The Shadow King escapes from his prison in the Astral Plane and goes after Storm.
This episode provides examples of:
- Adaptational Attractiveness: The series version of Farouk is an athletic, dark-bearded Egyptian man instead of the Bald of Evil Fat Bastard of the comics.
- And I Must Scream: The Shadow King refers to Xavier trapping him in the astral plane as such. He describes it as a living death.
- Brought Down to Normal: Xavier and Magento awaken in the Savage Land to discover that they have somehow lost their mutant powers.
- Call-Back: Storm is out of the hospital after the injuries she sustained at the start of the season.
- The Cameo: Roughouse and Bloodscream appear as mentioned below. Morph also transforms into Deadpool, Omega Red, and Maverick when mocking Wolverine, the latter two showing up for real in later episodes.
- Cliffhanger: Professor Xavier and Magneto are attacked in the Savage Land and end up going over a waterfall.
- Composite Character: Mjnari is based on the infant Storm saved in the comics, but with the name of an elderly chief from the same story.
- Demonic Possession: Mjnari falls victim to this, and Storm volunteers herself to free him.
- Early-Bird Cameo: For Omega Red and Maverick, whose forms are assumed by Morph to taunt Wolverine.
- Friend to All Living Things: Wolverine gets along fine with the boat driver's pet monkey.
- I Have Your Wife: The Shadow King gets Storm to surrender by possessing Mjnari. He in turn thinks that possessing Storm will protect him from Xavier.Shadow King: In this body, he would not dare attack me!
- Kick the Dog: "Without Xavier, there are no X-Men!"
- Leaking Can of Evil: The Shadow King is able to escape the astral plane, due to a tear in reality. Beast guesses that Bishop's time-traveling is responsible, but "Xavier Remembers" will reveal it was because of Xavier's own absence.
- Mirror Match: During their last fight, Morph takes on Wolverine's form to try this. It doesn't work because he still can't fight like Wolverine.
- Mythology Gag: Roughhouse and Bloodscream, two recurring enemies of Wolverine in his solo series, pass by him as he enters the bar Morph is hiding at. Roughhouse stops for a moment and glances at Logan before walking off, hinting that they've had some encounters in the past.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Storm, upon learning where the rip in reality is located.
- Xavier and Magneto, upon seeing the former's legs are now restored.
- Parental Substitute: Storm to Mjnari. His birth was difficult, but she managed to get him breathing.
- The Power of Friendship: It's why Wolverine is chasing Morph through the jungle.
- Put on a Bus: Morph escapes and says he has to work through his split personality issues by himself.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: The Shadow King and anyone he possesses.
- Super-Speed: Mjnari's power.
- Tempting Fate: Occurs when Xavier tries to save Magneto from drowning.Xavier: Keep your head up, we're going to make it.
[Immediately after, they notice a waterfall up ahead and then go over it] - Thanatos Gambit: Why Storm lets the Shadow King possess her. She intends to fly so high up that she can't breathe, which would kill both of them. Rogue tries to talk her out of it, but Storm insists it's the only way to put an end to the Shadow King for good. It doesn't work because he leaves her body before she asphyxiates, which causes her to fall back to where there's air and be caught by Rogue.
