Wolverine and the X-Men (Animated Series)

{{Marvel Database:Series List
 * Universe           = Earth-8096
 * Image              = Wolverine and the X-Men 2.jpg
 * Format             = Animated
 * Runtime            =
 * Creators           = Christopher Yost;
 * Starring           = Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Iceman, Beast, Rogue, and many more
 * Cast               = Steven Jay Blum, Yuri Lowenthal, Kari Wahlgren, Liam O'Brien
 * Developers         =
 * Producers          =
 * Executive Producers =
 * Narrator           =
 * Country            = USA
 * Network            = Nicktoons
 * Number of Episodes = 26
 * IMDB ID            = 0772145
 * First Aired        = January 23, 2009
 * Last Aired         = November 29, 2009


 * Season1_1          = Hindsight (Part 1)
 * Season1_2          = Hindsight (Part 2)
 * Season1_3          = Hindsight (Part 3)
 * Season1_4          = Overflow
 * Season1_5          = Thieves Gambit
 * Season1_6          = X-Calibre
 * Season1_7          = Wolverine vs. Hulk
 * Season1_8          = Time Bomb
 * Season1_9          = Future X
 * Season1_10         = Greetings From Genosha
 * Season1_11         = Past Discretions
 * Season1_12         = Excessive Force
 * Season1_13         = Battle Lines
 * Season1_14         = Stolen Lives
 * Season1_15         = Hunting Grounds
 * Season1_16         = Badlands
 * Season1_17         = Code of Conduct
 * Season1_18         = Backlash
 * Season1_19         = Guardian Angel
 * Season1_20         = Breakdown
 * Season1_21         = Rover
 * Season1_22         = Aces & Eights
 * Season1_23         = Shades of Grey
 * Season1_24         = Foresight (Part 1)
 * Season1_25         = Foresight (Part 2)
 * Season1_26         = Foresight (Part 3)


 * HistoryText        = After the grand success of X-Men: The Animated Series, Marvel Studios thought to introduce another series with greater animation quality and the one which will take us deep into the Marvel Universe.  So in November 2000, it introduced X-Men: Evolution in which the X-Men members were teenagers in the first four seasons.  However, after Season 4, the show was cancelled due to its decreased ratings.  But in the last episode "Ascension", Xavier gave a quick summary of Season 5 and beyond.

In early 2008, Marvel Studios introduced Wolverine and the X-Men which was the successor of X-Men: Evolution. Not entirely based on the former, this new show loosely followed the final moments of X-Men: Evolution, including:


 * Logan again leaving the X-Men.
 * Rogue with long tied hair trying to stop Logan.
 * Anti-mutant Sentiment rising again.
 * The attack of Sentinels.
 * A reformed Magneto introducing a safe place for mutants-Genosha.
 * Jean with Phoenix Force.
 * Colossus and Gambit(temporarily) joining the X--Men
 * The Brotherhood remaining the same without the aid of Magneto.

The new show also went into deeper things such as:
 * Xavier going into coma and rising in future after 20 years.
 * Recruiting the X-Men once again with Wolverine as the leader.
 * Angel turning into Archangel by Mr.Sinister.

News
The series was in the pre-production stage as of April 2007 and early news had speculated the show to air in fall 2008- due to air Summer 2008 on BBC UK. However, the speculation came to a rest as according to Marvel Quarterly reports, the show is scheduled to air in Spring 2009. It was also confirmed in an article by USA TODAY's website in which it specifically mentions the cartoon starting in early 2009 on Nicktoons Network.

As of April 15th, 2010, Marvel Animation Age confirmed there will be no second season due to lack of funding. Whether or not the series is through or not is unknown, and reasons for the confirmation are still not publicly known.

Production team
Wolverine and the X-Men is the direct follow-up to the fourth season of X-Men: Evolution the same creative team behind the show is returning to work on the new cartoon. Steven E Gordon, Greg Johnson, and Boyd Kirkland have all returned to work on this new series.

Story
After an attack on the mansion, Professor Charles Xavier and Jean Grey are missing. The X-Men disband and Scott begins to suffer from depression. Emma Frost is able to locate a comatose Charles on Genosha in the care of Magneto. Professor X telepathically orders Wolverine to lead the X-Men and set out to save the world from The Sentinel Project and prevent the Brotherhood of Mutants from taking over the world before the future ends up a bad one.

The series begins with Wolverine saying good-byes to the X-men, as he has done many times. He leaves Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, and Colossus in the Danger Room as his good-bye to them. He then tries to talk to Rogue who is oddly distant and distraught over his departure. Cyclops and Jean Grey are arguing about Scott owing Wolverine an apology (for what, is not revealed). As Wolverine approaches Charles Xavier with Storm, the Professor cringes in pain as does Jean. There is a sudden blasts and Wolverine awakes one year later from napping under a tree.

As he is on his motorcycle, there is an explosion in the distance. He rushes to the site where several RVs have collided with a train in a fiery blaze. A child is trapped inside the flames and Wolverine rushes in to rescue the child. As he reaches her, the trains explode again. As the rescue crews uncover more debris, they find Wolverine (referring to him as "it" for being a mutant) and the girl under him, safe from the blast. The girl's father rushes to aid Wolverine to the dismay and fear of the crowd. A man in the crowd, the father's neighbor, has called the MRD (Mutant Response Division, a government-sponsored military force that captures "unregistered" mutants regardless of status, violent or non-violent, with excessive force and a large supply of military hardware) to arrest "it" because he's a wanted mutant. The father takes his family and Wolverine to his home to care for him. To their surprise, Wolverine's wounds heal and they are thankful since Wolverine would most likely not be welcomed at a hospital.

Soon, the MRD arrive at the house, barging in through the front door, armed with heavy weapons. They arrest the family for harboring a mutant and Wolverine battles the MRD forces for a short while, but the MRD escapes with the family.

Wolverine returns to the remains of the Xavier Institute and enters an underground chamber where Dr. Hank McCoy, aka Beast, is working. Beast states that he cannot determine what caused the blast that destroyed the institute, but it was centered on Charles' position. However, he cannot determine what caused it. Wolverine informs Beast of the arrest of the family and wants to free them. Beast is surprised and disgruntled that the MRD is arresting non-mutants without charge as well as mutants.

Beast and Wolverine infiltrate the MRD compound and release the captives which include the family, Dust, Rockslide, Boom-Boom, Wolfsbane and Pyro. The mutants part ways and Wolverine sees the family off, but both Wolverine and Beast are concerned that the MRD prison compound will be filled with more mutants shortly. They then agree to bring back the X-men.

Iceman aka Bobby Drake joins the X-men against the will of his parents. Angel aka Warren Worthington III is unable to join the X-men because of his father's alliance with Senator Robert Kelly, proponent of the MRD. Colossus aka Piotr Rasputin refuses to abandon his family again. Rogue is too annoyed with the X-men and ends up joining the Brotherhood instead (consisting of Blob, Toad, Avalanche, Domino, and Quicksilver). Nightcrawler is nowhere to be found. Cyclops is still depressed over Jean's disappearance. However, the X-men are able to locate Kitty Pride aka Shadowcat on her way to Genosha.

After a trap to make the X-men look like assassins against Senator Kelly, the Mutant Registration Act passes, thanks to Rogue's betrayal and the Brotherhood's assistance. With that, Angel relocates funds towards the Xavier Institute to rebuild the mansion, the X-jet, the Danger Room and Cerebro with the help of Forge, who is the X-men's technician.

The need for a telepath surmounts the animosity toward her, so Emma Frost is brought onto the team. With her assistance, they find Xavier on Genosha. Cylcops joins the team after being informed that Charles is still alive. Throughout the series, Magneto advertises Genosha where there is equality, freedom, and acceptance for mutants. The attack on Magneto fails and he reveals that Xavier washed up on the shores of Genosha in a coma.

Xavier appears from the future, with a message that in twenty years, the MRD has become immensely powerful, issuing the full Sentinel program as seen in comic book series. Mutants are hunted like animals by machines while the city is in ruins. Xavier states that the X-men must stay together under the leadership of Wolverine in order to prevent the post-apocalyptic future from happening. Cyclops was asked to stay even if he wasn't a leader and if he wasn't with Jean.

Charles warns Wolverine that Africa has been destroyed by Storm some how and Wolverine and his team must act to stop it. After a battle with an alternate version of Shadow King, Storm rejoins the X-men after she is shown his coma-state after Frost successfully frees Storm from his control.

Gambit appears as a member of the Thieves' Guild who tries to steal a mutant power inhibitor for the MRD, but is stopped by Wolverine after a battle at the Sentinel Prowler factory.

Nightcrawler meanwhile boarded a cargo ship illegally transporting mutants to Genosha and battles the crew to protect the mutants from abuse. A pirate ship arrives with Spiral and the Reavers, under the command of Mojo, who try to sink the ship. Nightcrawler single-handedly takes down the Reavers and force them into retreat after repairing the cargo ship and sinking the Reavers'. Then, the X-men arrive, asking Nightcrawler to join, but he wants to assure the mutants' safe passage to Genosha. Nightcrawler finally arrives on Genosha and is treated to a guided tour by the Scarlet Witch who shows the best Genosha has to offer. However, this is a facade that Nightcrawler pierces with the help of Dust. He tries to escape only to be recaptured by Mystique, posing as Wolverine, just as he reaches the mansion.

Besides the funding the Sentinel program, Angel's father is also researching a "cure" for mutation, treating it as a genetic disease. Upon learning this, Angel breaks with his father and starts acting in the open as an X-Men. This leads to a conflict with the MRDs who in the process of capturing Angel, break his wings. Rather than call in an Avian specialist, Angel's father orders the doctors to cut off the wings. This leads to extreme depression to Angel who, grasping at any options, allows Sinister to give him his wings back -- turning Angel into Archangel, a mind-controlled servant of Sinister.

The last remaining piece of this conflict is finally revealed as Jean Grey is found in a hospital with amnesia. After a nurse inadvertently stresses Jean trying to find her memory, Jean responds with a reflexive telekinetic push. The nurse, another mutant hater, calls in the MRD at the same time as Emma Frost senses Jean's return. She and Scott leave the mansion to find Jean. The MRD get to Jean first, and frighten her so badly that she lashes out, knocking out every person within hundreds of miles. Emma partially blocks the assault so she revives first, and uses telepathy to revive Scott. Scott and Emma reach Jean at the same time as Archangel arrives. A running battle ends with the X-Men knocked unconscious and Archangel returning to Sinister with Jean and Scott. Emma regroups with the X-Men and is able to retrieve both Jean and Cyclops, fighting off Archangel and other minions of Sinister.

The victory is short lived, however. Shortly upon her return to the mansion, Jean is once again kidnapped, this time by none other than Emma Frost herself as an agent of the Hellfire Club. Knocking out all the X-Men telepathically, she attempts to feign ignorance when they revive of her knowledge of the kidnapping, but is caged by Wolverine, only to be released by Cyclops who still believes she is trying to help rescue Jean. The Hellfire Club wants Jean because they want to liberate and harness the Phoenix energy she has, all except Emma Frost, who wants to dissipate the energy as it is too dangerous to be controlled. She tries to take Jean back with the help of Scott, but the Hellfire Club stops them and transfers the Phoenix force to a quintet of blonde teen psychics named as the Stepford Cuckoos.

While all this is going on, Magneto has Mystique capture Senator Kelly, replace him, and institute an immediate attack with all available Sentinel forces on Genosha, despite efforts by the X-Men to prevent the launch. By faking a human attack on Genosha, one he can defeat, he seeks to galvanize mutants across the world in a popular uprising against humans, thereby having Genosha spread past its borders. When the Scarlet Witch learns of his plans from Nightcrawler, she and Lorna both abandons Magneto.

This does not stop Magneto from defeating the Sentinels and reprogramming them for an assault on New York City. Fighting valiantly, the X-Men are unable to stop all the Sentinels, but the Phoenix force under the nominal control of the Stepford Cuckoos attack and destroy the remaining Sentinels, and defeat Magneto before Emma, Jean, and Scott work in concert to lure the Phoenix force out of Stepford Cuckoos and into Emma in her crystalline form. It is unclear if Emma, in her crystalline form lacks the telepathy to contain the Phoenix force, or if it was a conscious decision by Emma, that leads to Emma being shattered. The shattering releases the Phoenix force where it dissipates, while fragments of crystal Emma to rain down on the city.

At the end of the first Season, the X-Men are now Wolverine, Cyclops, Shadowcat, Iceman, Beast, Storm, Nightcrawler, Forge, and Jean Grey. Emma Frost is shattered crystal and presumably dead while Angel remains Archangel, still in thrall to Sinister.

In The Future
Charles Xavier awakes 20 years in the future from his coma to see that the world has become a desolate wasteland where Sentinels, manufactured by Mastermold, hunt down any and all mutants without discretion. Surrounding the remains of the Xavier Institute are tombstones for each and every one of the X-men.

Africa is a lifeless continent after Storm was tricked by Shadow King, but Xavier was able to warn the X-men in the past about this possible event.

Using Cerebro, Xavier is able to frequently communicate with the X-men in the past. While transmitting however, Sentinels locate Xavier and capture both him and Cerebro itself in order to find many mutants. At the processing facility, human agents are enhanced physically with cybernetic implants that can override the biological components. The facilities are mostly automated and force mutants to wear a mutant inhibitor bands while simultaneously try to duplicate their powers by force.

Xavier and Bishop together are able to liberate the facility with Cerebro, establishing a new team of X-men in the future consisting of Bishop, Marrow, Firestar, Hellion, and Domino.

All the X-Men are praised for their actions by Professor Xavier for stoping the future war and the Sentinels, but are warned of a new danger approaching: the Age of Apocalypse.

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Progress
The series was in the pre-production stage as of April 2007. It aired in early 2008.

The first season is finished in Europe and can be seen online on YouTube.

The series' cancellation was announced on April 18, 2010.

Cast

 * Steven Blum - Wolverine (present)/(future)


 * Nolan North - Cyclops (present)/(future)


 * Kari Wahlgren - Emma Frost


 * Jim Ward - Professor X(present)/(future)


 * Yuri Lowenthal - Iceman


 * Liam O'Brien - Angel, Nightcrawler


 * Fred Tatasciore - Beast


 * Danielle Judovits - Shadowcat


 * Kieren Van Den Blink - Rogue


 * Dominic Janes - Squidboy


 * Roger Craig Smith - Forge, Kamal


 * Richard Doyle - Senator Robert Kelly


 * Tom Kane - Magneto


 * Tamara Bernier - Mystique


 * Kate Higgins - Scarlet Witch


 * James Patrick Stuart - Avalanche


 * Peter Lurie - Sabretooth

Trailer
The 2 minute debut trailer, available at Marvel.com gives an insight into the series's story line, showing it to be closely related to the 2000's animated series, even having a variation of the theme song in the trailer. The same creative team behind the X-Men: Evolution show is returning to work on the new cartoon. Steven E Gordon, Greg Johnson, and Boyd Kirkland have all returned to work on this new series.

Crew

 * Jamie Simone - Voice Director

Social Commentary
The Mutant Response Division acts similar to a military police or the Nazis in Germany, arresting mutants without provocation and then detaining them, and those who "harbor" mutants, without any formal trial or such legal action.

Angel comments that his father knows he's a mutant, but he is labeled as the family's "unspoken," much like how "traditional" families do not discuss a child's homosexuality/bisexuality if it is revealed.