| This article is written from the Real World perspective |  |
| |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||
| Series | X-Men | ||||||||
| Release Date | January 23, 1993 | ||||||||
| Episode Number | 4 | ||||||||
| Writer | Don Glutt | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Following his defeat, Magneto faces off with the X-Men once again. Meanwhile, Wolverine deals with his own friend turned mortal enemy.
Story
Sabretooth and Xavier as one
Charles Xavier is trying to help Sabretooth deal with his pain. Psychically linked, Xavier sees Sabretooth trapped in a cage being laughed at by normal humans. Xavier then "merges" with Sabretooth to fight off his demons. However, Sabretooth breaks it off and enters a part of his mind that Xavier cannot reach. Xavier believes that this part of his mind hurts Sabretooth badly.
Sabretooth, captured in the war room
Back in the physical world, Cyclops informs Xavier about their battle with Magneto and that because they refused to help him they were declared his enemies. Xavier informs them that he has been working with Sabretooth to alleviate his rages, much as he did for Wolverine. But Wolverine isn't happy. Sabretooth reveals that the two of them used to work together, even be pals. They split apart because Sabretooth killed some friends of Wolverine for no reason. Wolverine then leaves refusing to be in the same place as Sabretooth.
Xavier lets him go because they need to focus on Magneto. Xavier knows that because his missile attack failed he will come back. Elsewhere, Magneto ponders where to attack next. He decides on Metro Chemical. When he arrives he causes the vats to spill and explode. Cerebro monitors all the emergency communication and alters Xavier. Xavier knows that Magneto specifically chose that spot because of all the workers that could be harmed, a direct challenge. Jubilee stays at the mansion to monitor Sabretooth while the rest of the team goes to the chemical plant.
Meanwhile, Magneto eagerly awaits the arrival of the X-Men. The X-Men try but again none are able to stop him. Magneto grows angry as he only wanted to face Xavier. Cyclops is knocked out by some gas, Rogue is pushed into some chemical drums, and Storm is buried under a wall igniting her claustrophobia. Finally, Xavier enters to stop Magneto.
Rogue endangers Cyclops by saving his life
Rogue gets up and digs out the unconscious Storm. She then spies the unconscious Cyclops who is not breathing. She has no choice but to perform CPR on him. After he starts breathing his optic blasts come out of her eyes, knocking her back and destroying part of the building. Cyclops wakes up long enough to tell her to shut her eyes to make them stop.
Magneto then gives one last chance for Xavier to join him. But Xavier questions his methods and refuses. Magneto grows angry and knocks Xavier out of his chair. Just as Magneto moves in for the kill Xavier enters his mind and forces him to relive traumatic memories of himself as a child during the war. Unable to deal with the memories Magneto flees.
Rogue blindly flies around the burning plant and finds Xavier. He mentally becomes her eyes to guide her out of there while she carries Storm and Cyclops. They escape just as the plant explodes and finally burns down.
Afterwards, Senator Robert Kelly holds a press conference to discuss the recent events of the Mutant Registration Act, Drake Missile Base, and chemical plant. There he announces his candidacy for President of the United States of America. He then states that he wants to put all mutants in internment camps.
At the Xavier Mansion Jubilee watches the conference on the television. The Senator's comments anger Sabretooth who in turn damages his own wrist. Jubilee then foolishly loosens the grip so he can move it around to make it feel better. When she goes to leave he grabs her, it was a trick. He had been lying to Xavier during the whole time of his treatments. Magneto had ordered him to find that place and take it over knowing Xavier would take him in.
Two friends at it again
Wolverine then appears, he had never left. Sabretooth throws Jubilee across the room and into a wall knocking her out. He and Wolverine decide to battle one on one. The two duke it out destroying some pieces of equipment in the process. The rest of the X-Men return home and hear banging in the War Room. Wolverine knocks Sabretooth down when the X-Men enter the room. Xavier scolds Wolverine for letting go of his temper but Jubilee defends him saying that Sabretooth tricked them all and was going to destroy the mansion. Sabretooth jumps up and slashes at Wolverine and about to finish him off when Jubilee knocks him through a wall and outside. Sabretooth runs off into the night.
After stabilizing Wolverine's condition, Xavier apologizes saying that he let his ideals blind him to the truth. He only tricked Magneto this time. He tells them that they cannot afford to lose again. Over the city, Magneto promises to raise an army of thousands to overthrow humanity and destroy Xavier.
Quotes
"Such hurt. Such rage. No wonder Magneto believes there is no hope of peace. But we must never give up trying."
- -Xavier
"He believes that we are the next stage in human evolution. Beyond homo sapiens to homo superior."
- -Xavier
"Fighting for human-mutant peace has just become more dangerous."
- -Storm
"What's wrong Wolverine? No kiss and make up?"
- -Sabretooth
"After conquering your own rages Wolverine, you more than anyone knows what Sabretooth is going through."
- -Xavier
"Now we must face the master of magnetism."
- -Xavier
"I wonder how you'll look, Charles, after so long. Perhaps a toupee."
- -Magneto
"Have you forgotten that electricity and magnetism are related?"
- -Magneto to Storm
"Don't worry, I won't tell Jean"
- -Rogue after resuscitating Cyclops
"The years have been kind to you Charles. Too bad they haven't brought you wisdom."
"You're wisdom? You find wisdom in this destruction?"
- -Magneto and Xavier
"When I was a child my people talked while others prepared for war! They used reason while others used tanks! And they were destroyed for their troubles! I won't stand by and let it happen again!"
- -Magneto
"You were the best of us."
- -Magneto
"I intend, this very evening, to declare my candidacy for President of the United States."
"Yeah, and I will be the Queen of England."
- -Senator Robert Kelly on television and Jubilee
"I heal real fast!"
- -Sabretooth
"Wolverine should never have let me live!"
- -Sabretooth
"You used to backstab people for fun. What turned you into a rat for hire?"
- -Wolverine
"Alright you egg-sucking piece of gutter-trash! You always like pushing around people smaller than you! WELL I'M SMALLER! TRY PUSHING ME!"
- -Wolverine
"We'll have to do it again sometime."
"Yeah, well, um…"
- -Rogue and Cyclops
"You always were second best!"
- -Wolverine
Trivia
- Some the people seen in Sabretooth's mind are cameos of Deadpool, Maverick, a Talos robot, a woman (possibly Mystique in her "Leni Zauber" persona), and Omega Red. All making their first appearance.
- Homo superior, the scientific name for mutant, is stated for the first time. Indicating that at least some believe mutants to be a separate species.
- The Blackbird's seaside hanger door is seen for the first time.
- First mention of Storm's claustrophobia.
- The comics would eventually explain that Cyclops could not control his powers because of trauma. Here, Rogue is unable to control the powers even though she has not had any such trauma. However, that explanation came after this series so Cyclop's uncontrolled powers have a different reason.
- Apparently, Xavier can either control his chair psychically or was able to move a button with his mind to make it come to him.
- Magneto is partially correct. In his flashback he was apparently taken by Nazi men to probably a German internment camp, which he promises to never let happen again. Kelly, in his address, states he wants to send mutants to internment camps.
- First indication that Sabretooth can heal and has an acute sense of smell like Wolverine.
- It is shown that the X-Men's War Room is on the ground floor of the mansion.
Continuity
Although Wolverine indicates more than one person, he believes that Sabretooth killed Silver Fox. The episode "Weapon X, Lies and Videotape" would reveal that Fox had not been killed but that memory was implanted. Which leaves open questions of whether Sabretooth killed any of Wolverine's friends or if they were even friends at all.
Senator Kelly announces his intentions to run for President of the United Sates. By the end of the season he would become President and the next season he would take office.
Reaction
"Stu" of Marvel Animation Age felt the episode had one great moment after another. Xavier vs Magneto. Wolverine vs Sabretooth. Rogue absorbing Cyclop's powers. Magneto is a credible threat but his motivation makes him sympathetic. Jubilee may have hindered the series but was nice to see that "her stupidity is rewarded here."
On TV.com the episode has a rating of 9.0 Superb.
External Links
- Episode at Marvel
- Marvel Animated Age
- TV.com