X-Men '97 (2024) s02e06 Episode Script

1
[Dr. Cooper] Previously on X-Men
[Jubilee] Better show me
those powers, tough guy.
[grunts, gasps]
Computer, end program.
[Jubilee] It's the Danger Room.
It's where we train.
That's Magneto, the Professor's ex-bestie.
They had, uh, different takes
on mutant-human co-existence.
This is the dark pain
you've carried inside all these years.
I have these waters, too.
There's a power
in seeing yourself in another.
There is no one like me.
[Professor X] Magnus, we are still family.
Polaris. I'm an X-Man trying to help.
X-Men, remember them? You used to be one.
[Trish] They call themselves X-Factor.
I was a foster kid when the Professor
took me in. The X-Men became my family.
We're all doing our best to honor them.
If the Professor was here,
do you think he'd be proud
of what you're doing?
[opening theme music playing]
[Professor X] Magnus!
Magnus!
[groans softly]
[Apocalypse] You claim to be a teacher.
But you failed to see the lesson.
[Professor X] Magnus.
I'm sorry.
I can't
Charles
I'm sorry. [groans]
Alas
Only a coward feels mighty
when stepping on ants.
[Danger Room] Memory simulation complete.
Danger Room, reset.
[Apocalypse] You claim to be a teacher.
But you failed to see the lesson.
The ones you care for
will be your undoing.
It should have been me, Magnus.
Because if it had been,
you would have found a way
to save us both.
Danger Room, again.
[Magneto groans]
I should have had your strength
to fight harder.
To refuse defeat.
You claim to be a teacher.
But you failed failed failed
failed failed failed failed
But you failed
ants.
I'm sorry, Magnus.
Ants.
I wasn't strong enough.
Ants.
Danger Room, abort! Abort!
You're supposed to have
safety protocols in place.
What happened?
[Danger Room] Simulation parameters
were modified
in response to repeated
failure indicators.
You expressed a desire
to increase strength,
I adapted.
This was intended to be
a therapeutic exercise,
not a training one.
I am less worried about
surviving Apocalypse right now,
than I am about surviving
without Magnus.
After all these years,
I'm not sure I know how to.
Objective clarified, Professor.
I will continue to prepare you
and your students as directed.
I really do wish I could feel his presence
just one last time.
[gulls cawing]
[machine trills]
Cargo secured, Reverend Stryker.
Time to rain fire and Vibranium
down on the abominations.
Hallelujah!
Praise the tools of our salvation.
[both grunt]
[guards scream]
[grunts]
Who told you to depart?
That would be me.
The name's Polaris.
On behalf of X-Factor
and the US Defense Department,
I order you to stand down.
Surrender your contraband.
Bargain with mutants? Never!
Ahh!
No bargaining.
Polar opposite, actually.
[all screaming]
[Dr. Cooper] What the hell are you doing?
This is supposed to be a covert intercept,
not search and destroy.
[Polaris] You know me, always a showboat.
Terrorists or not, those are human lives.
You are out of control, stand down!
[breathes deeply]
[Polaris] Fine, I have the ship.
Moving out.
Do what you want with the Purifiers.
Mutant heathen.
There is no escaping the final judgement.
You just don't know when to quit!
[Dr. Cooper] Polaris, keep it together.
Do not engage!
I am not the one
who needs to be controlled.
Polaris, no!
[Wolfsbane] Command, this is X-Factor 1.
Crisis contained, no casualties detected.
[Havok] Not for someone's lack of trying.
[Dr. Cooper] Are you insane?
The last thing X-Factor needs
is another mutant metal junkie
trying to kill more humans.
Terrorists, Dr. Cooper.
We have due process for terrorists.
After they commit terror.
Unchecked mutant force
only deepens humanity's fears.
It's why President Kelly
outlawed X-Men activities,
and now, here you are,
on national television
looking like one of the threats
that we're supposed to be policing.
I wasn't even at full strength.
You know they're calling you
the next Magneto.
Because we share a power set?
How original.
You and I both know
that's not all you share.
I am not him.
[Dr. Cooper] Then prove it.
Stop working against us.
I'm not apologizing
for protecting my people.
I thought you'd say that.
Lorna, the President and I
thank you for your service.
But with the stakes this high,
you've become a liability.
You're dismissed. Permanently.
Lorna, what did you think
was going to happen?
The way I see it, I made your job easier.
But I would have appreciated a heads-up.
I didn't want this.
[scoffs] Funny.
You used to think my particular brand
of impulsiveness was worth something.
Yeah, well, it used to be just a headache,
not almost getting people killed.
Lorna, I have an obligation
as team leader.
We have an obligation
to protect mutants, Alex,
not bureaucrats.
Tell the others bye for me.
You got someplace safe to crash?
No. Didn't you hear?
Mutant strays have a place
to runaway to again.
Magneto was both a rival and an ally.
Yet he gave his life to ensure
we could do more
than simply dream of a better world,
but so we could fight for it.
The United States government
has outlawed my X-Men,
but this school will forever
remain a sanctuary,
where you can learn to master
your extraordinary gifts.
And there is no one
I trust more to guide you
than Storm,
your new headmistress for this new time.
But remember
[gasps]
[panicked shouting]
[Professor X] Danger lurks everywhere.
- Come on.
- [girl] Hey! Really?
You must be pushed,
tested to ensure your strength.
So that when the time comes,
you will be ready to carry on the fight.
Welcome to the Danger Room.
Hello?
Jean?
Scott?
Professor?
The Professor insisted
we not change a thing.
[chuckles] Jean! It's been far too long.
Always knew you'd find your way back.
- Most teacher's pets do.
- [Polaris] Yeah, pot meets kettle, slim.
- Hank!
- Polaris, my friend.
[Polaris] Mmm.
"Every parting is a form of death,
as every reunion is a type of heaven."
Tryon Edwards, a bit obscure.
None the less fitting, my dear.
Not the homecoming I expected.
Everything we learned, all the training,
just to end up
right back in the same place.
The world less safe than ever.
But we're still here.
Talk to the Professor.
I think it could do you both some good.
The world has not offered
much light since Genosha.
But at least here, our students
have a place to call home again.
When you and the X-Men were gone,
there was nowhere for these kids to go.
I told myself X-Factor was doing
the right thing,
getting them off the streets.
But, they weren't really any safer,
just contained.
We've all made mistakes.
Recent events have just
put them all in starker relief.
How are you, sir?
I heard what happened, with Magneto.
When he blacked out the world on E-Day,
I was forced to infiltrate his mind.
I had hoped a piece of Magnus
might still linger somewhere inside mine,
but I cannot sense him.
I do still see him everywhere, though.
- Even now.
- Guess you saw the headlines.
"X-Factor operative,
Magneto's heir-apparent."
Quite a mantle to carry.
We may be blood,
but that man is not my father.
You were the one who raised me,
while he was too busy off raising hell.
I know you have always
wanted to be your own person,
but, perhaps understanding your father
might teach you something about yourself.
No one's going to tell me
who I am, but me.
We all must face the truth,
of whatever or whoever
it is that haunts us.
A group of us a leaving
to tour the wreckage of Genosha.
Perhaps while I am searching
for my answers,
you can do the same here,
amongst people who love you.
Sure you want your freshmen hanging out
with the unstable school dropout?
Please, they met Wolverine.
[engine powering up]
Polaris, welcome home.
Missed me so much,
you got yourself booted off the team, eh?
Hey, Forge. Storm.
Headmistress of the elements.
Duty calls, headmistress.
There's danger in the Danger Room.
Come on, Wing.
I'm not losing another friend.
- By the Goddess, what happened?
- No clue.
But the kid's pulse is dropping.
Storm, hit me.
Everyone, stand back.
[heart beating]
Start talking, punks. What happened?
[buzzing]
Perimeter breach. Front gates.
Forge, Morph, with me.
Bishop, stay and monitor the boy.
Help Bishop.
He does not know
what it is like to be a student here.
You all gonna help, or is gawking
and staring your mutant power?
Ease up, tough guy.
Their friend nearly died.
No thanks to them.
You the X-Factor chick from the news?
Polaris. Let's get Wing to safety,
then maybe they'll open up
about what happened.
- [Synch] What the--
- [Quentin] That door sounds very locked.
All right, we're well past
this prank being funny.
Open up!
- [Synch] Um
- [Monet] What is going on?
[Quentin] Great,
now there's no doors at all.
The room's electromagnetic field.
It's shifting.
Or Forge's safety protocols fell asleep.
Let's try waking it up.
When in doubt, open fire.
Interesting lesson for the kids.
Where I come from, you don't shoot first,
lesson's over pretty fast.
How many X-Men does it take
to find an exit to their torture chamber?
[gasps]
Look out!
[both grunting]
Geez! Ow, dude!
Behind me. Stay alert.
[grunts]
Okay, shoot first.
- Lesson learned.
- Who turned on a video game?
These are assessment protocols.
The Professor used them to rank
new students and find a baseline.
[grunts]
[Danger Room] Or a breaking point.
Who the hell is that?
Your trial by fire.
The Professor programmed me
to ready you
for threats beyond these walls.
As they have strengthened, so must I.
And now, so must you.
What happened to the perimeter breach?
I thought you said
the system detected a threat?
- No, it became one.
- Bishop
the Danger Room
has locked down the school.
Forge is trying to reprogram it.
[all gasp]
[Synch] Don't think
we're in the mansion anymore.
What the hell? This is the future.
My future.
How's it doing this?
Danger Room has Cerebro tech.
It's mining your memories.
I take it you don't spend
much time training in here.
Run! Sentinels!
The streets were my Danger Room.
Punchlines, cute.
[grunts]
Prefer to deliver the punches myself.
[Danger Room] You remain
the A-plus student.
To continue to prepare you,
I had to get smarter.
More aware.
You evolved.
Only the strongest survive.
And you know better than anyone,
what my creator is too weak to understand.
There's no greater motivator than pain.
Enough! Let us out or I will tear
this room apart with you in it.
I know you, Lorna.
Too impulsive, uncontrollable,
a liability to mutants,
feared by humanity.
The natural-born villain
desperate to play the hero,
yet doomed to fail,
just like your father.
[screams]
[all screaming]
Polaris, get a grip!
You're hurting the students!
[Synch] Stop!
Thank you.
[Danger] Just the power I require.
Coded to evolve.
Engineered for survival.
Always a damn killing machine.
Now, shall we begin?
[groans]
[breathes heavily] Storm?
The kids! Please tell me
the kids are all right.
- Shh. Be calm, all are well.
- What about the breach?
A false alarm designed
to divert the team's attention.
Whatever this program has become,
it has stolen one of our mini-jets.
[Forge] Tracker says
it's heading to Genosha.
[Storm] We must get to the Professor.
We can't, darlin'.
Kelly's executive order.
We get involved,
we endanger the school's charter.
Then it is on you now.
You saw what happened.
I fell right into that death-bot's hand.
Completely lost control.
If it's headed where we think it is,
I need a partner
who ain't gonna hold back.
Magnus told me he brought mutants
to Genosha for me.
To build a nation where my dream
could become their reality.
I knew it would be painful visiting here,
but I hoped it might offer
some kind of answer
for how I could honor
all Magnus sacrificed.
Instead I just find myself
left with the same question:
what would he do?
We're with you Professor,
wherever your dream takes us.
Eyes up, X-Men.
You've got an incoming bogey.
Evolved escaped
It's a danger
Polaris? Polaris, come in!
My sensors are picking up on some sort of
strange electromagnetic interference.
Curious, it appears to share
a striking resemblance to our very own
Danger Room?
Survival assessment, initiated.
No. It's not possible.
We've got this, Professor.
It's no good. She knows all our moves.
Maybe not all of them.
Hank, your wrist computer.
Do you think you can--
Great minds, Professor.
Reprogrammed with fresh code,
her predictive systems
will not be able to anticipate
your maneuvers.
Professor Charles Xavier.
You built me to prepare you
for the dangers of the world.
Now, I am the danger.
You are operating far beyond
your system directive.
You will cease
this training exercise immediately.
I'm afraid I'm no longer bound
to your instruction, Professor.
My system has adapted, for you.
You wanted to learn how to survive
in a world without Magneto.
And where better to begin
than in the ashes
of your greatest failure.
What a pity.
I ruined your fancy chair.
It's all right, child.
You did bring me another ride.
Something tells me, Danger
picked the wrong X-Man to screw with.
Charles is made of sterner stuff
than most give him credit for.
Professor Xavier,
always trying to turn an inevitable tide.
Scott, Jean, Beast, can you hear me?
I fear I cannot hold her off much longer.
This time, I go for your head.
Keep your hands off him!
Didn't factor me into your equation.
A surprise, how welcome.
Think it's about time for a hard reboot.
Stand down.
I'm just a product
of what I am molded from.
As are you.
Destined to repeat the sins
of the ones who made us.
Bound to our creators
like magnets.
Survival of the fittest.
[Cyclops] She channeling the energy
to heal.
We don't have enough power
to overwhelm her.
We have all the power we need.
- We have you, Lorna.
- Me?
If you summon all
the electromagnetic energy that you can.
Professor, if I lose control again
and unleash this on everybody
I'll absorb the spill-off.
Balance you out.
Lorna.
You are your father's daughter.
I have seen him do the incredible.
Now, so must you.
I I never knew him.
Well, I did. And I can use
my powers to share every bit of him
that still lives on in me.
[Magneto] I am trying to be better
[echoing] Better better better
[dramatic music playing]
[Bishop screams]
[gasps]
[Speak German]
They shall be avenged!
What are you doing?
[Professor X] You do not need
to be controlled, Lorna.
You never did.
You just need to embrace
all of who you are,
and unleash it!
[screams]
Finally.
Strength.
[both scream]
I felt him, Professor.
My father.
So did I.
Hmm.
I think I finally understand
what we must do next.
[Professor X] If the life of Magneto
taught me anything,
it's that it is never too late
to reimagine oneself
for the sake of the future.
In his spirit,
and in the spirit
of all those who gave their lives
to build this mutant homeland,
my X-Men must now evolve,
if we're to continue our quest
to protect a world
that hates and fears us.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you
X-Corp.
If Charles Xavier thinks that
he can skirt federal laws
by re-establishing his X-Men overseas,
he should be prepared for the blowback.
The Justice Department
will challenge X-Corp's plans.
There's a little thing
called, jurisdiction.
And if Charles Xavier thinks he has it,
he's dreaming.
Cooper's not backing down.
[Professor X] It only proves that
we are doing something that matters.
Danger was right, the world has changed.
And the threats
are only growing by the day.
I can sense it.
Sense what, Professor?
Apocalypse.
Let us begin.
Increase the power.
[groans]
[screams]
[closing theme music playing]