Episode:Beauty & the Beast (X-Men)

This article is written from the Real World perspective

◄ "Beauty & the Beast (X-Men)" ►
Series	X-Men
Release Date	January 15, 1994
Episode Number	23
Writer	Stephanie Mathison

Beast's research saves a young woman's eyesight, but faces her anti-mutant father. Meanwhile, Logan works to infiltrate the Friends of Humanity.

Story

Hank McCoy is working in a eye hospital, helping other scientists in the development of a compound capable of curing blindness. Doctor Bolson shows Hank a blind patient named Carly Anne Crocker whom he promises will have an operation the next day that would restore her sight.

Before more could be said, smoke starts to infiltrate the room. Beast grabs Carly and Dr. Bolson and climbs out of the building only for them to be met with an angry mob lead by members of the Friends of Humanity. Hank is attacked by the Friends of Humanity and a fight issues until the police arrives.

Later in the Xavier Mansion, Jean Grey and Wolverine are watching a recap of the events in the news. Wolverine is angry about the fact the anti-mutant bigots attacked an hospital for blind people. Jean tells him to not attack the Friends of Humanity as it would only serve to further prove their view that mutants are dangerous. Wolverine nevertheless takes a paper-thin disguise to infiltrate the group.

Meanwhile in the Savage Land, Charles Xavier and Magneto are walking through the swamp when they fall upon a trap. A boat with two men and a large talking toad arrive to take them away but along the way the boat is ambushed by large snakes and Eric and Charles swim to the shoreline.

Back in New York City, Dr. Bolson tells Beast that the hospital's board is worried about further violence against the hospital for having a mutant in their staff. He shows Beast footage of Carly's father speaking with the director about his displeasure of having a "filthy mutant" touching his daughter. Beast goes to the mansion looking at his family photos book and then throws it at the floor in frustration as Jean enters bringing food. She asks him if he's alright and Beast merely walks towards the mirror, breaking in fury. He reveals that he is in love with Carly but that he can't be with her because of his social status.

With Jean's kind advice Beast goes back to the hospital in time for Carly to have the bandages removed and the two rejoice over the triumphant procedure. Their joy is broken when Carly's father enters the room. He angrily orders Beast to have no further contact with his daughter despite Dr. Bolson and Carly's protests. Dr. Bolson follows Beast whom gives a present he forgot to give her when the hospital shakes and when they go back to the room they it trashed, Carly missing and For Humanity written on the wall.

In the Friends of Humanity's headquarters, Wolverine is being interviewed by Graydon Creed and then says he meet a mutant named Creed twenty years ago. Graydon's starts to sweat and says that his family was in Canada at the time and Wolverine tells him that it was in Canada that he met said mutant. Later Graydon goes to interrogate Carly while Wolverine contacts the X-Men and tells them his location as well asks them to bring an hologram.

When Beast attacks the headquarters in anger, Wolverine takes the opportunity to enter the secret room and throws Graydon to the ground. After releasing Carly, the two of them meet with Beast who falls unconscious and then are surrounded by dozen members of Friends of Humanity. Before they can be killed, Cyclops destroys the wall while Jubilee activates the hologram, creating an sound-video hologram of Sabretooth that reveals him to be Grayson's father. Grayson is kicked out of the Friends of Humanity while he hysterically screams that he's not his father.

Later, Beast tells Carly that they can't be together as long as they live in a world that fears and hates mutants, but someday when things change there will be a chance. Carly's father arrives and thanks Beast for saving his daughter. Beast sees this new found friendship as just the beginning of things getting better and watches Carly and her father get into their car and drive away.

Quotes

"What are you looking at? I HATE HIM! I AM NOT LIKE HIM! I'm normal! Get out of here, all of you! I'm not like him! I'm normal! You're not my father! You're not my father! You're not my father!"

-Graydon Creed, Jr.

Continuity

• Sabretooth's real name and Graydon Creed's full name are revealed.
• Graydon Creed's reveal would be expanded on in the episode "Bloodlines" where it is revealed he was kicked out of the Friends of Humanity.

Background

The origin of the story came from an idea of what could make Beast self-conscious about his looks. The producers had developed Beast to be the most at ease about his mutation despite having the most drastic changes in his appearance. They felt that having him fall in love would do it. Julia Lewald suggested doing something like City Lights.

Carly Anne Crocker is named after Julia and Eric Lewald's friends' daughter, who was two years-old at the time.[1]

Sabretooth's real name was changed from Victor to Graydon in order to more easily tie him to the younger Creed.

Reaction

Comic Book Resources ranked this as the ninth top tear-jerking episode of the series. "Episode ten of season two isn't necessarily a Beast episode. It's a Hank McCoy episode. He isn't spewing poetic quotes or devising plots to peacefully defeat X-Men opponents. In this episode, Hank has triumphantly cured a woman, Carly, of her blindness. Love has sprouted between Hank and Carly throughout the duration of her treatment. This miracle of sight has triggered attention from the Friends of Humanity, a mutant-hunting organization. The F.O.H. kidnap Carly as a means to draw Hank out. Hank and the X-Men manage to rescue her. Sadly, Hank must come to terms that he can never be with Carly until peace dawns between humans and mutants. Hank's inner turmoil is explored while his emotions stream from love to fury, emotions he rarely conveys."

External Links

• Marvel Animated Age
• TV.com
• Internet Movie Database
• Marvel Database