X-Men ’97 Episode 9: “Tolerance is Extinction Part 2” Review

Iconic classic costumes, a team split, and one of the most famous moments in X-Men history all in one middle act!

SPOILER WARNING! The following contains spoilers for the X-Men ’97 Episode “Tolerance is Extinction Part 2!” Do not proceed if you wish to avoid spoilers!

MAJOR POINTS

• The X-Men are in their classic 70’s/80’s costumes
• Magneto ripped the adamantium out of Wolverine a la Fatal Attractions

Magneto reclaims his helmet and resurrects Asteroid M back into orbit. He plans to destroy the world, leaving Asteroid M as a mutant haven. Rogue and Sunspot join him. The X-Men split into two teams, with the Blue Team taking on Bastion and the Gold Team going after Magneto.

The Blackbird gets shot down… again… Morph morphs into Hulk and starts smashing while Sinister attacks Jean Grey. He offers to tell her when he swapped her out with Madeline Pryor. But Jean refuses, accepting that she and Madeline are the same now.

Meanwhile, the Gold Team battles Magneto on Asteroid M. Xavier tries to telekinetically stop Magneto. However, Magneto manages to toss his helmet over Xavier’s head, dampening Xavier’s power. Wolverine uses this moment to strike, impaling Magneto with his claws. But Magneto rips the adamantium out of Wolverine’s body in response. The episode ends on this cliffhanger.

MAJOR QUESTIONS

• How is Morph able to gain the powers of somebody he mimics?
• How many Blackbirds have The X-Men gone through? Four? Five?
• Will we get the other part of Fatal Attractions with Xavier mind-wiping Magneto?
• And if so, how long until we get Onslaught?

FINAL GRADE: A

I am completely biased because I always loved Wolverine’s 80’s brown and tan costume. Just a glimpse of that in animation gives this episode a glowing review.

The split into two teams (Blue and Gold) is again right out of the 1990s comics. As is the scene of Magneto ripping out Wolverine’s adamantium. In comic continuity, Xavier’s mind-wipe of Magneto eventually led to the creation of Onslaught. So it’s a good bet we will see that in the next season.

One thing I still don’t get is how Morph can gain the powers of the people he mimics. If he can do that, why doesn’t he just turn into Magneto and undo the damage that’s been done? Maybe there is something more complex to it than that but that seems to be a big detail the writers have glossed over.