| This article is written from the Real World perspective |  |
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| Series | X-Men | ||||||||
| Release Date | November 27, 1992 | ||||||||
| Episode Number | 3 (Season) 3 (Overall) | ||||||||
| Writer | Jim Carlson Terrence McDonnell | ||||||||
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Beast must deal the punishment for attacking the Mutant Control Agency while also facing the prejudice against mutants. Meanwhile, the X-Men run into two old enemies with personal ties to the team. They must deal with their own personal hatreds before one enemy starts a war to wipe out humanity.
Story[]
The moon shines brightly in the night sky as military helicopters fly by. Three of them fly towards a prison, their shadows passing over the barred windows.
Inside one of the cells, a copy of Animal Farm by George Orwell lies on the ground. Beast picks it up and begins reading it. Shackles are wrapped around his feet.
Two guards walk up to his cell's bars. One jokes that the mutant is trying to read. Beast ignores them and licks his finger to turn the page. The other sees the title and claims he is just looking at the pictures.
The mustached guard asks if Beast, calling him a hairball, sees any of his relatives. Beast continues ignoring them as they burst out in laughter.
Just then the whole building shakes and one guard asks what is going on.
Outside, the lights explode outwards one by one.
The guard tells Beast not to try anything. He continues ignoring them to read while flashes of light go off outside his window.
Everywhere guards are yelling. The two run see two more guards running by them. The mustached guard tells the other to stay and not lose sight of the mutant. The guard calls out as the other leaves then wonders why he was left behind.
The three other guards run down the hall to the outside as more lights explode. They are joined by another guard and begin firing their rifles wildly into the air.
Just then, a blast hits the fence. As the debris clears, the electric wires are severed. Two more blasts knock out the other fences.
Inside the prison, the remaining guard points his pistol at Beast ordering him to make them stop. He tells him to call off his "freak" friends then cocks the gun. He then threatens Beast if he doesn't.
Beast shakes his head, puts a bookmark on his page, and closes the book. He then thinks it is Wolverine being impulsive.
Just then, the wall crumbles outward as the window bars are ripped free of the building. Beast walks over to the hole.
Suddenly, the guard's gun is pulled away from him followed by his belt and badge causing his pants to fall down exposing his underwear. He pulls them up calling out to the sergeant to wait up then walks off.
After he's gone, the cell door twists and pulls out of the wall. Beast shields himself as it flies over his head destroying the wall. Beast coughs through the cloud of dust.
When it clears, he is shocked to see a man wearing red and purple armor floating before him. He stands saying they have not yet met.
The man holds his arm up and a beam shoots down releasing Beast from the shackles. Beast backs away realizing this is Magneto. Magneto urges him to come as they must hurry then turns to leave.
Beast explains that his concern is appreciated, but regrets that he must decline. Magneto turns to ask what he is waiting for. Beast answers that he wants his day in court. He begins to explain that he and Professor Xavier feel he should.
Magneto interrupts asking if Charles Xavier asked him to break into the Mutant Control Agency. Beast assures him it was reluctant.
Magneto then asks if Xavier would let him rot in prison. Beast responds that his trial would serve a purpose, to prove his innocence and righteousness helping their cause. Magneto wonders what chance a mutant has of facing a fair trial by normal humans.
Down below, guards run to the wall and begin firing into the hole. One orders the others to cover the hole with fire to prevent them from escaping.
Beast shields himself while Magneto turns. The intruder then forms a protective bubble around the two of them. He asks if they are the people Beast trusts with their laws, nothing they do not share his sense of brotherhood.
The guards continue firing but their attacks do nothing against the shield.
Beast explains that the humans only fight because they fear them since they do not yet understand. Magneto claims they do, that their powers make them superior, and that is why they fear mutants.
Beast retorts that this is why he must stand trial.
Outside, the guards continue firing. A tank rolls up while more guards move in to fire.
Beast sits down on the bed putting on his shackles. He claims that humans must see that mutants are not a threat to mankind but a part of it.
Down below, the guards clamor amongst themselves. A second tank rolls up. The first fires at the hole, but its blast does nothing.
Magneto looks at the attacking force claiming that they must be crushed while he has the power to do it. He shrinks the shield to just around him then floats out.
The guards continue firing as he hovers over them. The guards stare off and continue their barrage. Magneto reaches down and sends out a blast. The guards' guns fly out of their hands.
Magneto sends out another blast towards the second tank, which still fires up at him. Magneto concentrates and suddenly the tank implodes in on itself. The two guards leap out of the vehicle. Magneto watches it turn into a tiny hunk of scrap.
The first tank continues firing, but the blast merely bounces off Magneto's shield. He hovers down and sends out another blast. All the screws fly out of the tank and the armor floats off.
The cannon still fires until Magneto twists it around into its component pieces. The tank falls apart leaving only the lone driver sitting in his chair.
He looks around confused then drops, his helmet flying off, and screaming.
Two helicopters fly in and shoot at Magneto. He fires at one causing it to explode while the pilots leap out with parachutes. The helicopter crashes into the prison.
Later, Jubilee sits on the floor of the War Room complimenting the graphics and eating an ice cream cone. Professor X tells her it is a tape of that night's news about the detention center attack. She asks who the guy is.
Xavier explains that Magneto was once his friend. Jubilee wonders at the past tense. Xavier says that he met him after a war.
He flashes back to a time he worked in a psychiatric hospital. People walked around the grounds outside.
Inside, a woman thrashed in her bed, sweat dripping down her face. Xavier says he worked there secretly using his powers to heal the survivors. The past Xavier put his hand on the woman's head, which began glowing, and she calmed down.
She slowly opened her eyes. Xavier sat next to her rubbing her head.
Xavier goes on to say that a dedicated young aid named Magnus helped him and together they helped patients rediscover the joys of life. He remembers walking with Magnus along the grounds past the trees.
They saw the same woman kneeling and feeding birds that flew to her hands. They stood behind her as she stood when the birds landed. Xavier explains that the two men became friends. He then warns that for some war is never over.
Later, armed men stormed into the hospital carrying rifles and wearing masks. One militant put his hand over the woman's face and dragged her out of bed. Another aimed his weapon at the doctor and nurse. Xavier explained that remnants of the army that had devastated the small country returned attempting to retake it.
Later, the three men stood around a campfire near a cave with the woman bound and gaged against a fallen log. Xavier says they saved what patients they could, revealing their powers for the first time to themselves or anyone else.
The militants' guns were pulled away from them as Magnus brought them to him. Xavier then blasted the soldiers with his mental powers.
Magnus ran to the woman and helped her up. Magnus then blasted the men with his powers. Xavier explains that his family was lost in the war to those men. He was consumed by rage so he tried to destroy them.
He blasted them with so much force the rock wall began crumbling. Past Xavier stood and tackled his friend to the ground. Present Xavier says he stopped him but had never seen such a change in anyone.
The two friends got up and saw the militants running away. Xavier explains he tried to help Magnus deal with his pain. Magnus stood scowling ready to use his powers again.
Xavier claimed that violence will solve nothing and that they must use their powers to help mankind. Magnus turned to him calling him a fool. He pointed out that they could not even make peace with themselves.
Magnus walked away. Xavier hopes that Heaven will help them if he was right. As he walks, he changes into his modern day red and purple armor. Xavier explains that since he had the power of magnetism he began calling himself Magneto.
Xavier explains that he and his growing followers attack power plants factories, and government buildings all to disrupt human society. His plan was to pave the way for mutants to take over the world.
He remembers instances where Magneto blasted back a tank, lifted a building, and fended off two tank blasts while buildings burned behind him.
Suddenly, Magneto was gripped in pain. Xavier, near one burning ruins of a building, stood there focusing his psychic powers upon him. Jubilee notes that he stopped Magneto. Magneto was blasted back and Xavier stopped his attack.
Back in the present, Xavier says that he did what he could but it would seem that after all these years Magneto is back to begin again. Jubilee stands saying that now the X-Men are here. She kisses him on the cheek saying he cannot fight all of them and walks out.
Xavier stares into the distance alone.
Later, a group of protesters gather outside a courthouse, yelling and screaming. One woman screams to get out of here and that they do not want someone there. They carry signs telling the mutant to go back to where he came from.
Police officers put them back.
Inside, the judge hits his gavel to bring the court to order. He sits down as the clamoring comes to a stop saying that is better.
The audience sits down still grumbling. Scott Summers and Logan sit towards the back. Logan whispers that it doesn't seem like Beast's day.
The prosecutor stands arguing that because of the severity of the crimes and the danger the defendant poses to the community that the people move to deny bail.
Beast watches his defense lawyer stand and argue that his crime was a simple felony and that bail is being denied because he is a mutant.
The judge interrupts Mr. Hodge saying that his court has no prejudice and will not tolerate any insinuation to the contrary.
Beast then speaks up and the judge allows Mr. McCoy to go on. Beast asks to address the court on the subject of mitigating circumstances. The judge allows as he does not want anything to think they are not being fair. Beast thanks him.
Beast begins a speech about mutants wanting only to live in peace with their human brethren. He quotes the Bard saying he is a mutant with mutant senses and affections and fed with the same food.
Scott and Logan watch with interest. The judge taps his fingers across the desk.
Beast continues to say that mutants are warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as humans. He asks if they are pricked do they not bleed.
The judge interrupts warning him not to tempt the people and asks him to get to the point. Beast agrees.
Beast explains that two days before the incident at the mutant registration office eleven mutants disappeared. The prosecutor interrupts asking what relevance this has to Mr. McCoy's crimes.
Beast explains that they were all recently registered with the Mutant Control Agency. The prosecutor says that he is attempting to justify his crime by attacking a program set up to help mutants.
Someone in the audience throws a tomato that smashes against Beast's back. He turns as another one is thrown.
The judge stands again hitting his gavel.
A man stands in the back demanding to know about the attack on the detention center last night by a mutant. He claims that his brother was one of those guards. The judge orders the bailiffs to remove the man.
Two bailiffs put handcuffs on him and lead him out. As he's pushed out the door he says that a lot of good men were hurt and asks if that is his idea of helping mankind. People cheer the man.
The judge slams his gavel down demanding them to be quiet. Once they calm down he sits. He explains that, due to the severity of the original crime and the previous night's escape attempt, he feels that the defendant is a danger to the community. Scott and Logan watch the proceedings.
Hodge stands trying to have his say. The judge interrupts saying that bail is denied and slams his gavel. The people cheer.
Beast sighs saying he will have time to catch up on his Dostoyevsky readings, holding up a copy of Crime and Punishment.
The crowd roars with approval as Scott and Logan sit there quietly. Logan then holds up his fists saying he will show them a danger to the community.
As Beast walks out, a man comes up behind him and pushes him down. The book he's holding flies out of his hands.
Logan pops out his claws and Scott orders him to stop. He holds up both claws telling him to get out of the way.
Just then, there is a crashing noise. They see a large man grabbing a chair to throw it. Logan calls the man Sabretooth. The chair smashes into a wall damaging it.
Scott asks if he knows that lunatic.
A door opens behind Sabretooth and three guards rush in. Sabretooth grabs another chair and smacks all three at once breaking the chair apart. He demands that they let Beast go.
Two guards pick Beast off the floor and carry him out.
Just then, Sabretooth is blasted by three guards who fire at his chest. He flies back through the door.
Scott runs forward saying that the guards are going to kill him. Logan is happy at that. This stops Scott who turns asking what he means. Logan simply crosses his arms and stands there glaring.
Scott turns then takes off his sunglasses. He fires at the three guards blasting them back. Logan just watches.
Meanwhile, back at the mansion Xavier uses a helmet and wonders where Magneto is knowing he is close. The monitors behind him flash.
Jubilee and Storm walk up and they address him. He ignores them and continues concentrating. Storm asks if he is alright, putting her hand on his shoulder.
Xavier is startled and tells them he is fine then takes off the helmet. Jubilee knows he has been looking for Magneto and has been there all night.
Storm asks who is Magneto.
Just then, an alarm begins to blare. Scott's voice comes over the PA telling them it's an emergency and to prepare the infirmary to receive a critically injured mutant.
Jubilee gasps.
Later, Sabretooth lies in a hospital bed hooked up to a monitoring device. Cyclops tells the others that everything happened so fast.
Xavier watches Sabretooth on a monitor from the war room. Cyclops continues to say that one moment the judge denied Beast's bail then the next the strange mutant went berserk.
Jubilee enters wondering if Sabretooth is going to be okay. Xavier turns to her saying he seems to have stabilized. Jubilee is glad then sits down.
She claims that something about him reminds her of Wolverine. Cyclops walks over and turns on another monitor showing Sabreooth. He tells them his name and explains that Wolverine knows and hates him.
Xavier asks if Wolverine gave a reason. Cyclops asks if he ever does. Jubilee sees Wolverine's shadow approaching the infirmary door. She tells them that he's there and to ask him. They see him walking up and the two men are shocked.
The door opens and Wolverine's shadow extends across the room. He stands in the shadows sniffing. He pops out the claws in one hand and slowly approaches Sabretooth.
He stands over him, his claws gleaming in the light. Sabretooth rolls his head to one side. Wolverine glares down at him. He raises his claws and they shine in the light.
He brings the claws down and severs the cables for the electrocardiograph. He pushes the monitor back and crouches down next to the injured mutant, who begins shaking and sweating.
He warns that if were it not for Xavier he would do something, but is interrupted by Cyclops ordering him to stand down. Wolverine looks to see Cyclops, Jubilee, and Xavier in the doorway. Cyclops tells him to back off slowly.
Wolverine says that one way or another he is making this "maggot" leave. Jubilee wonders if they should move him somewhere else.
Xavier moves forward telling him that personal vendettas have no place there. Cyclops explains that he knows they must help a mutant if they are in trouble. His visor flashes.
Wolverine claims that this isn't personal and that he's a threat as he moves behind the bed. Xavier points out he was near death. Wolverine claims it was not near enough.
Xavier calls out to him but he orders the others to get out of his way and pushes the bed forward. Xavier warns that if he takes Sabretooth from the infirmary he shouldn't bother coming back.
He tells the others that they don't know Sabretooth like he does. From the hall, Storm says that some felt the same way about him when he first came, then enters the door. She explain that Sabretooth's rage is much like his own.
Wolverine tells her to get out of his way.
Just then, an alarm blares and a computer voice tells them that in Sector 37 there is a missile base alert. Xavier looks up claiming it is Magneto. Cyclops wonders how he can be sure. He claims to know Magneto. He tells them to hurry as all else must wait.
Storm and Cyclops run out the door. Jubilee tells them to wait up and begins to follow. Xavier stops telling her she is not yet ready. He warns that Magneto is too dangerous. She begins to object.
Xavier interrupts saying that Sabretooth needs their help. Wolverine glares down at the injured mutant then shoves the bed against the wall.
He storms out of the infirmary. He stops next to Xavier and asks why they have to fight his enemy but save Sabretooth. He storms out and the door closes behind him.
At the military base, Magneto floats over to a building and stops. He is fired upon and looks over to see three tanks. He berates them for opposing him.
He uses his powers to have the tanks target each other and fire, claiming that their own weapons will destroy them. He says that mutants will no longer hide in fear.
The soldiers escape the flaming wreckages. Magneto hovers through them and the men watch. One orders the others to stop him as he's heading for the launch control.
Magneto hovers up and is fired upon one more. He sends out a blast that engulfs the tower that then bounces back engulfing the entire facility.
Inside launch control, the computers go haywire. Suddenly a three minute mark appears on the screens. A computer voice says that the launch sequence is acknowledged. The nearby technician named Ekson is confused by what's going on.
In the silo, the lights all come on illuminating the nuclear missile. The voice begins the countdown to launch at three minutes. The device powers on and the armed light begins glowing.
A lieutenant in the tower notes that the missiles armed themselves. He tells the computer to override and abort launch sequence. The other men in the room look up at his position.
Outside the base, the Blackbird has landed and Cyclops, Wolverine, and Storm run out. Storm then takes flight.
Inside the tower, the lieutenant asks Ekson how much longer. The timer ticks down to two minutes and forty-five seconds. Ekson, working under the console, says it should be another couple of seconds.
The console begins flashing and the lieutenant is shocked. He claims that the missiles are targeted towards them. He watches the targeting move onto their position.
Storm flies high above the devastation and smoking tanks.
Wolverine uses his claws to scale the outer wall. He reaches the top and leaps over. He lands and pulls his claws out again as he runs.
Cyclops blasts a hole in the wall and runs through it.
Meanwhile, the technician claims he has it as he pulls a circuit board out. The computer counts down to two minutes, thirty seconds. The lieutenant is shocked as Ekson claims that it did not work and that something is maintaining the circuits.
The lieutenant then tells everyone to move out. Everyone in the room stands to leave. He activates a button on the console.
Outside, the soldiers are firing on Magneto without any effect. The lieutenant's voice comes on and they stop attacking. He tells them this is a Code Red emergency and to abandon the base. He repeats the warning and the men drops their rifles to run.
Magneto watches and smiles.
Wolverine and Cyclops run up to each other as Storm lands. She tells them that she sees no one. Wolverine sniffs and claims that Magneto was there as he can still smell him.
Magneto calls out saying what a brave new world to have such people in it. Cyclops looks up and calls out to Magneto standing on the tower high above. Magneto continues on thanking them for joining the mutant liberation, claiming it is a new day for them all. He claims they will no longer need to hide.
He floats down saying that this will be a world where no mutant will need to hide or live in fear. The X-Men watch him float down before them. Wolverine does not know where he crawled out of but but points out that they do not find nuclear missiles to be liberating. Magneto scowls.
Cyclops orders him to come quietly or be taken. Wolverine hopes he wants to be taken, holding up his claws so they flash in the light.
Magneto shakes his head and floats up. Cyclops readies his visor and issues the last warning. He then fires up at Magneto.
The energy blast hits Magneto's shield but is redirected around it. Magneto drops the shield and claims that he had hoped Xavier would have realized his dream of peaceful coexistence with humans was hopeless. Storm grimaces at this.
She asks if a civil war is his answer. Magneto states it is better to die on their feet than live on their knees.
He reaches down and blasts them with his powers. The X-Men are gripped by the energies and begin floating up. Storm claims that she cannot move.
Magneto watches the helpless X-Men. He tells them to inform Xavier that he is stronger now having healed from their last encounter and having time to prepare. He claims that any who oppose him are traitors to mutants and he will show Xavier no mercy.
Magneto releases the three and they fall to the ground below. Storm grunts as she hits the ground hard. Magneto continues to say that if Xavier dreams of peace between humans and mutants it will soon become a nightmare.
Magneto floats off into the sky.
Inside the tower, the timer ticks down to thirty seconds.
In the silo, the missile continues blinking as it stands ready.
Outside, the X-Men begin getting up. Cyclops asks the other two if they are alright. Wolverine jokes he is like new. Storm claims nothing is broken.
Nearby, the silo hatch opens up. Cyclops points them out and Storm realizes they are starting to launch. Wolverine runs over them them saying they won't if he can help it. Storm and Cyclops follow and he blasts a hole in the side of the tower. Wolverine runs inside.
Inside, the timer begins counting down from ten seconds. Wolverine pulls out his claws and slashes all the consoles. The timer counts down from five seconds.
Wolverine continues slashing the computers wondering where the blasted switch is. Cyclops and Storm enter and are shocked. She calls out to her leader.
At the mansion, Xavier uses the helmet then opens his eyes and cries out.
At the base, another silo door opens.
Jubilee runs into the war room asking what it is. He takes off the helmet claiming that he was wrong, and should have stopped Magneto when he had the chance.
At the base, the cables holding the missile release and it rockets off into the air. The X-Men watch as all the base's missiles launch.
Cyclops readies his visor. Storm stops him warning that the optic blast would detonate the warheads. Cyclops claims that it would be better there than over a city. Wolverine asks if they have any other ideas.
The missiles launch high into the air.
Storm claims she does and knows what she must do. She then flies into the air, leaving a cloud of fog behind. Cyclops calls out to her not to do it.
Wolverine asks if she is doing what he thinks she is doing. Cyclops knows she is going to blow up the missiles herself. He activates his communicator and calls to Storm ordering her to answer.
Storm flies through the sky saying not now. Xavier then calls to her saying he knows her plan but claims there is no need for self-sacrifice. She claims he must.
He tells her to open her mind to absorb what Cerebro knows about the missiles' computers. She suddenly understands.
She flies up and alongside the missiles. The missiles turn back towards the base and she follows.
Cyclops and Wolverine watch from the ground seeing the missiles and Storm approach.
Storm's eyes glow and she summons a tornado on the ground.
Wolverine hopes she has this worked out.
As the missile approach, they enter the tornado and Storm struggles to redirect them. They fly out over the ocean.
With them over waters and away from land, Storm focuses on the warheads' control systems. She fires lightning that engulfs the missiles.
She becomes weak and faints. She claims that they are short-circuited and disarmed. The missiles splash into the water.
Cyclops pipes up on the radio telling her she did a good job. However, Storm struggles to stay wake and Cyclops calls out to her.
They see her dropping and Cyclops calls out to Wolverine. He runs forward saying he is one it. Wolverine leaps into the air and catches Storm.
He looks at the unconscious Storm who moves in his arms. Cyclops runs up asking about her. Wolverine tells him she is sleeping and exhausted.
Wolverine tells the team leader that their mission is accomplished. Cyclops smiles and tells them to go home.
Jets on the Blackbird open up and fire. It lifts off into the air and rockets forward. It flies up and away from the base.
Magneto watches them go. He compliments Xavier on training his X-Men well. He claims they defied him and delayed his war. He notes that Xavier and his mutants protect those who seek to destroy them. He wonders why he has turned against his own kind.
Quotes[]
"Well get a load of that. A mutant trying to read."
"Nah. Look at the title. "Animal Farm." He's just looking at the pictures. See any of your relatives in there, hairball?"
- -Prison Guards
"Ah, Wolverine. So impulsive."
- -Beast
"Magneto, I presume."
- -Beast
"Come, we must hurry."
"Your solicitude is appreciated, I assure you. I regret, however, that..."
"What are you waiting for?"
"My day in court, actually."
- -Beast and Magneto, first lines
"And he would leave you to rot in prison?"
"Not at all. My trial serves a purpose. It shall prove my innocence and the righteousness of our cause."
"What chance does a mutant have, tried by normal humans?"
- -Magneto and Beast
"Are these the people whose laws you trust? They don't seem to share your sense of brotherhood."
"They only fight because they fear us. Because they don't yet understand."
"They do understand. Our mutant powers make us superior. That is why they fear us."
"That is why I must stand trial. They must see that we are not a threat to mankind, but a part of it."
- -Magneto and Beast
"The humans must be crushed, and I have the power to do it."
- -Magneto
"Who's the guy?"
"He was once a friend."
""Was"?"
"We met after a war. I worked in a hospital secretly using my mental powers to heal the survivors. A dedicated young aide named Magnus assisted me. Together, we helped patients rediscover the joy of life. We became friends."
- -Jubilee and Professor X
"But for some, a war is never over."
- -Professor X
"Remnants of the army that had so brutally occupied his small country returned, attempting to retake it. We saved what patients we could, revealing for the first time to each other, to anyone, our long-hidden mutant powers. But Magnus wasn't through. He'd lost his family when those people overran his country. Consumed by rage, he tried to destroy them. I stopped him. But I'd never seen such a change in a man. I tried to help him deal with his pain."
- -Professor X
"Magnus, your violence will solve nothing. We must use our special gifts to bring peace to mankind."
"You're a fool, Charles. Look at them. They can't even make peace with each other."
- -Past Charles Xavier and Past Eric Magnus
"Heave help us if he was right."
- -Professor X
"Possessing the power of magnetism, he began calling himself Magneto. He and his growing legion of followers attacked power plants, factories, government buildings, determined to disrupt human society, paving the way for mutant takeover."
"But you stopped him."
"I did what I could. But now, after all these years, it seems he's begun again."
"But the X-Men are here now, Professor. He can't fight all of us."
- -Professor X and Jubilee
"It doesn't look like it's gonna be Beast's day."
- -Logan
"Your Honor, because of the severity of this defendant's crime and his demonstrated danger to the community, the People move to deny bail."
"Your Honor, my client is charged with a simple felony. You're denying him bail just because he's a mutant."
"Now, Mr. Hodge, you know this court harbors no prejudice. Any insinuation to the contrary will not be tolerated."
- -Prosecutor and Hodge
"May I address the court on the subject of mitigating circumstances?"
"Certainly, Mr. McCoy. I wouldn't want anyone to think we weren't being fair."
"Thank you, Your Honor. Your Honor, we mutants yearn only to live in peace with our human brothers. To paraphrase the Bard, 'I am a mutant. Hath not a mutant senses, affections, fed with the same food, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a human is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?'"
"Don't tempt these people, Mr. McCoy. Please get to the point."
"Certainly."
- -Beast, quoting from Shylock's lament in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, and Judge
"Two days before the...incident in the mutant registration office, eleven mutants disappeared, taken..."
"Your Honor, what possible relevance could this have to Mr. McCoy's criminal activities?"
"All were recent registrants with the Mutant Control Agency."
"Your Honor, the defendant is attempting to justify his crime by attacking a program set up to help mutants."
- -Beast and Prosecutor
"A lot of good men were hurt! Is that your idea of helping mankind?"
- -Interrupting Man
"Now, in view of the violence of both the original offense and last night's attempted escape, the court feels this defendant would pose a danger to the community if released."
"But, Your Honor..."
"Bail denied."
- -Judge and Hodge
"Looks like I'll have time to catch up on my Dostoevsky."
- -Beast
"I'll show him a danger to the community."
- -Logan
"Sabreooth."
"You know that lunatic?"
- -Logan and Scott Summers
"Let him go!"
- -Sabreooth, first line
"Come on, they're gonna kill him."
"Good."
- -Scott Summers and Logan
"Something about him reminds me of Wolverine."
"His name's Sabretooth. Wolverine knows him, and hates him."
"Did he give a reason?"
"Does he ever?"
- -Jubilee, Cyclops, and Professor X
"If it weren't for Xavier..."
"Wolverine! Back off. Slow and easy."
"I'm taking this maggot out of here, one way or the other."
- -Wolverine and Cyclops
"Wolverine, personal vendettas have you place here."
- -Professor X
"It's not personal. He's a threat."
"He was near death."
"Not near enough."
- -Wolverine and Professor X
"But you don't know him. He can't stay here."
"That is the way some of us felt about you when you first came. This man's rage seems much like your own."
- -Wolverine and Storm
"How come we're supposed to trash your old enemy, but we gotta go easy on mine?"
- -Wolverine
"You dare oppose me? Your most powerful weapons will destroy you. And mutants will hide in fear no more."
- -Magneto
"Mutant liberation begins."
- -Magneto
"Initiation of launch sequence acknowledged."
"Hey, what the..."
"Launch at T minus three minutes."
- -Computer and Technician
"Oh what a brave new world that has such people in it."
"Magneto!"
"I'm glad that you decided to join me in the liberation of mutantkind. Today begins a new day for all of us. A world were we needn't hide in corners or crawl in fear."
- -Magneto and Cyclops
"I don't know what kind of world you crawled outta, bub. But we don't find nuclear missiles all that liberating."
- -Wolverine
"I had hopes Xavier would have realized that his childish quest for peaceful coexistence with humans is hopeless."
"I suppose that a civil war is your answer?"
"Better that we die on our feet than live on our knees."
- -Magneto and Storm
"Tell Xavier I am stronger now. As I healed from our last encounter, I had time to prepare. Tell him those who oppose me are traitors to mutantkind. I will show him no mercy. If Charles Xaier dreams of peace between human and mutant, then his dream will soon become a nightmare."
- -Magneto
"I was wrong. I should have stopped him when I had the chance."
- -Professor X
"I sure hope she's got this worked out."
- -Wolverine
"Wolverine, is she..."
"Must be out company, Cyclops. She's asleep. She's exhausted. Mission accomplished, buddy."
"Okay. Let's go home."
- -Cyclops and Wolverine
"You've trained your X-Men well, Xavier. They defied me and delayed my war. You and your mutants protect the humans who seek to destroy us. Why? Why have you turned against your own kind?"
- -Magneto
Trivia[]
- Beast reads a book by George Orwell, who came up with an Orwellian society describing a situation, idea, or societal condition identified as being destructive to the welfare of a free and open society similar to the Days of Future Past alternate future.
- The guard is wearing briefs, more commonly known as tighty-whities.
- Beast's line "Magneto, I presume" is a reference to Sir Henry Morton Stanley's famous meeting with Dr. David Livingstone.
- In the flashback, Xavier beats Magneto who is wearing his helmet. Normally, the helmet blocks psychic attacks. However, it is likely Magneto's helmet during this time could not do that and the later helmet that does block telepathy is a different version or modified from this one.
- Protestor signs say "DOWN WITH ALL MUTANTS", "MUTANT GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM!", and "GO HOME!"
- The judge wears a bow tie.
- The seal behind the judge says "CRURT" on top and "EDTC LTPO" on bottom, a completely meaningless string of letters.
- It is more likely than not that the Hodge seen here as Hank's lawyer is not the same Cameron Hodge who is the Genosha ambassador seen in "Slave Island". Beyond the physical differences, Cameron Hodge would likely not help any mutant in court and it is highly unlikely that he would go from being a defense attorney to ambassador in such a short amount of time. It is likely a coincidence or possibly the two are related. Though they are both voiced by Stephen Ouimette.
- Beast references Dostoevsky, who wrote Crime and Punishment, appropriate reading indeed considering both his legal plight, and how long it'll take to read it.
- The missile base is based on the comic book location Cape Citadel, where the original X-Men first met and battled with Magneto.
- Missile silo doors don't fold back into four sections. This was probably done to make an X in the gap.
Goofs[]
- In reality, Animal Farm is a novella at about one-hundred twelve pages. Much too short for the size of the book shown.
- Beast turns the page from right to left, meaning that he is reading it backwards.
- There appears to be a butte behind Magneto outside the prison, something not found in Eastern United States.
- Righteousness maybe, but a trial could not prove Beast innocent since he is in fact guilty of breaking into a government facility and destroying property.
- When the judge first looks at Beast and Hodge, there is a man with an unusually long neck sitting right behind them.
- No felony is simple. They are, by definition, a serious crime.
- The bailiff would not take Beast through the crowd, instead going out a door up front.
- The bailiff who pushes Beast down would be immediately reprimanded.
- When Sabretooth throws the chair at the seal, the bottom letters disappear and the top ones appears. This is the only appearance of the top letters.
- A bright light casts a long shadow of Wolverine as he enters the infirmary. But when he's standing the doorway there's no light, and when the other X-Men confront him they cast no such shadow.
- The door to the infirmary seems to know when the scene is finished because it closes on its own after Wolverine leaves but did not close after Cyclops and Storm left.
- When Magneto first appears at the military base, he is about twice the height of a nearby door.
- When Magneto destroys the tanks at the base, the smoke appears to be coming from behind the tank debris rather than from it.
- The X-Men do not see anyone but the lieutenant does not order the evacuation until after they arrive.
- Storm doesn't fly after being dropped by Magneto nor uses her powers to help the others.
- It makes no sense for Wolverine to slash apart the computers when looking for a button.
- The three minute countdown takes about four minutes twenty seconds in real time.
- Cyclops' powers would not detonate the warheads. They only do that because of a chemical reaction. External damage doesn't blow up a nuclear bomb like it would a regular bomb.
- Nuclear missiles fly about seven kilometers per second. There's no way Storm is going faster than that to catch up.
- There are six silo hatches yet only three missiles launch.
- When the missiles are approaching the base all of the hatches are closed again.
- Storm shoots yellow lightning but blue lightning engulfs the missiles.
Continuity[]
- Begins the season long story arc of Beast standing trial after being arrested in "Night of the Sentinels, Part Two". He would not get out of jail until the season finale "The Final Decision" and pardoned in "Till Death Do Us Part, Part One" in season two.
- First full appearance of Magneto and Sabretooth, though they both had cameos in "Night of the Sentinels, Part One".
- Beast's lawyer is named Hodge, possibly related to Cameron Hodge the Genoshan government ambassador seen in "Slave Island". See above trivia.
- In "Deadly Reunions", it is revealed that Sabretooth was faking his injuries to get inside the mansion.
- In "Deadly Reunions", the name of the base is revealed to be Drake Missile Base. It is based on the comic book location Cape Citadel.
- Cerebro is named.
Cast[]
Main Actor Role(s) Cedric Smith Charles Xavier/Professor X Norm Spencer Scott Summers/Cyclops Cal Dodd Logan/Wolverine Iona Morris Ororo Munroe/Storm George Buza Hank McCoy/Beast Alyson Court Jubilation Lee/Jubilee Don Francks Graydon Creed, Sr./Sabretooth David Hemblen Eric Magnus/Magneto Stephen Ouimette Hodge
The actors for the judge and prosecutor are uncredited and unknown.
Background[]
This is the only writers credit on the series for both Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell.
This episode is loosely based on X-Men #1 released in September, 1963. In the comic, Magneto attacked the Cape Citadel missile base only to fight the original X-Men members Jean Grey, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman, and Angel.
While not directly stated, the war that Xavier mentions is most likely World War II with the army remnants being part of the Nazis. Magneto's family would have been lost in the Holocaust. It was most likely toned down for children, though WWII and Nazis would referenced later on.
The flashback of the history of Xavier and Magneto parallels the flashback story from Uncanny X-Men #161. In that story, Xavier reflects on his first meeting with Magneto as they worked with Holocaust survivors in Israel. There, Xavier would meet and fall in love with one survivor named Gabrielle Haller. The girl in the flashback sequence resembles Haller. In comic, Xavier and Magneto would work together to save Gabrielle from Baron Strucker and the terrorist organization HYDRA.
When this episode originally aired, it had Iona Morris still doing the voice of Storm. But all subsequent repeats have redubbed Storm's voice with Alison Sealy-Smith.
In most episodes, the "Previously on X-Men" for the recap is done by Norm Spencer, but this episode uses another unknown voice.
Reaction[]
James Harvey of Marvel Animation Age claimed that the majority of the series did not have high quality animation, particularly in the first season. While there were great action shots and good movements, there were also numerous animation mistakes. He noted that the episode was a good start to a two-parter but did not have the emotional impact of the following episode. "This is the fine kick off to a two-part episode (well, an "official" two-part episode since the majority of the first season was an ongoing serial), but lacks the emotional punch we see in part two. This is all set-up to the character of Magneto, and also explores some of Xavier’s past. Toss in some action and we have a fine introduction to the X-Men’s first real villain. We get some fun 'comic-book'-like dialogue and exposition, but overall this manages to flow pretty well. However, it gets better in Part two..."
Comic Book Resources ranked this episode as number four of their top fifteen episodes of the series. They felt it was the perfect introduction to Magneto where every single trademark of the character is on display. They thought it was refreshingly simple to focus on Magneto's quest to destroy humanity. They liked that while Magneto is a villain it also touched on his friendship with Professor X as their friendship is one of the most interesting aspects of the X-Men universe. [1]
The episode has an 8.7 on TV.com and 7.9 on the Internet Movie Database.