X-MEN Episode Twenty-Three

Beauty and the Beast

Written by Stephanie Mathison




Summary:Beast works to cure a blind patient named Carly, but is targeted by the Friends of Humanity.Following Jean's advice, Wolverine uses stealth to infiltrate the FoH's headquarters and learns more about its founder, Graydon Creed.When the FoH again attacks the hospital and kidnaps a recently cured Carly, Wolverine contacts the X-Men and asks them to bring a hologram projector.With the hologram, Wolverine proves to the FoH that their leader is the son of a mutant, Sabretooth.Carly is rescued, but Beast refuses to pursue their relationship if it means endangering her.Meanwhile, Xavier and Magneto narrowly escape the Savage Land Mutates.



Continuity Notes:



* For perhaps the first time in the show's continuity, Wolverine's bare hands are drawn properly without the circular metal housings.

* The doctor working with Beast is named Donald Olson.I wonder if he was originally intended to be Thor's alter ego, Donald Blake, because there is a resemblance.

* Wolverine gives his name to Graydon Creed as "John Logan."



"Um, Actually ":



* Pictures in Beast's photo album imply that he slowly grew into his blue, furry state, contradicting the comic book's continuity that Beast's blue fur is a result of a serum he ingested.

* Sabretooth's real name is given as "Graydon Creed, Sr." as opposed to Victor Creed.

* "Beauty and the Beast" is also the name of a comic miniseries featuring a totally unrelated story, starring Beast and Dazzler.



Saban Quality:The Friends of Humanity members have jackets that read "HoH" in one scene.



"Actiiing!":Graydon Creed's breakdown after he sees the Sabretooth hologram is unbelievable."I'M NOT LIKE HIM!I'M NOT LIKE HIM!YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!!!"



I Love the '90s:Wolverine sarcastically suggests a "kinder, gentler way" to stop the FoH, which is a reference to a famous speech given by George H. W. Bush.



Review:Just to be clear, this episode establishes that Beast can cure blindness.Oddly enough, this is never mentioned again, even though it would probably be the greatest publicity battle that mutants could win.Who could hate mutants after one of them literally worked a miracle and cured the blind?Speaking of publicity, what are the Friends of Humanity thinking, attacking a hospital for the blind?This is outrageously stupid, even by the low standards set by Graydon Creed in the comics.So, the premise is a little strained, although the episode does a nice job of just allowing the Beast to be the likeable Beast, which makes the story more palatable.I suspect the entire episode was merely an excuse to have Wolverine use his mind against an enemy while Beast goes berserk, an irony Jubilee helpfully spells out to the audience.Not a bad starting point for a story, although surely there was a more plausible way to get to this point.



Credit to for the screencaps.
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