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Night of the Sentinels Part One
Series X-Men
Release Date October 31, 1992
Season Number 1 of 13
Episode Number 1 of 76
Story Arc Night of the Sentinels
Story Arc Number 1 of 2
Writer Mark Edward Edens
81 images

A young girl finds her world turned upside down when an enormous robot begins hunting her due to her developing mutant powers. On the run from those who hate her, she heads straight into the world of the uncanny X-Men. They learn that a mutant outreach program has a sinister secret and launch an all-out attack to stop it. (Series Premiere)

Story[]

A large man growls as he lifts two men above his head. A reporter explains that there was violence in the downtown area, believed to have been started by a mutant. The attacker throws the men in different directions. One man flies into another, who is swinging a chain and standing next to a smashed car and broken fire hydrant gushing water into the street.

Not the best example of mutantkind

The reporter claims that this is fueling anti-mutant hysteria that is spreading across the nation. The man storms by a flaming car then grabs onto a stopping police car. Three more surround the mutant.

The mutant lifts the car and the two officers inside escape. Four more cars surround the mutant as he lifts it above his head and flings it into the air. The reporter goes on to say a witness claims there was just one attacker that was big and hairy.

Elsewhere, a man turns off the television ending the report as the car explodes for the camera. He tells his wife, Martha, that "she" is one of them and needs help.

Couple's disagreement

Martha wonders how he could have registered her with the Mutant Control Agency like she is some sort of criminal getting in his face. The man explains that the agency is not a prison but an outreach program to help "unfortunate" people.

He embraces his wife explaining that it is for her own good and that he loves Jubilee. Martha starts crying wondering what will happen to her. He doesn't know but worries that her powers will be discovered and that others would not understand.

Growing up is hard to do

At the top of the stairs, Jubilee overhears. She wonders why this is happening to her since she used to be a normal kid. She crouches to the ground and begins to cry.

Here comes trouble

Outside, a large robot flies overhead and across the moon. It lands on a street crushing a street light and crumbling the sidewalk. A dog runs up to it and begins barking.

The humongous robot's eyes glow and it tries to snatch the dog. Luckily, the animal runs away. The robot stands once more, towering over the three-story buildings.

It begins scanning the buildings as it walks along the street.

Inside the house, Martha wonders if they are wrong and she isn't really a mutant. The father says she must be kidding. He opens the entertainment center and reminds her of what Jubilee did to the VCR by simply touching it. He points to the burnt and damaged device.

Outside, the robot smashes through trees as it continues its march. It stomps on the road next to a car causing it to tip on its side.

Acting out of love

Martha asks her husband if he regrets taking Jubilee in. He retorts that he does not.

Overpowering hunter

Upstairs, the robot peaks into the window of Jubilee's room. The eyes illuminating the room. It smashes its arm through the window and inside.

The parents hear the noise upstairs and gasp.

The robot grabs the bed but when it pulls it out finds that there are no living objects inside. It drops the bed, begins a tracking program, and stomps away.

Martha calls out to Jubilee asking if she is alright. When she opens the door she sees the destruction and screams.

Later in an arcade, Jubilee plays at one of the machines. She fires at her enemies but is grabbed by a giant creature.

Feeling unloved and unwanted

However, she is depressed at the thought that her adoptive parents are ashamed of her since she thought they loved her.

She then threatens the game's enemies. Her character escapes the creature's clutches and continues firing.

That is not a toy

Outside the mall, the robot stomps through the parking lot. People scream as the cars around them shake with each footfall. However, one kid wants his mother to buy him one and runs after it with the mother chasing him.

It crushes the front of one car causing people to flee in terror. A woman runs to a police officer demanding that he do something. He asks what he is supposed to as it stomps by them.

The robot scans the parking lot and claims it is closing in on its target.

Back in the arcade, Jubilee wonders what is wrong with being a mutant anyways. Just then sparks fly out of her hand and destroys the arcade game. She cries out that this is happening again.

Drawing attention to herself

As a crowd gathers to see, the arcade's manager angrily asks if she knows how much those machines cost. She flips down her sunglasses, claims just a quarter, and sips from her soda. He then realizes that she is one of "them."

Jubilee runs out of the arcade with the man yelling that he doesn't want mutants around there. As she runs, she complains about how stupid the man is.

Not the best first impression

Without looking where she is going, Jubilee bumps into two women causing them to drop their boxes. As the three of them crash to the ground, Jubilee yells at the two to look where they are going.

She grabs her glasses and runs off. The Southern woman wonders what was wrong with her while the white-haired woman begins to pick up the mess of boxes.

Jubilee runs around the corner past Larry's Bookstore.

A janitor picks up an empty glass when he looks up through the windows to see the giant robot outside and screams.

No door big enough

Outside, people continue to scream and run as it punches its way through the windows. It tells the people to not be alarmed as it is only going to serve and protect. However, people inside are now screaming and running.

He needs to buy in bulk

In a store, a Southern man looks at several playing cards. The attractive clerk flirts by saying he likes to play cards. Neither notice the robot stomping by. The man approaches her and flirts back that he likes solitaire, unless he's has someone to play with.

Jubilee runs to the escalator and rides it down. She pushes up her glasses when she hears screaming in the distance. Just then, a group of people run up the escalator shoving her aside. She tells them to watch out.

Danger spotted

She then spots the robot stomping by. Visibly shaken, she hopes the thing is merely mall security.

Unfortunately, the robot spots her just before she moves under a walkway. It crouches down and sees her exiting the escalator on the second floor.

It zooms in on her face and identifies her as its target. Jubilee hears this, screams out for help, and runs away.

The robot extends its arm and a cable shoots out of its hand. As Jubilee runs up the escalator, the cable wraps around her.

Standing outside the Elizabeth's Secrets store, the two women with their packages look at the clothes through the window. Suddenly a crowd of people run through screaming to run. The two watch them pass and the Southern woman wonders if there is a sale.

In the hands of death

Just then, they hear Jubilee's cries for help. They turn and see the robot lifting Jubilee to its face.

The girl kicks the robot and demands to be let down. In response, it twists her upside down. She then pleads with the robot.

Suddenly, thunder is heard as the white-haired woman introduces herself as Storm, Mistress of the Elements, and commands the robot to release the girl. She is shooting lightning from her fingertips with a cloud formed above and her eyes are completely white.

Here they come to save the day

The Southern woman asks her to lighten up on the speeches. Jubilee asks them to keep talking to the robot.

The robot scans the two but is unable to identify either one. It decides to ignore the two. It stands and Jubilee screams.

Suddenly, lightning courses over Storm and her clothes turn into a white uniform with a large cape. She flies into the air and fires a blast of electricity at the robot.

Unable to calculate a quick enough response

The blast hits the cable and drops Jubilee. The robot turns to watch her fall. Storm flies down and catches her out of the air just before the robot can grab her. Jubilee is amazed that the woman can fly.

The robot orders the mutant to stop. Meanwhile, the Southern women grabs the escalator and rips it up.

The robot fires a blast from its hand but the escalator stairs rise up and block it before it hits Storm and Jubilee. The robot crouches down to see her.

Storm and Jubilee land just as the woman flies into the air. She punches the robot's head knocking it back.

Jubilee is amazed at what the woman is doing and hugs the older woman. Storm wraps her arms around the girl and jokes that the woman, Rogue, has a way with men.

She has a way with gigantic robots

They watch as Rogue throws another punch. However, the robot retaliates by smacking her with its fist. She flips in the air and flies under another swing.

Back in the store, the Southern man says how much he likes the cards. He is about to say more when he hears the screams. Not paying attention, the clerk asks if he likes anything else. He walks out saying he will return soon.

Rogue punches the robot knocking it back.

He was a little distracted to notice

The man sees it coming towards him and runs away from the window. Rogue flies up to watch it.

Storm orders Jubilee to wait there. She is amazed when Storm flies up in a gust of wind.

The robot's eye glow and sits up. The clerk cries out not knowing what it is. Gambit jokes that her insurance can deal with the damage, then gets up and runs out.

No one's invincible

Storm flies up next to Rogue. Rogue wonders what the thing is. Suddenly, the robot shoots energy from both its hands and the two women are blasted through the skylight above and onto the roof. As they struggle to get up, Storm notes that it is a robot.

With the two gone, the robot looks down at Jubilee telling the mutant to stop. Jubilee wonders who is a mutant, then runs away not wanting an answer.

No where to run

The robot watches her round a corner then blasts the floor. Jubilee falls to the first floor but is caught by the man. He asks where she is going and she replies anywhere but there.

Suddenly the robot walks up and orders the man to stand aside as it must capture her. The man holds up a playing card and his hand and the card glows. He throws it and it explodes on the robot's chest.

The robot stands and backs away as more cards explode against it.

Overpowering them all

Jubilee wonders how the man is doing that then runs away. He calls out to her to wait since he, Gambit, wants to help as he's a mutant as well. He doesn't see until its too late as the robot crouches down and fires directly at him.

Jubilee runs down the mall freaking out about all the strange stuff going on. Behind her, Gambit flies through a sign and into a car that can be won.

Can't abandon the one who saved her

Jubilee hides behind a column and watches the robot approach Gambit. She hopes the robot doesn't see her. She turns and becomes frightened when the robot stops to look at Gambit.

The robot scans Gambit, who struggles and groans to get up. Finding him unregistered, the robot declares him expendable. It then looks up to see Jubilee step out from behind the column.

She tells the robot to get away from Gambit. Then she raises her hands and sparks fly out. They hit the robot and it staggers back.

She looks at her hands not believing it. Just then, Gambit sits up and orders her to run. The robot stomps past him.

Jubilee runs outside, wondering what she ever did, and why she is a mutant, since she is just a kid.

The robot busts through the windows and into the night air. He releases a canister from its hand and rolls past Jubilee releasing knock out gas.

Meeting more of the team

She coughs as she stumbles upon a man in a blue and yellow uniform and a visor. She asks who he is and he replies that he's Cyclops. He orders her to get down. She begins to pass out saying she doesn't have a choice.

Last hope against the robot

She falls into his arms as the robot blasts a nearby lamp post. The robot stomps towards him. Cyclops notes that it used an energy blast and says that he is a pro.

Finally defeated

He shoots a beam of red energy from his visor. It blasts the robot through the neck decapitating it. The robot falls backwards smashing several nearby cars. Its head crashes nearby.

Jubilee moans on the ground.

Later, a large mansion stands in the night.

Inside, Jubilee lies in an infirmary with machines beeping. She wakes and wonders where she is. Just then, sparks shoot from her arm along a cord connecting her to an EKG monitor causing it to short out.

She takes off the monitor band, gets out of bed, and complains about all machines. She creeps to the door and looks out the small window.

Finally getting control

She tries the door but finds it locked. She points at it but nothing happens. She holds up her finger knowing she can do something. Suddenly a spark forms. She again points it at the lock and this time it fires and explodes.

The locks falls off in a large metal hallway. As she creeps out, Jubilee notes that mutant powers do have their advantages.

Many more strange things to come

She opens a door and spots a large blue man grabbing a liquid filled flask next to a microscope. She gasps when she sees the man man is hanging upside down with his feet grabbing a bar. He pours the liquid into another flask noting how bad it would be if it exploded. He flips and lands noting that it interesting if it did explode.

Jubilee runs by the doorway wondering how to get out.

Jubilee runs by another door when she hears a news broadcast. A Robert Kelly is denouncing the attack at the New Salem Mall as part of ongoing mutant menace violence. Jubilee peaks inside to see a man watching the broadcast. Suddenly changes his shape into the man on the television and jokes, in the other man's voice, that he is an idiot. The mutant changes back to himself and laughs.

The man changes the channel and sees an advertisement for Aggression, a cologne, by Calvin Clone. A woman is shown sitting at the feet of a man wearing a ripped shirt on the beach. The man then transforms into the man in the ad.

It just gets stranger

Then, a news report shows footage of Jubilee and the robot at the mall. An announcer wonders if she was kidnapped by mutants, and promises a film that night. The man then changes into Jubilee and repeats the line. Jubilee is shocked, backs away, and runs down the hall.

Jubilee enters a room with several chairs and monitors. She can hear several reports at once. One notes that a strange woman was seen near the scene of the violence. Another claims that amateur video caught a glimpse of something. The monitors show a pale white woman with black patch over her eye, a man with fire shooting out of his legs, and an ad for the Genosha Beach Inn.

Suddenly the main monitor shows the animal-like man throwing people around. It cuts to another man wearing red armor and a helmet lifting tanks with power from his hands. Then it cuts to the mutant hating man saying that they need to treat all mutants as a potential danger to mankind.

A lot to take in

Jubilee turns off the monitor. She begins to run when she sees the head of the robot. Then she hears voices behind her and hides.

A bald man in a hovering chair and a woman named Jean enter the room. The man claims that what happened at the mall was inevitable. He knew the X-Men would be revealed to the public someday but he had hoped for something different.

Can't hide from him

Jean stops when she sees that the monitors are off. He holds his hand to his forehead and sees an image of Jubilee hiding just outside the room. He realizes that Jubilee did it and is trying to escape.

He turns towards the door as she starts running down the hall. As she flees an alarm begins blaring as the man comes over the PA system and, calling himself Professor Xavier, calls out for a Code Three, an intruder. She reaches an intersection, looks both ways then heads left.

Jubilee reaches the end of a hall and is stopped by a large door. There is a flashing sign above it calling it the Danger Room. She hears a voice behind her telling Beast to check her way. Beast, the large blue man, runs down the hall then up on the wall.

Her last hope to escape

Jubilee begins pressing buttons at random. She then fires a blast at it and the door opens. However, the computer announces it is starting the Gambit-Wolverine training sequence. Jubilee runs inside as the massive doors close.

The room is completely dark until a brick wall appears before changing into a concrete one and then a metal and rock wall. Jubilee is surprised then horrified as she turns around. A massive spiked ball heads towards her.

She ducks then runs wishing she could go back to the giant robot. Gambit runs up and notes that this is no place for her.

Not called the Danger Room for nothing

Just then, three long metal claws break through a wall. Inside the hole is a man in a black, yellow, and blue uniform: Wolverine.

Gambit charges a card and throws it at Wolverine. The clawed man leaps out of the way as it explodes.

Gambit falls to the floor and is then lifted up as the computer initiates a piston. Gambit rolls off just before it crushes him in-between another piston, though it takes part of his jacket.

Friendly fight

Gambit lands but is tackled by Wolverine. He says that Gambit is now it then raises his clawed hand as the game is over. Wolverine asks if the Cajun has had enough, and asks him to say "Oncle."

Jubilee orders Wolverine not to hurt him and he turns in surprise. She shoots sparks from her hands that knock him back and into the wall, hard.

The door opens and Storm, Beast, and the shapeshifter enter. Storm asks if the child is alright. Wolverine groans and replies that she won't be for long.

Hurting his pride even more

Jubilee backs up as Gambit stands saying that she wanted to help stop the fight. Beast and the shapeshifter laugh at Wolverine. He pulls out his claws and growls to stop them.

Gambit reassures her that all she hurt was his pride. She then asks what this place is. Beast explains it is part gymnasium and part survival course known as the Danger Room.

Storm leads Jubilee away offering to explain who they are.

Outside, birds fly away from the mansion. Storm leads Jubilee to the roof. Storm explains that they are all mutants.

Girl talk

Jubilee wonders what a mutant is. Storm responds that no one knows who will be one when they are born, but they discover their powers at about Jubilee's age. She goes on to say that Professor Xavier is the leader of their team, the X-Men. She reassures Jubilee that they are safe there.

Storm explains that she can control the weather, hence her name. Jubilee notes that that makes sense, as opposed to her name since she just blows stuff up. Storm reassures her she is in the right place.

She introduces the place as Professor Xavier's School for the Gifted. Jubilee claims that "gifted" is just another word for mutants, or weirdos, like her. Storm holds her, replying mutants like all of them.

Jubilee thinks that they are too old for school and asks if they were held back. Storm explains that they learn something special there. She raises her arm and shoots lightning into the sky.

A taste of what she can do

Jubilee is shocked as wind blasts her. Storm goes on to say that they learn to control their powers to help mankind. Jubilee, blocking the wind with her arm, asks her to stop.

Storm's miniature storm relents and Jubilee asks why people hate them. Storm responds that people hate what they do not understand.

Inside the mansion, Xavier explains to the team that he managed to retrieve part of the robot's visual memory. He pulls up a scan of Jubilee along with her information. Cyclops, Storm, Beast, Jean, and Rogue sit around the console.

Wolverine enters and Rogue tells him to "take a load off." He sees images of Jubilee in her room and asks if anyone notified her parents yet. Rogue explains they called but no one answered.

Xavier then points out an identification picture. He points out that it's from the Mutant Control Agency registration files. That is how the robot found her.

Sinister things going on

Cyclops then wonders if the government is plotting against mutants. Xavier explains that the Mutant Control Agency is a private organization, occasionally supported by the government. He theorizes that someone at the agency has a hidden agenda.

Meanwhile, there is a car parked outside Jubilee's home.

Someone's after her

Inside, a man with glasses asks if Jubilee has any mutant friends. He holds up a picture of Storm and Rogue asking if they know them.

Jubilee's father says they don't really know much about her friends. Martha pipes up saying she's only been with them a year since she is a foster child. The father says Jubilee always kept her secrets to herself.

During this time, Jubilee gets off a bus. After it leaves, she breaks into a run wanting to make sure her parents are safe.

She does not notice another robot standing behind some bushes between two buildings. The robot looks out and watches her go. It moves away a tree and scans her.

Another one tracks her down

Jubilee turns to see it towering over her. She backs up and fires at it. It blocks the blasts with its hand and stands up. She runs and it stomps after her.

She runs into the street in front of a passing car. The man slams on his brakes when the robot follows.

She skids to a stop when a second robot walks out from behind a building. Jubilee is horrified as the first robot walks up trapping her.

The second one shoots knock out gas from its fingertips engulfing her. The robot says that the target is apprehended.

Overwhelmed

The man with glasses walks up and congratulates the robot. Jubilee looks up at the man and robots but falls into unconsciousness.

Back at the mansion, Xavier pulls up an image of the Mutant Control Agency's headquarters. He explains to the entire team that the building has files on hundreds of registered mutants who were innocently duped into revealing their identities.

Logan sits down saying that they're going to get in and destroy them. Gambit boasts that he could get in there alone easily. However, Xavier has Storm lead three others into the building: Wolverine, Beast, and the shapeshifter Morph.

The goofball of the group

Morph changes his head to Gambit's then asks if it will make him feel better to go in like that causing Gambit to laugh. Xavier gives Cyclops overall command.

Xavier exits into the hall and is followed by Cyclops who stops him. Cyclops points out that they have been together a long time and he too believes in peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants. But he is worried.

Xavier stops him knowing what he is about to say, but they have no choice. Xavier turns and leaves.

First of many squabbles between the two

Logan walks up and asks if the teacher's pet got cold feet. Cyclops turns his head and flashes his visor. Chewing on a toothpick, Logan challenges him to a fight anytime.

However, they are interrupted by Jean. She runs up saying that she went to check on Jubilee and found her missing.

No one stops him

Logan offers to go after her. Cyclops stops him saying they have a job to do first. Logan turns and pulls out his claws, saying he goes wherever he wants.

He turns and leaves, shoving Gambit out of the way. Gambit pulls out a card and charges it but Cyclops runs up ordering to let him go. Gambit tosses the card behind him so it explodes with little force saying Logan's not worth it.

In the night sky, a large jet flies by. It lands in a small clearing in the woods.

The side door opens and Rogue and Beast exit. Cyclops orders the team to stay close. Rogue and Beast walk off together as the rest of the team follows.

Rogue tells Beast that when she was thirteen she had a boyfriend until she kissed him. She explains that the boy was in a coma for three days. That was when she realized if she touched anybody she absorbed their strength.

Going over some painful history

Rogue lifts a boulder then tosses it aside. Gambit and Morph follow behind them.

Rogue goes onto say that was when the boys stopped calling. Beast laughs and tells her to be fortunate. He says he had dandruff.

Morph pipes up that whenever he was in trouble he turned into the principal. He transforms into a balding man in a suit and pushes aside a tree branch. When Gambit approaches he lets it go hitting him.

Rogue continues on saying her father was very upset when he found out. Cyclops adds that they all had that problem.

The X-Men top a hill and find the headquarters. Storm holds up binoculars and tells them to stop. She spots a guard tower and guard gate.

The process that brings change

Rogue asks Beast, since he is so smart, why they are the way they are. Beast suggests that it could be because of gamma rays, pollution, ozone depletion, or even television. Morph suggests it is progress.

Suddenly, Wolverine says that it is lousy luck. They look up and see him sitting in a tree. Wolverine complains they make a lot of noise.

He leaps down the branches onto the ground near Gambit. The Cajun asks if he's joining them and Wolverine says he is.

He walks over to Storm and Cyclops. She asks if he found Jubilee. He explains that her trail went cold outside the house. He also says he was bit by a dog.

Storm hands Cyclops the binoculars. He looks through then tells Storm to "do her thing." She raises her hand and the clouds begin swirling as thunder rumbles. She rises into the air as clouds pass over the moon.

Inside the compound, a guard looks up then enters the booth.

Good thing his back is turned

Morph, Wolverine, and Beast crawl their way up to the fence. Morph asks if Beast to lift him over the fence. Wolverine smiles and gives Beast a thumbs up.

Morph screams as he is thrown over. Wolverine says that he was right.

The infiltrator

The guard hears something and runs out. He runs up to Morph asking if he is alright. Morph changes into the guard then says he is. He pulls out a gun and shoots the guard with knock out gas. When the guard passes out he transforms back.

He begins to drag the guard away as Beast tosses Wolverine, who lands on his feet. Beast leaps over in a single bound.

Cyclops watches through the binoculars. He tells Rogue and Gambit that the others are inside.

Preventing Wolverine from doing something bad

As the three sneak around, a guard appears ordering them to stop. Wolverine pulls out his claws but the man is shocked by Storm's lightning. Wolverine looks at the unconscious man then moves on.

He approaches a door then slices it down the side. He opens it since the lock is cut off. As they walk in, Beast points out that they have the guard's keys. Wolverine jokes he'll buy them a new door.

He suddenly stops Beast and sniffs. He tells them that there are electronic beams. Beasts asks if he can detect the infrared spectrum. Wolverine replies that he can smell the ozone.

Powers for every situation

Storm offers to show them and creates a mist in the hallway. Beams show all across the hallway in front of them.

Beast quotes a poem about persevering in their path, and calls it a minor poem for a minor problem. He leaps onto the pipes overhead and swings his way forward.

He sees a security box and uses the keys to open it then comments to himself if any of them are ever truly secure. He flips off all the security beam switches then powers down the system.

Can do nothing to help

Outside, Rogue approaches Cyclops and Gambit noting that they look nervous. They watch the spotlights circle around. Cyclops just wants to know what is going on inside.

Just then a large armored vehicle rattles its way down the road. Cyclops notes that they have trouble.

Back in the building, the team walks down a hall. Morph says it is "clear sailing" now. They approach a door.

Waiting for them

Inside the door, armed guards ready their guns towards the door.

Outside the room, Storm turns the handle and opens the door.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Quotes[]

"Today, the downtown area was rocked by another outbreak of violence. The fact that the perpetrator is believe to be a mutant has fueled current anti-mutant hysteria now growing nationwide. Though one witness said only one isolated, big hairy..."

-Reporter, first line of series

"She's one of them, Martha. She needs help."
"But how could you register her with that Mutant Control Agency as if she were some sort of criminal?"
"The agency isn't a prison, Martha. It's an outreach program to help these unfortunate people. It's for her own good. You know I love her."
"But what will happen to her now?"
"I don't know. Let's just hope the neighbors never find out our beautiful Jubilee's a mutant. They'd never understand."

-Foster Father and Martha, first lines

"Why is this happening to me? I used to be a normal kid. It's not my fault!"

-Jubilee, first lines

"Tell me the truth. Are you sorry we took her in?"
"Of course not."

-Martha and Foster Father

"Identification error. Non-living objects. Begin tracking program."

-Sentinel, first lines

"Come on. I'll teach you to invade my universe."

-Jubilee

" Mommy! Buy me that! Buy me that!"

-Kid seeing a Sentinel

"Can't you do something!?"
"What do you want me to do, arrest him?"

-Female Bystander and Police Officer

"What's so wrong about being a mutant anyways?"

-Jubilee

"Hey you. Do you know how much that game costs!?"
"Yeah, a quarter."

-Arcade Owner and Jubilee

"We don't want you lousy mutants around here!"

-Arcade Owner

"Hey! Watch where you're going!"
"Us? What bug crawled up her shorts?"

-Jubilee and Rogue, first lines

"Do not be alarmed. I am here to serve and protect."

-Sentinel entering mall

"I'll take these."
"You must like to play cards."
"I like solitaire okay, unless I got someone...to play with."

-Gambit, first lines and Store Clerk

"I hope you're just mall security"
"Target identified. Initiate capture."
"Target? Capture!? Help!"

-Jubilee and Sentinel

"RUN!"
"Must be a sale."

-Male Bystander and Rogue

"Storm, Mistress of the Elements, commands you to release that child!"
"Lighten up on the speeches, sugar."

-Ororo Munroe, first line, and Rogue

"Unidentified mutants. Ignore."

-Sentinel

"Did you see what she did?"
"Yes, Rogue has a way with men."

-Jubilee and Rogue

"They feel great. I..."
"Like anything else?"
"Don't go away. I'll be right back."

-Gambit and Store Clerk

"WHAT'S THAT!?
"Don't worry, chere. Your insurance can handle it."

-Store Clerk and Gambit

"Halt, mutant!"
"Who's a mutant? Don't answer that."

-Sentinel and Jubilee

"Where you going, petite?"
"Anywhere but here."

-Gambit and Jubilee

"Stand aside. I must apprehend that mutant."
"Hey, apprehend this."

-Sentinel and Gambit

"How did you do that?"
"With style, petite. With style."

-Jubilee and Gambit

"Wait! Gambit will help you! I'm a mutant, too."

-Gambit

"I must be going nuts. Everybody's gone, people flying everywhere. The mall's turned into some creepy, for-real video game."

-Jubilee

"Unregistered mutant. Expendable."

-Sentinel

"Get away from him. I mean it!"

-Jubilee

"What did I ever do to anybody? I didn't ask to be a mutant. I'm just a kid."

-Jubilee

"Who are you?"
"Cyclops. Get down!"
"I don't have a whole lot of choice."

-Jubilee and Cyclops, first line

"Energy blast, huh? Here's one from a pro."

-Cyclops

"I hate machines."

-Jubilee

"Mutant powers definitely have their advantages."

-Jubilee

"It would be quite disconcerting if this were to detonate. Disconcerting, yet provocative."

-Beast, first lines

"This shocking incident at New Salem Mall is just part of the growing menace of mutant violence."
"My fellow Americans, I am an idiot."

-Robert Kelly on television, first line, and Morph as Kelly, first line

"Was this girl kidnapped by mutants? Film at eleven."
"Mall violence! Film at eleven."

-Television Announcer and Morph

"It's time we recognized that all mutants are potentially dangerous to mankind."
"Get a life."

-Robert Kelly on television and Jubilee

"What happened at the mall was inevitable. Jean, I knew the existence of the X-Men would be revealed to the public one day, but not like this."
"What a minute. Those monitors were on."
"It's the girl, Jean. She's trying to escape."

-Professor X and Jean Grey, first lines

"This is Professor Xavier. Code Three. We have an intruder."

-Professor X

"Check down that way, Beast."
"The intruder will not elude me."

-Morph, first line as himself, and Beast

"Initiate Gambit-Wolverine training sequence."

-Danger Room Computer

"I was better off with the giant robot!"

-Jubilee

"Tag, you're it. This game is over. Had enough, Cajun? Just say, 'Oncle'!"

-Wolverine, first lines

"Is the child alright?"
"Not for long."

-Storm and Wolverine

"What is this weird place?"
"One part gymnasium, one part survival course. Affectionately referred to as the Danger Room."

-Jubilee and Beast

"All of us here are mutants, like yourself."
"Well, tell me this. What is a mutant?"
"No one knows who will be a mutant at birth. We discover our extraordinary powers at about your age. Professor Xavier is our leader, and he has named us the X-Men."

-Storm and Jubilee

"Because I control the weather, they call me Storm."
"At least your name makes sense. My name's Jubilee. I blow stuff up."

-Storm and Jubilee

"This is Professor Xavier's School for the Gifted."
"Gifted, huh? That's a nice way of saying 'mutants,' 'weirdos.' Like me."
"Like all of us."

-Storm and Jubilee

"We X-Men learn something very special here, Jubilee. How to control our mutant powers for the benefit of mankind."

-Storm

"But then why do people hate us?"
"People fear what they do not understand."

-Jubilee and Storm

"Does your daughter have any mutant friends? These women, perhaps." [Shows a picture of Ororo Munroe and Rogue]
"We don't really know much about her friends."
"She's only been with us a year. She's a foster child."
"She always kept her secrets to herself."

-Henry Peter Gyrich, first line, Foster Father, and Martha

"Target mutant apprehended."
"Good work."

-Sentinel and Henry Peter Gyrich

"Professor Xavier. We've been together for a long time, and I strong believe, as you do, in the peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants. But when you formed the X-Men, was it not to teach us to use our powers to benefit mankind, so ordinary people would learn not to fear us? Professor, aren't we..."
"I know what you're going to say, Cyclops, but I'm afraid we have no choice."

-Cyclops and Professor X

"What's the matter? Teacher's pet got cold feet?" [Cyclops flashes visor] "Anytime, pretty boy."

-Logan

"I go where I wanna go!"

-Logan

"Out of the way, gumbo."

-Logan

"Rogue, everyone, stay close."
"Not too close."

-Cyclops and Rogue

"You know, I remember when I was thirteen. I had me a boyfriend, till I kissed him. Poor boy was in a coma for three days. That was when I first realized if I touched anybody I absorbed their strength right into me. Some power, huh? That's when the boys quit calling."
"Consider yourself fortunate. I had dandruff."
"Hey, whenever I got into trouble at school, I used to turn myself into the principal."
"It like to kill my daddy when he found out I was a mutant."
"We all had to face that problem."

-Rogue, Beast, Morph, and Cyclops

"You're supposed to know everything, Beast. What makes us like we are, anyway?"
"Gamma rays. Pollution. Ozone depletion. Television."
"Progress."
"Lousy luck."

-Rogue, Beast, Morph, and Wolverine

"Hey, can you guys boost me over the fence, Beast?" [Screams as he is thrown]
"Looks like we can."

-Morph and Wolverine

"Hm hmm. The guard's keys?"
"So I'll buy them a new door."

-Beast and Wolverine

"The faint heart averted many feet and many a tear, in our opposed path to persevere. A minor poet for a minor obstacle."

-Beast quoting Coventry Patmore, from his poem "Farewell" in the collection The Unknown Eros

"You look nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs."

-Rogue

"It looks like clear sailing from here."

-Morph

Trivia[]

  • Eight police cars confront Sabretooth.
  • Jubilee has a poster of a character that slightly resembles Bart Simpson; posters of a guitarist named M.U.D., a drummer named X, and a man whose name is unreadable; and a teddy bear on her bed.
Personal details
  • According to the Sentinel's Heads Up Display, Jubilee's mutant file number is 051063-244, her full name is Jubilation Lee, she is 5' / 152 centimeters tall, weighs 90 lbs / 40 kilograms, is Chinese-American, and lives at 764 Lucille Court West.
  • Jubilee lives on Lucille Court West. Her voice actress is Alyson Court, who is Canadian and thus from the West.
  • According to her clock, the Sentinel attacks Jubilee's room at 7:30 PM.
  • Jubilee also has a serving of what looks like chili fries.
  • New Salem Mall is three stories tall.
  • The letters above the entrance that the Sentinel smashes through to enter the mall are CUCNM. It is the name of a store across the way from where Gambit buys the cards.
  • The cards that Gambit holds up when buying the deck are the 10 of diamonds, 3 of hearts, Ace of clubs, 7 of spades, 4 of diamonds, and 5 of hearts.
  • The store where Gambit buys cards also sells comic books. One is titled Yes.
  • Elizabeth's Secrets is an obvious homage to Victoria's Secret.
  • The Sentinel scan says that Storm is 5'11 and 127 lbs, Rogue is 5'8 and 120 lbs, and Gambit is 6'2 and 180 lbs.
Rogue's nickname for everyone
  • Ororo is the first person Rogue calls "sugar," her affectionate nickname for everyone.
  • The first use of the show's theme song, outside the opening titles, begins when Rogue pulls up the escalator.
  • This is the only episode that Storm transforms her clothes.[1] Larry Houston suggested that her suit is the same unstable molecules used by the Fantastic Four, as seen during Dave Cockrum's run on the comics.[2]
  • There is a store in the mall called Mop.
  • The brand of cards that Gambit buys is Double.
  • When actually buying the deck, the top card is the Ace of spades, his signature card. He later uses as the first card against the Sentinel.
  • Gambit fires a total of seven cards at the Sentinel.
  • The license plates of cars Jubilee passes at the mall are KB2 B44, PA 6846, PA 2191.
  • Beast is left handed.
Typical ad for the day
  • Calvin Clone fragrance is obviously "clone" of Calvin Kline.
  • Jubilee turns on thirteen buttons when going into the Danger Room.
  • Wolverine slams into the Danger Room wall with a metallic bang, likely because his bones are covered in adamantium.
  • Gyrich's license plate is 5656.
  • Jubilee's bus line says A SRSU.
  • Rogue states that she first developed her powers at the age of thirteen.
  • Beast says he had dandruff.
  • Beast suggest gamma rays as a possible explanation for mutation. While maybe not for mutants, it certainly has changed the life of fellow doctor Bruce Banner.
  • During the infiltration, Morph's jacket appears and disappears. While it is likely a simple animation error, it could be explained by his shapeshifting powers.
  • There are five sets of sensor beams, labelled A through E. The switch controls the power grid A5 to C5.
  • The episode aired on Halloween of 1992. "Bloodlines" takes place on Halloween.
  • When the two parts were re-aired as a one-hour special, a message at the end of Part One said, "TO BE CONTINUED DON'T GO AWAY!", followed by scenes of Part Two.

Goofs[]

  • During the opening credits, the spade pip on Gambit's cards is upside down.[3]
  • There is no way the report could have gotten those kinds of camera angles of the Sabretooth battle since there is not a single camera in the area in the overhead shot.
  • The report shows the police car blowing up. No camera could have gotten that unless it blew up in front of the camera and there's no reasonable explanation for that either.
  • It makes little sense for the Sentinel to try to grab the dog since it is designed to only hunt mutants and at the mall claims that it is for protection.
  • No registration program would allow a photo of someone with sunglasses on as it prevents positive identification.
Suddenly much smaller
  • When smashing through the room window, the Sentinel's arm, head, and much of the torso fits inside despite the head being as tall as the room moments before.
  • When Martha opens the door to Jubilee's room, all her furniture and most of her powers are gone despite the Sentinel only grabbing the bed.
  • When the Sentinel flips her upside down, Jubilee's jacket falls down as though the cable was not there.
  • Ororo's lightning is yellow in the first shot then blue in the one following.
  • Ororo wears flat-footed shoes which transform into heeled shoes, but the position of her feet do not change when her clothes do.
  • Gambit stands directly beneath the walkway as it is destroyed to catch Jubilee, yet no pieces of debris hit him.
  • When Jubilee meets Cyclops, the moon is over his shoulder but in the immediate reverse shot it is over her shoulder.
  • In the shot of the Sentinel approaching Cyclops, his uniform is black instead of blue.
  • Despite being in the infirmary bed, the X-Men did not take off any of Jubilee's clothing including her jacket, gloves, and possibly boots.
  • The EKG wouldn't have worked right since it was wrapped around Jubilee's glove.
  • Some doors in the mansion open on hinges and others slide into the wall. Sometimes one door will be shown doing both. This happens throughout the series.
  • Similar to the Sabretooth fight, no camera would have gotten those angles of Jubilee hiding from the Sentinel.
  • Jubilee's voice was not heard during the news broadcast yet Morph perfectly imitates her.
Cannonball's next appearance would be his origin
  • Cannonball's cameo appearance would contradict the events of "Hidden Agendas", which shows him developing his powers.
  • When Xavier is explaining abut the robot's memory, everyone stares blankly at the center of the room, where there is nothing to look at. All the activity is on the side.
  • Footage from the Sentinel's head in the mansion includes a shot of Jubilee on her bed crying. Unless the Sentinel staked her out prior to the earlier scene, it couldn't have gotten that shot (since it landed after she was out of her bedroom entirely), nor that angle (which would be from an interior wall). Additionally, there are two separate shots from slightly different angles like this.
  • When Wolverine first walks into the War Room he is in uniform, but after Jubilee is captured, apparently going on at the same time, he is in his civilian clothes.
  • Wolverine's metal slots where the claws pop out appear and disappear at random. This happens throughout the series.
  • A strange looking man inside the fence of a secure facility and the guard's first instinct is to ask him how he is.
  • When the guard approaches Morph, Beast and Wolverine are nowhere to be seen even though in all other shots they are right on the other side with no cover.
  • When the guard approaches Morph, they are both clearly on the outside of the fence with the building on the other side but they are supposed to be inside.
It's obvious he the mutant transform
  • The guard is surprised when Morph turns around to appear like him. He clearly saw Morph's true form standing up and his subsequent transformation but was not shocked by that.
  • Outside of the idea that he is somewhat playful, it makes little sense for Morph to transform into the guard just to knock him out and quickly transform back.
  • Morph produces a gun containing knock out gas seemingly out of no where. No weapon at all, let alone knock out gas, was shown either before or afterwards. It is possibly an additional mutant power, but Morph was never shown doing it at any other time.
  • There's little reason to have the security box for the security beams in the middle of the beams as no one who couldn't crawl along the ceiling could get to it.
She suddenly got a tan
  • When Cyclops watches the others enter the fence, Rogue's face is the color of her tights.
  • There's little reason to point the spotlights into the sky. Doing so would only attract attention and provide no security at all.

Continuity[]

First impression of the universe
  • Sabretooth is the very first person seen.
  • A reporter is the very first person to speak, though Sabretooth made angry noises before.
  • Jubilee's foster father is never named.
  • Besides being the first appearance of the main characters, it is also the first appearance of series regulars the Sentinels, Robert Kelly, and Henry Peter Gyrich.
A sign of things to quickly come
  • Sabretooth, Domino, Cannonball, and Magneto make cameo appearances. Sabretooth and Magneto would make their first full appearances in "Enter Magneto". Domino would appear in "Slave Island". Cannonball would appear in "Hidden Agendas", though it contradicts his appearance here.
  • First mention of Genosha with an ad for the Genosha Beach Inn. The X-Men would visit it in "Cold Vengeance".
  • Wolverine tells Gambit to "Say uncle." Thing also plays this "game" with Black Panther in "Prey of the Black Panther".
  • Rogue's comment about putting her boyfriend in a coma at thirteen will be shown in "The Cure".
  • Rogue mentions her father, who would be seen in "A Rogue's Tale".
  • When Spider-Man entered the mansion in the Spider-Man episode "The Mutant Agenda", he was on the run from the X-Men making his way into the Danger Room just like Jubilee does here.
  • The Sentinels and Henry Peter Gyrich are not named until the next episode.

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
Catherine Disher Jean Grey
George Buza Hank McCoy/Beast
Lenore Zann Rogue
Chris Potter Remy LeBeau/Gambit
Alyson Court Jubilation Lee/Jubilee
Ron Rubin Morph
Len Carlson Robert Kelly
Jubilee's Foster Father
Don Francks Graydon Creed, Sr./Sabretooth
Barry Flatman Henry Peter Gyrich
David Fox Sentinel
Brett Halsey Bolivar Trask
Unknown Martha

Initially another actress was cast as Jubilee. While that actress was a professional she had a sweeter and cuter voice that was not what the producers want to portray. Alyson Court was brought in to rerecord the pilot at great expense. She had to record a third time after the writers redid parts and a fourth time after recording more episodes.[4]

Background[]

This was the second attempt at a pilot for a series featuring the X-Men. An episode titled "Pryde of the X-Men", for a series also simply called X-Men, was produced and aired in 1989 but was considered a failure. Marvel would eventually go back to the drawing board and make this series starting with this episode. There are many elements with this two-part pilot that are similar to the previous failed pilot.

  • The story focuses on a young girl, Kitty Pryde and Jubilee, who first develops her mutant powers and just meets the X-Men.
  • Both girls start the pilot off hating that they are mutants but at the end accept who they are.
  • Jubilee's characterization throughout the series, especially early on, is similar to Kitty's such as wanting to go on missions but not being allowed to.
  • Kitty and Jubilee accidentally enter the Danger Room and are rescued by the team.
  • Wolverine is at first annoyed by the new girl.

The first shot of Sabretooth attacking the police officers was chosen for several reasons. The first was to establish how scary mutants appear to the rest of humanity establishing a challenge that good mutants like the X-Men would spend the series trying to overcome. Second was to set up the mindset that Jubilee's foster parents would have upon learning that their daughter is a mutant, fearing she would be just like him. Third, to give a reasons as to why Sentinels were created since the police were so ineffectual. Lastly, they were able to very quickly establish Sabretooth for appearances later on.[5]

There was almost an opening narration setting up the series during the opening titles. Eventually the producers gave it a second thought and convinced Margaret Loesch to abandon it. It would have said:

Was it caused by atomic testing, by the radiation that has spread around the world?

Or is it nature herself, deciding the time has come to change the human race?

Whatever the answer, a new breed of people now dwell among us! People born with strange and frightening super powers!

Some say they're freaks. Some call them monsters! Some think of them as -- inhuman!

But all over the planet they are known, and feared, as -- MUTANTS!

This is the saga of the X-MEN, a brave band of mutants who want to use their awesome power to benefit mankind -- only to learn that they must battle the very people they're trying to help![6]

Mutant Registration first appeared in the issue The Uncanny X-Men #141, which inspired the episodes "Days of Future Past, Part One" and "Days of Future Past, Part Two".

Jubilee destroying the arcade machine comes from Uncanny X-Men #180. In the issue, Kitty Pryde scored the top score frying the machine. The owner got mad and kicked her and her friend out. The series often gave stories and attributes from Pryde to Jubilee.

The design of the arcade owner that yells at Jubilee is based on Stan Lee.[7][8]

In the comics her pursuers were more her size

The battle at the mall is inspired by a similar battle in The Uncanny X-Men #244, which was Jubilee's first appearance. In the issue, Jubilee is attacked by a mutant hunting squad of normal humans at the Hollywood Mall and is saved by Storm, Rogue, Dazzler, and Psylocke. That issue also featured Rogue dealing with Ms. Marvel's mind inside hers, which was the inspiration for "A Rogue's Tale".

Cyclop's line "Energy blast, huh? Here's one from a pro." was added by Stan Lee.[9]

Somewhat original character

Morph was created specially for the series. In fact, he was designed specifically to be killed off in order to show how serious the show was and the dangers the team would face. He was partially based on Changeling. Changeling was chosen because of his past ties to the X-Men, as well as his deceased status in the comics. The character proved to be so popular that he came back later in the series and a version, separate from Changeling, appeared in the comics.

The title is most likely inspired by the classic movie Night of the Living Dead. Coincidentally, or not, the sequel Dawn of the Dead was set in a mall. Spider-Man would have a similarly named pilot with "Night of the Lizard".

The show was originally going to premiere over the Labor Day weekend in September of 1992. However, due to production delays it was soon pushed to the end of October. This episode originally aired as a "sneak preview" even though it wasn't ready for broadcast. The episode had hundreds of retakes, scenes where incorrectly animated shots are supposed to be fix. Shadows were missing, characters missing from view screens, Magneto was shirtless, and Jubilee's powers looked like tadpoles. AKOM refused to do all the retakes so for the interest of time it was aired as-is. This lead an animation insider to joke that AKOM's motto should be "AKOM: Quality is our only compromise." The second episode was similarly bad, with fifty scenes missing. Fox was upset at the situation, pulled the series from the air for the time being, and threatened AKOM. The errors were later corrected with the animators working overtime and Fox re-aired both parts of the pilot on January 9th, 1993.[10]

Reaction[]

A powerful first enemy

"Stu" of Marvel Animation Age noted that the series is regarded as one of Marvel's best animated efforts and this episode was one of the series best. He did feel that not much happened in the first part and it was best to watch both parts together. He claimed that using the Sentinels right away was a risk since they are a great danger given they are the opposite of everything the X-Men fight for. He also noted that X-Men: Evolution used Sentinels later after developing the world. However, he said they worked perfectly in this episode. He enjoyed how their first mission was not completely successful and so much went wrong. He did feel Jubilee was a brat constantly discussing her problems, though it served as a great build up to the Sentinel appearance. He felt it was strange that the mall battle saved the most popular character, Cyclops, until the end. He noted how it was unusual for a cartoon at the time to only feature on battle. However, he claimed this made it stand out at the time and has not happened much since. He liked the idea of attacking the Mutant Control Agency for the first episode showing that while the team fights for mutant rights they are forced to break the law to do it. "Overall, the episode served as a solid introduction and featured a pretty good cliffhanger. Not a lot happened, with so many characters to introduce and tell their story of why they did what they did, it's forgivable. It introduced the incredibly annoying Jubilee sure, but you can't win them all. Part 2 however, completely surpassed the quality of this episode."

Comic Book Resources ranked this and its follow-up as number two of their top fifteen episodes of the series. They noted that as the first episodes of the series its greatest triumph was introducing the world through the eyes of Jubilee that establishes the tone of the series to come. They felt it did a great job introducing how terrifying this world could be. They liked how it was able to capture the gravity and terror of the Sentinels as lethal and unstoppable while exploring themes of racism and fear of the "other." They enjoyed that it captured the spirit of the comics for a Saturday morning cartoon show without making it too childish.[11]

Comic Book Resources ranked this and its follow-up as the third top tear-jerking episode of the series. "The 1992 series premiere had an immense impact in both story and controversy. "Night of the Sentinels" established the tone the series would be exploring. Bright heroics laced in dark storylines. Fear festered humans demand action against mutants. This leads the Mutant Control Agency to require mutants to register with them. Jubilee, a firework powered mutant, is targeted for apprehension. The X-Men must protect her but realize the threat is much worse. The X-Men raid the Mutant Control Agency and destroy their files on mutants. This comes at the price of Morph's, the shape-shifting X-Man, life. His death was not in vain as the X-Men seek to avenge their fallen friend. Death and social commentary radiated in the first two episodes of the series."[12]

The episode has a 7.6 on the Internet Movie Database.

References[]

External Links[]

X-Men Episodes
Season One "Night of the Sentinels, Part One" • "Night of the Sentinels, Part Two" • "Enter Magneto" • "Deadly Reunions" • "Captive Hearts" • "Cold Vengeance" • "Slave Island" • "The Unstoppable Juggernaut" • "The Cure" • "Come the Apocalypse" • "Days of Future Past, Part One" • "Days of Future Past, Part Two" • "The Final Decision"
Season Two "Till Death Do Us Part, Part One" • "Till Death Do Us Part, Part Two" • "Whatever It Takes" • "Red Dawn" • "X-Ternally Yours" • "Time Fugitives, Part One" • "Time Fugitives, Part Two" • "A Rogue's Tale" • "Beauty & the Beast" • "Mojovision" • "Reunion, Part One" • "Reunion, Part Two"
Season Three "Out of the Past, Part One" • "Out of the Past, Part Two" • "Sacrifice" • "The Dark Shroud" • "Cry of the Banshee" • "The Starjammers" • "Child of Light" • "No Mutant is an Island" • "Obsession" • "Longshot" • "Cold Comfort" • "Savage Land Strange Heart, Part One" • "Savage Land Strange Heart, Part Two" • "Dazzled" • "The Inner Circle" • "The Dark Phoenix" • "The Fate of the Phoenix" • "Orphan's End" • "The Juggernaut Returns" • "Nightcrawler" • "Weapon X, Lies and Videotape"
Season Four "Love in Vain" • "A Deal with the Devil" • "Sanctuary, Part One" • "Sanctuary, Part Two" • "Xavier Remembers" • "Courage" • "One Man's Worth, Part One" • "One Man's Worth, Part Two" • "Proteus, Part One" • "Proteus, Part Two" • "Family Ties" • "The Lotus and the Steel" • "Have Yourself A Morlock Little X-Mas" • "The End of Time" • "Promise of Apocalypse" • "The Lazarus Chamber" • "End and Beginning" • "Phalanx Covenant, Part One""Phalanx Covenant, Part Two""Storm Front, Part One""Storm Front, Part Two""Bloodlines"
Season Five "The Fifth Horseman" • "Jubilee's Fairytale Theater" • "Old Soldiers" • "Hidden Agendas" • "Descent" • "Graduation Day"
Related "Pryde of the X-Men" • "The Mutant Agenda" • "The Mutants' Revenge"
Episodes are listed in the order they are set. Episodes that aired during different seasons are noted in italics.
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