The X-Men are here!!!
Jubilee is a mutant. When her foster parents register, she is saved with a group called the X-Men. Now an X-Man herself, Jubilee and the X-Men are facing some of the greatest dangers in the world…Sentinels, the Juggernaut, Apocalypse, and the worst…human hatred. Fighting for those who hate them, the X-Men’s adventures just beginning.
X-Men—Season 1 premiered on FOX as part of their Saturday morning programming on October 31, 1992 and ran thirteen episodes until March 27, 1993. The series was well received by fans and was an early influence on comic book movies that started appearing later in the ’90s. The series has been collected on a number of DVDs, but the first season and part of the second season are collected on X-Men—Volume 1.
I wonder who the X-Men sacrificial lamb is…could it be the made up X-Man that didn’t make the credits?
I loved the X-Men series. I remember being very excited when it premiered (I even picked up the first four episodes from Pizza Hut on VHS). What made X-Men different from previous superhero cartoons like Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends is that the series really incorporated the comic books and its characters.
The characters of X-Men are almost identical to the relaunch of X-Men (originally helmed by Chris Claremont) in the ’90s. Gambit, Rogue, Cyclops, Wolverine, Jean Grey, Beast, Storm, and Jubilee make up the starting team and are wearing their costumes from the period. The show was loaded by cameos and tons of Marvel characters (mostly obviously from the mutant comics), but every episode you could catch a cameo of characters that you never expected to see in a cartoon (like Feral, Sunfire, Northstar, or Aurora in the episode “Slave Island”). Plus, the series wisely included popular characters like Cable and had them be more than just a one-shot episode.
Why’s Thunderbird here and who’s the pink guy…seriously?!?
Despite being a Saturday morning cartoon, X-Men really worked at developing stories. Here in the first season, stuff is set-up for later seasons, but it is more of an establishing season for more advanced plots later on. Fans of the X-Men shouldn’t miss…in for nothing else good memories and surprising characters (yeah the accents of the characters which don’t bother you in the book will kind of get on your nerves here).
X-Men—Season 1 Complete Episode Guide:
“Night of the Sentinels: Part 1”
1.1 Night of the Sentinels—Part 1 Airdate: 10/31/92
Jubilee finds her foster parents have turned her in to the mutant registration. When she is attacked at the mall by a Sentinel, she is rescued by the X-Men. Meeting Storm, Rogue, Beast, Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Morph, Jubilee runs home but is captured by Sentinels. Now the X-Men must go on a rescue mission to save her and destroy the files kept on other mutants.
“Night of the Sentinels: Part 2”
1.2 Night of the Sentinels—Part 2 Airdate: 10/31/92
The X-Men attempt to save Jubilee fails at the cost of Morph’s life and the capture of Beast. The X-Men attempt a rescue but learn that Beast has other plans as anti-mutant sentiment grows.
“Enter Magneto”
1.3 Enter Magneto Airdate: 11/27/92
A rescue attempt for Beast is attempted by Magneto, but Magneto learns Beast wants to stand trial to show that mutants are like humans. When Beast’s trial is interrupted by Sabretooth, the X-Men learn that Magneto has plans for humanity.
“Deadly Reunions”
1.4 Deadly Reunions Airdate: 01/23/93
Xavier tries to get into Sabretooth’s mind and sees that he is full of hate. As Magneto continues his attacks against humanity and demands a face-to-face with Xavier. Ororo suffers from her claustrophobia from her childhood. Senator Kelly announces his plans for the future of mutants in America. When Jubilee accidentally releases Sabretooth, a showdown with Wolverine occurs.
“Captive Hearts”
1.5 Captive Hearts Airdate: 01/30/93
Jean and Scott discover an underground society of mutants called the Morlocks and are captured by them. When the X-Men head into the sewers to rescue Jean and Scott, Ororo might have to face her fear of confined spaces in a showdown with the Morlock leader Callisto. As the X-Men work to retrieve Cyclops and Jean, Wolverine has to face his relationship with Jean.
“Cold Vengeance”
1.6 Cold Vengeance Airdate: 02/06/93
Wolverine has left the X-Men and headed north to his home in Canada. Tracked by Sabretooth, Wolverine is overpowered in the cold and is found by an Inuit tribe who welcome him. The X-Men debate taking some time off and learn about an island named Genosha that is inviting mutants to its shores. When one of the tribe resents Wolverine’s popularity, Wolverine is led into a trap.
“Slave Island”
1.7 Slave Island Airdate: 02/13/93
Gambit, Jubilee, and Storm are captured and held prisoners on Genosha. Storm is imprisoned, and Jubilee finds herself betrayed by Gambit. As Master Mold continues to build up the Sentinel supply on Genosha, a freedom fighter named Cable looks like he could be the liberator of the island.
“The Unstoppable Juggernaut”
1.8 The Unstoppable Juggernaut Airdate: 03/06/93
The school has been attacked, and Professor X is missing. The X-Men’s search for the attacker leads them to a Russian mutant named Colossus. When Wolverine realizes Colossus isn’t the attacker, the X-Men must clear Colossus’ name by seeking out the Juggernaut.
“The Cure”
1.9 The Cure Airdate: 02/20/93
Cable’s search for Dr. Adler leads him to Warren Worthington III but learns Adler is on Muir Island. Xavier investigates Adler’s “cure” with Moira MacTaggert on Muir Island and finds Adler’s thoughts blocked. As Rogue investigates Adler to see if she can be normal, she doesn’t realize that it is a plot of Mystique and Apocalypse.
“Come the Apocalypse”
1.10 Come the Apocalypse Airdate: 02/27/93
Angel’s backing of Adler backfires when he is transformed by Apocalypse. Creating his Horsemen Famine, Pestilence, War, and Death, Apocalypse takes his plans to overcome humanity public as the X-Men fight to stop him. Angel fights to break Apocalypse’s control and break free of Death.
“Days of Future Past: Part 1”
1.11 Days of Future Past—Part 1 Airdate: 03/13/93
Bishop patrols the future to capture mutants and captures Wolverine. When the Sentinels turn against Bishop, Wolverine and Bishop must escape Nimrod by travelling into the past to stop the assassination. When Bishop is forced to go through Forge’s time portal, Bishop finds himself trapped in the past and hunting a traitorous X-Man. Captured by the X-Men, Bishop discovers that Nimrod has come through the time portal with him.
“Days of Future Past: Part 2”
1.12 Days of Future Past—Part 2 Airdate: 03/20/93
Bishop has labeled Gambit the traitor who caused the death and destruction of his future. With both Gambit and Bishop locked up, the X-Men head to Washington to stop the assassination of Senator Kelly. When Gambit escapes Bishop and Wolverine, the X-Men wonder if he really could be the assassin. When Mystique is exposed as the real assassin, Rogue learns that she has more ties to the mutant shapeshifter.
“The Final Decision”
1.13 The Final Decision Airdate: 03/27/93
Senator Kelly has been kidnapped by Magneto and his allies. The X-Men set out to find Kelly before any mutant sentiment sweeps the nation. When Kelly is rescued by Trask, Trask discovers that his Sentinels are becoming sentient and a threat to not only humans but the world. With an army of Sentinels trying to replace the brains of the world’s leaders, the X-Men must stop them.
Related Links:
X-Men—Season 2 Review and Complete Episode Guide
X-Men—Season 3 Review and Complete Episode Guide
