The ultimate battle is being fought amongst members of a superior race.
X-Men Evolution is a cartoon that aired for four seasons from 2000-2003. In this cartoon, which is based on the widely popular Marvel Comics characters, The X-Men, a superior race of evolved humans, discover their powers thanks to a mutant gene that activates during their teenage years.
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Season one of X-Men Evolution is actually a reflection of the original X-Men comic book series in which the X-Men are teenagers who, under the tutelage of Professor X (Charles Xavier), learn to control the use of their special abilities. Not everyone wants the X-Men to learn or to live amongst normal humans.
There are evil mutants with the same evolved gene that are against Professor Xavier. These mutants, who are part of the Brotherhood of Mutants, believe they should take their place as the superior race over humans. They believe, since the evolved humans are a different species (homo superior) than humans (Homo sapiens), then they should not deny their birthright.
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Cast of Characters
The X-Men series follows the lives of two groups of teenagers. The first group is the X-Men, who live with Professor Xavier at the Institute for Gifted Youngsters. The Institute is the guise for a training facility where Xavier trains his pupils in the art of controlling and honing their X-factored abilities.
The second group is a group that rejected the offer to join Xavier at the Institute. Instead, they follow the direction of Magneto, a nemesis of the X-Men, and the principal of the school, Raven Darkholme, who is better known as Mystique.
One unique thing about this series is both groups attend the same high school, Bayville High. They must learn to co-exist, which leads to many confrontations. At the end of the first season, the X-Men teenagers learn the principal is actually their enemy, Mystique. Though this is upsetting to them, they do not blame Professor Xavier from trying to protect them.
The X-Men
The X-Men in X-Men Evolution include:
Scott Summers (Cyclops) - Scott is one of the first characters in X-Men Evolution that we meet. He is in episode 1-1 - "Strategy X". In the episode, we quickly discover Scott’s special powers, as a jock named Duncan Matthews knocks his protective glasses off his face. When his eyes are exposed, Cyclops can emit optic blasts from them. That is why he wears the glasses.
Scott was sticking up for (surprisingly enough) another mutant named Todd "The Toad" Tolensky (originally known as Mortimer Toynbee in the comics). Before the police can arrive, Jean Grey, another of the X-Men, gets Scott his glasses, so they can return to the institute.
Jean Grey - Also known as Marvel Girl in the comic books, Jean Grey is a relatively weak-powered (in the beginning episodes) telepath. Jean can also use telekinesis to move objects. Fans of the comic can tell you how powerful Jean really becomes.
Jean is very close to Scott. She is often sent by Professor X to help recruit new students. She has a calming, caring nature about her, which makes her the ideal choice to help recruit new members to the Institute/X-Men team.
James "Logan" Howlett/Wolverine - Wolverine is one of the adults in the series. Quite a powerful X-Men member, Wolverine is incredibly athletic with animalistic instincts. He has advanced smelling capabilities and though it is not mentioned in X-Men Evolution, he has amazing healing abilities, as well. A fierce fighter, his signature weapons are his retractable claws, made of adamantium (a Marvel-created metal alloy), which were bonded to his skeleton against his will.
Ororo Munroe/Storm - Ororo Monroe (Auntie O to Spyke) is another adult who helps Professor X train the students at the Institute. Storm, who is believed to be not only the most popular but also the first African-American superhero ever created (in 1975 by X-Men writer Len Wein), is able to summon and control weather patterns.
In particular, she can use the rain, lightening, fog, snow, etc. to her advantage. For example, the wind helps Storm take flight, and thunderstorms can be used in battle or it can be used to conceal another X-Men member’s location from an enemy.
Professor X/Charles Xavier - As it was mentioned previously, Professor X is in charge of the Institute and founder of the X-Men team. He is a paraplegic, who is always seen in his motorized wheelchair. Professor X is brilliant. He is a gifted scientist with amazing information on genetics, and understanding of how the X-Gene mutation works.
Xavier possesses the X gene as well. He is an incredibly powerful telepath. He can control and influence the minds of others, to the point of what could be construed as abusive if used for the wrong purposes.
Katherine "Kitty" Pride/Shadowcat - In episode 1-2 "The X-Impulse", we meet Kitty Pride. A confused girl, who wants to deny her powers, Kitty is pursued by Lance Alvers who possesses the X-gene. Lance wants Kitty to help him break into the school office, steal test answers, and change grades. Luckily, she is also being watched over by Jean Grey and Professor X who have come to help her understand her gift and invite her to the Institute.
Kitty has the ability to become transparent. She can pass through walls and objects, as well as allow others she is touching to do the same. In the comic book, this power is more advanced where she is able to disrupt fields of electricity with her transparency. Kitty, though portrayed as a typical teenager, is of genius intelligence and (though touched upon only briefly) is an expert at computers.
Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler - In episode 1-1 "Strategy X", we are introduced to a blue, fuzzy teenager named Kurt. Kurt is a practical jokester who loves to have fun. As a result, he often clashes with the down-to-business, overly serious Scott. Kurt is originally from Germany and it is clear he has recently learned English, as he does not always understand American slang.
Kurt has the ability to teleport. He is also incredibly agile, and loves to hang from the ceilings like a bat. Kurt is often compared to the devil/elf, as he has a tail, pointy ears, and glowing eyes. Despite this, he is devoutly religious (outside this series) and is truly one of the good guys. In episode 1-10 "Shadowed Past", it is revealed through Rogue’s dreams that Mystique is the mother of Kurt.
Rogue - In season one, Rogue is mysterious. She was originally raised by Destiny at the request of Mystique. Rogue knows she is adopted, but knows nothing of her birth parents While Destiny and Mystique knew what Rogue’s powers would be they did not know when they would activate.
To protect her and others from her incredibly strong powers, she was told by Destiny that she should avoid contact with others since she had a -made up- skin condition. In episode 1-3, "Rogue Recruit", a boy who is interested in Rogue named Cody Robbins asks Rogue to dance at the school dance. As Cody and Rogue make contact, her powers go haywire, placing Cody in some sort of coma.
Confused, Rogue, a Southern belle turned goth girl (at least in this series), is met by Mystique, who convinces her the X-Men are evil by shape-shifting into them and trying to harm Rogue as members of the X-Men team. As the X-Men team arrives, Rogue goes nuts, and eventually ends up with Mystique though she is suspicious of everyone.
Rogue has the ability to touch a person and render them unconscious as she takes their memories and any powers they possess (if they have the X-gene).
Later in the first season, in episode 1-9, "Survival of the Fittest", Rogue becomes an X-Men member, when she learns Mystique only wanted her to use her powers for evil.
Evan Daniels/Spyke - The youngest member of the X-Men is also the most immature. The nephew of Ororo, Evan Daniels has been hiding his powers from his Aunt. During a basketball game Ororo is attending, Spyke’s powers become visible to her, when he skids across the floor and spikes protrude from his arms. While she tries to convince Spyke he needs the Institute’s help to control his powers, Spyke has another idea.
Spyke is sparring with Pietro/Quicksilver, another Basketball player who ends up getting Spyke sent to jail, by trashing the school and leaving Spyke to take the fall. That is when Ororo and her brother tell Spyke he has little choice, but to go to the Institute. Throughout the series, the rivalry between Quicksilver and Spyke play out.
Spyke is the only X-Men in X-Men Evolution, who was not in the comic book originally. It is widely believed he was thrown in to help diversify the show, though he was one of the least popular characters on it.
Alex Masters (Summers)/Havok - In the last two episodes, 1-12 and 1-13, "The Cauldron Part One and Part Two", Scott’s little brother Alex is introduced. Scott believed Alex was killed in the plane crash that killed his parents. Instead, he was raised in Hawaii.
During a battle with a shark, in which he uses his hands to emit the same kind of optic blast his brother uses from his eyes, it is discovered Alex also possesses the X-gene.
X-Men Enemies
Magneto - The higher power in charge of the evil mutants, Magneto is the true leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants. Magneto is seen as the antagonist to Professor X’s protagonist. Magneto is seen in various episodes though none as prominent as in episodes 1-12 and1-13, "The Cauldron Part One and Part Two", where he has X-Men battle enemy mutants. The winner of each battle is brought to a special training ground Magneto created, where he plans to exploit their power and help them form a superior fellowship free of prying human eyes.
Magneto is portrayed as evil, and the fact that he survived the Holocaust is not mentioned in this series, which was primarily geared towards kids. The moral dilemma from Magneto’s existence is far too complex for any involvement in a series on Kids WB.
Magneto, as his name implies, is able to control magnetism in objects.
Raven/Mystique - Mystique is a powerful shape shifter, who can change into both humans and animals. She can use X-Men powers to her advantage by shape shifting into a specific X-Men member. Mystique is depicted by her blue skin.
She is the mother of Nightcrawler, leads the evil enemy teen group, and is the leader (face value) of the Brotherhood of Mutants. She helps Magneto run it, even though he did something evil to her baby Nightcrawler, which led to him being dropped in the river and discovered downstream by a ‘normal’ human family where he was raised.
Lance Alvers/Avalanche - Introduced in episode 1-2, "The X-Impulse", Lance is an orphan, who tries to get Kitty to use her powers to do bad things. He sees himself as superior to humans and fits in well with the Brotherhood, who recruits him, bringing him to Bayville High.
In the comics, Avalanche is known by the name Dominic Petros, not Lance Alvers. Lance is able to create earthquakes (by stomping his foot so it seems), and though not touched upon in season one, can also make materials disintegrate.
Fred Dukes/The Blob - The Blob was one of the first enemies of the X-Men in the comic books. In X-Men Evolution, the Blob is a large (tall and wide) mutant with super strength. In the beginning of episode 1-4, "Mutant Crush", he is seen being treated like a sideshow act at a Monster truck rally. It is clear that people see him as a freak.
Fred meets Jean and becomes infatuated with her. He grows jealous of Scott, whom is very protective of Jean. Fred demands that Jean go on a date with him, and when she does not agree, he knocks her out, carries her off, and ties her up to force her on the date.
The Blob does not appear to be overly intelligent. He is not fond of the X-Men or anyone really, as most of them laugh and pick on him. Of course, the result is disastrous if he tries to throw a locker at them in retaliation.
Todd "The Toad" Tolensky - Todd is a slimy, toad-like character. He is depicted as a loser, who hangs out with the bad guys, just to be a pest to the X-Men. Toad has the ability to leap like a frog, eat bugs, and has a super long tongue that is reminiscent of Ed, Edd, and Eddy (green).
He is first seen in episode 1-1 "Strategy X", when two jocks catch him stealing money at a football game. They are holding him up against a wall, when Scott comes to his aid (in order to prevent trouble).
Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver - Though not mentioned in season one of X-Men Evolution, Pietro is the son of Magneto and twin of the Scarlett Witch, who is introduced in another season of this series. Pietro is the arch-nemesis of the X-Men Evolution created character, Spyke.
The animosity between the boys lands Spyke in jail for Pietro’s crimes. Pietro has super-fast speed. When airborne, he can use his legs to create a tornado-like object. Pietro is arrogant and believes he is unstoppable. This leads to many problems for the X-Men.
Victor Creed/Sabretooth - Introduced briefly as the arch-nemesis to Logan/Wolverine, Sabretooth was also used in experiments by the government (which created Wolverine’s retractable claws). His skeleton is covered in adamantium, he has advanced healing powers, incredible strength, enhanced senses, animal instincts, and sharp fangs and claws.
The Series - Season One
X-Men Evolution was developed with kids in mind. It is clean, fun, and has an excellent message. While some X-Men purists do not like any deviations made from the comics, many of these deviations actually enhance the story.
The teenagers in the original comics lived in the 1960’s. That is a different time/era and the writers took the liberty to give X-Men Evolution a more modern feel. Though there is a cheese factor (yes, Scott even says "Sike" in one episode) the overall appearance of the show can be enjoyed by both adults and kids.
Season one is the introduction to the entire series. The first five or so episodes introduce you to one or two new characters. You have a chance to get to learn about each one, receive background information on them, and then you can make your assessment of whether you are going to like them or not in future episodes and seasons.
The Bottom Line - If you are a fan of X-Men and can accept the interpretations and liberties made by the creators of the series, you will love X-Men Evolution. It is a great series for those who are new to X-Men.
While you should understand that the stories in the comics do differ, the overall message and abilities of the X-Men are portrayed. In the end good will triumph and evil, while punished, will walk home with their tails between their legs until tomorrow, when the next battle will begin.
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Written by Dominick - Visit Website
Dominick Evans is in his late 20's. He spends his days working as a full time writer/editor and a part time musician/composer. His passions in life include music, directing films, watching movies, reading books, watching sports, wheelchair football, politics and spending time with his family (fiancée Ashtyn, son Robert, and shih-tzu Oliver). Other interests include being an advocate for the disability and GLBT communities.
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