

Lady Deathstrike and the Reavers chase Leech through the Morlock tunnels. He's stolen a piece of Reaver tech Callisto believes will open an alien spacecraft they found in the tunnels. After dispatching the Morlocks, Deathstrike attempts to open the craft and is attacked by energy. After deducing that a mutant with adamantium claws might be able to penetrate the craft, she lures her old paramour, Wolverine to the tunnels for his help and revenge.

Did you know Wolverine was in the Weapon X program?

We get just what we were all looking for this episode: Lots of Wolverine backstory. And the Morlocks. People were looking for more of the Morlocks right? But seriously... can we talk about poor Leech. He gets all the shit work and the gets shit on after doing it. I think it might be time for him to move on. 

This episode is kind of all over the place. It's the definition of doing too much. I kind of get it. They have this primetime slot and they want to make the most of it. These two episodes are going to be a prelude to arguably their biggest episodes yet. I completely get the want to just pack the episodes with as much content as they possibly can. I just think had they decided to maybe focus on a couple of those things it would have streamlined things a little bit better and made the episodes more enjoyable as whole.

The focus of the episode should be on Wolverine and Lady Deathstrike. The episode makes it feel like it's a huge deal that this past love of Logan's has come seeking revenge. She's modified her body. Given her self her own adamantium claws. Joined up with this band of cyborg mercenaries. But her motivations are super muddy for the first part of the episode. Is she really upset because Wolverine said he was coming back but never did? Did Wolverine really fall into a pit covered up by reeds? No, it seems like why Yuriko really wants revenger is because her father was the man who created the adamantium bonding process and Wolverine "took care of him." Did Wolverine really not know that Yurkio's last name was Oyama? How fuzzy is Wolverine's memory post Weapon X in the animated series? Plus, is Deathstrike and the Reavers going after the the Morlocks a PG version of the Morlock Massacre? So many questions...

And not a ton of answers. But it's not all bad. The animation in this episode is markedly improved from seasons one and two. The action is top notch, per usual. I'm pretty sure the scenes of Wolverine and Gambit playing basketball shirtless in sweat shorts made me queer. The mystery behind the alien spacecraft is solid, as is the wave of psionic energy that emanates from it and gives Xavier a headache. And scrambles all electronic communication into some weird alien language.

This episode has a lot going for it if it wasn't so scattered. Let's see how part 2 wraps this up.

Grade: B

"Out of the Past" Part 2

Gambit: "Nothing you can do for them now, petite. You run. I be right behind."

[The Spirit Drinker roars.]

Gambit: "You don't want my friends, bete. Play with Gambit instead."

The alien that emerged from the ship attacks, rendering anyone it touches catatonic, including the Reavers, Gambit and Jubilee. Wolverine and Lady Deathstrike strike an uneasy truce and attempt to stop the creature. Xavier calls on Cyclops, Jean and Beast to intervene. He learns that the creature is called the Spirit Drinker and this spaceship was its prison. Can the X-Men stop the alien before it lays waste to NYC?

Reunited and it feels just OK.

At the end of the first episode, we finally got a glimpse of what was hiding in that spaceship. The green energy alien may not seem particularly terrifying but Jubilee's chilling screams definitely helps convey the idea that looks in this case are definitely deceiving. The Reavers are big dumb thinking that they can take care of this thing all by themselves. They quickly learn how wrong they are. It's not a great scene for anyone but it makes for a thrilling opening to the episode.

Xavier takes a break from orgasming in Cerebro to finally call the other X-Men to help. What follows is two kind of unhinged scenes of Beast, Jean and Cyclops on a night out. Beast is at some sort of art museum and he just seems to be accosting some poor woman with his art knowledge. She definitely doesn't look like she's enjoying his lecture or the constant physical contact. It is called consent Hank. It existed in the '90's too. Jean and Scott are at a seemingly fancy restaurant but for some reason Scott is dressed like he is a cab driver. They tell the maitre'd that they are taking their food to go again and he looks super angry for some reason. I am now fully invested in a spin-off series about this particular maitre'd flying into a Gordon Ramsay-like rage every time Jean and Scott have to abandon date night and take their food to go. Make it happen Disney+!!

The rest of the episode is basically what you'd get in part two of an "X-Men" episode. Lots of perfunctory action sequences, but this time with more lukewarm relationship drama between Deathstrike and Wolverine. Again, because I don't feel like the show did enough to establish this relationship, Wolverine being all heartbroken and reckless after the Spirit Drinker takes. Yuriko rings really false. I get it for Jubilee, even Gambit. But Deathstrike? Meh.

The episode ends with the team taking down the Spirit Drinker basically using Wolverine because of the mutant and adamantium combo. Shocker. Deathstrike vows to return for her revenge and hopefully more plot and character development. The episode ends with a vision of what's to come. Namely, a firebird and the promise that the Phoenix Saga is coming.

Grade: B-

Next up, what we all came here for. Well what I came here for, parts 1 and 2 of "The Phoenix Saga." Is anyone else super disappointed with these on re-watch? Does anyone else remember watching them in primetime like I did? Let me know in the comments.