Episode #25 - Mindbender
Original Airdate January 26th, 2002

When Jean goes missing in the middle of the night, The X-Men are forced to battle each other in order to free those under Mesmero's spell.

Credits
Written By: Bob Forward
Directed By: Steven. E Gordon
Music Composed By: William Anderson
Guest Starring: Ron Halder as Mesmero

Review: “Ah, you know I could never hurt you, squirt,” Wolverine said to a mind-controlled Kitty Pride.

Then, Shadowcat kicked him in the shin. Wolverine grabbed his bruised bone and hollered in pain.

Evo Wolverine is a sissy.

Pansy Logan aside, this episode was a middling effort—probably the least impressive of the Apocalypse-related episodes. Of course, that’s like being the runt of the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line.

In general, “Mindbender” fails to sustain the tension it promises. The creepy atmosphere works a couple times. For example, the ease with which Kitty destroys the museum’s security system and the ferocity of the Kurt/Hank fight is unsettling. But the bank heist, the Spyke/Rogue tussle, and even the Scott/Jean fight disappoints. (In the last example, it is because we know that Scott will not harm a red hair on her head.)

Average episode with a couple good moments, but any mediocrity is blown away by the episode’s third act reveal. Apocalypse. Be honest, it knocked your socks off the first time you heard it.