Lance Alvers (Avalanche) wants to join the X-Men in order to be closer to Kitty. However, he has trouble fitting in and, after antagonizing Scott, becomes the prime suspect for several recent joyrides committed by some cocky New Mutants.
Tropes included:
- Anywhere but Their Lips: Kitty kisses Lance on the cheek at the end as he heads back to the Brotherhood. This and the Held Gaze they shared beforehand kickstart their relationship.
- Bittersweet Ending: Kitty and Lance put a stop to the New Mutants' joyrides and Professor X punishes them while ending Nightcrawler's probation. However, despite being cleared of the joyrides, Lance leaves the X-Men to go back to the Brotherhood out of dissatisfaction, much to Kitty's distress. At the same time, by stopping the New Mutants' antics, he earns Kitty's love, thus she reciprocates his feelings for her and hooks up with him.
- Continuity Nod: Kurt is still being punished for his actions in "Bada-Bing Bada-Boom!", until the end of episode.
- Cool and Unusual Punishment: Students on probation are punished with cleaning the vehicles, be it the cars or the very large jet. Nightcrawler suffers this for much of the episode; Iceman, Cannonball, and Jubilee get this treatment in the end.
- A Day in the Limelight: Lance is the focus of this episode.
- Everyone Has Standards: Despite not being behind the joyrides and knowing the New Mutants are the true culprits, Lance takes the blame to tick off a distrusting Scott, despite not liking being suspected. However, once he realizes they're gonna take the X-Jet for their next joyride, he decides they're going too far and brings Kitty with him to stop them.
- Handshake Refusal: Scott tries to apologize to Lance by extending his hand, but Lance turns him down and heads back to the Brotherhood.
- Heel–Face Turn: Attempted by Lance, but everything proves to be such a hassle that he goes back to the Brotherhood.
- Held Gaze: Kitty and Lance share this upon the former collapsing on his arms after she phased everyone and the X-Jet to escape being attacked.
- Laugh of Love: Kitty does this twice during Lance's training with the New Mutants, indicating her growing feelings for him.
- Not Me This Time: Lance ends up getting the blame for the messy joyrides. Jubilee suggests he go on the next one since he'll get blamed for it anyway.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Lance when he realizes that the next joyride the New Mutants are about to take with Bobby describing it as being "bigger and faster" is the X-Jet.
- Kitty's reaction to Lance exclaiming "Those stupid kids!"
- The New Mutants get one when Kitty and Lance catches them in their antics and the startle causes Jubilee to accidentally fry the controls.
- Post-Victory Collapse: Kitty after phasing the X-Jet and everyone to safety. Lance catches her as she collapse and they share a tender moment.
- Relationship Upgrade: Kitty and Lance hook up at the end, which continues in Shadow Dance and lasts until the beginning of the next season. They rekindle their relationship in the Grand Finale.
- Rejected Apology: After the New Mutants admit to being behind the joyrides and are punished, Scott and Professor X try to apologize to Lance for accusing him and everything they've been going through respectively, but Lance rejects them as he leaves to return to the Brotherhood.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Despite being proven innocent of the joyrides, Scott apologizing for accusing him, and Kitty pleading him to stay (not to mention earning her love), Lance heads back to the Brotherhood, deciding that being with the X-Men is too much for him.
- Ship Tease: Lance tries switching sides primarily to be near Kitty. Various tease moments ensue, including Kitty giving him a goodbye kiss as he leaves the X-Men to return to the Brotherhood.
- Shipper on Deck: Professor X allows Lance to join the X-Men as he senses his feelings for Kitty, approving of it.
- Single Woman Seeks Good Man: While Kitty started to develop feelings for Lance after he saved her from a burning statue that was about to fall on her in "Growing Pains", this episode cements her falling in love in him when he brings her with him to stop the New Mutants when they use the Blackbird for their next joyride. The loving gaze she gives him when he catches her from collapsing after she phased everyone to safety and kissing him goodbye at the end only seal the deal.
- Smooch of Victory: Kitty kisses Lance at the end of the episode after he puts an end of the New Mutants' joyriding antics by bringing her with him, proving his innocence and earning her heart.
- Status Quo Is God: Unsurprisingly, Lance doesn't stay with the X-Men for long as he decides that being with the Brotherhood is "a piece of cake" compared to the X-Men being "way too maintenance."
- Stunned Silence: The X-Men's reaction to Lance announcing he wants to join them.
- The Team Wannabe: Multiple wants to join in on the joyrides. He does get to go on the van one, but because of his power, he makes it all very crowded. The others pointedly tell him to stay behind before getting in the jet.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: Nightcrawler winces over having to clean the newly messy jet, but Xavier tells him he's off probation and that clean-up will be handled by the actual perpetrators.
- Took a Level in Badass: Kitty shows how much stronger she has gotten with her powers by phasing her, Lance, the New Mutants and the X-Jet to escape being attacked.
- Vomit Discretion Shot: Lance throws up in the Blackbird with Kitty sarcastically remarking "My hero."
- Wham Line: Lance shows up at the mansion and shocks the X-Men by stating he wants to join them.
- You Didn't See That: The impromptu chase between the Blackbird and several jet fighters ends with Kitty phasing the entire Blackbird, passengers and all, into the side of a mountain, much to the surprise of the fighters' pilots. Cue this conversation:Pilot 1: Did you see that?Pilot 2: No. And neither did you. Return to base![cue a news report the next day mistaking the Blackbird to be a UFO encounter]
