X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997): Season 3, Episode 14 - The Dark Phoenix: Part 4 - The Fate of Phoenix - full transcript

Xavier reads Lilandra's mind and challenges her guard to the Duel of Honor that Lilandra cannot refuse for Jean Grey's life.

NARRATOR:
Previously onX-Men...

Your destiny is
at its end, X-Men.

The Dark Phoenix has
come to destroy you all!

That thing, whatever it is,
just destroyed an entire
star system.

We must
destroy that creature
before it feeds again.

LILANDRA:
Gladiator, assemble the
Imperial Guard immediately

and make ready the
Imperial Star Cruiser!

What has happened,
my Empress?

Our worst nightmare.

I won't allow you
to enter my...

(JEAN SCREAMING)



Jean. Help me.
Help me. Help me.

This can't be! No!

The Phoenix is contained,
for now.

Lilandra!

It is the decision
of the High Council
of the Shi'ar Empire,

that the being known both
as the Phoenix and as
Jean Grey,

must be destroyed!

(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)

Capture Jean Grey!

Don't let them through!

You got that right!

LILANDRA:
Do not resist, X-Men!

No!

(SPEAKING ALIEN LANGUAGE)



(LILANDRA
SPEAKING ALIEN LANGUAGE)

They stopped! Why?

Maybe they want to
live a little longer.

I have probed
Lilandra's mind.

The Shi'ar
have an ancient law,

the challenge
to a duel of honor
which cannot be refused.

I have made the challenge
in our names.

In all of our names?

It is the only way
to save Jean's life.

So let's get to it.

(SPEAKING ALIEN LANGUAGE)

What happened?

I believe that the technology
involves molecular dispersal
and reconstitution.

In the vernacular,
we were moved.

CYCLOPS: Lilandra, the
X-Men were your friends,
why have you kidnapped us?

You are my friends.
I owe you my life
and my throne.

CYCLOPS:
Then why not trust
us to deal with Jean?

LILANDRA:
The Phoenix
is too powerful.

Once, she existed
only to serve our
empire.

Now she lives only to
experience new sensations.

The planets were,
fortunately, uninhabited.

But what of next time?
Soon single stars will
not satiate her.

She will consume galaxies.

Like the
crystal that spawned her,
she can destroy all that is!

I have no choice.

But Professor Xavier
has cured her!

Scott, the Phoenix
may be under control,
but she is still within me.

To kill
an innocent creature to
get at another is barbarous!

Lilandra,
I have invoked the
challenge of "Arin'nn Haelar!"

You cannot refuse it!

Take no solace
in your cleverness.

You have only compounded
the tragedy.

The Shi'ar empire
does not act alone,

Phoenix is a creature
of such immense power,

that
she threatens
stellar empires

that were ancient
before your sun
had planets.

I must consult them.

Earthers
are a stubborn
breed, but honorable.

The Kree do not
object to this duel!

Nor do I,
Empress of the Skrulls,

provided the X-Men
are not permitted
to win!

You'll have your duel,
Charles Xavier.

Though I fear
you will live to regret
what you have done this day.

Beast, there is a question
I must ask of you.

You wonder
if we are on
the right side.

She is someone I love,
as I would love a sister.

Of course,
but there is far
more at stake here, Ororo.

Jean has
committed no crime,
has injured no one.

Yet, we are asked
to allow her to
be destroyed

to prevent the possible
future crimes of another.

But she has given
Jean a trial by combat.

Such a trial is no
contest of reason,
it is a war.

Such a position
mocks justice.
Lilandra is wrong.

WOLVERINE: You're
getting slow, gumbo!

GAMBIT: Gambit will be ready.

Could Lilandra be right?

Is Phoenix too
dangerous to exist?

Maybe,

but if push comes to shove
I stand by Jean all the way.

XAVIER, TELEPATHICALLY:
Lilandra, let our minds
join as one.

We must not
let these events
wither our love, Lilandra.

LILANDRA:
I wish only to
cherish you, Charles.

Then help me.
Join with me to
contain the Phoenix.

That was unworthy of you.

Lilandra,
you do not understand...

I am Empress of
the Shi'ar Empire.

My duty, before
the longings of
my heart,

is to
protect those
in my dominion!

Please, Lilandra,
it doesn't have
to be... No!

I can't
help thinking, Rogue,
what if Lilandra's right?

If the psychic
circuit breakers Xavier
placed in Jean's mind fail,

a universe full of innocent
life would be at the
Phoenix's mercy.

I know
how much you love Jean.

It's the kind of love I've
always wanted in my life,
but never had.

This must be
tearing you apart.

I know
what you're
asking yourself.

If I were
in Lilandra's place,
would I act any differently?

I'd like to think, I would.

No matter what the cost?

You're wearing
your old X-Men
uniform.

It is how you first
knew me. It felt right.

My daddy always said,

"Two's company,
and three's an
eavesdropper."

Jean...

I destroyed
a solar system
and reveled in it.

Phoenix did! Not you.

What if she breaks free?
What if...

What if the next
world we ravage
is Earth?

Jean, you're not evil.
You can win.

We can stop Phoenix!

No, Scott,
before you say any more,

see my fears
and then give
me your answer.

I can imagine
losing control again.

Only this time, my victims
would be my friends.

And the world
that I call home.

Am I worth the risk?

You're worth
everything there is.

I love you, too, Scott.
With all my heart.

The X-Men
will battle
the Imperial Guard

in the uncharted blue
area of Earth's moon.

If the X-Men win,
those who survive
will be set free.

If my
Imperial Guard wins,

Phoenix, Jean Grey,
is ours to do with
as we will.

Technician,
beam them down.

The X-Men face hopeless odds,
Your Majestrix.

But they're exceptional
beings. Suppose they win?

They will not win, Araki.
They cannot win.

Looks like some
spooky Mardi Gras.

Fascinating!

These ruins mean the
moon was once inhabited!

I can fly and we
can all breathe.

Wait! I'm picking up
multiple telepathic
impressions.

Over there.

Looks like
it's show time.

Remember the plan,

we split up into teams
and start hitting and
running

until we whittle them down!

STARBOLT: You can
neither hide nor
escape from us!

Guess again, hot shot!

(SCREAMS)

GAMBIT: The party's
started without us!

Oh, dear, we have met
the enemy, and he is big.

We offer you the choice
of honorable surrender.

Stuff your offer, tin man!

Where'd you come from?

Gambit!

Gambit is much obliged,
my brave belle.

I look forward to
making it up to you.

EARTHQUAKE: Nice try!

But you can't
fight a man who controls
the ground under your feet.

Controlling
the dirt is nothing to one
who commands wind and rain!

(SCREAMS)

First round to the
Imperial Guard,
Hussar.

A good omen!

You have angered Starbolt!

My rage is feared
throughout the empire!

Honey,
you're giving
me goose bumps!

If you want me,
you got to catch me first.

You're fast as a swamp bug
on a hot skillet!

Let's see if
you're as nimble!

Guess not.

Organics are too
slow to fight Warstar.

Your
elimination
is inevitable.

Initiate repair sequence.

Take your time.

Arrogant fool!

To fight the Imperial Guard
is to face the wrath of
Gladiator!

WOLVERINE:
I get the message.

Your loyalty to this Jean
creature speaks well for
your species, human.

Jean.

Oracle,
you're making
this too easy.

GLADIATOR: We have
fought before, Rogue.

You know you
cannot match
my power.

Come on,
give a gal
a little credit.

(GRUNTS)

My X-Men!
I never dreamed it
would end like this!

Why do you not go
to him, Majestrix?

The part
of me that is woman
wants to comfort him

with every breath
that I take.

But an Empress must be
made of steel, even at
the cost of her heart.

Scott, I've lost
telepathic contact
with the other X-Men!

I think
we're the only
ones left. In here!

SCOTT: It's too shallow.
They'll spot us.

Leave that to me.
We're safe, for now.

Jean,
we don't have much time.

There's so much I feel,
so much we haven't done,

so much I want
to say to you!

Where I'm concerned,
it's the thoughts
that count.

And yours, like you,
are beautiful.

Ready?

(GRUNTS)

Scott!

I let you down.

Majestrix! Sensors are
registering off the scales!

Go to plan Omega! Now!

Araki, get the weapons
online and fire at will!

The Phoenix
must be destroyed!

Lilandra was right.

I know it now.
I must stop Phoenix!

Hear me, X-Men!
You must revive!

Phoenix must be stopped!

This has gone too far!

You must strike
while you still can!

PHOENIX: The great Gladiator!

How I have missed
the pleasure of
thrashing you!

Scott, destroy
Phoenix now, before
she fully re-energizes!

Professor,
there must be
some other way!

There is not!

(SCREAMS)

I can't do it, Jeannie...

How touching!

(GRUNTS)

Rogue! Now!

Beast, now!

Forgive me, Jean!

It's done.

JEAN: Scott.

Scott, help me.

The Phoenix is
growing within me.
I can't control her.

Stop us, now!

Jean! Fight it!
Use the powers
of your mind!

I can't fight it!
Not every second
of every day.

Never slipping,
not even for an instant.

Scott, please. Do it!

I can't!

The weapons
just came online.

But how?

It's Jean!

Jean,
come back!
Come back!

I love you, Scott.

Jean!

Part of me will
always be with you!

She's gone!

You've won!

You've got your
justice, Lilandra.
The universe is safe!

I take
no pleasure in
this, Scott Summers.

Don't. Not a word.

I am the entity
known to you as
Phoenix.

To save all that exists,
I became one with Jean Grey.

We preserved the crystal.

But
I discovered an element
to humans called emotion.

I lost my way.

Now that the
fire within Jean Grey
has been extinguished,

I am as I was,
guardian of creation.

And what about Jean?

Or are the
dreams of a mortal
beneath your notice?

The radiance
within her is no more.

It can be rekindled only by
taking the flame from another.

Then take mine.

Sorry, bub,
you're out
of line.

I'm your man.

Don't even think about it.

I ain't giving
you a choice!

The gift
need not come
from a single entity.

A smaller
portion from many
is possible. Be warned!

Your own flames
would be diminished
by the amount sundered.

We understand
and we accept.

(SCREAMS)

Scott? Scott?

Jean! Oh, Jean!

I love you, Scott.

My time here has ended.
I must depart.

The Mansion?
The control room?

We're home!

LILANDRA, TELEPATHICALLY:
Farewell, Charles.

XAVIER, TELEPATHICALLY:
Lilandra,

part of your mind
is hidden from me.

You have
never denied me
before, why now?

LILANDRA, TELEPATHICALLY:
As Empress, there is a part of
me that will forever be alone.

Goodbye, Charles.

(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)