Whatever It Takes (X-Men episode)
Encyclopedia
"Whatever It Takes" is an episode in the animated TV series X-Men Animated Series.
, Cyclops
, Wolverine
, Storm, Rogue
, Gambit
, Beast
, Jean Grey
, Jubilee
Supporting Characters Magneto
, Morph, Mjnari
Villains: Shadow King
) sees a portal opening at the mountain, but no one else sees it. Then Shadow King
comes out of the portal and possess Mjnari.
Jean Grey
senses that something odd is going on in that part of Africa. Beast
finds that it is a tear in the Astral Plane of the planet from Bishop
's time-travel. Soon Storm comes and looks at the map and says that it's near her village. So, Storm and Rogue
go to Africa.
When the girls get there they find the crops destroyed and on fire, so Storm creates rain and stops the fire. Then the villagers tell her that Mjnari, who is Storm's protegé and the son of her best friend, did all this. It turns out that the Shadow king captured Mjnari's body, so he could convince Storm to take over her body.
Later Shadow King comes and tells Storm to come to the Mountain to free her son. Storm goes to the mountain alone, because she thinks Shadow King could harm Mjnari. But Rogue follows her anyway.
Storm agrees to let Shadow King take over her body, if he leaves Mjnari unharmed. Then Shadow King releases Mjnari, possesses Storm and leaves for Cairo. Rogue goes after Shadow King to stop him, but has hard time even getting near him and storm.
Storm regains partial control of herself, so she starts going higher and higher in space to kill the Shadow King *and* herself. Shadow King starts suffocating and leaves Storm's body; she falls down, so Rogue catches her.
Mjnari arrives and tells Storm that he can see the Astral portal and he wants to help her, since she became his godmother after saving his life as a newborn. So, he lures shadow king into the portal; when the portal starts closing, Mjnari gets out with his super-speed, but Shadow King is trapped in the Astral Plane again. Later Storm and Rogue leave and return to the mansion.
Meanwhile, in Upper Amazon, Brazil, Wolverine
is there to find Whereabout of Morph. He finally finds Morph, who is working at a bar. As soon as he sees Wolverine, Morph runs away.
Wolverine wants to bring him back to the X-Mansion
, so that Professor X
can help get better. But Morph doesn't listen and turns in Jean and emotionally disturbs Wolverine, and runs away. Then Wolverine goes after him in rage.
Wolverine finds Morph in a mine. Here he has a short battle with Morph, again trying to reason with his maddened friend. Morph turns into Sabretooth
and injures Wolverine; he says he has to heal his psychological damage on his own and runs away. Right here Wolverine stops chasing Morph and accepts Morph needs time, vowing that the X-Men will wait until then,
In Antarctica, the Professor and Magneto
come out the snow after they had been trapped under avalanche in the previous episode, Till Death Do Us Part (Part 2). Here they find a rain forest in Antarctica. Magneto tells Professor Xavier that this place is called the Savage Land
. Here Xavier's legs start working, and he can walk again, but both of them have lost their powers. Suddenly two men riding on a bird called Aerians, grab Xavier and Magneto and drop them in a river. Then Xavier and Magneto fall down a waterfall, and the episode ends.
was perceived to be a boring villain. The sub-plot involving Wolverine
and Morph, however, was more likeable. The morphing cameos have been described as "cool".
Characters
X-Men: Professor XProfessor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
, Cyclops
Cyclops (comics)
Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes...
, Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, Storm, Rogue
Rogue (comics)
Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10...
, Gambit
Gambit (comics)
Gambit is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero that has been a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared briefly in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 , weeks before a more comprehensive appearance in Uncanny X-Men #266...
, Beast
Beast (comics)
Beast , Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy, is a comic book character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the mutant team of superheroes known as the X-Men...
, Jean Grey
Jean Grey
Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
, Jubilee
Jubilee (comics)
Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superheroine associated with the X-Men.A mutant, Jubilee had the superhuman power to generate "fireworks" of explosive plasma. A teenage "mall rat," she was the X-Men's youngest member in the early 1990s, often playing sidekick to...
Supporting Characters Magneto
Magneto (comics)
Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
, Morph, Mjnari
Villains: Shadow King
Shadow King
The Shadow King, also known as Amahl Farouk, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shadow King exists as an entity of pure psychic energy that feeds on the hatred of humanity...
Synopsis
This episode begins in Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa. At the Mountain, a young boy named Mjnari with the power of super speed (similar to QuicksilverQuicksilver (comics)
Quicksilver is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
) sees a portal opening at the mountain, but no one else sees it. Then Shadow King
Shadow King
The Shadow King, also known as Amahl Farouk, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shadow King exists as an entity of pure psychic energy that feeds on the hatred of humanity...
comes out of the portal and possess Mjnari.
Jean Grey
Jean Grey
Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
senses that something odd is going on in that part of Africa. Beast
Beast (comics)
Beast , Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy, is a comic book character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the mutant team of superheroes known as the X-Men...
finds that it is a tear in the Astral Plane of the planet from Bishop
Bishop (comics)
Bishop is a fictional comic book superhero, appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books...
's time-travel. Soon Storm comes and looks at the map and says that it's near her village. So, Storm and Rogue
Rogue (comics)
Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10...
go to Africa.
When the girls get there they find the crops destroyed and on fire, so Storm creates rain and stops the fire. Then the villagers tell her that Mjnari, who is Storm's protegé and the son of her best friend, did all this. It turns out that the Shadow king captured Mjnari's body, so he could convince Storm to take over her body.
Later Shadow King comes and tells Storm to come to the Mountain to free her son. Storm goes to the mountain alone, because she thinks Shadow King could harm Mjnari. But Rogue follows her anyway.
Storm agrees to let Shadow King take over her body, if he leaves Mjnari unharmed. Then Shadow King releases Mjnari, possesses Storm and leaves for Cairo. Rogue goes after Shadow King to stop him, but has hard time even getting near him and storm.
Storm regains partial control of herself, so she starts going higher and higher in space to kill the Shadow King *and* herself. Shadow King starts suffocating and leaves Storm's body; she falls down, so Rogue catches her.
Mjnari arrives and tells Storm that he can see the Astral portal and he wants to help her, since she became his godmother after saving his life as a newborn. So, he lures shadow king into the portal; when the portal starts closing, Mjnari gets out with his super-speed, but Shadow King is trapped in the Astral Plane again. Later Storm and Rogue leave and return to the mansion.
Meanwhile, in Upper Amazon, Brazil, Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
is there to find Whereabout of Morph. He finally finds Morph, who is working at a bar. As soon as he sees Wolverine, Morph runs away.
Wolverine wants to bring him back to the X-Mansion
X-Mansion
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, the X-Mansion is the common name for Professor Xavier's mansion. It is the base of operations and training site of the X-Men and the location of a school for mutant teenagers, the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, formerly Xavier's School for Gifted...
, so that Professor X
Professor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
can help get better. But Morph doesn't listen and turns in Jean and emotionally disturbs Wolverine, and runs away. Then Wolverine goes after him in rage.
Wolverine finds Morph in a mine. Here he has a short battle with Morph, again trying to reason with his maddened friend. Morph turns into Sabretooth
Sabretooth (comics)
Sabretooth is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne. The character first appeared in Iron Fist #14...
and injures Wolverine; he says he has to heal his psychological damage on his own and runs away. Right here Wolverine stops chasing Morph and accepts Morph needs time, vowing that the X-Men will wait until then,
In Antarctica, the Professor and Magneto
Magneto (comics)
Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
come out the snow after they had been trapped under avalanche in the previous episode, Till Death Do Us Part (Part 2). Here they find a rain forest in Antarctica. Magneto tells Professor Xavier that this place is called the Savage Land
Savage Land
The Savage Land is a hidden prehistoric land within the fictional Marvel Comics Universe. It is a tropical preserve hidden in Antarctica. It was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in X-Men #10...
. Here Xavier's legs start working, and he can walk again, but both of them have lost their powers. Suddenly two men riding on a bird called Aerians, grab Xavier and Magneto and drop them in a river. Then Xavier and Magneto fall down a waterfall, and the episode ends.
Production
Professor Xavier's ability to walk while in the Savage Land is never properly explained on the show, though in the comics, his (second) body was crippled due to injuries sustained on the astral plane, meaning he physically was fine, but his mutant-powered mind would "tell" his body he was crippled. Without his powers here, the barriers imposed by that mental injury aren't enforced. In the comics, this was due to the Shadow King, coincidentally enough, but the show's version of events is hinted at in season 4's "Sanctuary Part 1" and involve Magneto instead.Reception
The episode was not positively received and has been described as "arguably the poorest episode of the season". The episodes focus on Storm is believed to give the episode a "dull" feeling. Also, The Shadow KingShadow King
The Shadow King, also known as Amahl Farouk, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shadow King exists as an entity of pure psychic energy that feeds on the hatred of humanity...
was perceived to be a boring villain. The sub-plot involving Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
and Morph, however, was more likeable. The morphing cameos have been described as "cool".