Tuesday, 5 December 2017

The Gifted: outfoX - Nov 5

Last night, the mutants went against the Sentinel Services and their allies over at Trask’s – and lost. While this is bad, it is also to be expected, and-

And here’s the thing: ‘Gifted’ doesn’t offer too many twists and turns, unlike AoS, or ‘Runaways’, for example – it is a straightforward show about the mutants struggling for their rights against the robot-using Sentinel Services. What next?

On one hand this direct approach is a good thing – ‘Gifted’ doesn’t need to be a complex show; given the political climate in RL U.S.A. at the present, (2017), the WWII-like allusions of ‘Gifted’ give the show enough edge to keep on going, (and the first season of the show is almost done, anyhow), without much concern for any new revelations…except that ‘Gifted’ has those as well; in ‘outfoX’ – this week’s episode – we learn that the original Von Strucker twins were associated with the Hellfire Club.

This is important because in the Marvel comics the Hellfire Club was an organization of evil mutants and some of the X-Men most dangerous nemeses, period; they even served to introduce Jean Grey as the Phoenix in both the comics and the cartoons, (especially the 1990s ones). If the Hellfire Club appears in ‘Gifted’ too, things can become intense – but they already are intense, because the Strucker twins, Blink and Dreamer got captured by Jace and Sentinel Services instead.

Undoubtedly, this is bad, especially within the ‘Gifted’ universe proper, but outside of it, it is just par for the course – in the Marvel comics, (and even the Marvel movies), mutants get captured by the Sentinels (and the other villains) on a regular basis, so the mutants’ defeat in ‘outfoX’ is expected and temporary, (of course), there is nothing unexpected. (Insert your own x-pun here). By refusing to use their powers in tandem, the Strucker twins proved themselves to be different, (at least on a potential level), from their original counterparts, and to be heroes rather than villains, (at least on a default level). This is also worth noting because ‘Gifted’ tries to go for the grey morality area, especially in case of Jace, who was shown in the past episodes to show not exactly remorse or regrets, but clear doubts about working with the Trask’s, the company that brainwashes mutants to do their bidding – and Jace has views about this, so judging by the next week’s promo, things in his life are going to come to – something.

On the topic of family, one of the more bizarre turns of events is the transformation of Lorna’s character and maybe her role in ‘Gifted’. In ‘outfoX’, she was shown to have second thoughts and be outright afraid of Trask’s and the Sentinels. This is understandable – she is pregnant, after all, and loves Marcos/Eclipse, (the father of her baby), and is scared about their future as a family, but…wasn’t it obvious from the beginning of the show, when the mutants were just beginning to fight the Sentinels? The way the show is handling Lorna’s character now…it is not the best, but just inconsistent – and yet...

And yet ‘Gifted’ is quite consistent, following its’ direct and straightforward script, well, forwards. It does not really deviate from the traditional ‘X-Men’ stories, but presents plenty of original new characters to keep the story exciting – and the actors’ performance, of course, is still great. (Plus, the spider robots are back). Thus, while the show’s heroes are currently in the jaws…not just of dilemma, but of their enemies, (Sentinels and Trask’s), the viewers continue to view with excitement as to what will happen to them regardless of whatever shortcomings ‘Gifted’ has developed meanwhile.


That is that for now; see you later!

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