X-Men: The Animated Series
Descent
TV Flash files “Descent” as hour 75 of 76 in the TV Flash guide — X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997) on Fox Kids, season 5, episode 13, aired 1997-09-13, 30 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S05E13: listed hour 75 of 76 in the X-Men: The Animated Series guide, hour 13 of 14 in season 5. It aired 1997-09-13 (30 min). The listed hour before it is “Hidden Agendas” (S05E12). Next is “Graduation Day” (S05E14).
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
The origin of Mr. Sinister is revealed, as Dr. Xavier attempts to stop Essex before he goes too far.
Viewer FAQ
Where does Descent sit in the X-Men: The Animated Series guide?
S05E13 is listed hour 75 of 76 — hour 13 of 14 in season 5, season 5 episode 13.
When did X-Men: The Animated Series S05E13 air?
Descent aired 1997-09-13 and is listed at 30 minutes.
Is it standalone or serialized?
Serialized comic arcs, including ambitious storylines like the Phoenix Saga. The previously-on was homework, not a recap gag.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Saturday-morning mutants with comic-book continuity and a previously-on that trained kids to follow serial pain. The Phoenix Saga as children’s television that refused to stay cute — prejudice as superpower metaphor, voiced with soap-opera gravitas. Marvel’s TV breakthrough years before the films: leather jackets, moral lectures, and a theme song that still works like a summoning.
The work, first: Saturday-morning mutants in leather jackets, a previously-on that trained kids to follow serial pain, soap-opera gravitas in a slot that usually wanted toys. The Fox Kids series (1992–1997) treated Marvel lore seriously — Xavier's team fighting prejudice and supervillains in serialized comic arcs, the Phoenix Saga as children's television that refused to stay cute. Cedric Smith, Norm Spencer, Catherine Disher, Cal Dodd's Wolverine, Lenore Zann's Rogue, George Buza's Beast. Darker, denser kids'…
Filed against
- Cedric Smith as Professor X
Cedric Smith voiced Professor X on X-Men: The Animated Series — Saturday-morning mutants, comic continuity, serial pain for kids, Phoenix that refused to stay cute. Prejudice as superpower metaphor, soap-opera gravitas from a wheelchair…
- Norm Spencer as Cyclops
Norm Spencer’s Cyclops trained Saturday-morning kids to follow serial pain on X-Men: The Animated Series — 1990s mutants, comic-book continuity, a previously-on, the Phoenix Saga as children’s television that refused to stay cute.…
- Catherine Disher as Jean Grey
Catherine Disher voiced Jean Grey on X-Men: The Animated Series — Saturday-morning mutants, comic-book continuity, a previously-on that trained kids on serial pain, the Phoenix Saga as children's television that refused to stay cute.…
- Cal Dodd as Wolverine
Cal Dodd voiced Wolverine on X-Men: The Animated Series — Saturday-morning mutants with comic-book continuity, a previously-on that trained kids to follow serial pain, the Phoenix Saga refusing to stay cute. Prejudice as superpower…
- Lenore Zann as Rogue
Lenore Zann's Rogue gave X-Men: The Animated Series a Southern-mutant ache — Saturday-morning continuity, a previously-on that trained kids to follow serial pain, Phoenix Saga as children's television that refused to stay cute. Prejudice…
- George Buza as Beast
George Buza voiced Beast on X-Men: The Animated Series — Saturday-morning mutants with comic-book continuity, a previously-on that trained kids to follow serial pain. Prejudice as superpower metaphor, soap-opera gravitas in a blue hide.…