In the mood for a rewatch of the ’90s X-Men animated series?
Of course you are!
Here’s a list of the must-see episodes.
X-Men: The Animated Series.
Few cartoon show from this era are held in as high regard.
It was pretty muchX-Men,Batman: The Animated Series, andGargoyles.
Everything else was simply beneath them.
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Which is not to sayX-Mendidnt have its problems.
Most of it relating to Rogue, because shes her own separate category of awesome.
Everything about Wolverine in this episode proved he was so much more than that.
Not to mention that people who dont necessarily get along can be on the same side.
ENTER MAGNETO
Season 1 Episode 3
This one almost didnt make the list.
DEADLY REUNIONS
Season 1 Episode 4
A feast, to be sure.
The relationship and conflict between Magneto and Professor X is distilled so perfectly in this episode.
Its just beautifully done.
On top of that, you have that Sabretooth sub-plot where he plays Jubilee.
Its just most of us werent in a position where our screw-up could endanger our lives.
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And her commentary during that entire scene is the best.
Come on, pretty boy.
Make a girl feel welcome.
But thats one tiny nitpick.
Aside from that, this one is solid gold.
The Morlocks themselves are an intriguing concept and a commentary on minority ghettoization.
The Morlocks cant pass as X-inactive humans.
And seeing Storm be a complete fucking badass is never a let-down.
Its a subtle little comment that trauma can be dealt with but in some cases not entirely overcome.
The Scott/Jean/Logan love triangle, which will become a major sub-plot, is established here as well.
And it also introduces Angel to set him up for the following episode, but lets talk Rogue.
We also get a subtle look at the different shades of privilege.
He can slip on some ruby quartz goggles and rock Jeans world.
Not that they seem to recognize each other.
What seems like a plot hole turns out to be a plot point soon enough.
But overall, this episode is just hardcore.
DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, PART 2
Season 1 Episode 12
Why did I skip Part 1?
Im not gonna lie.
Hes self-righteous, stubborn, and unwilling to let anyone get a fucking word in edgewise.
It references the comic all the way down to Mystiques disguise.
Gotta love that attention to detail.
This episode focuses on the legislation that would lead to Bishops Sentinel-infested future, but not the Sentinels themselves.
So the X-Men go to stop them, and it is just… its a lot of trashed robots.
Magnetos eleventh hours aid and Xaviers ejector seat finishing blow.
But this episode is chock full of great character moments too.
Youre all fools… heroic fools.
The brave are always the first to die.
David Hemblens delivery still gives me chills 25 years later.
And Beast is home!
And he caught the bouquet!
And Magnetos in danger and needs Xaviers help?
None of these elements feel extraneous, clunky, or out of place.
Lenore Zann as Rogue, as always, knocks it out of the park.
Such a good episode.
Without contest, the best season premiere of the series.
How did that pitch meeting go down?
Yeah, lets have a fuzzy, ape-like character like Beast, only hes stupid and has toxic breath.
Oh, we should make him…Jamaican!
I just… how did that ever happen?
He runs off with his head still full of demons.
And Xavier and Magneto meet up in Antarctica only to be buried in an avalanche.
This is the episode that deals with the Weapon X portion of Wolverines backstory.
Like… we dont need to know everyones name in the first scene.
And Im pretty sure that after all that they skipped Aurora.
Like seriously, at that point, what was holding them back?
That a 90s kids show would have arguably its toughest badass show emotional vulnerability… respect.
The previous episode plays out again, seen mostly from Cables perspective and with his actions altering the events.
In the end, he uses his knowledge of the X-Men to solve everything.
Of course, Cables success required him telling Bishop to just pipe down and chill out.
A shock runs through no one.
A ROGUES TALE
Season 2 Episode 9
Rogues backstory!
Rogue has stolen this womans life twice, and she has to live with that.
Of course, the X-Men end up getting captured with their powers neutralized.
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It works, though.
Not as thematically strong a finale as The Final Decision, but still quite entertaining.
), and giving the floor to some of Jeans best psi-gasms in the series.
THE PHOENIX SAGA, PART 3: CRY OF THE BANSHEE
Season 3 Episode 5
Banshee!
And the Juggernaut, bitch!
This is episode is where The Phoenix Saga really gets cooking.
THE PHOENIX SAGA, PART 4: THE STARJAMMERS
Season 3 Episode 6
Oh, the subtext!
Every scene between Cyclops and Corsair is such a tease in the best way.
Id know my older boy.
He had his mothers eyes.
Well, irony, why dont you just punch me right in the balls?
Slap on some ShiAr political intrigue between Lilandra and DKen and youve got quite an episode on your hands.
Especially since our heroes essentially fail when DKen gets his hands on the MKraan Crystal and breaches it.
I must have watched that scene a hundred times in my life, and I still get goosebumps.
In the comics, Angel and Archangel are both Warren Worthington III, but theyre very different characters.
Angel was a carefree trust fund playboy who looked the part of a beautiful, divine being.
Archangel was a spiritually broken monster who cursed his fate on an hourly basis.
And oh boy, did he HATE Apocalypse.
In his undeterred drive to destroy Apocalypse, hes only destroying himself.
We also get to see Beast bond with Ship.
Daww…
THE DARK PHOENIX, PART 1: DAZZLED
Season 3 Episode 11
So, uh… Great job, guys.
But we get the picture.
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Besides, this episode is fun because Dazzler!
What I dont get is why the animators felt the need for her auburn dye-job.
Oh, Im sorry.
The Circle Club because REALLY, FOX KIDS?
Hellfire was just fine in the comics.
It would be the title of a song in a Disney moviea year later.
Shit,Sleeping Beautydropped that bomb in the 1959.
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The Hellfire Club are instantly menacing, and the venom they spew at one another is so cutthroat.
They only survive because shes not threatened enough by them to feel the need to destroy them.
After that, she goes on a little trip, EATS A FUCKING STAR, and heads home.
Xavier jacks some ShiAr legal loopholes from Lilandras brain and demands a trail by combat.
So, it appears her little time out was simply moved.
And it still works.
COLD COMFORT
Season 3 Episode 15
Yay!
Its an interesting angle.
Bobby Drake didnt want to save the world.
Also, fans of the DiC dub ofSailor Moonare in for a special treat if they listen closely.
Like… why are only three X-Men on vacation, and why is Wolverine along with Rogue and Gambit?
Explain to me how that happens?
Now if it had been Rogue or Gambit, that Id have bought.
This might be because he has his sister, Shard, around to take the edge off.
Wolverine and Storms bizarro romance kind of makes sense in context and becomes the emotional throughline of both parts.
In Storms words, its so pathetic its almost quaint.
Nothing really new happens.
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Do I mind?
It makes for the rare occasion where a Part 2 is inferior to a Part 1, but whatever.
I do wishAge of Apocalypsehad gotten the proper treatment.
You could work an entire season or at least a Phoenix Saga-length multi-parter out of it.
He just wants to be left alone.
head back up into space to deal with it.
Besides, we all know he loves Magneto the most.
So he ditches linear time and makes for the Axis of Time.
Thats… thats a lot.
I just want him to clobber that wacky little fuck.
Shoot him, Bishop.
Shoot him with my blessing.
The plot to capture the most potent psychics in existence continues.
First theyve just got to get to it.
to travel back in time, but Apocalypse knocks him off course somehow.
It seems to backfire as it sends Cable right onto the X-Mansions front lawn in the present day.
Great designs on those guys.
Alliances are forged in the heat of battle that take the characters by as much surprise as the audience.
Wolverine and Magneto saving each others asses?
Also, Bishop earns my respect when he blasts Apocalypse out of frame just to shut him up.
This was originally intended to be the series finale, but Im kind of glad it wasnt.
That doesnt make it any less fun, though.
Its a great episode to watch.
If nothing else, for Apocalypses little sashay down the aisle of telepaths.
FAMILY TIES
Season 4 Episode 17
We finally get the blanks in Magnetos backstory filled in.
He already had our sympathy for losing his family, but actually learning the details… its just horrifying.
No wonder he went off the deep end.
Scarlet Witch!).
To put it simply… whos your daddy?
And theres also some blah plot about the High Evolutionary.
Magneto and his children are the heart of this episode, and theyre what make it worth watching.
Its too bad it came so late in the run that practically nobody saw it.
Family drama, am I right?
Easily one of my favorite episodes of the series.
Even if weve passed the threshold beyond which the animation for the show went sharply downhill.
Xavier was about was privileged as a mutant can get.
It give Magneto the perfect excuse to finally start his war on humans.
Someone needs to impersonate Xavier to give a message to the media?
We need the foremost expert on mutant biology to help Xavier?
Call Moira on Muir Island.
When human medicine fails, and we need something more advanced?
Lilandra and the medical technology of the ShiAr Empire.
Cant contact her without boost to Jeans telepathic powers?
Magneto can help with that.
Magneto, who nearly flies into a rage when Jean asks how much he loves Charles Xavier.
He was my only equal.
I owe him my life!
This was one hell of an episode and one hell of a finale.
The only thing it lacked was another half-hour and a better animation budget.
This is the perfect way to end anX-Menrewatch.
