angelophile | Wolverine and the X-men Episode 5

Another episode of Wolverine and the X-men airs. Thoughts under the cut. The episode promises to focus on a character who I'm on record as not caring for one jot, so let's see if the episode turns me around.

Rather a long synopsis scene. I was in danger of nodding off during that.

Thankfully a pre-credit action sequence with a barely recognizable Magma wakes me up. I can't say I care for yet another new take on the character, but I guess harmless enough. Now, it's interesting to see Wolverine simply using a power-neutralizing collar to shut off her powers, but I'm not sure whether I like it or not. It's a logical decision under the circumstances and shows the difference between the old-school X-men, who'd try and talk her down, and the Wolverine styled X-men, who simply handle the problem and worry about ethics later. I can't say I prefer the latter approach, but it is something different.

And apparently this weeks villainess accosted the Theives Guild on their way to an alternative club in Soho. Either that or she stumbled into a gay club by accident and everyone's too polite to point it out. That might explain Gambit's presence.

Interesting to note this episode was written by Bob Forward, of Beast Wars fame. That bodes well.

The voice acting for Amara, less so. Let's move quickly on...

X-men bedtime rituals! Kitty donning apparel with Hello Kitty on it, just in case she forgets who she is, Emma showing some serious cleavage, Hank brushing himself? Er... Logan moping. What, are Scott and him going to have a mope off?

Impressive. Gambit now looks more stupid than ever.

To be fair, however, the voice actor's wound in the outrageous accent to levels that are remarkably tolerable.

Remarkably, even his character seems tolerable. Epic dickery from Wolverine and a nifty one liner or two from Gambit. Surprising.

So, you're driving into your own lab. IS it really necessary to crash through your own security barrier? It may make you look badass in the short term but it makes you look stupid in the long term. And with current economic climates, surely such wastage is ill advised.

Gambit's cocky but with reason, for a chance, and surprisingly, his cockiness isn't coming across as being irritating but merely confidence and style against Wolverine's deliberate growly unsubtlety. I'm amazed by how much I don't want to punch his teeth down his throat.

Dear god, that gun is comedy gold.

Okay, NOW Gambit's got irritating. But forgivable, considering how the episode winds up.

Essentially a comedy action episode, with the wind up and there were definite touches of Forward's stylings recognizable from his Beast Wars years. Some good quips, near slapstick and character juxtaposition and making a character who I've always found irritating and charmless to be fairly charming. Perhaps because Forward avoided the pratfalls of Gambit's character - namely making everything about him focused on sleezing up to women, particularly Rogue and then wangsting about it. Rogue and Gambit have been so intertwined for the last 20 years that it's refreshing to see a story where Gambit's allowed to stand alone and it wasn't a bad episode.

Certainly not up the standard of some so far, but as a filler heist episode focusing on Wolverine and Gambit, surprisingly enjoyable.

Rating - ***