Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

<p><a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X517.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-23757" src="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X517.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="1014" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X517.jpg?w=1024&#38;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X517.jpg?resize=300%2C297&#38;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X517.jpg?resize=150%2C150&#38;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X517.jpg?resize=768%2C761&#38;ssl=1 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></p> <p>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.</p> <p>X-PLAINED:</p> <ul> <li><em>What If</em> vol. 2 #9</li> <li><em>What If</em> vol. 2 #24</li> <li><em>What If: Magik</em> #1</li> <li>Rahne Sinclair (moppet stage)</li> <li>The deaths of the Silver Age and All-New-All-Different X-Men</li> <li>Fancy television</li> <li>Sliding-scale ransom</li> <li>Then Ani-Men, somewhat</li> <li>The Living LASER, somewhat</li> <li>An orgy of satiation</li> <li>Wolverine, Lord of the Vampires</li> <li>Several highlights of <em>Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose</em></li> <li>Vampire nonsense</li> <li>The Darkhold</li> <li>The Montessi Formula</li> <li>Some alligators</li> <li>August 5</li> <li>Frank Punisher, Vampire Hunter</li> <li><em>What If</em> vol. 2 #37 (briefly)</li> <li>A kinder alternate history</li> <li>A singularly beautiful montage</li> <li>The Soul Staff</li> <li>Summers family connections</li> <li>How Wolverine climbs</li> </ul> <p>NEXT EPISODE: Unspooling the X-Gene, with Dr. Jey McCreight!</p> <hr /> <p>Check out the visual companion to this episode <a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/2026/03/as-mentioned-in-episode-517/">on our blog</a>.</p> <p>Find us on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jay-miles-x-plain-the-x-men/id862258051">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3dB4KyeOeylfiIVImshFY2?si=ee5e912a53114820">Spotify</a>!</p> <p>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 <a href="https://www.patreon.com/xplainthexmen">right here</a>!</p> <p>Buy rad swag at <a href="https://xplainthexmen.dashery.com/">our Dashery shop</a>!</p> <p>&#160;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516.png"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-23748" src="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516-1024x260.png" alt="" width="900" height="229" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516.png?resize=1024%2C260&#38;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516.png?resize=300%2C76&#38;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516.png?resize=768%2C195&#38;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516.png?resize=1536%2C390&#38;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516.png?resize=2048%2C521&#38;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516.png?w=1800&#38;ssl=1 1800w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></p> <p>In which Asher Elbein joins us to discuss the complicated intersections between Magneto, big feelings, and international politics.</p> <p>X-PLAINED:</p> <ul> <li>Some complicated intersections between Magneto, big feelings, and international politics.</li> </ul> <hr /> <p>Check out links to some of what we discuss in this episode <a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/2026/03/as-mentioned-in-episode-516/">on our blog</a>.</p> <p>Find us on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jay-miles-x-plain-the-x-men/id862258051">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3dB4KyeOeylfiIVImshFY2?si=ee5e912a53114820">Spotify</a>!</p> <p>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 <a href="https://www.patreon.com/xplainthexmen">right here</a>!</p> <p>Buy rad swag at <a href="https://xplainthexmen.dashery.com/">our Dashery shop</a>!</p> <p>&#160;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/lil_logan.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-23734" src="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/lil_logan-1024x422.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="371" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/lil_logan.jpg?resize=1024%2C422&#38;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/lil_logan.jpg?resize=300%2C124&#38;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/lil_logan.jpg?resize=768%2C317&#38;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/lil_logan.jpg?w=1060&#38;ssl=1 1060w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></p> <p>In which we do a thing and are not even sorry.</p> <p>X-PLAINED:</p> <ul> <li><em>X-Men Origins: Wolverine</em></li> </ul> <p>Next Episode: Magneto, with Asher Elbein!</p> <hr /> <p>Check out the visual companion to this episode <a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/2026/02/as-mentioned-in-episode-515/">on our blog</a>.</p> <p>Find us on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jay-miles-x-plain-the-x-men/id862258051">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3dB4KyeOeylfiIVImshFY2?si=ee5e912a53114820">Spotify</a>!</p> <p>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 <a href="https://www.patreon.com/xplainthexmen">right here</a>!</p> <p>Buy rad swag at <a href="https://xplainthexmen.dashery.com/">our Dashery shop</a>!</p>

<p><a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/X514.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-23706" src="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/X514.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="737" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/X514.jpg?w=1024&#38;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/X514.jpg?resize=300%2C216&#38;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/X514.jpg?resize=768%2C553&#38;ssl=1 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></p> <p>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 <em>finally</em> gets to stab Magneto.</p> <p>X-PLAINED:</p> <ul> <li>Community action and aid</li> <li><em>X-Men</em> #112-113</li> <li><em>Uncanny X-Men</em> #393</li> <li>Genosha (more) (again)</li> <li>Northstar (more) (again)</li> <li>Dazzler (more) (again)</li> <li>Sunpyre (more) (again)</li> <li>Hector Rendoza (more) (again)</li> <li>Paulie Provenzano (more) (again)</li> <li>Frenzy (more) (again)</li> <li>Amelia Voght (more) (again)</li> <li>St. Sebastian thirst traps</li> <li>Sewer adventures</li> <li>Post-Apocalypse Cyclops (more) (again)</li> <li>Awkward conversations about feelings</li> <li>Implausible knitting</li> <li>The Age of Apocalypse X-Babies</li> <li>A protracted confrontation</li> <li>Bad strategy</li> <li>A confusing ruse</li> <li>Some stabbing</li> <li>What happens to the unlikeliest X-Men</li> <li>Jean Grey as Charles Xavier’s heir</li> <li>Best potential uses of Hector Rendoza</li> </ul> <p>NEXT EPISODE: The secret (retconned) origin of Wolverine!</p> <hr /> <p>Check out the visual companion to this episode <a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/2026/02/as-mentioned-in-episode-514/">on our blog</a>.</p> <p>Find us on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jay-miles-x-plain-the-x-men/id862258051">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3dB4KyeOeylfiIVImshFY2?si=ee5e912a53114820">Spotify</a>!</p> <p>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 <a href="https://www.patreon.com/xplainthexmen">right here</a>!</p> <p>Buy rad swag at <a href="https://xplainthexmen.dashery.com/">our Dashery shop</a>!</p>

<p><a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/X513.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-23693" src="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/X513-1024x599.png" alt="" width="900" height="526" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/X513.png?resize=1024%2C599&#38;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/X513.png?resize=300%2C175&#38;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/X513.png?resize=768%2C449&#38;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/X513.png?resize=1536%2C898&#38;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/X513.png?w=1950&#38;ssl=1 1950w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/X513.png?w=1800&#38;ssl=1 1800w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></p> <p>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.</p> <p>X-PLAINED:</p> <ul> <li>X-Corps vs. X-Corp</li> <li>A thing that will be happening in a few months</li> <li>The story so far</li> <li><em>Uncanny X-Men</em> #391-392</li> <li><em>X-Men</em> #111</li> <li>The state of the X-Men</li> <li>A short-lived Cyclops costume</li> <li>A reunion</li> <li>A sorry excuse</li> <li>Resolution, somewhat</li> <li>Genosha (more) (again)</li> <li>Conflict of interest</li> <li>Several excellent villain speeches</li> <li>Joanna Cargill (Frenzy) (again)</li> <li>Jean-Paul Beaubier (Northstar) (again)</li> <li>Hector Rendoza</li> <li>Yet another angry mob</li> <li>Paulie Provenzano (Omerta)</li> <li>Leyu Yoshida (Sunpyre)</li> <li>Ice skating in Rockefeller Center</li> <li>Our picks for a new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants</li> </ul> <p>NEXT EPISODE: Eve of Destruction concludes!</p> <hr /> <p>Check out the visual companion to this episode <a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/2026/02/as-mentioned-in-episode-513/">on our blog</a>.</p> <p>Find us on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jay-miles-x-plain-the-x-men/id862258051">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3dB4KyeOeylfiIVImshFY2?si=ee5e912a53114820">Spotify</a>!</p> <p>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 <a href="https://www.patreon.com/xplainthexmen">right here</a>!</p> <p>Buy rad swag at <a href="https://xplainthexmen.dashery.com/">our Dashery shop</a>!</p>