The Cauldron two-parter that ends the first season of X-Men: Evolution has many stories to wrap up. The story begins with the sudden appearance of metal spherical pods that kidnap mutants, leading the X-Men to discover that Scott Summers’ long-lost brother, Alex, is alive. This revelation sets the stage for a deeper exploration of familial bonds and the emotional turmoil that comes with discovering a missing family member. Scott’s journey to reconnect with Alex highlights the importance of family ties and the lengths one will go to protect and reunite with loved ones.

The episode also explores the theme of loyalty, particularly through the actions of Magneto and his attempts to recruit Alex. Magneto’s manipulation and promises of power test the loyalties of the mutants, forcing them to choose between their allegiance to the X-Men and the tempting offers of Magneto. The emotional depth of the characters and their personal struggles with this decision adds layers of complexity to the story, making it a standout episode in the X-Men: Evolution series.

Jean and Scott arrive at the institute. Scott leaves, forgetting his homework. Jean hears a noise in the trees and finds Toad, who attacks her. She fights back and dumps him into a well. A silver sphere lands, pulls Jean inside, and flies away. Toad sees it and screams.

In Hawaii, Alex Masters is attacked by a shark. He blasts it with energy from his hands, scaring it away. Wolverine learns from Xavier that Alex is Scott’s brother, presumed dead. They head to Hawaii.

Alex meets Magneto, who offers help. Alex refuses but listens when Magneto offers answers. Xavier tells Scott about Alex. They leave for Hawaii, leaving Rogue, Kurt, Kitty and Evan behind. They head to a local beach, unaware Mystique is spying.

In Hawaii, Scott and Logan find Alex’s surfboard. Magneto’s presence is detected. The jet is pulled off the ground. Wolverine jumps onto the landing gear but is thrown into the ocean by Magneto. Scott meets Alex, who shows his powers and convinces Scott to join him. They leave in a sphere.

At the mansion, Storm encounters Mystique and electrocutes her. The X-kids are ambushed by the Brotherhood. Wolverine fights Sabretooth on an island.

The Blackbird reaches Magneto’s base, Asteroid M. Magneto challenges the X-Men and Brotherhood to a trial by fire. Rogue and Kurt fight Toad and Avalanche. Kitty phases out from under Blob but passes out. Avalanche traps Kurt with rocks. Quicksilver buries Spyke. Rogue wins but is taken by a sphere.

Magneto shows Xavier the captured X-Men. He asks Xavier to join him. Alex and Scott appear in matching outfits, shocking Xavier.

Cerebro has been rebuilt since it’s destruction two episodes ago. It’s now kept in a spherical room, exactly as the movies had it housed and which the comics would also eventually adopt.

Rogue’s claim that she hates cats has become ironic since the episode’s airing: she and husband Gambit have three of the feline critters – Oliver, Figaro and Lucifer. Oliver is the gray one, Figaro is white, and Lucifer is orange.

In the Ultimate X-Men comics of a different reality, Professor Xavier of reality 1610 had a tabby cat that was named Mystique after the assassin. The cat she morphs into here is almost identical.

CRY HAVOC!

Scott Summers’ younger brother Alex first turned up with no warning in Uncanny X-Men #54. Cyclops, ever the loner, had kept his brother to himself and we wouldn’t learn about the loss of their parents until Chris Claremont told the story in Uncanny X-Men #154 – 100 issues later!

Alex is not of the same temperament as Scott. In many of his early appearances, his mutant abilities to absorb the cosmic rays of the sun and fire plasma bolts are out of his control due to a symbiotic relationship with another mutant, the Living Monolith. Luckily, the animated series each remove that story from Alex’s origins, making him simply Scott’s brother who grew up separately from him.

The Alex of the comic books struggles with his leadership roles: he lives in the shadow of his brother and never feels good enough. He even manages to fall in love with Scott’s first wife Madelyne. Alex struggles with being a team player, trying more than once to leave the mutant crusade and live a normal life – but he’s always dragged back in.

Sometimes Government Agent with X-Factor, sometimes a surfer dude and sometimes a hero who sacrifices himself for others, Alex Summers has many different character traits: all of which make him more than just a cardboard cut-out of his big brother…

Grim Reminder | The Cauldron (Part 2)