Cyclops is Waiting for Me - An X-Men: The Animated Series Weekly Recap

While not what an X-Men fan would expect from the episode title, Survival of the Fittest brings a fan favorite character into the fold with a twist: The Juggernaut is actually a mutant in this universe. We also keep getting more about this version of Xavier that JC and Rod just don't trust.

Cyclops is Waiting for Me is our weekly podcast series where we are going back and watching EVERY-SINGLE-X-MEN-ANIMATED-EPISODE we can find. Our first series started with the original 1992 X-Men: The Animated Series building up to the release of X-Men 97’, coming to Disney Plus later this year. But since it’s not here yet, we needed to find some other shows to cover.

"Cyclops is Waiting for Me" Theme written and performed by Ron Wasserman (ASCAP) and Rod Kim (ASCAP)

All our links: https://linktr.ee/cyclopsiwfmpod

Cyclops is Waiting for Me will continue to follow SAG-AFTRA guidelines for the duration of the strikes. Pay the people who make the content we consume properly. This includes, but is not limited to writers, actors, crew, VFX and postproduction. Hard stop.

While Rod & JC hadn't watched X-Men: Evolution before starting this podcast, they had both seen the iconic shot of Rogue and Kitty dancing which comes from this very episode. And it just so happens to be one of our friend's Kit Quinn's favorite episode of the entire series. Kit shares some highlights of her first cosplay inspired by Spykecam while JC and Rod talk about how ahead of his time Spyke was with his shot selection in the days where the very first vlog had only existed one year prior to the episode (and let's be honest, NO ONE knew about it).

Find our Guest Kit Quinn online:

IG - https://www.instagram.com/misskitquinn/

Cyclops is Waiting for Me is our weekly podcast series where we are going back and watching EVERY-SINGLE-X-MEN-ANIMATED-EPISODE we can find. Our first series started with the original 1992 X-Men: The Animated Series building up to the release of X-Men 97’, coming to Disney Plus later this year. But since it’s not here yet, we needed to find some other shows to cover.

"Cyclops is Waiting for Me" Theme written and performed by Ron Wasserman (ASCAP) and Rod Kim (ASCAP)

All our links: https://linktr.ee/cyclopsiwfmpod

Cyclops is Waiting for Me will continue to follow SAG-AFTRA guidelines for the duration of the strikes. Pay the people who make the content we consume properly. This includes, but is not limited to writers, actors, crew, VFX and postproduction. Hard stop.

In either the best or worst field trip of the year, Cyclops and Rogue along with four random students and a teacher/bus driver who isn't prepared for inclement weather head into the mountains. There, Mystique makes her intentions known while JC and Rod spend a fair amount of time debating the limits to her power set compared to the comics. Plus, Wolverine threatens people.

Cyclops is Waiting for Me is our weekly podcast series where we are going back and watching EVERY-SINGLE-X-MEN-ANIMATED-EPISODE we can find. Our first series started with the original 1992 X-Men: The Animated Series building up to the release of X-Men 97’, coming to Disney Plus later this year. But since it’s not here yet, we needed to find some other shows to cover.

"Cyclops is Waiting for Me" Theme written and performed by Ron Wasserman (ASCAP) and Rod Kim (ASCAP)

All our links: https://linktr.ee/cyclopsiwfmpod

Cyclops is Waiting for Me will continue to follow SAG-AFTRA guidelines for the duration of the strikes. Pay the people who make the content we consume properly. This includes, but is not limited to writers, actors, crew, VFX and postproduction. Hard stop.

Before Marvel showcased the Multiverse, there was the Middleverse! (Actually the Multiverse was explored in Marvel as early as the 60's) Regardless, this is our first episode that twists the perception of reality for the young mutants. While we try not to spoil any of these episodes ourselves, Rod having heard this was a "VR episode" from a friend who couldn't make it on as a guest definitely put us in a different headspace going into this one.

Cyclops is Waiting for Me will continue to follow SAG-AFTRA guidelines for the duration of the strikes. Pay the people who make the content we consume properly. This includes, but is not limited to writers, actors, crew, VFX and postproduction. Hard stop.

Cyclops is Waiting for Me is our weekly podcast series where we are going back and watching EVERY-SINGLE-X-MEN-ANIMATED-EPISODE we can find. Our first series started with the original 1992 X-Men: The Animated Series building up to the release of X-Men 97’, coming to Disney Plus later this year. But since it’s not here yet, we needed to find some other shows to cover.

"Cyclops is Waiting for Me" Theme written and performed by Ron Wasserman (ASCAP) and Rod Kim (ASCAP)

All our links: https://linktr.ee/cyclopsiwfmpod

Affiliate Links (Purchasing via these Amazon Links sends a few bucks back to the channel):

X-Men: Evolution X-Men Evolution Series - https://amzn.to/3PffIrm

X-Men 92 Products:

Previously on X-Men: The Making of an Animated Series - https://amzn.to/3VDnixb

X-Men: The Art and Making of The Animated Series - https://amzn.to/3nFTymH

X-Men: TAS - The Adaptations Omnibus - https://amzn.to/3B6GkSU

X-Men: TAS - Episodes on Prime Video - https://amzn.to/3HKNu34

X-Men: TAS - Resin Busts - https://amzn.to/3VjIeJi

Speed and Spyke introduces two more mutants to the teams with one character created for this series and bringing in Hawkeye's favorite shield (reference stolen from Max NoSleeves). In addition to one being a little s***, we are loving seeing how these teens are growing into their powers for better or worse and seeing how new characters are reacting to learning about the X-Men in their world for the first time. After this episode, JC wonders where Spyke is in the Krakoan era in the comics...

Cyclops is Waiting for Me is our weekly podcast series where we are going back and watching EVERY-SINGLE-X-MEN-ANIMATED-EPISODE we can find. Our first series started with the original 1992 X-Men: The Animated Series building up to the release of X-Men 97’, coming to Disney Plus later this year. But since it’s not here yet, we needed to find some other shows to cover.

"Cyclops is Waiting for Me" Theme written and performed by Ron Wasserman (ASCAP) and Rod Kim (ASCAP)

All our links: https://linktr.ee/cyclopsiwfmpod

Affiliate Links (Purchasing via these Amazon Links sends a few bucks back to the channel):

X-Men: Evolution X-Men Evolution Series - https://amzn.to/3PffIrm

X-Men 92 Products:

Previously on X-Men: The Making of an Animated Series - https://amzn.to/3VDnixb

X-Men: The Art and Making of The Animated Series - https://amzn.to/3nFTymH

X-Men: TAS - The Adaptations Omnibus - https://amzn.to/3B6GkSU

X-Men: TAS - Episodes on Prime Video - https://amzn.to/3HKNu34

X-Men: TAS - Resin Busts - https://amzn.to/3VjIeJi

The Blob comes to Bayville and brings us the ultimate high school trope, the food fight! The episode has a darker undertone to it than one would expect as he's actually able to kidnap Jean. But unlike Toad and Avalanche, Blob gets to keep his original alias from the comics of Fred Dukes.

"Cyclops is Waiting for Me" Theme written and performed by Ron Wasserman (ASCAP) and Rod Kim (ASCAP)

All our links: https://linktr.ee/cyclopsiwfmpod

Affiliate Links (Purchasing via these Amazon Links sends a few bucks back to the channel):

X-Men: Evolution X-Men Evolution Series - https://amzn.to/3PffIrm

X-Men 92 Products:

Previously on X-Men: The Making of an Animated Series - https://amzn.to/3VDnixb

X-Men: The Art and Making of The Animated Series - https://amzn.to/3nFTymH

X-Men: TAS - The Adaptations Omnibus - https://amzn.to/3B6GkSU

X-Men: TAS - Episodes on Prime Video - https://amzn.to/3HKNu34

X-Men: TAS - Resin Busts - https://amzn.to/3VjIeJi

One of the best parts of watching X-Men: Evolution has been seeing the different ways our favorites have been reimagined. Aside from the obvious aesthetic difference between the well known modern version of Rogue, this angsty teen with a Hot Topic wardrobe has no support system yet and seeing her early manipulation from Mystique and Destiny has given JC and Rod an intriguing look as to what could happen if things don't play out well for this absorptive mutant.

Cyclops is Waiting for Me is our weekly podcast series where we are going back and watching EVERY-SINGLE-X-MEN-ANIMATED-EPISODE we can find. Our first series started with the original 1992 X-Men: The Animated Series building up to the release of X-Men 97’, coming to Disney Plus later this year. But since it’s not here yet, we needed to find some other shows to cover.

"Cyclops is Waiting for Me" Theme written and performed by Ron Wasserman (ASCAP) and Rod Kim (ASCAP)

All our links: https://linktr.ee/cyclopsiwfmpod

Affiliate Links (Purchasing via these Amazon Links sends a few bucks back to the channel):

X-Men: Evolution X-Men Evolution Series - https://amzn.to/3PffIrm

X-Men 92 Products:

Previously on X-Men: The Making of an Animated Series - https://amzn.to/3VDnixb

X-Men: The Art and Making of The Animated Series - https://amzn.to/3nFTymH

X-Men: TAS - The Adaptations Omnibus - https://amzn.to/3B6GkSU

X-Men: TAS - Episodes on Prime Video - https://amzn.to/3HKNu34

X-Men: TAS - Resin Busts - https://amzn.to/3VjIeJi

Wow, this version of Kitty Pryde is kinda mean. Making sure to not be a copycat of her appearance in Pryde of the X-Men, X-Men: Evolution gets its debut of Kitty Pryde and she definitely fits that late 90s/early 2000s teen girl stereotype. We also get the debut of an X-Men villain who has way more ingenuity than his comic counterpart ever did.

Cyclops is Waiting for Me is our weekly podcast series where we are going back and watching EVERY-SINGLE-X-MEN-ANIMATED-EPISODE we can find. Our first series started with the original 1992 X-Men: The Animated Series building up to the release of X-Men 97’, coming to Disney Plus later this year. But since it’s not here yet, we needed to find some other shows to cover.

"Cyclops is Waiting for Me" Theme written and performed by Ron Wasserman (ASCAP) and Rod Kim (ASCAP)

All our links: https://linktr.ee/cyclopsiwfmpod

Affiliate Links (Purchasing via these Amazon Links sends a few bucks back to the channel):

X-Men: Evolution X-Men Evolution Series - https://amzn.to/3PffIrm

X-Men 92 Products:

Previously on X-Men: The Making of an Animated Series - https://amzn.to/3VDnixb

X-Men: The Art and Making of The Animated Series - https://amzn.to/3nFTymH

X-Men: TAS - The Adaptations Omnibus - https://amzn.to/3B6GkSU

X-Men: TAS - Episodes on Prime Video - https://amzn.to/3HKNu34

X-Men: TAS - Resin Busts - https://amzn.to/3VjIeJi

Flashback to late 2000 with us. It has been over three years since the finale of X-Men: The Animated Series, what would go one to be known as one of the greatest animated series of all time. But, Rod and JC were deep in High School and didn't have time for "childish things" so the debut of X-Men: Evolution went unnoticed to them. Now, they are yelled at by their fellow geeks and X-Men animated fans for never experiencing Evolution. So you know what that means! We are watching every episode like X-Men 92 but it is the first time for them!

Getting right into the thick of it, this episode introduces younger versions of Cyclops and Jean still in a public high school while a less than wholly honest Charles Xavier is keeping an eye out to add more members to their fledgling team. And that potential new recruit... Toad.

Cyclops is Waiting for Me is our weekly podcast series where we are going back and watching EVERY-SINGLE-X-MEN-ANIMATED-EPISODE we can find. Our first series started with the original 1992 X-Men: The Animated Series building up to the release of X-Men 97’, coming to Disney Plus later this year. But since it’s not here yet, we needed to find some other shows to cover.

"Cyclops is Waiting for Me" Theme written and performed by Ron Wasserman (ASCAP) and Rod Kim (ASCAP)

All our links: https://linktr.ee/cyclopsiwfmpod

Affiliate Links (Purchasing via these Amazon Links sends a few bucks back to the channel):

X-Men: Evolution

X-Men: The Art and Making of The Animated Series - https://amzn.to/3nFTymH

X-Men: TAS - The Adaptations Omnibus - https://amzn.to/3B6GkSU

X-Men: TAS - Episodes on Prime Video - https://amzn.to/3HKNu34

X-Men: TAS - Resin Busts - https://amzn.to/3VjIeJi

Not as remembered by most as the Night of the Sentinels pilot, Graduation Day will forever have a special place in the hearts of JC and Rod as they are joined by Eric and Julia Lewald. Eric was Story Editor (what we'd now call the Show Runner) for all 76 episodes and writer of the series finale and Julia was the writer on a number of the episodes herself. Without their massive efforts throughout this series, X-Men: TAS could have been just another nostalgic moment but instead became one of the most iconic cartoons to 90s kids ever. Possibly our longest episode ever, there was just nothing we wanted to leave on the cutting room floor with the amazing stories and insight Eric and Julia shared with us.

They share the experience writing the third (and final) finale of their run with this iconic series and we'd be lying if we didn't admit we were getting choked up through the episode. We'll let you listen for yourselves but just want to again thank Eric and Julia for the time they gave us to do this episode and for bringing this X-Men story to life.

One quick note: As Rod mentions at the end of this episode, this is NOT the finale for our podcast as new episodes are coming in the future weeks of another X-Men animated show.

Finding the Lewalds:

Website: https://xmentas.com/

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/xmentas/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/xmentas

Twitter: https://twitter.com/xmentas

Previously on X-Men: The Making of an Animated Series - https://amzn.to/3VDnixb

X-Men: The Art and Making of The Animated Series - https://amzn.to/3nFTymH

Cyclops is Waiting for Me is our weekly podcast series where we are going back and watching EVERY-SINGLE-EPISODE of the original 1992 X-Men: The Animated Series in their original intended script order building up to the release of X-Men 97’, coming to Disney Plus.

"Cyclops is Waiting for Me" Theme written and performed by Ron Wasserman (ASCAP) and Rod Kim (ASCAP)

All our links: https://linktr.ee/cyclopsiwfmpod

Affiliate Links (Purchasing via these Amazon Links sends a few bucks back to the channel):

Previously on X-Men: The Making of an Animated Series - https://amzn.to/3VDnixb

X-Men: The Art and Making of The Animated Series - https://amzn.to/3nFTymH

X-Men: TAS - The Adaptations Omnibus - https://amzn.to/3B6GkSU

X-Men: TAS - Episodes on Prime Video - https://amzn.to/3HKNu34

X-Men: TAS - Resin Busts - https://amzn.to/3VjIeJi