The X-Men Forever! (Plus Magneto)
The X-Men are back and facing some of their biggest challenges. Confronted by a world killing species called the Phalanx and the threat of Sinister and Apocalypse, the X-Men also travel to Arkon’s dimension to save a planet. With more and more new mutants popping up all over the planet, the X-Men find being a mutant makes them a target.
Airing from October 5, 1996 to September 20, 1997, X-Men—Season 5 is the final season of the popular X-Men series. The original plans ended the series with “Beyond Good and Evil” which aired during Season 4, but FOX decided to continue the series and provided a conclusion to the series with “Graduation Day”.
Even baby Nightcrawler likes the X-Men Animated Series!!!
I loved the X-Men series, but most of this season was pretty bad. The series changed artistic styles this season with a different animation company taking over for some of the season. Though the original art was sometimes poor, this art is not very developed and suffers from poor shading.
There is also a bit of confusion this season due to problems that occurred during Season 3. “No Mutant Is an Island”, “Deal with the Devil”, and “Longshot” were all third season episodes that got shelved due to production problems. This leads to storyline issues with stories like “No Mutant Is an Island” which has Jean dead…and it isn’t explained (this is also what led “The Juggernaut Returns”, “Nightcrawler”, and “Weapon X, Lies, & Videotape” being in Season 3 instead of Season 4).
I love the X-Men series, and it was sad to see it go. The series was a real comic book series with tons of characters…minor and major. The only regrets I have about the series is that it wasn’t necessarily treated right this season, and it also rarely incorporated non X-Men teams (this season sees Captain America stopping by). The X-Men returned in animated form in X-Men: Evolution in 2000.
X-Men—Season 5 Complete Episode Guide:
“The Phalanx Covenant: Part 1”
5.1 The Phalanx Covenant: Part 1 (Episode #63) Airdate: 09/07/96
The X-Men have brought in Sabretooth for Professor X to help but unwittingly open the mansion to the dangerous Phalanx. The X-Men have been overtaken and only Beast and a rogue Phalanx named Warlock have escaped. Beast goes to X-Factor for help and Beast, Forge, Quicksilver, and Warlock find an unlikely ally in one of the X-Men’s greatest enemies.
“The Phalanx Covenant: Part 2”
5.2 The Phalanx Covenant: Part 2 (Episode #64) Airdate: 09/07/96
Teamed with Mr. Sinister, Beast and Warlock fight to stop the Phalanx before they overtake the world. The need to implant a virus into the system, Beast and his team must defeat the Phalanx’s agent Cameron Hodge and save the Earth.
“A Deal with the Devil”
5.3 A Deal with the Devil (Episode #65) Airdate: 09/14/96
Omega Red has been thawed out to retrieve a sunken Soviet submarine. With a request for Wolverine and Storm on the mission, the X-Men are forced to work with Omega Red…but Omega Red has plans of his own.
“No Mutant Is an Island”
5.4 No Mutant Is an Island (Episode #66) Airdate: 09/21/96
Jean Grey is dead and Scott Summers decides he can no longer be with the X-Men. Returning to the orphanage where he spent his childhood, Scott is reunited with his friend Sarah who now runs the orphanage. Scott learns Sarah takes care of a group of children named Rusty, Skids, Whiz Kid, and Boom-Boom who are mutants…and a candidate named Killgrave might have plans for the children himself.
“Longshot”
5.5 Longshot (Episode #67) Airdate: 10/05/96
Longshot is back, and the X-Men question if he can be trusted. With lost memories, Longshot questions why he is on Earth, and the X-Men and Longshot are forced to return to the Mojoverse when Mojo kidnaps Jubilee.
“Bloodlines”
5.6 Bloodlines (Episode #68) Airdate: 10/26/96
Graydon Creed finds he must prove himself to the Friends of Humanity and develops a plot to show his hatred of mutants. Nightcrawler comes to the X-Men with reports that his missing mother has been captured, and the X-Men set out to find her…only to discover his ties to Mystique, Rogue, and Graydon Creed.
“Storm Front: Part 1”
5.7 Storm Front: Part 1 (Episode #69) Airdate: 11/02/96
The Earth is being ravaged by storms, and Storm finds things are wrong. Encounter a man named Arkon from a parallel world named Polemachus, Storm learns that Polemachus needs her powers to save the world from destruction. Storm goes with Arkon, and the X-Men follow to learn that Arkon and Storm’s future might change the X-Men forever.
“Storm Front: Part 2”
5.8 Storm Front: Part 2 (Episode #70) Airdate: 11/09/96
Polemachus has been saved, and Storm has agreed to remain there to rule with Arkon. The X-Men question Storm’s actions and discover that Polemachus and Arkon might be hiding darker secrets.
“Jubilee’s Fairytale Theatre”
5.9 Jubilee’s Fairytale Theatre (Episode #71) Airdate: 11/16/96
Jubilee finds herself stuck babysitting a group of kids while the X-Men meet with the President. When the group becomes trapped in caverns under the mansion, Jubilee tells the kids a story of how she helped liberate the people of a fairytale kingdom from Magnus.
“The Fifth Horseman”
5.10 The Fifth Horseman (Episode #72) Airdate: 02/08/97
Jubilee and Beast’s trip to South America leads to the discovery of another Apocalypse Temple. When Jubilee is kidnapped by Fabian Cortez to become a vessel for Apocalypse to escape the astral plane and Beast is transformed into a feral state, Jubilee’s only salvation could come from Apocalypse’s new Horseman…Caliban.
“Old Soldiers”
5.11 Old Soldiers (Episode #73) Airdate: 02/22/97
Wolverine remembers World War II and teaming with Captain America to try to rescue a scientist being held by the Red Skull.
“Descent”
5.12 Descent (Episode #74) Airdate: 09/06/97
Dr. James Xavier explores evolution in Victoria London and works with Dr. Nathaniel Essex in the attempt to help a girl. As Essex continues his experiments, his evolution into one of the X-Men’s greatest enemies is revealed.
“Hidden Agenda”
5.13 Hidden Agendas (Episode #75) Airdate: 09/13/97
A young mutant named Sam Guthrie finds himself the target of rumors and conspiracies by the government agents trying to manipulate him. With Rogue sent to help Sam, Rogue and Sam find that the government’s plans might be darker.
“Graduation Day”
5.14 Graduation Day (Episode #76) Airdate: 09/20/97
Professor X is attacked and exposed as a mutant. As he fights for his life, mutants begin rioting across the planet. Magneto begins to rally the mutants behind him and Wolverine, Jean Grey, and Cyclops try to stop Magneto before he goes to war and must convince him to help save Xavier’s life.
Related Links:
X-Men—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide
X-Men—Season 2 Review and Complete Episode Guide
