History Recap / XMenS1E13TheFinalDecision

* EarlyBirdCameo: Bella Donna appears among Gambit's memories. She'll appear in in Season 2's "X-Ternally Yours" as an antagonist.

A newscaster is reporting how anti-mutant riots have occurred throughout dozens of cities in America over the kidnapping of Senator Robert Kelly. Professor X says that they need to find Kelly before an anti-mutant fever consumes the nation; and as they already know Magneto is the culprit Cerebro will be of great assistance.

In a shipwreck, Magneto is holding Robert Kelly hostage. Magneto tells him that they both believe mutants and humans can't live peacefully and that a war between between the two is inevitable and Kelly's assassination will serve as catalyst. As he's about to kill Kelly Sentinels tear through the roof and grab the Senator- they're also improved, as they're made of plastic rather than metal rendering Magneto's powers nearly useless. Magneto attempts to fight them off using the metal of the shipwreck, but he's punched into submission and buried in rubble.

Kelly is brought to a secret lab of robotic scientist, Bolivar Trask, who wants a presidential authorization for using Sentinels in charge of controlling mutants. Trask orders a newly built Sentinel to bring Kelly back to his campaign headquarters, but it refuses. Trask then turns to a rebuilt Master Mold whom informs him that the Sentinel is not defective and is following his orders. Master Mold wants to replace the brains of world politicians, including Senator Kelly's, with a computer.

Back at the X-Mansion, the X-Men realize they need to attack the Sentinels before they get too strong but don't know where to start. Storm points out that, on [[Recap/XMenS1E7SlaveIsland Genosha]] Gambit saw the face of the man in charge of the Sentinels and Charles decides to use Cerebro to enter Gambit's mind to discover the man is Henry Peter Gyrich. The X-Men ambush Gyrich, who was also the target of an assassination, and he flees into a building. Wolverine however, catches up to him and pins him to the ground and the X-Men interrogate him, while also overhearing Trask on the phone saying that the Sentinels are not only out of control but also seeking to replace the brains of world leaders. Scott says he needs to help them as the Sentinels are now a threat to the world, but Gyrich says that thousands of Sentinels have been created already.

The X-Men return to the mansion where Charles insists that Kelly must be rescued or else there will be a civil war, but some such as Gambit believe it's suicide. Right then Magneto, still recovering, enters the room and tells him that his dream of peace between humans and mutants was foolish and that if they try to rescue Kelly the team will be throwing their lives away. While some members were initially reluctant, such as Rogue, Gambit and Wolverine, ultimately the X-Men decide to take the Blackbird to rescue Kelly while Magneto quietly says that the brave are always the first to die.

Outside the Sentinels realize their master is in danger and return to the factory, leading to their own destruction when the factory explodes. Scott splits off from Jean and Kelly, who escape outside, to find Wolverine and Gambit, whom succeeded in defeating the Sentinels. Using his EyeBeams, Scott digs a tunnel for them to outside, but when they arrive, Master Mold appears from the mountain, refusing to accept defeat so long as it was still functioning. Professor X pilots the Blackbird, protected by Magneto's magnetic fields and loaded with tons of explosives, into the giant robot and escapes through the ejection seat before the Blackbird hits Master Mold and the explosives detonate, destroying both the Blackbird and the Sentinel boss. Magneto tells him that they're even and that they shall meet again before taking his leave.

Later, at a press conference, Kelly reiterates that mutants are humans beings and that they should not forget that in attempting to control mutants that abuse their powers, they should not oppress mutants that use their powers for the good of humanity. With Kelly's influence, Beast is set free and later, Scott asks Jean to marry him, which she accepts.

* AIIsACrapshoot: Master Mold is merely following its programming of protecting humans from mutants- but it has realized that mutants are humans and as such comes to the conclusion that its goal is to protect humans from themselves.

* BittersweetEnding: The X-Men save Senator Kelly, who sees that all mutants are not bad and changes for the better during his campaign for president, Master Mold is destroyed, Beast is released from jail, and Scott asks Jean to marry him. However, little do the X-Men know there is a new threat who is after Scott and Jean.

* ShoutOutToShakespeare: On his release, Beast quotes ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'': ''"To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day...."'' He claims it represents "the struggle of the oppressed," which is an ''interesting'' interpretation.[[note]]The quote comes from a DespairSpeech after Macbeth, whose downfall looks increasingly inevitable, learns his wife is dead. And Macbeth is much more oppresor than oppresed.[[/note]]

* {{Tsundere}}: Rogue when she sees Gambit survived the explosion, giving him a kiss (blocked by her gloved hand, of course) and then saying she hates him. Gambit remarks he doesn't understand her at all as she hugs him.

* VillainousRescue: During the final fight, Xavier pilots the Blackbird and gets shot down. Right before hitting the ground, he sees Magneto prevented the impact.

* BittersweetEnding: The X-Men save Senator Kelly, who sees that all mutants are not bad and changes for the better during his campaign for President, Master Mold is destroyed, Beast is released from jail, and Scott asks Jean to marry him but little does the X-Men know their is a new threat who is after Scott and Jean.

* CurbStompBattle: The Sentinels made of plastics deliver one on Magneto. He puts up a good fight at first, but he's overwhelmed by superior numbers.

* FantasticPlastic: When Magneto is confronted by a Sentinel, which is a gigantic android designed to hunt down mutants. The villain smugly proclaims that no robots can resist the master of magnetism, but the machine counters by explaining that it's made entirely of plastic.

* JerkassHasAPoint: Gambit is the last holdout in rescuing Senator Kelly, much to the disapproval of Rogue and others. However, it was only mere hours that his friends accused him of assassinating said senator and causing a BadFuture. No wonder why he's reluctant in joining his teammates in a suicide mission.

* LogicBomb: What causes Master Mold to rebel is it has come to the realization that mutants are humans, too, and as so he must protect humans from themselves.

* OutrunTheFireball: Played with. Jean, Scott and Kelly manage to outrun the fireball for some time but they are forced to use telekinetic shields to protect themselves because the fireball runs too fast. Somehow, Trask also manages to escape from the explosion.

* {{Tsundere}}: Rogue when she sees Gambit survived the explosion, giving him a kiss (blocked by her gloved hand, of course) and then saying she hates him. Gambit remarks he doesn't understand her at all, as she hugs him.

* VillainousRescue: During the final fight, Xavier pilots the ''Blackbird'' and gets shot down. Right before hitting the ground, he sees Magneto prevented the impact.

* ForWantOfANail: With Senator Kelly's assassination, Master Mold's prime directive would be changed to the extermination of all mutants. Preventing this assassination gives Master Mold the time to develop his logical conclusion: endangering humans and mutants alike.