The episode opens with a young boy trapped on a ferris wheel that is about to collapse. The situation seems hopeless, as TV news crews are capturing it all on live TV. Suddenly, the collapse is stopped and the boy is saved by a mysterious figure in the distance. Everyone looks up to see that it’s none other than Magento who came to rescue him.
We are then shown different individuals such as Cyclops and Val Cooper watching the broadcast on TV suspiciously. Additionally, a FOH guy with an ugly mug, as seen in the previous episode is also watching it. Remember him for later.
Over in the underground sewers of the city, individuals from the FOH have captured several individuals from the Morlocks, including Callisto and Leech. After some nasty choice words from the FOH, Magneto once again surprises everyone and comes in to save the day, attacking them and freeing the Morlocks. Leech stares at Magento in shock, but you can’t quite tell if it’s because he is seeing the man, the myth and legend in front of him or if it’s because Magneto’s new flamboyant attire has him in this mystified state. I say the latter.
Back at the X-Mansion in the War Room the team discusses whether Magneto is to be trusted or not. Rogue thinks the team should give him a shot (oh we definitely find out why later). The team becomes silent as Magneto walks in like he owns the place, and well, that’s because he does. Magneto gives the first of many monologues on how he plans to honor Professor X’s dream of co-existence between mutants and humans. The X-Men seem a little hesitant to take his word on it, but decide to give him the benefit of the doubt. Cyclops makes a little threat of his own towards Magento which seems to be ineffective.
Later on Jean and Storm have a heart-to-heart discussion that Jean is scared that with Magento there, Cyclops will not want to leave. If that weren’t enough, she also confides that in a way she hopes the baby turns out to be purely a human. Strom being the nurturing person she is, becomes vulnerable with Jean letting her know that she used to daydream of being a human and what that would be like. However, she reminds herself of her gift and how she has used it to help others. But most importantly, that her gift led her to finding a family and to be able to have a sistah (looking at you Jean). I mean, you control the weather, why on Earth would you even think being human is remotely interesting? Come on Storm, you’re not fooling anyone and Jean’s not that dumb.
The soap opera continues back in Professor X’s office where Rogue and Magneto are having a talk. Magneto tells her how important Professor X was to him. Rogue listens to how Magento feels indebted to him. Trying to comfort Magneto, Rogue discusses how she sought forgiveness from the X-Men as she too was a villain once. However, she didn’t demand it but earned it. For a moment there, you are thinking, “Oh wow maybe these two will form a nice friendship.” Then all of a sudden Magento intimately touches Rogue’s hand, as it looks like they are almost about to get into it until she pulls away, saying “that was a long time ago.” Say what?! And when did this happen? As fast as this came out of nowhere, the scene ends as the blaring sounds of helicopters outside interrupts them. Romance can wait another day.
The team rushes outside to see Val Cooper and company coming to take Magneto in. Magneto ain’t playing and uses their helicopters against them as weapons. But Val isn’t scared one bit and tells him he is under arrest and needs to stand trial in front of the U.N. for his past terrorist acts and his current fashion crimes. You have to hand it to her, Val is pretty damn fearless to stand up to a guy like Magneto. He obliges when he is told it will be a fair trial, leaving everyone surprised but still somewhat nervous. They collar him up and take him in.
On TV Logan and Jean are watching the trial from the X-Mansion, while the rest of the team is at the trial to make sure Magneto is a good little boy. Remember ugly mug guy from the beginning? Well, he now dons an outfit with some lethal weaponry as calls himself the X-Cutioner. Magneto gives another moving speech to the U.N. stating how Xavier wanted a future of mutants and humans living in peace. The council starts to get a little sassy with him which Magneto shuts them down with, “Your sound bite indignation will not heal mutant wounds.” Nice one. The back and forth between Magneto and the U.N continues. All of a sudden these talks are interrupted as there is a disturbance outside the building. Apparently it’s protesters and FOH trying to break into the trial.
The X-Men go on the defense to attend to those crazy bigots, while Storm and Magneto stay in the chambers with everyone else. Back at the X-Mansion, Logan wants to join in on the fun, but always being the party pooper, Jean goes into labor. Wolverine drives through the streets like a madman, almost killing pedestrians as he tries to get her to the hospital.
Back at the U.N. the protestors breach security and start to get closer inside. The X-Men start to push them back, that is until the X-Cutioner pops in and gives them more than they bargained for. He’s got moves and takes down a few of the X-Men pretty easily. Especially Cyclops, who apparently he is about to kill. However, Morph pops in taking several different forms and starts to kick X-Cutioner’s ass. Jean telepages Cyclops to let him know she is going to give birth. Cyclops is over the whole scene, so over it, and asks Rogue to Mary Poppins him over to the hospital.
Back in the chambers, Storm starts to take the lead and be the boss bitch that she is. She commands Magneto to be freed if they all want to survive. They free him and now Storm and Magneto are prepared to kick some ass.
At the hospital Wolverine is angry because they are refusing treatment to Jean because she is a mutant. Rogue and Cyclops walk in just in time, where Rogue touches the doctor’s face in order to get all his medical knowledge. Let’s hope it leaves him in a long coma for being such a bastard.
Now we go back to the U.N. where the protestors and FOH have breached the chambers. Magneto and Storm team together to create an electrified perimeter so the mob doesn’t get any closer. The X-Cutioner trapped in that perimeter decides to take a shot from one of his specialized guns at Magneto. Storm catches it and flies in front of Magneto, sparing him from the injury. Storm screams in pain and collapses, for it only to reveal she cannot access her powers leaving her devastated. Magneto is super pissed. He decides to take both the X-Cutioner and the Council hostage as he levitates them out high above in the sky for a magic carpet ride.
Holding them up above Earth’s atmosphere, Magneto is tempted to kill them, giving another great speech, while simultaneously Jean gives birth as Rogue plays doctor. Magneto has so much internal conflict, but decides to go the peaceful route and not kill them. But before he lets them go he tells them, “Do not make me let you down.”
After the incident at the U.N., Val Cooper broadcasts that Magneto has been pardoned and that aid will also be sent to the mutant island nation of Genosha. Magneto and Cyclops watching this all on TV have a talk of their own. Now trusting Magneto, Cyclops discusses how he and Jean are planning on leaving to grow their new family. At the lab Beast reveals that Storm’s powers have been suppressed due to the weapon that X-Cutioner used on her and that sadly it may be permanent. Storm is completely devastated by the news, and rightfully so.
Later on Storm leaves a letter for Jean letting her know that she has left. It’s an emotional letter, telling her how she now lives in a different world from the rest and how difficult this has been for her. It’s a very personal letter that Jean decides to read out in front of the entire team, being the good loyal friend that she is. Magneto gives another speech which.Gambit has some choice words in response, mostly due to him catching Rogue and Magneto spending some private time together the night before. Morph is convinced Storm will be back in no time, and as Morph says that the front door rings which he runs to open. But who is on the other side of that door? No other than Jean Grey. The team looks out in shock, especially, Mad-uh…Jean, baby mama Jean that is, in shock of seeing someone who looks identically like her collapse in Morph’s arms.
OUR REVIEW
Our Rating: 4/5
A much stronger episode than the debut. Magneto definitely comes out as the star of this episode, and probably as the most interesting and complex out of everyone. You can feel the conflict within himself. It will be interesting to see how he continues to hold on to this facade or if he indeed has changed. There were a lot of great monologues, especially by Magneto, but at some points it just felt a little too heavy with so many speeches. A bit theatrical. But the drama spilled beyond that. The Rogue and Magneto tension comes out of nowhere and while enticing, just feels unnecessary at this point of the narrative. There are so many moving pieces to focus on, that that one in particular just feels very tacked on.
We also see how identity is a big theme in this episode. Magento learns to detach from his previous identity, Jean wanting her baby to be human and Storm now coming to grips with who she is without her powers.
The X-Cutioner is a deliciously hateable villain that is scary. Not only for his prowess but you can really see how much he despises mutants. He is terrifying and not easily forgotten. Hopefully we see him come back.
OUR TOP 3 VISUALS FROM THE EPISODE
- Storm in action in the UN
2. Magneto holding the UN and X-Cutioner hostage
3. Val Cooper and company arrive
IF YOU LIKE THIS EPISODE CHECK OUT
- The Final Decision (X-Men Animated Series)
- Sanctuary Part 1 & 2 (X-Men Animated Series)
- Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 274