<p><a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X517.jpg"><img 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>