In Episode 56 of CEREBRO, concluding the three-part HALLOWE'EN SPOOKTACULAR, Connor and Marvel's Leah Williams (X-Factor, X-Men: The Trial of Magneto) seize the throne of Limbo with Illyana Rasputina, the magnificent Magik! Introduced as Colossus's kid sister, Illyana became a star of the original New Mutants in the 80s when she fell into a Hell dimension and survived to conquer it. After spending a number of years killed off, she is now one of the X-Men franchise's most recognizable stars.

The CEREBRO character file on Magik begins at 57:01.

(Content Advisory: Illyana's story includes child abuse including child sex abuse, sexual violence, involuntary body modification, suicide, and the death of a child from illness.)

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In Episode 55 of CEREBRO, the second in a three-part HALLOWE'EN SPOOKTACULAR, Connor and returning guest Alex Abad-Santos serve up their souls to the seductive Selene! The platonic ideal of a Chris Claremont villain, the immortal Selene was born before human civilization, and is the oldest mutant known to have survived to the present day. Formerly the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club, she now eagerly applies her vampiric might and dark sorcery to her role as a board member at X-Corp.

The CEREBRO character file on Selene begins at 1:13:41.

(Content Advisory: Selene's story includes sexual violence, torture, and brainwashing.)

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In Episode 54 of CEREBRO, the first in a three-part HALLOWE'EN SPOOKTACULAR, Connor and artist Valentine M. Smith shriek it out with Theresa Rourke Cassidy, the spirited Siryn! The long-lost daughter of X-Man Banshee, Terry was raised by his wicked cousin Black Tom. After some time as a supporting character in the Claremont period, she became a star of X-Force and later X-Factor Investigations until she ascended as the new host of the Irish death goddess The Morrígan.

The CEREBRO character file on Siryn begins at 1:33:18.

(Content Advisory: Terry's story includes alcoholism, suicide, the Irish Troubles, and the loss of a child. This episode discusses miscarriage and stillbirth.)

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In Episode 53 of CEREBRO, Connor and Marvel writer Terry Blas (Reptil) stretch themselves with Angelo Espinosa, the cynical Skin! A regular cast member in the 90s title Generation X, moody Los Angeles teen Angelo fled the world of street crime to become one of the students at the Massachusetts Academy. The least-developed of the core Gen X team, he was unceremoniously killed off after that book's cancellation in the Chuck Austen run on Uncanny X-Men, and has only returned recently in the Age of Krakoa. 

The CEREBRO character file on Skin begins at 43:07.

(Content Advisory: Skin's story includes body dysmorphia and racism.) 

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In the PHALANX-SIZE Episode 52 of CEREBRO, Connor and Sara Century make a case for Candy Southern! One of the X-Men franchise's most tragic characters, Candy was introduced in 1967 as a love interest for Warren Worthington III. She was a reliable supporting character for decades, eventually becoming a hero in her own right as the leader of the Defenders before her brutal murder at the hands of Cameron Hodge.

The CEREBRO character file on Candy Southern begins at 1:31:03.

(Content Advisory: Candy's story includes torture, self-harm, and suicide after a fashion. This episode also features frank overall discussion of misogynist violence in superhero comics.) 

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As the Inferno burns, CEREBRO returns! In Episode 51, the SEASON TWO PREMIERE, Connor and critic Vishal Gullapalli fight for the future with Nathan Christopher Summers, the commanding Cable! Created by Rob Liefeld and Louise Simonson and introduced as a proactive new leader for the New Mutants (later X-Force), Cable was later revealed via retcon to be Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor's time-displaced son, raised in a dystopian future. A marquee character of the 90s, he has become a breakout star of the X-Men franchise.

The CEREBRO character file on Cable begins at 49:20.

(Content Advisory: Nathan's story includes child abuse, suicide, torture, brainwashing, genocide, and the loss of a child.)

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In Episode 50 of CEREBRO, the SEASON 1 FINALE, Connor and returning guest Spencer Ackerman survey the schemes of Charles Xavier, the persuasive Professor X! Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the X-Men's wise teacher and mentor slowly became a much darker and more foreboding character, a father figure gone wrong.

The CEREBRO character file on Professor X begins at 50:12.

(Content Advisory: Charles's story includes ableism, child abuse, stillbirth, genocide including the Holocaust, brainwashing, and an inappropriate romantic relationship between a doctor and a patient.)

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In Episode 49 of CEREBRO, Connor and former Marvel editor Chris Robinson play the hand they're dealt with the gregarious Gambit! Introduced as Chris Claremont's last addition to the X-Men in his sixteen-year run, Remy would become an iconic part of the X-Men franchise as a breakout star of the 90s, the focus of several solo titles. In recent years his star has somewhat dimmed, with most of his stories revolving around his relationship with longtime love interest Rogue.

The CEREBRO character file on Gambit begins at 23:13.

(Content Advisory: Remy's story includes genocide, brainwashing, and the Black Womb storyline, which involves miscarriages and infanticide.)

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In Episode 48 of CEREBRO, Connor and critic and cartoonist Karen Charm get more than skin deep with Paige Guthrie, the heroic Husk! Younger sister to classic character Cannonball, Paige was a protagonist of the 90s book Generation X. Later stories would write the character into some odd positions, and she's struggled to find a stable place in the franchise since. 

The CEREBRO character file on Husk begins at 59:42.

(Content Advisory: Paige's story includes classism and ableism. This episode also discusses self-harm, gender dysphoria, disordered eating, and fatphobia.)

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In Episode 47 of CEREBRO, Connor and critic Elana Levin fall to pieces with Jamie Madrox, the Multiple Man! A longtime X-Men supporting character, Madrox rose to prominence in the 21st century as the protagonist of the long-running X-Factor, written by Peter David. After a number of astoundingly complicated stories, he is now part of Krakoa's X-Corp.

The CEREBRO character file on Multiple Man begins at 1:14:11.

(Content Advisory: Jamie's story includes suicide, genocide, the loss of a child, and, uh... grooming? I'm honestly not sure what to call the Layla Miller thing, but she's a kid when they meet and then she grows up via time travel. It's a lot. It's bad vibes. You've been warned! This episode also discusses an incident of antiziganist racism.)

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