X-Men
It's finally here. The moment I've been waiting on since I began these recaps. We are finally to "The Phoenix Saga," a five-parter that finally gives Jean Grey her animated due. The animated series offers a brief take on Jean Grey's initial transformation into the Phoenix. In the comics, Jean became the Phoenix in Uncanny X-Men #101. She remains Phoenix until she transforms into Dark Phoenix and sacrifices herself to save the X-Men in Uncanny X-Men #137. Er... 50 plus year spoiler alert. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. Let's take a look at the first two parts of "The Phoenix Saga."
"The Phoenix Saga" - Part 1: "Sacrifice"
Cyclops: "You heard the Professor. We've got a shuttle to catch."
Wolverine: "Oh, well. Makes about as much sense as some of the stuff we do."
Professor Xavier is having strange visions in his sleep. It seems an alien is reaching out to him from beyond the stars asking for help. Because of these visions, Xavier sends the X-Men to replace the crew of the shuttle Starcore, headed by Dr. Peter Corbeau. Once they get to the station, they find the crew has been mind controlled by an agent of the Shi'ar called Erik the Red. When the X-Men try to pilot the shuttle back to Earth, it's up to Jean Grey to save them all.
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| Erika the Red |
This is a great start to "The Phoenix Saga" and it really underlines why "X-Men: The Animated Series" is one of the best superhero cartoons, particularly when it comes to adaptations of the comics that inspired the show. So much of this first episode is pulled directly from X-Men comics. Peter Corbeau. Starcore. Jean piloting the shuttle and shielding it from solar radiation with her telekinetic powers. There are definitely tweaks made to fit in to the animated series continuity but its a great marriage of the two.
I love how the X-Men are just open to go hijack a space shuttle because Professor Xavier is having strange visions that he can't explain. But he's sure that something bad is going to happen. There is very few questions about this. And they are basically brushed to the side. It's so messy and chaotic and it's very on brand for the X-Men, which I very much enjoy.
There are a lot of fun moments leading up to the X-Men getting on the shuttle. Storm is left behind (which is bullshit) and Jubilee's one job with the mission is to get captured so they don't realize the rest of the X-Men are knocking out the actual crew and replacing them. I love how Cyclops gives her like a pat on the back, a thumbs up and a hope you don't get shot by these trigger happy security guards. It's great. And then Storm saves her by scooping her up in a tornado! Nonsense. But fabulous nonsense nevertheless.
OK, I've spent enough time not talking about Jean Grey. It's time to talk to about Jean Grey. So, listen, there are lot of jokes about all the time Jean faints in "X-Men." And listen, you're not wrong. She faints a lot. And it's bullshit and she better be a badass in "X-Men '97." But here she really is a badass. These X-Men would be fucked without Jean. She uses her psychic powers to make Corbeau see the X-Men as his actual crew. When Erik the Red's mind controlled agents knock them out, Jean partially shields their minds so they don't stay out as long as they should. She is the first up and uses her telekinetic powers to stop the team from being spaced. She destroys the controls to get it closed. When the shuttle is going to pass through the contrail of Lilandra's ship and expose everyone to life threatening radiation, Jean shields it with her telekinetic powers. She's also a boss when Cyclops tries to damsel her. I never tire of Jean knocking his ass out and sending him with the rest. I firmly believe that Wolverine is in awe her of here. And no one can tell me differently.
The episode ends with Jean being overtaken by a familiar firebird. Oh yeah. It's happening and it's only going to get better from here.
Grade: A-
"The Phoenix Saga" - Part 2: "The Dark Shroud"
Jean Grey: "I... AM... PHOENIX!!!"
Jean successfully pilots the shuttle, well stops it from crashing into buildings. Instead, they crash land into New York Harbor. Initially, the team isn't able to locate Jean, but it doesn't take long for Jean to shoot out of the water, wearing a shiny green bodysuit, with long golden gloves and boots and declaring herself Phoenix. This takes a lot out of her and she falls into the water. Jean remembers very little but feels her power up. She stays in the hospital for observation. After a brief argument with Cyclops, Xavier heads to the roof where his psychic friend hits him again and unleashes his dark side, that is hellbent on hurting his children.
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| Capes = Evil |
Remember not too long ago when I said that it was only going to get better here. Well, I lied. You should be used to it by now. It actually gets better after this. It's not that this episode is terrible. It's really not. But it is the very definition of filler. And the main action of the episode, when all is said and done, doesn't really matter in the end.
We need to talk about Dark Xavier right off the bat. It doesn't make a lot of sense how he's unleashed and they kind of gloss over it, but it's fine. We don't need to focus on that. Can we focus on how they signal this Xavier is evil? It's basically a scowl and cape. "X-Men" is taking a pretty firm stance on capes. If you wear a cape, you're evil. Your move, DC and all your cape wearing superheroes.
I love how the X-Men are less concerned about Xavier attacking them and more concerned with him walking. Which is understandable. I'm sure it would be very disconcerting to find Xavier walking around after all this time. Again, this is a lot of nothing. It's resolved right around the midway portion of the episode and it feels like its just an excuse to get Xavier to Muir Isle. And, they could have done that any number of ways. Hell, Xavier could have said, I need to go consult with Moira on this alien situation. The end.
When he gets to Muir Isle, he finds Moira there with her new boyfriend, Sean Cassidy. And Xavier is the literal worst here. He doesn't even try to feign happiness for Moira and Sean. And the thing is, he isn't even really in love with her. It just feels like he doesn't want her to have anyone. A real douche move. I got a good chuckle out of Sean and Moira having deep conversations and then passionate make outs while just feet a way someone is breaking through the wall of Xavier's room, interrupting his peeping.
We finally meet Lilandra, princess of the Shi'ar Empire. She give Xavier some story about how the Shi'ar believe two souls are connected from birth and Xavier is hers and blah, blah, blah. This is clearly a way to fast track the Xavier and Lilandra romance, and whatever, it's fine. The headline here is that Lilandra's crazy brother, D'Ken, the Shi'ar emperor is trying to get his hands on the M'Kraan Crystal which she stole to keep away from him. Before anything else can happen, the Juggernaut busts in to grab Lilandra.
I don't hate this episode by any means. But it's probably the weakest of the five since it's mainly wheel spinning until the last like five minutes.
Grade: B-
Next up, we are finishing up "The Phoenix Saga" with Parts 3-5.
So, let me know. Are you excited about getting to this epic run of episodes. I only want yes men here so negative nancies keep it moving.
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