Episode #27 - Retreat
Original Airdate February 2nd, 2002

Forge and Xavier decide to take a look at the dimension that Kurt teleports through each time he uses his powers, with dire results. Meanwhile, the students social lives are at risk when monsters attack the prom!

Credits
Written By: Michael Merton
Directed By: Frank Paur
Music Composed By: William Anderson
Guest Starring: Andrew Francis as Iceman, Paul Dobson as Hunter, French Tickner as Professor, Chantal Strand as Wolfsbane, Brian Drummond as Hunter, and Michael Coleman as Sunspot

Review: Beast whisking some of the younger X-Men off to the red wood forest might make sense for him and his personal struggle, but a forest doesn't allow for much excitement for the viewer. If you're sympathetic for Beast's condition and you enjoy some of the younger mutants, you're going to enjoy this episode. For anyone looking for high grade animation, you're going to be in your glory.

Before discussing the field trip to the woods, the episode begins with Beast out on a night on the town, paying a visit to his teaching days at Bellville High and avoiding some cops. The morning after, he is tricked by Kitty and Professor X into taking Iceman, Wolfsbaine, Sunspot, and Kitty respectively on a field trip to the red-wood forest. Beast being wary of giving into his animal side is played very well and him ditching civilization for a while makes sense. Beast‘s outing in the woods quickly becomes “Harry and the Hendersons” though. Well, not exactly, but Beast does become the center of a cliche Big-Foot hunt which becomes the struggle of the episode.

After enjoying some time in the woods with the rest of the team, Beast ventures off to be alone and ends up getting captured by the Big-Foot hunters. While he’s trapped in an inescapable cage, he convinces the hunting group’s sympathetic scientist that he’s more than just a beast, and while that works, he isn’t freed until a rescue attempt by the X-students.

Some beautiful action ensues during the rescue, and for anyone looking for beautiful animation, you’re in for a treat. Every mutant gets their shot to show off their powers. Bobby Drake looks great iced out and serves a good purpose freezing up the icy river waters. Sunspot ends up freeing Beast from his cage. Wolfsbaine wolfs-out and runs around, but I personally liked her best in her werewolf form. Once Beast is freed he and the students defeat the hunters. We also leave the sympathetic scientist knowing that he's a good guy. Beast leaves the forest more comfortable for himself and everything's neatly resolved.

Overall, I’d recommend this episode for the gorgeous animation, because if not for that I wouldn’t really recommend this at all. The story’s pretty straight forward and it’s overall pretty mundane for anyone wanting to see suphero on supervillain fighting. This episode does offers a necessary look into Beast's feelings and for that it's good viewing for anyone intersted, but for anyone's who's not, enjoy the animation.