Wolverine and the X-men (WatX)- Spoilers

[Previsionary]

ARCHIVES

For the US viewers, this show will premier on January 23rd. For Canadians, I hear the show has moved to Teletoons (Jan 11th) and will reair all the episodes before showing any new episodes. In other news, the second season was confirmed to be in preproduction in November and it will also have 26 episodes as of this moment.

[Podmark]

New episode showed Saturday morning, it was probably the best of the show I think.

[Previsionary]

New episode showed Saturday morning, it was probably the best of the show I think.

So it played? Meaning I can actually talk about it (later). Can you confirm whether or not new episodes will continue to premiere after the move in stations?

[crimsonquill]

So it played? Meaning I can actually talk about it (later). Can you confirm whether or not new episodes will continue to premiere after the move in stations?

I can confirm it played because I was able to get a copy sent my way via e-mail tonight from one of my Canadian friends who was nearly jumping up and down while squeeling because she was sure that episode 12 was the last new episode until the other network caught up showing the show. Maybe the original network is continuing airing the shows they recieved until the other station starts their own.. *shrug*.. I'm getting my popcorn ready to watch it myself right now... YAY!

- CQ

[Previsionary]

Ok then...here we go!
=======

WaTX #13: Battle Lines

Continuing my apparently acquired role of writing reviews (without pay, mind you ^^), I'll pick it up again and give some minor details and basically an even smaller rundown of the last 4-5 episodes.

Spoiler

In the past few episodes, Rogue began to distrust the Bhood a bit more and Nightcrawler found out some interesting information about Magneto's safe haven. Meanwhile, Mystique broke into the X-mansion to check on Xavier. Later, Wolverine went away to find out information about his past and Cyclops tracked down and fought the Marauders/Sinister in an effort to find Jean Grey. This episode basically touches on two plots that have been going on for the past few episodes, Rogue's allegiance and Magneto's plans for mutant-kind.

This episode brings us the return of Mystique who breaks into the MRD to find a powerful mutant. She runs into a little snag and informs Magneto of such. Over at the Bhood, Magneto chastises Quicksilver and Rogue catches on to it. Rogue then absorbs his (QS) memories and finds out the truth...and she's not happy. Not even Domino can talk her down. Rogue rushes off to warn the X-men and she's greeted to several cold shoulders.

Over with Senator Kelly, Blink and Magneto arrive at his office and we learn that Maggie and Kelly have some sort of working relationship. Magneto knows Kelly isn't holding up to his part of the plan exactly and he's not going to have that. Cue...the acolytes attacking several prisons in an effort to free the captured mutants. Meanwhile, the bhood attack the X-men on their home turf--the mansion.

The remainder of the episode focuses on the X-men trying to stop a monster created by a mutant with nightmare powers--Tildie Soames (astonishing X-men).

Pretty good episode, and I remember this being around the point the show really hit its stride. I did find it odd that random pedestrians were just standing around as the X-men fought to save the day. Ignoring that, it's nice to see team action where everyone played a part even if it did mostly focus on Rogue, Magneto, and Wolvie. Also, even though I like Emma considerably more in the toon than I do in her current incarnation during and post Morrison, especially in the finale episodes, I still enjoyed watching a certain speedster attack her. It filled me with glee.

[Silver Shocker]

I on the other hand, was a little put-off by all the violence against women there was in this episode. You have Dr. Rao being hit repeatedly (albeit off screen, but with the sound effects, her falling into focus, ect, they weren't exactly subtle about it) near the start of the episode, then Emma being slammed into a wall. Both by male characters (well, one was Mystique AS a male character). How the heck did this episode get past the censors?  Other than that, I really liked the episode, it was if not the best yet, the best episode I remember in a long while (especially with all the "meh" filler episodes they did)

[Talavar]

Definitely one of the best episodes so far, and I hope this is a sign of things to come!

[Previsionary]

for the US fans:

Nicktoons Network, the fastest growing kids' network, introduces Wolverine and the X-Men, the new action-packed animated series based on Marvel's ever popular Super Heroes. Produced by Marvel Animation, the new 26-episode, half-hour series follows Wolverine as he reunites the X-Men in an attempt to save the world. The adventure begins with two back-to-back episodes Friday, Jan. 23, from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. (ET). The new series builds on Marvel's rich storylines from the comic book pages and big screen, and will air regularly Fridays at 8:00 p.m. (ET) on Nicktoons Network.

The article goes on to say that this WILL be available online and On-Demand. So, you have three ways to catch the show.

[Previsionary]

Watx 14: Stolen Lives

Spoiler

Consider this a wolverine episode and a followup to his previous episode where he went after Maverick's daughter to figure out parts of his past. The episode opens with Mystique warning Wolverine that Christie Nord is in trouble. Wolverine instantly goes out on a limb to find and protect her. At the scene of the crime, Wolverine finds Mystique, who informs him that Christie was taken by Weapon X. Team-up time!

Mystique and Wolverine eventually come across a Weapon X plane and Wolverine jumps aboard it to save Christie. WHile there, he realizes that Maverick is still alive, but he doesn't remember anything and considers Wolverine and enemy. Not even Wolverine's attempt to plead with Maverick do him any good as Wolverine is tossed out of the plane and lands on a table. Wolverine does manage to track Maverick and Christie down later using his senses (though the visuals fit Longshot better). After another short fight, Maverick escapes again and Wolverine and Mystique continue to track down the girl where Mystique reveals she was part of Team X.

The duo eventually find the location of Christie and continue to try and save her. Wolverine is sidetracked by Sabretooth, but Mystique makes it inside and injects some chemicals into whatever Weapon X is working on. Unfortunately, Wolverine is captured and we get a quick scene in X-23. Mystique manages to save Wolverine and he gets a flashback of his weapon X days as Cornelius continues to escape with X-23 and Christie. Wolverine and Mystique save the girl, but Cornelius escapes with his female wolverine clone and reveals to Logan his real name. The episode ends with Wolverine, Christie, Maverick, and Mystique leaving the remains of the weapon X base as Wolverine has a flashback of his team X days with Mystique. It's also implied that Wolverine and Mystique had a relationship.

This episode was ok, for me, if you don't mind it straying away from comic continuity as I know some people hold onto comic continuity even in different mediums. It's mostly an action episode that goes on to explore more of Wolverine's past such as his inclusion in Team X, his relationship with Mystique, and restoring some of his memories of weapon X. If you happen to care about Maverick, he doesn't do a WHOLE lot in the episode, but his story arc is touched upon a bit more and he's given a partially happy ending considering the circumstances.

I would make a note about the Hulk vs. Wolverine movie here, but I think I'll save that for later.

[Talavar]

I just saw the most recent episode...

Spoiler

I think it was pretty good.  The Wolverine using his senses visual is very like how X-23's enhanced senses have been shown in recent comics - sort of ghostly after images.

The flashback with Mystique about to get metal bones is kinda stupid though - I mean, her shape-shifting would be pretty heavily curtailed with an indestructible skeleton I would imagine, plus the generally held opinion that it was only Wolverine's healing that let him survive the process in the first place.

The Wolverine/Mystique former romance was handled well in my opinion.

[Previsionary]

If you missed the premiere, you can find the first two episodes here US fans:

Nicktoons Streaming

The episodes will also be on NICKELODEON on Sunday. Check your listings.

[Podmark]

Saw the newest one. It's a Mojo episode, and I don't like Mojo (does anyone like Mojo??) but it stars Nightcrawler and it was pretty good. Nightcrawler is far too awesome in this series.

[Previsionary]

Saw the newest one. It's a Mojo episode, and I don't like Mojo (does anyone like Mojo??) but it stars Nightcrawler and it was pretty good. Nightcrawler is far too awesome in this series.

Pfft, Mojo is the king of awesome! You're just jealous of his spinelessness....

*manages to maintain a straight face...somehow*

[Podmark]

Pfft, Mojo is the king of awesome! You're just jealous of his spinelessness....

Prev I regret to inform you that you are evil and I will have to hunt you down.
It's on!...again...

[docdelorean88]

Saw the first two a few days ago and think this is the way part 3 should have gone down. Can't wait for more. P.S. incase you couldn't tell, i'm in the states.

[Talavar]

Saw the newest one. It's a Mojo episode, and I don't like Mojo (does anyone like Mojo??) but it stars Nightcrawler and it was pretty good. Nightcrawler is far too awesome in this series.

No, no one likes Mojo.  But Nightcrawler is exactly the right amount of awesome in this series.

Another solid episode which most of the team sits out.  I wonder, is Nightcrawler going to be in most episodes from here on out?  Because the reasons for him being absent seem to have gone away.

[Uncle Yuan]

Have you all been following ink's thread in Artist's Alley?  Apparently he is working on this show as a special effects designer. . .

http://freedomreborn.net/forums/index.php?topic=49039.msg672010#new

[Podmark]

Have you all been following ink's thread in Artist's Alley?  Apparently he is working on this show as a special effects designer. . .

http://freedomreborn.net/forums/index.php?topic=49039.msg672010#new

That is beyond cool!

[BWPS]

So now that I got to see the first two episodes, I have to say that I'm as happy as a clam with wings. X-Men cartoons just make me so happy. To have this AND a cool spidey toon just makes me remember how happy I was as a child when I watched X-Men and Spider-Man every day and that was my whole life. Also, it was really very good start. I like how it kinda advanced the team even if it wasn't really a sequel. Though I'm mad at Rogue, I hate the way her hair is animated,

Spoiler

and I hate her being evil (of course every character has joined the brotherhood in some incarnation).

Why do wolverine and Beast both have those sidechops? Such weird sidechops! The bit with cyclops at the end, I loved.



If Anna Paquin can talk like Rogue in TrueBlood why couldn't she in X-Men movies?

[Talavar]

Just watched the most recent episode, Badlands...

Spoiler

This is another episode that's largely in the future with the professor & his future pals, though there is a B story with Wolverine, Shadowcat & Forge doing some covert operations (it was weird to see Shadowcat's "X-force" costume, complete with black bows in her hair). 

It's also more of another set-up episode, which will probably lead to more, because not a lot actually happens.

[Talavar]

Well, I may be the only one on here watching these episodes, but just saw Code of Conduct...

Spoiler

This is another one that the team largely sits out, which I'm getting tired of.  Plotwise, the Silver Samurai and some ninjas snatch the X-men while Wolverine is out so that Wolverine will have to fight a rematch.  In the past, the Silver Samurai lost to Wolverine in a duel for Mariko's hand in marriage, but needs a win to be readmitted to the Yakuza.  Wolverine & the Silver Samurai fight again while supervised by the Yakuza enforcing fair play (no powers), Logan wins, and then Silver Samurai gets disqualified for trying to use his powers to turn the fight around.

I've never been a big fan of Wolverine-in-Japan storylines, and Mariko's passive acceptance has always bothered me in its various interpretations.  Plus we have a bunch of what are clearly ninjas spouting lines about the samurai code of honour, and not just one, but 2 Silver Samurai/Wolverine fights where neither are allowed to use powers (at least one of them could have been powered to keep things interesting).

The ninjas punking all the X-men at the beginning is lazy (Emma doesn't sense anyone coming?  Beast can't fight a ninja?), and I don't really see why Wolverine bothers to play by the Yakuza rules.  How many ninjas would it take to beat Wolverine, all of them?  I also wonder if this episode was produced in a different order than its airing, since there was no sign of Nightcrawler among the X-men that I noticed.

Anyway, it wasn't a terrible episode by any means, just one that irritated me for a number of reasons.

[Podmark]

I enjoyed it, but this show definitely needs some team episodes. I did like that it was a Silver Samurai ep, we don't get many of them in shows (I don't recall one from the Fox show).

But yeah Talavar I agree with most of your issues. X-Men getting punked was particularly lame.

[Kommando]

I love this series but that episode just annoyed me.  First thing, I want to see Wolverine go to Yankee stadium and see if he can sniff out a play by play of the last game, because its apparent he doesn't just have an acute sense of smell, he sees in smellovision.  In fact, this made me realize something.  If he can see the past with his nose, then maybe the reason that he's the only one that can talk to Xavier is not because of the Prof's mind penetrating the past.  No, its quite obvious that Wolverine can smell the future. 

[crimsonquill]

I love this series but that episode just annoyed me.  First thing, I want to see Wolverine go to Yankee stadium and see if he can sniff out a play by play of the last game, because its apparent he doesn't just have an acute sense of smell, he sees in smellovision.  In fact, this made me realize something.  If he can see the past with his nose, then maybe the reason that he's the only one that can talk to Xavier is not because of the Prof's mind penetrating the past.  No, its quite obvious that Wolverine can smell the future. 

His sense of smell is only half of his tracking ability... It's his decades worth of experience in the military plus all of the mental disipline and focus skills he picked up from learning various martial arts in Japan. He smells various things like motor oil, exhaust fumes, blood, cheap calone, expensive suit fabrics, cigar smoke, burned rubber, and gunpowder when he walks on a street then he just has to put two and two together to figure out that a limo did a drive by shooting then stopped to pick up the bodies to make sure no obvious evidence could be found. A "CSI" team could spend hours looking for those kinds of things while Wolverine can usually figure it out just by pausing for a moment, taking a few strong sniffs in each direction, and looking for the most potent smells in the area.

The "smellovision" is just an easy way to show what Wolverine is figuring out in his head and at the same time give the viewers a flashback of what happened off screen before he arrived.

- CQ

[Podmark]

The smell-o-vision thing has been used several times in comics by Craig Kyle and Chris Yost, creator and one of the writers of the series, in the X-23 minis and X-Force. I think crimsonquill's explanation of it seems pretty good.

[Talavar]

I just watched Backlash over the weekend, the 18th episode...

Spoiler

Forge learns that the Sentinel program is getting activated, so the whole team(!) minus Kitty goes to shut down the Master Mold AI controlling them, with Kitty staying behind to look after Tildie.  It turns out to be a trap set by the AI, and the sentinels are already active.  Meanwhile, Pietro gets exiled from Genosha by Magneto, and the Brotherhood ratted out to the Mutant Registration Department.  Pietro gets back in time to save his team from the MRD, then the Brotherhood goes to save the X-Men.  After a bunch of sentinel fighting, Wolverine manages to destroy the Master Mold computer, but nothing changes for Professor X in the future - Master Mold survived by transferring itself into one of the damaged sentinels and heading for the hills.

It was really nice to have a team episode, even if most of the team only gets a few quick action shots - they do have a pretty big team at the moment.  Someone needs to tell Storm to either start dodging or find cover, and Emma to stop changing out of diamond form when fighting giant robots.  There's some neat moments like a Blob/Wolverine fastball special, but for the most part, it's an action-heavy episode.

[Previsionary]

Been awhile since I posted here...*shrugs*

WatX 19: Guardian Angel

Spoiler

It's an Angel heavy episode that largely ignores the X-men's presence outside of Storm and Wolverine. This time around, Angel is tired of catering to his father and takes the initiative to save the mutants the MRD are tracking down and capturing. Warren's father is tired of his son disobeying him and orders to MRD to catch him. The MRD do so, but Angel ends up injured and has his wings amputated. Because of the trauma of this event, Angel gives into his urges and asks Sinister to restore them which brings us...the Horseman of Death...Archangel!

I thought it was a good episode and quite a spin from Angel's classic moment during the Mutant Massacre storyline. This episode also had heavy Storm action and seemed to imply that Warren and Ororo are much closer than they actually are. It almost sent off a relationship vibe, which I found odd because nothing was built up around it. Regardless, it's a good Angel episode which is nice sense, you know, he's never been a heavily featured character in any X-men cartoon.

Up next: Cyclops/Emma/Jean episode. Fun fun, yes?

[Talavar]

I also enjoyed "Guardian Angel," it's nice to see Warren get a moment.

Spoiler

What I found surprising is how he lost his wings - it wasn't just that they were so badly damaged they needed to be amputated - the doctor at least suggested they could have been treated by bringing in a specialist, and Warren's father decides to just have them lopped off instead.  Cold.

Also, does it appear to anyone else that they're combining Whedon's "Mutant Cure" storyline with the Legacy virus?  Give it a name like 'Legacy' is just so loaded to any X-fan.

[Midnite]

Episode 20 Breakdown is available. 

[Previsionary]

Episode 20 Breakdown is available. 

It seems the UK is airing the next 7 (including episode 20) episodes up until the 12th of March which is the season finale. I think the UK aired most of their episodes during the weekdays, so...they've already overtook the Canadian's.

The airdates of the show across the globe have been weird.