XTAS Reviews

[stormkeeper_lovedoris]

Episode: The Fate of Phoenix

Brief summary: Just as the Professor and Jean get Phoenix under control, Lilandra appears and says she must be destroyed because of the harm she has caused. The Professor challenges Lilandra to a duel: the X-men against the Imperial Guard, to determine the fate of Jean and Phoenix.


- I loved the scope of this episode. Even little things like how the Sh’iar consult the other ancient civilizations before the battle can begin. Gives you a little taste of a fascinating world out there.

- It was also great to see the X-men stewing over their situation and debating whether or not they were doing the right thing. Beast’s thoughts interested me the most. He was very passionate on the principle that one being should not be killed for the potential future actions of another being.

- Also prior to the battle, the Professor and Lilanda talk to each other in some sort of telepathic sequence. I thought it was interesting that the Professor can walk during it. Maybe because he wasn’t born disabled, so in his mind’s eye he can walk. Their love for each other seems strong as ever throughout this episode though it also seems clear that one of them will have to give up their job in order for them to ever be together!

- Cyclops and Rogue also discuss the ethics of this battle to the death. Rogue’s comment was sad – referring to Scott and Jean she says, “It’s the kind of love I always wanted but never had.” I’m a firm believer that if she’d be a bit more vulnerable, that love is waiting there for her.

- Good thing there’s lots of oxygen on the moon for the X-men’s battle!

- I don’t have much to say about the battle itself other than that the X-men fought well, especially given how some thought it was a lost cause from the get-go. The Professor’s sad comment while watching them was very poignant: “I never dreamed it would end like this.”

- Cyclops and Jean talk a bit in a cave during the battle. He tells her that there is so much he feels, so much they’ve never done, and so much he wants to say to her. Part of me is going: what? Why didn’t you say it earlier? Then part of me is thinking that we all have this sort of thing with our loved ones. (Also, I understand this dialogue came straight from the comics. Cool).



- The resolution of this episode is definitely one of my favorite moments in XTAS. I thought it was such a brilliant way to resolve it. In order to bring Jean back, each X-man gives up a bit of themselves. They hold hands, Phoenix does the deed, and the team is able to bring her back. Seriously wonderful to watch. Also noteworthy was, prior to Phoenix’s explanation of how this works, Cyclops and Wolverine arguing over which one of them will be sacrificed for Jean. Both men do clearly love her.



- As awesome as an ending that scene was, I have to chuckle at the very last scene. Back at the mansion, Scott puts Jean to bed with a chaste kiss on her forehead. She’s in a twin sized bed. Sometimes I forget that this is an “all ages show”, so apparently we can’t even suggest that Jean might share her bed with someone else.

- Rating: 5 stars. Definitely one of the series’ landmarks.


Episode: Cold Comfort

Brief summary: Former X-man Bobby (Iceman) Drake is caught breaking into a government installation. He is brought to the X-men who try to learn the reason for his actions.


- This is the first and only XTAS episode with a speaking role for Bobby. First thing I have to say is that when I watch it, I feel a twinge of guilt. In my fanfic I try to stay somewhat true to XTAS canon, but I always write Bobby quite differently than he appears here. I prefer to write a gay version of movie-Bobby, which is definitely not what we get here. But I can say that I got two things right in my fanfic: his friendship with Hank and friendship-that-involves-kinda-a-crush with Jubilee.

- Also, was it just me or is the animation in this episode like 10 times worse than normal? The illustrators went on strike?




- Last episode was such a landmark, and this episode seems kind of weird coming right after it. It’s like this one could’ve taken place at any point and the Dark Phoenix saga didn’t just happen. Scott gives no sign that he almost lost the love of his life and regained her.

- And wow, Cyclops can’t stand Bobby! He says that the Professor and Hank coddle and make excuses for him. And later Jubilee comments that she’s never seen the Professor so angry as when he is speaking with Bobby. Bobby does seem to be someone who can really rub a lot of people the wrong way. (At the end of the episode even he admits that he'd drive them crazy if he stayed!)

- Neat that Hank likes his sense of humor though.

- And just a few minutes in, I’m like again wow – Bobby here is SO different than the movie version! Other than Rogue, I wonder if any other X-man got so totally changed for movieland.

- I do like the sub-plot here, how Lorna and Bobby argued about whether or not they wanted to lead a normal life or get in the fight for mutant rights.

- Hey, isn’t there an ethical problem here? Should the X-men really be holding Bobby against his will? Even if he broke into government property, this aspect of how they treated him really looks wrong.

- I do get Jubilee’s eagerness to break Bobby out of there. She’s again feeling like she’s been treated like a kid…and she didn’t even get a cameo in the Dark Phoenix saga!

- I liked seeing Forge for the first time here. I’ve always had some interest in him due to his having had (in the comics) a romantic association with Storm. It’s something I wouldn’t have minded seeing some time in XTAS, but we had no such luck.

- Very cool that the Professor realized his approach here was wrong and that he had to go from being Bobby’s stern headmaster to being a friend. We all live and learn.

- I wonder why Quicksilver’s in X-Force but not his twin sister.

- And I have to admit that I don’t get X-Force in general. Why wouldn’t the Professor have been told? What does the government hope to accomplish through them? And why do we never see them as a team again?

- So Lorna faked her disappearance instead of just telling Bobby it’s over? Clearly the Professor isn’t the only one who could improve their communication skills.

- Rating: 4 stars. Not bad, enjoyed the interactions here though the plot was just okay.