When last we met the Struckers were reeling from the children being kidnapped and forced to perform as lab monkeys for Dr. Campbell (who used the data he gathered to develop his own way to fuse mutant powers to enhance his Hound program, the program where he brainwashes mutants into hunting down and killing or capturing other mutants. So, yeah, mutants are good enough to be used, but not to be considered human beings worth any rights. Like I said way back in the beginning, the X-men series has always very much been about facing racism and GLBTQ prejudice.)After they tried to leave, but ended up being chased back into the Mutant Underground by the Cuckoos, erm, I mean, by Jace Turner and his elite team of mutant hunters, the MU and the Hellfire Club (kinda) team up to try to stop Dr. Campbell as he tries to get political support to take his Hounds public. And I’m guessing sell these brainwashed, captured people like property. MESSAGE.
Dr. Campbell is appearing at a convention (and as a con lover I hate calling this hate rally that, but let’s face it, all kinds of clubs get to hold conventions) where he’ll be meeting up with the most vocal anti-mutant senator in the states. The Cuckoos and the head MU team (Polaris, Eclipse, Blink, and Thunderbird) hatch their plan to capture him there. Meanwhile the Cuckoos do what they always do and plant and cultivate a few bits of insecurity and some “dark pasts” that are as dark as garlic toast, finally outright admitting that they want Polaris to kill Campbell and the Senator, not just “capture and question” him.
No one is surprised, and, of course, no one seems to be completely trusting of the Frost sisters…except for freaking Andy. Arrrghh! I had thought the Strucker kids were the more intelligent family members, but Andy appears to be merrily skipping his way down the path of the angry white boy denied. I mean, on one hand, he is technically a minority, and very repressed minority in this world setting, and while he could pass, he also is so highly sought after by Campbell that no, he can’t really pass. But you give the boy a bit of power and all of a sudden he starts to think that force, and violence if need be, is the answer to the situation, and since some higher power gave him the power…
Yeah, it’s a teenage boy thing for sure. Well a teenage thing, period. And everyone gets to the point where they are just done fighting and ready for results. But somehow it’s still disappointing that Andy is already losing that innocent enthusiasm, especially just as his parents are starting to be less in denial and more determined to make a difference.
Anyway, because this is a two part season finale, Dr. Campbell gets away, yes in the most cowardly way possible, which shows just who he is. PSA: which is not a good person who actually wants to help other people like he claims and as his flashbacks imply. Like Turner justifies his behavior with “protecting people”, Campbell justifies his behavior as “helping cure genetic diseases”. With this the show also blatantly strikes out from just minority and homophobia commentary, to tackling ableism.
In short, we now have a full spectrum of reasons why mutants are not like us, and, as a character says early in this episode, should not benefit from human laws, human culture, or even the human Constitution. They are a minority. They aren’t “real humans”. They are dangerous, and a threat to humans. And now they are also sick, victims of genetic disease who need to be cured, regardless of how not sick they claim to be, or how functional they look.
I wonder if “normies” watching this show recognize as much of this as people who have experienced those same words for their skin color, the person they love, or the condition of their body can see.
Also I thought, like the characters, I would be tired and feel this was getting a little ham-fisted this far into the season, and yet since the setting of this episode is literally a party for hating on mutants it’s still just as hard to watch. Also entirely too close to reality in moments. It’s depressing how humanity always finds new ways to hate people.
But hey, cool powers, right?