This episode felt like a lead-up to something bigger, and we’re ready.
Episode 6 was successfully split between Storm and Professor X, both of whom are technically AWOL from the X-Men at the moment. For Storm’s part of the episode, we see her live through a fraction of the Lifedeath storyline, before regaining her powers. During the other half of the episode, we surprisingly see Professor X with Lilandra, living his life until he realizes that something terrible has happened on Earth. Both of these stories are leading to Storm and Xaviar’s return to the X-Men, coming likely within the next episode or two. With all this, check out our podcast reactions to Episode 6, out now on your platform of choice or live in the blog post.
Some sort of Lifedeath
Titled Lifedeath Part 2, part of this episode’s plot handled the second half of what Episode 4 set up. In a slightly confusing turn of events, the episode only half told the rest of what was supposed to be a fairly iconic Storm storyline. It was actually pretty weird that the writers hadn’t just chosen to do Lifedeath in one episode, as the story was not only cut drastically short, but it seemed to be shoved in among other storylines, decreasing its prominence. While it was expected that Storm’s storyline wouldn’t be a full A-plot due to the nature of some of the other episodes, it was shocking how little time it felt that she really had.
As previously discussed in the Episode 5 reactions blog post, the Lifedeath storyline has quite a few layers, with the final layer ending with the X-Men sacrificing themselves and then getting resurrected. While it was highly unlikely this was the route the show would go, especially with the events of Episode 5, the rest of the story helps form Forge and Storm’s relationship, and returns Storm to her full caliber of power. While Episode 6 did have the same ending, it did lack the foundational building of Storm and Forge’s relationship, making it seem rushed and out of place. As it is unlikely we will see this storyline ever come back around, it’s a little upsetting that this is the direction they went with Lifedeath, as it doesn’t feel like it truly was told.
Storm to Make Her Return
While the rest of the Lifedeath storyline didn’t follow much of the comic precedence, one thing did successfully happen: Storm regained her powers. Originally, Forge is the one who, while in the alternate dimension that Adversary takes them both to, finds a solution and is able to build a machine that returns Storm’s abilities. With the knowledge of this background, and the fact that Episode 6 played it out that Storm herself had a mental block that was stopping her from using her powers, it’s possible that Forge’s machine in Episode 4 actually did heal Storm. The comic storyline might be married in with the idea that Forge did help her gain her powers, but the final piece of the puzzle came down to Storm realizing she was holding herself back. A part of her did wonder about being human, and it seems that part of her enjoyed not having the extra responsibility of constantly saving the world.
All this changes when she not only regains her powers but witnesses the attack on Genosha, along with the clear stress put on the mutant/human relationship because of it on TV. For clear reasons, Storm is likely going to be going home to the X-Men. As of right now, she knows very little about the attack, and quite frankly, anything that has happened since the end of Episode 2. This includes the whole Jean/Madelyne clone debacle. Yet it also means she isn’t aware of what friends might have been on Genosha or how the X-Men plan to handle the situation. Either way, her return home is imminent, with the possibility of Forge joining her as she returns to her Omega-level threat status and regains the title of X-Man.
Professor X, Back Again
The most shocking part of the episode is the fact that it began with Professor X. As of the final episode of the OG series, Xavier, with Lilandra, was taken back to her planet for treatment after being attacked. That was meant to be the end of the story, as that concluded the original show. However, with the return of the X-Men show, the largest question going into it revolved around Xavier and whether he would return. Episode 6 not only showed us what he was up to this past year but answered that very question.
Poor Xavier never can quite seal the deal with a marriage, as Lilandra’s sister quickly makes sure that he stands no chance of closing the deal and becoming royalty. All because she wants him to completely leave behind the life he had on Earth and the relationships that he spent his entire life building. This all culminates in Xavier using his powers again for the first time in what sounds like a while, causing him to see flashes of everything that has transpired on Earth since he left. In doing so, Xavier quickly realizes he’s not just needed at home, but he might be the only man who can help fix whatever disasters are taking place after the Genosha genocide.
The most interesting aspect is going to be how Xavier is welcomed back to Earth. To the world, he’s dead and made into a mutant martyr, his legacy being what ushered in the slight peace that was happening prior to Genosha. Yet to the X-Men, his leaving has only seemingly led to one terrible thing after another. Nearly nothing truly positive has happened since Xavier has left and it might be interesting to see how his return, especially in the wake of Gambit and Magento’s death, goes over with the X-Men that are left. Pretty much, this is setting up for a stressful Episode 7.
The Culprit Behind Genosha
The final few moments of the episode exposed the implied culprit behind the Genosha attacks and no one should be too shocked. As theorized after Episode 5, Mister Sinister is seemingly behind the attack after getting DNA from the scientist who originally helped build Master Mold and the Sentinels. While it seems the scientist truly had no idea of Sinister’s plans with Genosha, the audience is currently left in the dark about what Sinister’s intentions are across the board. Why destroy Genosha? Why kill a bunch of mutants? And what else is he planning, as he mentions that Genosha was only the beginning?
Usually, Sinister’s plans revolve around creating the next step in evolution, the next level of mutant, even though he himself is not actually a mutant. Is it possible this fact finally caused him to turn his attacks against them? Or is it all in some way in the name of science and evolution? Think of how wildfires, while destructive, leave forests with nutrients that allow new plants and trees to grow back quicker and stronger. It’s possible Sinister is hoping that with the fall of mutants, more second-generation mutants will be born in an attempt to repopulate the mutant population, which would reach his goal of finding the next stage of evolution. Otherwise, the other possibility is that our friend Apocolypse has made a return and Sinister is working for him. Although, again, Sinister was named Season One’s main villain, not Apocolypse, so this seems more unlikely.
Image: “X-Men ’97 Episode 6”, Nick Cimarusti, Sideshow
Sisters Assembled 