Shades of Grey


Season: 1
Episode Number: 23
Season Episode Number: 23
Production Number: 123
Airdate: March 9, 2009

Writer: Greg Johnson
Director: Doug Murphy

Voices: Steve Blum (Wolverine), Nolan North (Cyclops), Kari Wahlgren (Emma Frost), Liam O'Brian (Nightcrawler), Roger Craig Smith (Forge), Jennifer Hale (Jean Grey), Clancy Brown (Sinister), Unknown (Arclight), Unknown (Sebastian Shaw), Unknown (Marjorie).

Plot: Emma is able to locate the missing Jean Grey after Jean, who is stricken with amnesia, uses her powers in a local hospital. Unfortunately, the event doesn't go unnoticed by Sinister who sends Archangel to retrieve her. Can Emma and Scott get to her on time?

Review (Warning! Spoilers!): Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! It's episodes like this that make me proud to be a fanboy! You would think that with only four episodes left, things would look like they are starting to wrap up. That's what I thought when I realized this episode was the reunion of Jean and the X-Men! Little did I know that they were going to pull out all the stops!

Shades of Grey may not have the greatest story or had the best action scenes, but it does give us something that fans have been asking for all season: Jean Grey. The return of Jean to a show that she was never in sounds a bit odd, but the writers have done a good job of establishing her character through Scott's character arc, as well as the flashback scenes from Breakdown.

I complained in my review of Breakdown about how Emma's character has been poorly used in this series. She is not the same Emma we have come to know and love from the comics. In this episode she obviously has feelings for Scott but puts them aside in order to reunite the two long lost lovers. Does this sound like something Emma would do? I didn't think so either, but then the big reveal at the end of the episode turned everything upside down and redeemed her character, at least for now.

Sinister and the Marauders return in this episode much to my delight. I was hoping that the Marauders would get a bit more screen time in the series since their last appearance, and they do in this episode as they engage the X-Men in battle.

My only complaint is that Multiple Man wasn't included this time. But we still had Arclight, Vertigo and Blockbuster, as well as their newest recruit, Archangel, who fought in complete silence through the entire episode. Creepy.

There are many things to like about this episode. The return of Sinister, the return of Archangel, the Jean/Scott reunion, the twist ended, a hint of the Phoenix, and Forge actually using his bionic arm in battle!

Plus, there is a little hint of Sinister's history with Apocalypse. Can they seriously be introducing more storylines this late in the season? You bet! The last three episodes are going to be amazing!

DVD Releases:

Wolverine and the X-Men, The Complete First Season (Canada Exclusive)

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