Originally a Patreon request by Mr. Jupiter-Man.
It's finally time to talk about the second X-Men cartoon request I've gotten (of only two). I'm sorry this took so long, but as you can see, this show gave me a lot to say. For better AND for worse...
Xcelsior!
ReplyDeleteR.I.P. Kids WB
ReplyDeletePersonally, I enjoyed watching Wanda smack Toad around, and she was an awesome character despite the major hinderances she had to deal with. And I like to think that Magneto would have owned up to his sins if the show continued.
ReplyDeleteIn case you didn't know. Christopher Judge is the second voice actor to play Kratos. T.C. Carson was the first; playing Kratos in every game before God of War (2018). Judge is perfect for both roles considering their similarities as fathers. Also, Judge portrayed D-Mob in Def Jam Vendetta and Def Jam: Fight for New York. Neat, huh?
I still found Toad entertaining after he met Wanda. He was just as much of a funky spaz as before, and it was funny watching Wanda smack him verbally and physically.
And Wanda has a few great scenes with Kurt revolving around Mystique that show the hidden depths and strengths of her character.
Superheroes are a genre I'm very familiar with and I'm well verse with the Marvel Universe and DC Universe so I know the X-Men. The series is basically going back to basics as the original five X-Men, Cyclops, Angel, Beast, Jean, and Iceman, all started as teenagers. Mystique's shape-shifting limits her to humans, so no way to escape when Cyclops traps her. Wanda's problems were a reference to mental problems that she had around this time in the comics. In fact she used her powers to strip most mutants of their abilities for awhile, resulting in Jubilee briefly becoming a vampire. No I'm not kidding.
ReplyDeleteMystique shapeshifted into a bird in the episode with Arcade. Cyclops was in good blasting range, but Mystique had a possible and probable exit. It doesn't detract from a later episode, but the criticism is valid.
DeleteI wish you spent a little more time talking about the main character. Particularly Kitty and Kurt, because they are marvellous characters who got the love they deserve from this show. Add in Rouge for her awesome arc.
DeleteAn Xceptional review regardless.
Wanda totally deserves more respect, and Elizabeth Olsen rocks the role. Also, the inclusion of Mastermind is pretty grating and unnerving. Most folks probably know him best for his role in The Hellfire Club / The Inner Circle. Before that, he was originally a member of Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants. He was actually an early member, possibly one of the originals. And he spent most of his time harassing Wanda, while Toad was surprisingly civil for the most part. As matter of fact, his first appearance was in X-Men #4, the same issue that introduced Wanda and Pietro. Heck, it was Toad's first appearance to boot!
DeleteSo Mastermind's actions are a disturbing full circle moment.
Poor Wanda..."She's seeing red, but only because her character has been mistreated."
I'm sick of this misogynistic paranoia, but in the interest of fairness, MCU Carol Danvers hasn't been a compelling character throughout her run, and Brie Larson has always given a dull performance. Most of us don't have an issue with Carol's gender, she's just not compelling as a character, and her movies are among the worst in the MCU. On top of that, I hate the MCU's handling of Mar-Vell. He's one of the powerhouses of Marvel (when he's not six feet under), but his MCU counterpart was turned into an old woman, who was blown to bits just to prop up Carol. And we didn't get any of Mar-Vell's supporting cast. Not even Una. On the subject of that movie, Fury losing his eye was moronic and underwhelming. I reckon Yon-Rogg should've been the one to take his eye. At least then he looks tenacious for withstanding a Kree Soldier's attack. And how cool would it have been to see Carol and Mar-Vell fighting side-by-side? On top of that, Mar-Vell was one of Thanos' greatest enemies in Earth-616, so she should've been fighting against Thanos during Endgame. I want to like Carol, but she's very uninteresting, and pales in comparison to her X-Men: The Animated Series and Earth's Mightiest Heroes counterparts.
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