The Phoenix is Here
X-Men 3.3 “The Phoenix Saga Part 1 – Sacrifice”
Honestly, there’s a part of me that’s done with the Phoenix Saga, but I’ve never watched this version, so I’m giving it a chance.
This episode starts setting the stakes by introducing the Shiar and Lilandra, and by putting some of the X-Men in space.
Storm stays behind (this version of her can’t control space weather, at least not yet, so she’s not much use on a space station). Jubilee, reluctantly, also stays behind.
But when the station loses containment, somebody has to fly the shuttle…everyone else can hide in the solar probe.
Jean Grey thinks she can survive it.
We know what happens next…
X-Men 3.4 “The Phoenix Saga Part 2 – The Dark Shroud”
Lilandra and Xavier…such cute soulmates (I’m not a fan of soulmates, sorry).
Jean is in Phoenix mode and she causes Xavier to break his own conditioning, let out his dark side, and bully the X-Men. Ow.
But of course one’s dark side hates what one loves.
Fairly clear message there, but it felt like a bit of an interlude and almost as if, for once, they stretched the story to fit the number of episodes the network wanted, rather than the reverse.
Superman & Lois 4.3 “Always My Hero”
This was a very hard episode for me to watch…at least the last half of it.
Jonathan gets his powers, suddenly, but I knew all along.
We get our four Superman replacements: Steel, Starlight, Superboy and…whatever Jonathan is calling himself. With a teaser of Martian Manhunter, but not.
It had to be four to homage the original comics storyline, of course. Oh, and I just went to Metropolis, where they actually have Superman’s memorial.
Metropolis, Illinois, which looks more like my image of Smallville.
And then there’s Sam…giving his life so his heart can be transplanted into Superman.
“There’s nobody I’d rather have as my dad.”
It’s closing in on the anniversary of my father’s death. Watching that part of the episode sprung tears. It wasn’t the best timing.
Dad, there’s nobody I’d rather have had as my dad. I won’t forget you.
X-Men 3.5 “The Phoenix Saga Part 3 – Cry of the Banshee”
Xavier is on Muir Island, and even he thinks he’s hallucinating Lilandra. Jean is in hospital until she stabilizes…which she won’t, because Phoenix.
We get to meet Banshee and Black Tom, who are immune to each other’s powers and very, well, Irish. Especially Sean. (Banshee’s name has always bothered me because…you can’t, by definition, have a male Banshee).
And a brief glimpse of Phoenix in action. The crystal everyone’s after is connected to what’s going on.
Let’s see what happens next…
X-Men 3.6 “The Phoenix Saga Part 4 – Starjammers”
Scott’s daddy is in space.
Scott doesn’t know. Daddy doesn’t know. Angst ensues.
The evil brother, unfortunately, has the crystal and the Phoenix isn’t quite powerful enough to stop him.
More angst and a cliffhanger ensue.
Jean’s regular uniform is bad. Her Phoenix uniform looks like somebody ripped off the limbs and is, of course, unnecessarily revealing. The Phoenix effect is well drawn, though.
And yup, we’re gonna destroy the galaxy.
Of course not, but…cliffhanger!
X-Men 3.7 “The Phoenix Saga Part 5 – Child of Light”
The “guardian of the crystal” thing makes the Phoenix a much nicer entity than some versions. Unfortunately, I do see the phrase “Dark Phoenix” in future episode titles.
For now, though, the Phoenix…and Jean…are gone, and the X-Men have to manage without her. Or do they?
Scott isn’t inclined to give up.
Wolverine is very not inclined to give up.
(I hate love triangles. Especially this one. But…)
The entire crystal-sucking in the galaxy thing is a little much, but this is a comic book.
X-Men 3.8 “No Mutant Is An Island”
A grieving Scott storms out and tries to set a flamethrower to the bridge…fortunately everyone knows he doesn’t mean it.
He goes back to the orphanage where he was raised, where a wealthy man named Kilgrave is adopting all the mutant kids.
Of course he plans on brainwashing them and making his very own superteam from them. Because of course he does.
Poor kids.
This is basically just an episode to show that Scott is really that upset. At the end, Cerebro finds evidence Jean may have survived…
X-Men 3.9 “Obsession”
Warren is completely screwed up thanks to Apocalypse. Not illogically, he wants revenge.
Illogically, he’s not remotely thinking straight…and he’s recruited Rogue to his crusade.
With the help of Apocalypse’s ship, reprogrammed by Beast, they do manage to lock the guy up for a while.
Which pisses Warren off, because that’s not good enough. He storms off, yelling at Rogue.
But maybe that’s the best they can do. This is Apocalypse we’re talking about.
X-Men 3.10 “Longshot”
Poor Jubilee. She’s got a crush on Longshot. He can’t stick around.
Mojo returns to try and get a rematch with the X-Men, or rather, to get them onto one of his shows again. Of course, this doesn’t end well for him.
He calls Earth “Terrorworld” which is a pretty brilliant pun.
So is Barney showing up! I mean, not by name, but there’s a giant purple dinosaur and “kids will love him.” The X-Men, less amused.
Mojo is always fun if what you want is total chaos!
X-Men 3.11 “Cold Comfort”
I was wondering where Bobby was. Turns out he stormed out and tried to make a normal life with Lorna…and when she secretly joins X-Factor without him.
Poor Bobby got dumped so hard that it’s a wonder bits of him didn’t crack off.
He’s refusing to come back to the X-Men, but I doubt we’ve seen the last of him.
Also, X-Factor is going to be a problem, even if they don’t think they’re going to be a problem. They always are.
X-Men 3.12 “Savage Land, Savage Heart Part 1”
Sauron turns out to have a human side. It’s a Jekyll & Hyde situation, but both need to drain life force to live. And when he drains a mutant, he turns into Sauron.
Poor guy.
Storm, with her powers unleashed, offers him the possibility of unlimited mutant energy, never having to change back. He kidnaps her so he can get her to give up emotional control.
(By the way, what happened to Storm’s horse? Ahem).
First appearance of the legendary Fastball Special. Gotta love a good Fastball Special.
X-Men 3.13 “Savage Land, Savage Heart Part 2”
Storm has completely lost it, now, and is torn between embracing her full power and regaining control. Poor Storm.
Garok plans on merging with the volcanoes that heat the Savage Land, becoming a god…and freezing everything into ice.
Of course, he can’t be allowed to succeed, and the X-Men leave, with Sauron’s good half staying in a now mutant-free Savage Land.
No mutants, no Sauron.
But have we really seen the last of him?
And what about Storm?
X-Men 3.14 “The Dark Phoenix, Part 1 Dazzled”
Oh dear.
Poor Jean is still possessed by the Phoenix, who has lost control and just wants to stay alive. The Hellfire Club sees an opportunity to gain control. (They’ve already tried abducting Dazzler).
Sebastian Shaw isn’t a character I much care for, and honestly, his seduction of Jean/Phoenix is just plain creepy. This is a kids’ cartoon and while it’s the bad guy doing it, there’s some real consent issues here.
Emma, though, is deliciously creepy in all the right ways.
And Scott is really struggling with all of this…