Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

Illustration by David Wynne In which you should use drugs only with caution; a famous shirt makes its debut; Wolverine is the new Mary Worth; and you were never Quentin Quire’s age (unless you were). X-PLAINED: What Quentin Quire’s been up to since discorporating New X-Men #135-138 The Special Class Basilisk Ernst Dummy No Girl Whether the Xavier School should admit human students Quentin’s new look Kick (more) (again) The Omega Gang That one t-shirt How to punch up your Power Point presentation A somewhat fraught camping trip The Special Class vs. U-Men A secret Some kind of weird affair A riot, of sorts Wolverine’s unfortunate soul patch What actually happened to Jumbo Carnation Telepathic deconstruction The Cuckoos vs. Emma Frost A somewhat mysterious secondary mutation Denouement The subsequent evolution of Quentin Quire What’s happening to xplainthexmen.com when the show ends The telepathy-telekinesis overlap NEXT EPISODE: Murder! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 1 June 2026

Illustration by David Wynne In which Warren Kenneth Worthington III is a terrible teacher; we are all Magneto’s children; Sooraya Qadir deserves a better origin story; teenagers have a lot of feelings; and we meet one of the modern age’s most controversial mutants. X-PLAINED: The destiny of Quentin Quire New X-Men #131-134 An underattended funeral How to fly? Kinda? I guess? A kiss A friendship Another bit of ruby quartz marginalia that will never be mentioned again A somewhat ill-founded psychic metaphor Emma Frost’s Dark Phoenix costume Some kind of weird affair Echoes of 9/11/2001 Genosha, a year later Ghosts Polaris’s paternity Shocker (the mutant one) The last words of Genosha Islamophobia post 9/11 Sooraya Qadir (Dust) An attempted hijacking and the aftermath thereof Some Shi’ar nonsense X-Corporation Mumbai Jumbo Carnation Telepathy class An artist’s interpretation of the fate of mankind if mutants are not driven out, as predicted by Bolivar Trask Accountability Professor X’s weird little paintings X-adjectives Best and worst X-Men with whom to share a psychic rapport NEXT EPISODE: Quentin Quire’s teen angst bullshit gets a body count! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 25 May 2026

Illustration by David Wynne In which Xorn goes out on the town; silverware is morally neutral; Cyclops pursues dubious counsel; the X means ten; and Fantomex is eminently enjoyable. X-PLAINED: The parentage of Hope Summers New X-Men #127-130 Mutant Town A monster who is not a monster but is, perhaps, a metaphor X-Corporation Paris The whole Phoenix situation Fantomex Weapon XII A gene-hazard Corporal Animal E.V.A. The Weapon Plus program (somewhat) The World (somewhat) The Shi’ar Empire vs. Earth Xorn variations NEXT EPISODE: A Memorial of Magnetism Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 11 May 2026

Illustration by David Wynne In which Wolverine learns to fly; pants are a basic human right; we decide to cherry-pick our Xorn retcons; Xavier’s eyebrows follow his mind; and the first year of New X-Men ends with a bang. X-PLAINED: The origin of the Shi’ar Imperial Guard New X-Men #124-126 The current state of Charles Xavier’s body G-Type Neosaurus Plutonia Schism Oracle Stuf Gladiator (more) (again) Angel disambiguation Several plans Mutant justice Several miracles of magnetism Mummudrai Horror movie shit Subtle visual foreshadowing A ruse Education Long-lost family members What may or may not come after this NEXT EPISODE: Fantomex! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 4 May 2026

Illustration by David Wynne In which Marvel goes wordless; Cassandra Nova breaks space; none of the X-Men have media training; and Gus was the best dog ever. X-PLAINED: Erik the Red (more) (again) Kin Crimson A big messy bag of mutant glory New X-Men #121-123 ‘Nuff Said A journey into Charles Xavier’s mind What Emma is drinking A fetus fight The criminal culpability of a fetus Space problems A cosplay challenge Space Charles Xavier’s weird last wish A press conference Teen romance The Stepford Cuckoos Gus Charles Xavier’s age Nanosentinels Stuf Pre-ride safety announcements from the X-Men Whether Cassandra Nova should’ve been a component of Onslaught NEXT EPISODE: Cassandra Nova vs. the X-Men (Round 2)! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 27 April 2026

Illustration by David Wynne In which John Sublime sucks; Angel Salvatore rules; trauma does not justify evil; and you should never, ever, ever mess with Jean Grey. X-PLAINED: A horrifying revelation The universe where Jay and Miles work for Cassandra Nova New X-Men #118-120 John Sublime (more) (again) The U-Men Psychic energy, gender-reveal party-style The Stepford Cuckoos One way to disperse a mob An uncivil conversation The death and/or discomfort of many U-Men An awakening of sorts Squaring the phoenix Hank McCoy’s “coming out” NEXT EPISODE: The Shi’ar invade! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2026

Illustration by David Wynne In which several individuals are not what they seem; John Sublime sucks; Cyclops talks Xorn down from a cosmic ledge; we meet the inimitable Beak; and Cassandra Nova makes herself (limitedly) known. X-PLAINED: John Sublime Marvelscope™ New X-Men 2001 Annual New X-Men #117 Xorn X-Corporation The U-Men Ao Jun (and his super gross mutant power) Synchronized heists Psychometry vs. telepathy A big eventual twist Beak (Barnell Bohusk) A kiss Some really fucked up use of telepathy Some Moira MacTaggert continuity nonsense NEXT EPISODE: U-Men vs. X-Men Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 6 April 2026

Illustration by David Wynne In which we start the Morrison Run; Professor X gets his hands on Chekhov’s gun; Cassandra Nova raises X-villains to a new level of weird; and humanity is running on borrowed time. X-PLAINED: No-Girl New X-Men #114-116 Grant Morrison and their approach to the X-Men Superhero fashion Cerebra Beast’s new look Ugly John Interpersonal dynamics Cassandra Nova (somewhat) Donald Trask Master Molds Wild Sentinels Emma Frost (more) (again) Negasonic Teenage Warhead (the original) The fall of Genosha Secondary mutations The most strapless bra of all time The Black Bug Room Summers problems Official X-Men and the designation thereof Wonder Man and mutants NEXT EPISODE: Beast has a bad day Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 30 March 2026

In which Dr. Jey McCreight joins us to discuss all things X-Genetics! X-PLAINED: The genetics and taxonomy of Marvel’s merry mutants NEXT EPISODE: The Morrison run begins! Follow Dr. Jey on Bluesky, and check out Beyond X and Y! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!  

Transcribed - Published: 16 March 2026

In which we totally forgot to record a cold open (sorry); a lot of characters die (but not in Earth-616); Vampires may already be in command of America’s atomic arsenal; and we revisit a favorite. X-PLAINED: What If vol. 2 #9 What If vol. 2 #24 What If: Magik #1 Rahne Sinclair (moppet stage) The deaths of the Silver Age and All-New-All-Different X-Men Fancy television Sliding-scale ransom Then Ani-Men, somewhat The Living LASER, somewhat An orgy of satiation Wolverine, Lord of the Vampires Several highlights of Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose Vampire nonsense The Darkhold The Montessi Formula Some alligators August 5 Frank Punisher, Vampire Hunter What If vol. 2 #37 (briefly) A kinder alternate history A singularly beautiful montage The Soul Staff Summers family connections How Wolverine climbs NEXT EPISODE: Unspooling the X-Gene, with Dr. Jey McCreight! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!  

Transcribed - Published: 9 March 2026

In which Asher Elbein joins us to discuss the complicated intersections between Magneto, big feelings, and international politics. X-PLAINED: Some complicated intersections between Magneto, big feelings, and international politics. Check out links to some of what we discuss in this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!  

Transcribed - Published: 2 March 2026

In which we do a thing and are not even sorry. X-PLAINED: X-Men Origins: Wolverine Next Episode: Magneto, with Asher Elbein! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 16 February 2026

In which we provide some inroads to resisting fascism in your community; pacifism has amazing abs; Cyclops and Wolverine play revolutionary chicken; Amelia Voght fails to live up to her narrative potential; Jean Grey continues to make spectacularly bad choices; Polaris deserves better; and Wolverine finally gets to stab Magneto. X-PLAINED: Community action and aid X-Men #112-113 Uncanny X-Men #393 Genosha (more) (again) Northstar (more) (again) Dazzler (more) (again) Sunpyre (more) (again) Hector Rendoza (more) (again) Paulie Provenzano (more) (again) Frenzy (more) (again) Amelia Voght (more) (again) St. Sebastian thirst traps Sewer adventures Post-Apocalypse Cyclops (more) (again) Awkward conversations about feelings Implausible knitting The Age of Apocalypse X-Babies A protracted confrontation Bad strategy A confusing ruse Some stabbing What happens to the unlikeliest X-Men Jean Grey as Charles Xavier’s heir Best potential uses of Hector Rendoza NEXT EPISODE: The secret (retconned) origin of Wolverine! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 9 February 2026

In which Jay and Miles make an announcement; the X-Men are down to bare bones; Cyclops and Corsair are stunningly bad at feelings; Trish Tilby is stunningly bad at journalism; Magneto says goodbye to nuance; and Jean Grey assembles a team. X-PLAINED: X-Corps vs. X-Corp A thing that will be happening in a few months The story so far Uncanny X-Men #391-392 X-Men #111 The state of the X-Men A short-lived Cyclops costume A reunion A sorry excuse Resolution, somewhat Genosha (more) (again) Conflict of interest Several excellent villain speeches Joanna Cargill (Frenzy) (again) Jean-Paul Beaubier (Northstar) (again) Hector Rendoza Yet another angry mob Paulie Provenzano (Omerta) Leyu Yoshida (Sunpyre) Ice skating in Rockefeller Center Our picks for a new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants NEXT EPISODE: Eve of Destruction concludes! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 2 February 2026

In which it’s rude to eat in a helmet; Cable does his best villain bit; Bishop is clearly unfamiliar with early X-Force; we’re pretty sure clones still count as people; and Stryfe is the surprise MVP of Gambit & Bishop: Sons of the Atom. X-PLAINED: Another time Stryfe and Bishop teamed up Gambit & Bishop: Sons of the Atom #3-6 Some of the Witness’s fancy swag An extremely awkward meal Stryfe in four pages Unsubtle foreshadowing The relative ethics of killing Stryfe A visual representation of time Somewhat logical consequences Bad clone ethics Future uncertainty Le Bête Noir Hell-lord / anti-Phoenix disambiguation A fancy t-shirt The appropriate amount of mean to be to Stryfe When Gambit and Bishop: Sons of the Atom takes place relative to The Search for Cyclops (more) (again) (inconclusive) Reasons not to live under a crypt in New Orleans Betty Noir’s Relative (fictional) body counts Business-casual Stryfe Lucas Bishop, kitten guy Relitigating the X-traitor NEXT EPISODE: Eve of Destruction (and some bonus Summers family bullshit) Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 19 January 2026

In which we unapologetically ship Gambit and Bishop; pelicans are deeply alarming birds; Charles Xavier watches your sex dreams; the Witness is a Whole Continuity Thing; and the T’ieves Guild is really just here to steal your stuff. X-PLAINED: Destiny’s frequently retconned diaries Midi series Gambit (more) (again) Bishop (more) (again) Gambit and Bishop: Sons of the Atom Alpha Gambit and Bishop: Sons of the Atom #1-2 When Gambit and Bishop: Sons of the Atom takes place relative to The Search for Cyclops Some things pelicans get up to An upsetting dream Ethics of telepathy (more) (again) Night science Some of what Stryfe has been up to French nouns A theoretical Orphan Black video game The Witness (LeBeau) (more) (again) The Witness Cave How to make Bishop a more central X-character The relative importance of T’ieves Guild continuity NEXT EPISODE: Stryfe in a diner! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 12 January 2026

In which we attempt an all-Cyclops Winter special; X-Men are bad at processing grief; writer Alex Paknadel X-Plains his upcoming Cyclops miniseries; every character (except Cameron Hodge) is someone’s favorite; and you remain the best listeners of any podcast, ever. X-PLAINED: Clones of Cyclops Gwen Warren Our year in review X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #1-4 Ahmed and his mustache Emotional support boats A monkey Apoca-lips Anias Boxes of fire One way of coping with trauma Ozymandias (more) (again) The relative criminality of a trail of questions Cat lady problems Twice as many cat ladies named Anias as you’d expect Terrible logic Caliban (more) (again) Several unpleasant reunions Alex Paknadel’s definitive Cyclopses Fun with minor characters Proxy characters and “highly polished surfaces” Characters to revisit Sentinels Cyclops vs. his own powers Cyclops’s powers vs. continuity Who Scott Summers is when he’s alone The punch dimension The 11th Annual Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau Awards for Excellence at X-Cellence Many people to whom we are profoundly grateful NEXT EPISODE: Gambit & Bishop: Now Kiss Sons of the Atom Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 5 January 2026

In which Marrow just want to be left alone; Spider-Man remains hapless; S.H.I.E.L.D. is unhelpful; Colossus dies; Shadowcat leaves the X-Men; and we are all on board for Mutants to Watch Out For. X-PLAINED: How Magik caught the Legacy Virus Marrow (again) Spider-Man and Marrow #1 Uncanny X-Men #390 X-Men #110 A fancy club A terrible plan The Legacy Virus (more) (again) Some deeply contrived “science” A life-affirming display of social interaction The death of Colossus A very silly sound effect Acceptable handwriting Nostalgia A double send-off Closure Mortality in Otherworld Imaginary crossovers NEXT EPISODE: Winter Special! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 15 December 2025

In which Professor Xavier is a jock; all of Shadowcat’s friends are dead; Storm recruits a team; Bishop makes new pals; and everyone gets festive. X-PLAINED: Some of Mystique’s secret kids Uncanny X-Men #389 X-Men #109 Charles Xavier’s workout routine Two funerals Rave (the drug) The wrong necklace Destiny’s doodles A large knife Charles Xavier/Moira MacTaggert backstory A snowball fight A very sketchy circus A break-up “Christmas cheer” A mysterious package An X-Men nativity Sage (Tessa) Origins of X-Treme X-Men Several gifts, some more mysterious than others Charles Xavier’s legacy Warwolves (more) (again) Archangel’s color vision NEXT EPISODE: Colossus dies! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 8 December 2025

In which there are a lot of explosions in X-Force; Great Britain-616 is to intelligence as Canada-616 is to military; Alastair Stuart used to be fun; Emma Frost is here to stomp on your dreams; Chamber joins the X-Men; and the Generation X kids graduate themselves. X-PLAINED: Revolution (again) Counter-X (again) X-Force #114-115 Generation X #75 Yet another origin of humanity and/or life on Earth (again) The World Engine Accurate representation of CD-Rs Genetech A swimsuit interlude Agent Corben Alastair Stuart (more) (again) A kidnapping A really amazingly terrible plan A particularly large explosion The remaining 14 issues of X-Force vol. 1 An interlude at Applebee’s Bad times at the New Xavier School A murder (more) (again) Intersectional superheroism An additional bonus murder An invitation Many goodbyes What happens next to the Generation X kids NEXT EPISODE: The end of Revolution Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 1 December 2025

In which Jay remains angry at a font; a person who is obviously Kang the Conqueror is not in fact Kang the Conqueror; the pig men deserve better; and Nightcrawler should never, ever, ever be allowed to attempt grief counseling. X-PLAINED: Storm/Cable Cable #85-86, 88 Cable (more)(again) Earth-4935 Mother Askani Irene Merryweather Several cryptic witches Are you as dangerous as you think martial arts training for advanced students Shin An unlikely sound effect The Black Dawn A time catapult An End of Time Earth-805110 The House on the Borderline Gaunt One of Esad Ribic’s more entertaining accomplishments A fight One way to weaponize the T-O virus The future past of Rachel Summers Cable’s friendship with Moira MacTaggert Streets of Fire Grief counseling? Sort of? I guess? A very impressive spear Our muppet counterparts NEXT EPISODE: Two endings! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 17 November 2025

In which Widget takes a heel turn; there is some confusion over sword identification; we appreciate Sir Benedict of the Falls; the Braddock family has a lot going on; and Otherworld changes hands. X-PLAINED: Names for flying horses Excalibur (2001 miniseries) #1-4 Captain Britain (Brian Braddock) (briefly) (again) The Black Knight (Dane Whitman) Darkmoor Research Facility Sword and amulet distribution Strider the Horse Why all the horses of Asgard have Tolkien names Sir Benedict of the Falls and his many axes One way to win a bridge fight Sword pops Several continuity errors Holographic James Braddock The Dad Cave Otherworld eugenecists A coronation A twist Some potential X-Factor lineups Life expectancies of mutants with healing factors NEXT EPISODE: Cable fights some guys. Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 10 November 2025

In which Banshee is chronically hapless; the team gets new costumes (again); Chamber is a self-fulfilling prophecy; toddlers will sell you out in a hot minute; Moira MacTaggert is definitively not in; we are frustrated by excessive ambiguity; and it’s not Rashômon, but it’ll do. X-PLAINED: Banshee post-Generation X Generation X #71-74 Interior decorating New costumes (again) Chamber, but a housecat A meet-cute Teen angst Fashion An extremely awkward conversation A brief history of boba in the United States A fracas Fun things to do with extra skin Evolving teacher-student relationships Poor interrogation technique Husk vs. international terrorism, in general Ghosts of the Massachusetts Academy Villains and heroes we think would be neat as the reverse A world in which Peridot of Steven Universe imprinted on X-Men NEXT EPISODE: Fast times in Otherworld! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!  

Transcribed - Published: 3 November 2025

In which history repeats itself; Senator Kelly prevaricates (and then dies); Magneto keeps the cape on; Mystique does evil science; Post remains irrelevant (and then dies); Pyro saves the day (and then dies); Cable is a large man; Moira MacTaggert does the astral nasty (and then dies); and we really, really, really want to go to Froggy World. X-PLAINED: Moira MacTaggert’s mutation A dubious plan Evidence that we are in the wrong universe Other crossovers named “Dream’s End” A significant disclaimer Uncanny X-Men #388 Cable #87 Bishop: The Last X-Men #16 X-Men #108 A surprise presidential platform Sir Gordon Phillips and his guests The new Brotherhood of Mutants Cable’s hair A lot of movie allusions An ambiguous explosion A deeply pointless retcon An illusion Cable’s psimitar Pyro’s last stand Dickalogue Astral sex The (apparent) death of Moira MacTaggert A weird bonding moment in a cemetery How to identify a time traveler The (actual) death of Senator Robert Kelly Mutant-free parts of the Marvel Universe Froggy World NEXT EPISODE: Generation X! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!  

Transcribed - Published: 20 October 2025

In which t’ieves and assassins dress to impress; Bishop returns; Rogue and Carol Danvers have a moment; and the revolution will be stored on compact disc. X-PLAINED: The New Son The First Half of Maximum Security Gambit #23 X-Men #107 X-Men Unlimited #29 Maximum Security #3 (briefly) Several of Gambit’s buddies How to dress for… stealth? I guess? Heth’sa of the planet Culth Where Carl the X-Cutioner got his silly outfit A heist How to restore your lost honor without messing up the timeline 12-18 milkshakes What Colossus is into these days Vampire clowns (maybe) Z’Cann The Blood Brothers Vibes memories A big fight A touching moment of touching Mechamage, briefly Quasar, superficially Cadre K The Skrull cows Writing for the trade vs. podcast pacing Limits of power-cancelling accessories NEXT EPISODE: Dream’s Rather Anticlimactic End! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 13 October 2025

In which an event begins; Earth is problematic; the Phoenix Force is an unreliable narrator; Max Power just wants to make safer party drugs; and we miss Opal Tanaka. X-PLAINED: The fate of the D’Bari Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet Maximum Security #1 Uncanny X-Men #387 Iron Man #35 Bishop the Last X-Man #15 Voting in space A bad plan U.S. Agent (John Walker) A peculiar marketplace A dangerous hat Starhammer Space romance problems Breaking into Earth Max Power Magic dirt Littletown, Nebraska An extremely upsetting baby A very impressive crash landing What Bishop’s been up to Human X-characters we’d like to see more of Some kid named Michael Trading cards we’d like NEXT EPISODE: Maximum Security concludes! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 6 October 2025

In which we sure did that. X-PLAINED: Miracles of magnetism Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men NEXT EPISODE: Maximum Security! Special thanks to: Producer, fellow musketeer, and all-around mensch Matt Hunter Episode 500 guests David Maybury and Josephine Riesman David’s blog and upcoming Vegas trivia tournament Josie’s website and Morrison run-focused podcast Illustrator David Wynne Producers Emeritus Bobby Roberts, Kyle Yount, and Kurt Lloyd Parental-leave pinch hitters Al Kennedy and Dylan Higgins Everyone who’s made the X-comics what they are Our families, friends, and enablers Our kickass patrons, who make this podcast possible All of our listeners, who make this podcast worthwhile Please consider this to be the visual companion to episode 500. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 22 September 2025

In which we meet some delightful monsters; Cannonball is a man who knows how to wear overalls; Domino is the Leslie Knope of X-Force; red liquid babies deserve love, too; and not all British authors know each other. X-PLAINED: A murder X-Force #110-113 Peak butts Domestic bliss Misplaced guilt Several monsters Comics Codium Warborgs and/or Rawborgs Poison problems Additional monsters SHIELD business Large guns Still more monsters How monsters interact with the Bechdel Test Cuckoo Prescribed narcotics Life Model Decoys (more) (again) X-major arcana NEXT EPISODE: Apparently we’ve made 500 of these? Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 15 September 2025

In which the Twisted Sisters are vanquished by water; there is no way to make Stryfe cool; and the X-Men fight a hurricane. X-PLAINED: Ego the Living Planet and his dysfunctional family X-Men #105-106 Uncanny X-Men #386 The Neo (more) (again) The state of Psylocke and Archangel’s relationship The Twisted Sisters Helix Coil Gyre Ringlet Torque Pelicans Bad decisions of past Jay and Miles A mysterious stranger Unrealized plans Mystique and Wolverine’s forgotten friendship Neo infrastructure Big Casino’s name An unlikely hybrid A surprisingly large femur The new Brotherhood Lee Forrester (again) Weather Fan history NEXT EPISODE: X-Force vs. Warborgs Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 8 September 2025

In which Prosh’s plans sort of come to fruition; we do not know very much about movies; Iceman dies (but is fine); The Stranger gets around; and Toad learns nothing. X-PLAINED: The Stranger X-Men Forever #4-6 Prosh (more) (again) The story so far Astra (again) The Black Womb Project Toad’s secret origins, possibly Fashion Hazard Amanda Mueller (a bit) Anguirus The end of human civilization Foreshadowing A dramatic reveal Several makeovers Darth Toad Fighting arenas / community theaters NEXT EPISODE: Mystique reassembles the Brotherhood! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!  

Transcribed - Published: 25 August 2025

In which Prosh assembles a peculiar team; the cosmic forces are somewhat paranoid; Mystique gets shit done; and we are very into the concept of Toadland. X-PLAINED: The Black Womb Project X-Men Forever #1-3 Prosh Several custom-grown people A motley crew of mutants (and one human) Cataclysm keys The assassination of Graydon Creed Several poignant reunions The cosmic construction worker (Death) Why the Phoenix Force chose Jean Grey How much continuity is too much continuity Pyro’s romance novels NEXT EPISODE: The rest of the series! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 18 August 2025

In which Rogue is beset with leadership; Psylocke’s telekinetic sword is narratively inconsistent; the Crimson Pirates are bad at their job; and you should not look to Frank Punisher as a role model. X-PLAINED: Whether Dani Moonstar is still a Valkyrie X-Men #103-104 Uncanny X-Men #384-385 A crossover Tessa (somewhat) A test The Goth (group) Skulls The Crimson Pirates The mind of Tullamore Voge Something “rough trade” does not mean Visual representation of telepathy Kymri (again) The Goth (individual) Skycycles A ruse How to get the X-Perts at a convention near you What happened to the Massachusetts Academy NEXT EPISODE: X-Men Forever The visual companion to this episode will be up in the near future! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 4 August 2025

In which the X-Men zealously protect their trademarks; Cable can have as many moms as he wants to; not everyone should have to be a superhero; Lady Deathstrike knows how to handle unauthorized emails; and somehow there are still more gun arms. X-PLAINED: Lady Deathstrike X-Men Unlimited #27-28 X-Men Annual 2000 One reason to recycle code names Thunderbird III (Neal Shaara) Sanjit Shaara and his electronic diary Karima Shapandar Bastion and the Prime Sentinels (again) (briefly) Omega Prime Sentinels Rebirth Island and what lurks there Darkstar (Laynia Petrovna) Unusual disturbances Whether Gambit sleeps The Black Death Internet security training with Bastion The genealogy of Nora Ephron romantic comedy You’ve Got Mail Fashion Stryfe (again) (briefly) Psylocke’s telekinetic katana Interactions between Madelyne Pryor and her large adult son Spiral’s Body Shop NEXT EPISODE: The Brotherhood targets Senator Kelly… again. Check out the visual companion to this episode here! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 21 July 2025

In which the first X-Men film turns 25 (and holds up remarkably well). X-PLAINED: A startling absence The X-Men’s big-screen debut An X-film that might have been X-Men (2000), in general; and related publications Some very casting What makes a good adaptation Wolverine’s hair Those costumes The cinematic X-Men The cinematic Brotherhood Sabretooth’s eyebrows Condensed backstories The movie magic of magnetism The worst toy of all time Going to school with superheroes Things we’d like to have seen in the movie NEXT EPISODE: The origin of Thunderbird! (Not that one.) (Or that one.) The visual companion to this episode is the film X-Men (2000). Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 14 July 2025

In which the Shockwave Riders are exceptionally silly; we are deeply impressed by brain sharks; and chrome plating and gun arms are among the lesser explored recurring Claremont motifs. X-PLAINED: The fate of Sara Grey Revolution Claremont X-book disambiguation Uncanny X-Men #381-383 The Neo (again) An unmarked anniversary A secret treasure trove Vagaries of telekinesis and telepathy The Shockwave Riders Brain sharks that eat memories The stuff of legend The Lost Souls Dirges and non-dirges One way to start a conversation Simyon Kurasov Colonel Alexi Vazhin (again) The Slash How to dress to go clubbing Blinkers, somewhat Ransom Sole Big Casino Sketch Revenant Major Debra Levin Bludgeon, Cudgel, and Manacle Houndification The best 21st century X-characters NEXT EPISODE: The first X-Men movie turns 25! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!  

Transcribed - Published: 7 July 2025

In which we record live from the Library of Congress; time travel complicates everything; X-Men is a fundamentally queer narrative; we attempt to summarize a lot of history very fast; and when identities are politicized, claiming them becomes a political act. X-PLAINED: LC-GLOBE The first openly queer X-Man Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men Why we do what we do Why the X-Men are worth studying Returning nuance to critical discussion of media A brief(ish) history of X-Men and queerness in X-Men Iceman Watch Retroactive foreshadowing The mutant metaphor Found family Subtext Text Facets of mutant activism Coming-out stories Various vectors of diversity Some comics Jay wrote Comics in libraries Where to start with Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men X-Men for horror fans Our favorite X-Men lineups Identity politics The T-O virus vs. the Legacy Virus NEXT EPISODE: Brain Sharks! This episode doesn’t exactly have a traditional visual companion, but you can click through the entire slide deck from the live show–and find links to the essays we mentioned–on our blog. Jay has some additional thoughts on identity politics, which you can read here. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!  

Transcribed - Published: 23 June 2025

In which Chris Claremont tries to make the Neo happen; Cecilia Reyes continues to have no time for this bullshit; Rogue gets some action; Shadowcat flees the comic; and Tessa returns. X-PLAINED: The Evolutionaries X-Men #100-102 The current X-Men rosters Thunderbird (Neal Shaara) Claremont vs. continuity Dove crimes The Neo Domina Jaeger Rax Fancy space suits What to do with someone else’s bone claws Some guy named Seth The High Evolutionary’s love nest A Phoenix-saga callback Rave Warren Kenneth Worthington III’s weird fantasies Whether unstable molecules are self-cleaning Seventeen deaths of Mister Sinister Salvo the Living Gun How to keep track of X-Men Time travel problems X-Men LEGO sets we’d like to see NEXT EPISODE: Live from Washington, D.C.! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!    

Transcribed - Published: 16 June 2025

In which Pete Wisdom does his best Charles Xavier; Alastair Stuart has not aged well; San Francisco has monster problems; and there’s probably an alternate universe where Dr. Niles Roman fronts a metal band for toddlers. X-PLAINED: The value of Pete Wisdom X-Force #102-105 Revolution (more) (again) Counter X (more) (again) Flight Elf stuff Alastair Stuart (again) The eyepatch of love Science City 53 Meatspore stormtroopers Project Cuckoo Dr. Niles Roman Tactics vs. Strategy Monster problems The Violence Machine The apparent death of Pete Wisdom What a good X-Force HQ needs The most X-treme possible lineup NEXT EPISODE: X-Men! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 9 June 2025

Join us for an X-beginner-friendly, mutant-metaphor-focused, live episode of Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men: presented by LC-GLOBE, the LGBTQ+ organization of employees of the Library of Congress! When: 6:00 PM on Friday 06/06/25 Where: The Mumford Room (LM-649) in the James Madison Building of the Library of Congress in Washington, DC If you’d like to join the staff in attending, you’d be very welcome – to reserve seats, please email us so we can get a headcount and make sure you’re on the list. Hope to see you there!

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2025

In which we reap the consequences of our choices; possession is 18/10 of the law; Sinister dresses for the occasion; Hank gets his groove back; Havok of Earth-1298 is a jerk; Hank loses his groove; Captain America blows up the moon; the Beyonder experiences a stirring; Dracula makes a deal; and Mutant X May comes to an end. X-PLAINED: The aftermath of Mutant X Mutant X #19-32 Mutant X Annual 2001 The story so far Character color coding Some telepathic misdirection Apocalypse of Earth-1298 Charles Xavier of Earth-1298 Professor X’s Juggernaut-fightin’ mullet A whole lot of possession Fake Galactus Several fears X-Man of Earth-1298 Child batteries The worst place for a portal to the Negative Zone How Hank McCoy became the Brute Vampire problems The Marauders of Earth-1298 The Outcasts of Earth-1298 Cloak & Dagger of Earth-1298 James Hudson of Earth-1298 The Avengers of Earth-1298 The Beyonder of Earth-1298 who is also kind of the Goblin Force Several additional superheroes A last stand The appeal of alternate timelines Earth-1298’s best glow-ups NEXT EPISODE: Attack of the Meatspore Stormtroopers! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2025

In which Mutant X May continues; the X-Men return from space; it’s okay not to fill in every detail of a world; Havok leans into parenthood; we meet the only well-adjusted Cyclops in the multiverse; in any universe, Forge has terrible judgment; and the Six get some new members. X-PLAINED: Several notable upcoming events in Mutant X What’s happened so far Mutant X #9-18 Mutant X Annual 2000 The Morlocks of Earth-1298 The Mole Man of Earth-1298 The Yancy Street Underground Magneto of Earth-1298 Superhero costume color theory Polaris of Earth-1298 The X-Men of Earth-1298 Magneto Polaris Nightcrawler Rogue Mystique Quicksilver The Goblin Entity Doctor Doom of Earth-1298 Namor of Earth-1298 The origin of Bloodstorm Dracula’s fellas The Starjammers of Earth-1298 Cyclops Binary Nova Lockheed Silver Surfer Space alien problems A fairly literal deus ex machina Captain America of Earth-1298 A terrible idea The United Guild of Thieves and Assassins Gambit of Earth-1298 Raven LeBeau The origin of Vampire Gambit Mister Sinister of Earth-1298 Jean Grey of Earth-1298 Where Scott Summers of Earth-1298 ranks on the Cyclops Has a Good Day scale Where to put X-logos on a costume NEXT EPISODE: Mutant X May concludes! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!  

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2025

In which we embark on a Great Work; it remains hard to be Alex Summers; and it’s also always Inferno on Earth-1298. X-PLAINED: Mutant X May Mutant X #1-8 Mutant X Annual 1999 Havok (Alex Summers) (more) (again) Earth-1298 The Six The Brute (Hank McCoy) Ice-man (Bob Drake) Bloodstorm (Ororo Munroe) The Fallen (Warren Kenneth Worthington III) Marvel Woman (Madelyne Pryor) Bannerman Castle The original five X-Men of Earth-1298 S.H.I.E.L.D. of Earth-1298 Scotty Summers Elektra of Earth-1298 The Swarms of Moot The Fantastic Four of Earth-1298 Canada of Earth-1298 The Pack Logan Sabretooth Wild Child Demon problems The Goblin Queen of Earth-1298 Kitty Pryde of Earth-1298 Forge of Earth-1298 Man-Spider Some murders Alligators of the Night National politics Cerebro of Earth-1298 Dr. Strange of Earth-1298 The Nexus of All Realities Stingray of Earth-1298 Yellowjacket of Earth-1298 Doc Sampson of Earth-1298 Vendetta Firestar of Earth-1298 A coincidence Adam X and Vulcan of Earth-1298 Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2025

In which we go back to the future of Generation X; Jay once again gets pedantic about lettering; Generation X takes on the carceral state; we take a deep dive into the late ‘90s; Jubilee does her best Nick Fury; and superpowers should be noisier. X-PLAINED: Earth-14042 Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers Generation X #63-66 Revolution and Counter X (more) (again) An evil Oyster Warden Coffin The Decency Defecit Some shit we wish was fictional Underpants Souped up powers Newsgroups The Columbine school shooting The Grid Cable vs. ISDN Internet Jonathan Somers Generation X’s new costumes The House of Correction Hacking Trophies Baxter ‘90s X-Men outside of comics How superpowers sound NEXT EPISODE: Mutant X May begins! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2025

In which the 2000 Magik miniseries is not a good comics series but is an excellent heavy metal concept album; Nightmare has a nightmare; and tubas work differently in Hell. X-PLAINED: Belasco: the early years Magik (2000 series) #1-4 Magik (Amanda Sefton) (Jimaine Szardos) (more) (again) Some art stuff The realm of Nightmare The Splinter Realms The Soul Sword (Amanda Sefton version) An Archfiend of the Pit Nugent Chekhov’s Hell computer (and its secretions) Kurt Wagner’s short and bizarre career in the church Vitchen Several cool demon battles The Dread Dormammu Gleeg A problem Muspelheim Twilight (sword) Some Mephisto nonsense Hades, maybe Epithets A convocation Weird Hell guys Duke Bleys The Archenemy The Hell Tuba The most demonic brass instrument Some time travel bullshit Stories where Emma Frost is at her best Villain reuse NEXT EPISODE: Generation X gets new threads! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2025

In which a lot has happened in the Six Month Gap (and we even get to learn about some of it); we’d missed Claremontian narration; Miles has questions about Colossus’s ponytail; the Soulsword is basically a Poké Ball; the Shadow Pope is cooler than the regular Pope; and Magik has a secret. X-PLAINED: Some big news X-Men: Black Sun #1-5 Phoenix and Psylocke’s sorta-power-swap Implied continuity The N’Garai Belasco Limbo Magik (Illyana Rasputin) New costumes Priests vs blood magic An impressively overcomplicated evil plot Chekhov’s skeleton Body swaps and/or possession Thunderbird (Neal Sharra) Pilgrimm and the Ru’tai (again, surprisingly) Astral meetups Confusing bloodstone math A Triple-Tech Magik (Amanda Sefton) Counting X-generations Our favorite X-decades NEXT EPISODE: More Magik! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2025

In which Pete Wisdom canonically smells weird; we are inordinately entertained by a villain; everyone levels up their superpowers; and you probably shouldn’t shave the logo of your secret super team into the side of your head. X-PLAINED: Nasty Boys disambiguation X-Force #106-109 Counter X (more) (again) Shockwave (more) (again) Turn-of-the-millennium cool X-Force (more) (again) How to dress for funerals, I guess? How Pete Wisdom smells Romany Wisdom (again) Marcus Tsung Mind bullets Nightman Our first audience challenge in a really long time A bad nickname X-Force’s new looks A thing growing out of Domino’s back Several enigmas shrouded in mystery The worst birthday party Abel, Baker, and Charlie Fish The Factory Telepathic “voices” The miracle of magnetism NEXT EPISODE: The return of Chris Claremont! LISTENERS! We want to hear your Marcus Tsung murder ballads! Send ‘em to xplainthexmen@gmail.com with the subject line MUTANT MURDER BALLAD, and we’ll stick ‘em on the web or play ‘em on the show! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 31 March 2025

In which Adrienne Frost is absolutely terrible (and so was Ronald Reagan); you should not put guns in your butt; Synch deserved better; and Jay and Miles inventory their favorite dangling plot threads of the ‘90s. X-PLAINED: Several potential origins of Havok’s stupid hat Generation X #67-70 Revolution (more) (again) Shockwave (more) (again) Adrienne Frost (more) (again) The New Xavier School and/or Massachusetts Academy (more) (again) Possible necrophilia Dorm life How not to draw clothing Rules of entry to Jubilee’s dorm room The Rich Person Store How to say the word “consigliere” The ‘90s Blackmail Limits of telepathy Arson Ninja Boogie Panic How to keep Synch safe Adultification Failure to keep Synch safe Where to pick up to follow along with us Plot threads we’d like to see picked back up NEXT EPISODE: X-Force goes Counter-X! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 24 March 2025

In which we check in on Nate Grey; yet another Madelyne Pryor is not what she seems; dead men tell tales; there are a lot of Canadians out there; and Nate gets a makeover. X-PLAINED: What happened to Nate Grey (short-term) Counter X Shockwave Nate Grey (more) (again) X-Man #67-70 Non-dildo futures Madelyne Pryor (kind of) A dubiously ethical relationship The destruction of Quito, Ecuador Earth-998 Mr. Scratch Her Majesty Madelyne I, Resurrected Queen of Briton, High Protector of the Unified Commonwealths, Sacred Mistress of the Order of the Black Knights, and Absolute Empress of the North and the Breachlands (Jean Grey of Earth-9575) Several other Nates Grey (particularly the Nate Grey of Earth-2098) A distinctive tattoo Inverted X-Men logos Shamanism, kind of A very nice dress The Spiral / The Tree of Worlds Forge of Earth-998 The Interscope The Engine of the Gods A plot twist that might have been Magical brain damage Dangerous Canadians A complex ruse A makeover How best to support the comics you love Some very X-Man-specific information NEXT EPISODE: Shockwave comes to Generation X! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 17 March 2025

In which Genosha gets better and/or worse; Fabian Cortez is the Secretary of Betrayal; having an action figure of yourself is the path to immortality; and Hammer Bay sounds like a sex toy company. X-PLAINED: Triathlon The Revolution relaunch and the six-month gap Magneto: Dark Seduction #1-4 Erotic skyscrapers Magneto (again) (forever) X-Men Tijuana Bibles The Genoshan Cabinet Dark friendship with benefits Polaris’s newfound interest in heavy metal Magneto’s on-again, off-again children Carrion Cove Coloring symbolism and/or errors Spat and Grovel (kind of) Magneto’s ancestral f**k-ghost Socialism! Magneto’s mysterious mind-voice Neal Conan The Avengers of 2000 Kirby Krackle Magneto’s smooth arc into villainy Bonking Human nature Rachel Summers in the Body Shoppe Our (lack of) coverage of solo comics NEXT EPISODE: X-Man! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

Transcribed - Published: 4 March 2025

In which Alan Davis is Team Cyclops; everyone gets depowered; it’s hard to connect with kids your age when you’re a superhero; Sinister’s gotta sinister; everyone gets repowered; and the ‘90s were much more eclectic than they get credit for being. X-PLAINED: Side effects of Decimation Uncanny X-Men #379-380 X-Force #101 X-Men #99 Cadre K Summers family drama The High Evolutionary (more) (again) The (other) time all the mutants got depowered Kevin A very beautiful book The ongoing mess of Genoshan politics The Neo (slightly) To what extent Logan’s claws are a mutant power Sinister monologues Herbert Evolutionary The New New Men The ‘90s, in general What makes a Morlock NEXT EPISODE: Magneto: Dark Seduction! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

Transcribed - Published: 24 February 2025