In Mindbender, we dive into a psychological thriller as the team faces a new, hypnotic threat. This episode brought a fresh twist to the series by introducing the villainous Mesmero. The episode delves into themes of control and manipulation, adding depth to the X-Men universe. The plot is centred around Mesmero’s ability to hypnotize and control some of our favourite mutants, including Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, Spyke, and Shadowcat, leading them to commit crimes against their will.

The episode kicks off with Jean Grey having nightmares about circus clowns, which is unsettling enough, but things take a darker turn when she disappears. The X-Men quickly rally to find her, only to discover that Jean, under Mesmero’s mind control, is stealing artifacts from museums. The team realizes that they’re dealing with a master hypnotist when they uncover that Mesmero is behind these strange events. However, the twist comes when it’s revealed that Mesmero himself is just a pawn, controlled by an even more powerful mind. This revelation sets the stage for even greater threats to come, as Mesmero opens the first of three doors to release the ancient and formidable Apocalypse…

Jean Grey has a nightmare about being chased by scary clowns and wakes up hovering above her bed. After calming herself down, she notices a jack-in-the-box playing music on its own and screams when a tattooed face pops out. The next morning, Jean is missing, and all the X-Men are searching for her. Xavier and Scott find the jack-in-the-box in her room but don’t know if it’s related to her disappearance. Beast informs them there’s no sign of Jean, and they can only track her when she uses her powers.

Logan discovers Jean bought a ticket to Boston, where Cerebro detects her using her powers. Jean, seemingly possessed, steals a ring from a museum and fends off the police with her abilities. Scott wants to go to Boston to find her, but Xavier tells him she’s already left. Back at the Institute, the New Mutants struggle in the Danger Room, which has been sabotaged by Jamie. That night, Jean returns to the Institute, puts an unconscious Scott back to bed with her telekinesis, and possesses Kurt.

The next day, Scott informs Xavier that Kurt is also missing. Kitty and Beast find a lead on Jean and Kurt’s location in New York City, and Scott and Logan head out to find them. Jean and Kurt break into a bank and steal another ring, escaping in the X-Jet. Back at the Institute, Beast learns about the rings’ origins as Tibetan artifacts. Jean “possesses” Spyke and Kitty, and they leave in the X-Jet. Xavier realizes Mesmero is behind the control, and the team heads to the Circus of Mystery. The X-Men battle their possessed friends while Xavier faces Mesmero. A powerful voice overpowers Xavier, and the X-Kids regain control. Mesmero escapes, revealing he was a puppet controlled by a more powerful mind seeking to release Apocalypse.

Mesmero, a mutant supervillain with a knack for hypnotism, first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #49 in October 1968. Known for his ability to control minds through eye contact, he initially posed as a stage hypnotist, using his powers to manipulate people at high society parties. Over time, Mesmero became a recurring adversary for the X-Men, joining groups like Weapon X and the Brotherhood of Mutants. A design for the character, who is green coloured in the comics, was prepared for a possible further season of X-Men: The Animated Series, after a cameo in Beyond Good and Evil. In a nod to his comic colours, when using his powers in this episode, his facial tattoos glow green.

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