Blind Alley sees Scott kidnapped by Mystique, who is determined to get revenge on the X-Men. As Jean searches frantically for Scott, their psychic connection becomes a lifeline, highlighting a theme that resonates across all versions of the X-Men franchise: the deep, unbreakable bond between these two characters. Their connection is more than just a romantic relationship; it’s a psychic link that allows them to sense each other’s presence and emotions, adding layers of depth to their characters and relationship.
The episode kicks off with Scott being abducted and taken to a remote location, where he’s left without any means of communication or escape. Meanwhile, Jean, driven by her love and concern for Scott, begins a desperate search to find him. Throughout their ordeal, Jean and Scott’s psychic bond plays a crucial role, allowing them to communicate and provide each other with strength. This bond is a recurring motif in the X-Men universe, appearing in various comics, animated series, and films, emphasizing the unique and profound connection between them.
Their bond transcends physical limitations, illustrating the power of their relationship and the mutual reliance they have on one another. This dynamic is central to the X-Men lore, where psychic bonds and mental connections are often used to explore themes of trust, loyalty, and the strength of interpersonal relationships. Blind Alley encapsulates these themes beautifully, providing viewers with a gripping narrative that underscores the enduring bond between two of the X-Men‘s most iconic characters.
Still trapped inside Area 51, scientists run tests on Mystique, but she escapes by incapacitating a female scientist and morphing into a raven.
At the Institute, everyone works to restore the house. Scott and Logan are on the roof, while Storm and Jean work on the lawn. Jean and Scott share moments of distraction and conversation about their growing closeness. Scott asks Logan for advice on expressing his feelings to Jean.
Scott receives a call from Alex, who is supposedly stranded in Mexico. He leaves to rescue Alex, only to find out it was Mystique’s trap. She knocks him out with gas, and he wakes up in the desert without his glasses. Scott wanders blind and is attacked by coyotes. Jean has a nightmare about Scott in trouble and informs Xavier, who dismisses it as a bad dream.
Oil rig workers save Scott from the coyotes, but Mystique follows them. Jean calls Alex and discovers he was never in Mexico. Scott wakes up in a hospital, causing damage when the doctor tries to open his eyes. He escapes and stumbles around Mexico City. Mystique, disguised as a thug, tries to gas him again, but they end up fighting.
Jean receives telepathic flashes of Scott and uses them to locate him. Scott and Mystique continue to fight, falling into a basement. Jean arrives and fights off Mystique. Scott asks how she found him, and Jean explains their “bond.” On the jet home, Jean gives Scott new glasses, and they cuddle. Wolverine, Storm, and Xavier are pleased to see their affection.
In the comics, Raven cannot morph into animals or non-humanoid forms as she does in this episode. She maintains her weight and mass when she morphs.
The rebuilding of the Institute continues. However, as Wolverine responds to the New Mutants efforts, he gives this jolly remark:
Raven’s psychosis is becoming more extreme in this episode it seems: she tricks a minor into crossing state lines, batters him, leaves him out in the desert with no cover, supplies, unprotected and blind and then continues to relentlessly pursue said minor through a country where he has a language problem and no way to call home! Not the actions of a sane woman in complete control of her faculties, and certainly far removed from season one’s manipulative headteacher!
Jean and Scott finally get together at the end of this episode.
X-Cess Minutiae 
Leave a comment