At a Human/Mutant Relations Summit, Henry Peter Gyrich attacks Professor X with an energy weapon, causing him to lose control of his powers and bring him to death's door. As the X-Men try to save their mentor, Magneto decides to use the moment to prepare for his long-awaited war against humankind.
Tropes:
- Adaptational Nice Guy: Feral here is played up as the only sane woman instead of the violent murderer she was in the comics.
- Armor-Piercing Question: As Magneto grapples with the choice of achieving his dream or saving Xavier, Cyclops convinces him with one.Cyclops: Wouldn't he do it for you?
- Armor-Piercing Response: What causes Magneto to break off attacking the three X-Men.Cyclops: Xavier wouldn't strike first. He didn't give his life so that we could destroy everything he held sacred.
- The Baby of the Bunch: After Storm tries to remain positive about Xavier's chances, Jubilee accuses her of treating her like a child and keeping the full situation from her.
- Back for the Finale: Morph returns to the team to help out with things.
- Bittersweet Ending: Xavier is saved at the last moment, but he'll have to stay with the Shi'ar, forcing the students to carry on without their teacher.
- Call-Back:
- Sunfire realizes he does recognize Cyclops, Wolverine, and Jean, saying he saw them on Genosha before.
- With Magneto having to choose between his dream and saving his Friendly Enemy, Cyclops asks if Xavier would do the same for him. Xavier did do that, much to Magneto's own confusion at the time. He understands it now.
- Deadpan Snarker: Morph quips that, in this crisis situation, of course he'd hightail it to the mansion.
- Deus Exit Machina: The only hope Xavier has is the Shi'ar's advanced technology, but as Jean warns, only Xavier could possibly contact Lilandra and he's clearly in no shape to do so. It takes Magneto using his own powers to give Xavier the needed boost.
- End-of-Series Awareness: The end credit clip is from "Xavier Remembers" and has the Shadow King saying that the X-Men are indeed gone.
- "Eureka!" Moment: After their clash with Magneto, Jean realizes that his powers can magnify Xavier's long enough to contact Lilandra.
- Friend-or-Idol Decision: Magneto is on the verge of launching his war against humanity when the X-Men come to him and reveal Xavier's dying. Caught between starting his war and being by his friend's side, he ultimately decides to join Xavier.
- Grand Finale: At least until X-Men '97 was announced.
- Internal Reveal: Gyrich's attack formally outs Xavier as a mutant to the general population.
- Life Isn't Fair: In response to the attack on Xavier, mutants around the world are fully prepared to pledge their loyalty to Magneto and do whatever he asks. However, Jean realizes that Magneto is the key to saving Xavier, but he of course can't do that and realize his dream.Magneto: With a single word, I can remake the world. I cannot leave.
Cyclops: You know what you should do!
Magneto: Why now? My greatest enemy and perhaps my old friend, but I HAVE WAITED ALL MY LIFE FOR THIS MOMENT!
Cyclops: Wouldn't he do it for you? - Like a Son to Me: Xavier basically refers to Cyclops as his son in all but name.
- Manly Tears: As Xavier makes what could be his final goodbyes, Morph and later Cyclops are shown shedding these. Wolverine also covers his eyes.
- Only Friend: Magneto describes Xavier as both his only friend and greatest enemy.
- Rousing Speech: Magneto, when addressing his followers on Genosha about how the time has come to take control. The three X-Men interrupt him partway in.
- So Proud of You: Some of Xavier's last words are these, telling the gathered X-Men how proud he was of them and how much they've grown.
- They Look Like Us Now: While being led away for attacking Xavier, Gyrich shouts about this to various onlookers in the crowd and at home.Gyrich: He's looks just like us, but he isn't! None of them are! [...] You see?! They're everywhere! Trust no one! Normal-looking people who defend mutants are mutants themselves!
- This Means War!: After watching Xavier's attack, Sunfire convinces the mutants of Genosha Island that not even human-looking mutants are safe from humanity's rage and prejudice and that it's time to take the fight to them.
- Villain Respect: Magneto is admittedly impressed that the three X-Men survived the destruction of the Blackbird and got into his lair. He later describes Xavier as a great man and his only equal.
- Villainous Breakdown: Gyrich has a paranoid, psychotic breakdown after being arrested for his attempt on Xavier's life.Gyrich: A mutant ringleader! And I revealed him! He looks just like us, but he isn't! NONE OF THEM ARE! You see? THEY'RE EVERYWHERE! TRUST NO ONE! NORMAL-LOOKING PEOPLE WHO DEFEND MUTANTS ARE REALLY MUTANTS THEMSELVES!
- Women Are Wiser: In the face of Sunfire's ranting, Feral urges caution and says Gyrich is just one man rather than the entirety of normal humans.
- Worf Had the Flu: Xavier is visibly sick and coughing at the summit with Beast pointing out how these events have taken a toll on his health. Gyrich's attack on Xavier is more than enough to nearly kill him.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: In his goodbyes to the assembled characters, Xavier notes Gambit doesn't believe himself to be a hero, despite continually proving to be one.
- You Don't Look Like You: While the man who attacks Xavier is Gyrich, he looks more like Graydon Creed.
