The End of X2: WTF?

[USS Mariner]

Can someone please explain why Jean had to commit suicide in order to save everyone? If she had to be outside of the X-Jet to use her powers on both the wave and the jet, why couldn't she tether herself to the X-Jet?

What, did they run out of X-cable on their last campout?

Oh yeah, if someone had to die, why not kill Cyclops. They murdered his character anyway, and why wait an entire film to do it? Then again, that would have ended the film on a positive note.

 

[Forbin]

Well, they were trying to follow the thread of the Phoenix saga in the comics, which began with Jean sacrificing herself to save the X-Men in their crashing space shuttle, and being reborn as Phoenix. I think Singer did a fine job of it to that point, and I got goosebumps when we saw the flamebird underwater in the final scene.

Then of course Singer bailed on us to make a shitty Superman film, and some asshole who didn't even have the sense to make flaming Phoeinix effects fucked up the last X-film.

 

[Smiley]

I don't think they had the time to do the tether option. My thought is that Jean knew that the option she chose was the best hope for saving everyone else in the jet. It was a heroic sacrifice, not suicide. Since the exact workings of her powers is unknown, it makes as much sense to argue that Spock could have saved the Enterprise in a different way in The Wrath of Khan as it does to say that Jean had a better way in which to use her powers in those circumstances.

 

[USS Mariner]

Well, they were trying to follow the thread of the Phoenix saga in the comics, which began with Jean sacrificing herself to save the X-Men in their crashing space shuttle, and being reborn as Phoenix. I think Singer did a fine job of it to that point, and I got goosebumps when we saw the flamebird underwater in the final scene.

I see. To be fair, I only manged to catch that last few minutes of X2 last night, so perhaps the end wasn't the best introduction to the film.

Still, why bother with this level of homage if her death is so fucking lame? Even assuming that there were circumstances in the film that prevented Storm from summoning a cyclone or something, why did Singer give Jean stupid pills instead of a real sacrifice?

I mean think about it. The X-Men have a stealth jet that turns invisible and they don't have 10 feet of rope onboard?

 

[USS Mariner]

I don't think they had the time to do the tether option. My thought is that Jean knew that the option she chose was the best hope for saving everyone else in the jet.

If she told everyone what she was going to do, I'm sure they could have figured out something.

It was a heroic sacrifice, not suicide. Since the exact workings of her powers is unknown, it makes as much sense to argue that Spock could have saved the Enterprise in a different way in The Wrath of Khan as it does to say that Jean had a better way in which to use her powers in those circumstances.

I'm not suggesting that she needed to use her powers differently. I'm asking for 10 to 15 feet of rope.

And in all honestly, Janssen's performance in that scene screamed "I'm going to kill myself" before they said they couldn't start the plane. It just puts a bad spin on a stupid scene.

 

[Smiley]

Again, why assume that rope is a viable option? It's not explained in the movie exactly why she had to be outside the jet. However, she did say through the professor that it was the only way, and she is a smart enough character that I can buy that statement. You should really try watching the movie from the beginning. I think you'll find it a more rewarding experience.

 

[USS Mariner]

Again, why assume that rope is a viable option? It's not explained in the movie exactly why she had to be outside the jet. However, she did say through the professor that it was the only way, and she is a smart enough character that I can buy that statement. You should really try watching the movie from the beginning. I think you'll find it a more rewarding experience.

Oh, belive me, I will. It not as if one stupid scene is going to prevent me from seeing it.

Still, even in context, I'm not sure that it'll look much better.

 

[Forbin]

Waitaminnit, who watches the LAST scene in a film first?

 

[Uncle Sol]

Again, why assume that rope is a viable option? It's not explained in the movie exactly why she had to be outside the jet. However, she did say through the professor that it was the only way, and she is a smart enough character that I can buy that statement. You should really try watching the movie from the beginning. I think you'll find it a more rewarding experience.

The reason isn't stated, but watching the movie from the beginning it's easy to figure out.

Her growing powers were disrupting electronics. If she stayed on the plane, and perhaps stayed to close to it, the Blackbird would have never been able to get off the ground.

 

[RoJoHen]

Then of course Singer bailed on us to make a shitty Superman film, and some asshole who didn't even have the sense to make flaming Phoeinix effects fucked up the last X-film.

This is honestly the main reason I hate X3 as much as I do. I thought X2 did such a good job of setting us on the path toward an awesome Phoenix story, and then X3 completely missed the point.


As for Jean's sacrifice, they were running out of time! The dam broke and water was rushing toward them! Not to mention the fact that Jean didn't even tell the other X-Men what she was doing. If she had said, "I'm going to use my powers to hold back the water. Quick, somebody tether me to the ship!" we would have had an obnoxious and annoying scene of Cyclops arguing with her. And in that time, they probably would have died.

Jean did what she had to do, and I thought it was awesome.

 

[Evil Twin]

Oh, belive me, I will. It not as if one stupid scene is going to prevent me from seeing it.

Still, even in context, I'm not sure that it'll look much better.

By all means, please do. It's my all-time favorite superhero movie!

I can never help but compare the ending to Wrath of Khan's (I always have to go "Spock, nooooo!" when Jean dies ), but it doesn't really detract from my feelings towards the rest of the truly awesome film.

X-Men 3 however... Yeah I'll just go on pretending that one doesn't exist.

 

[Ethros]

Then of course Singer bailed on us to make a shitty Superman film, and some asshole who didn't even have the sense to make flaming Phoeinix effects fucked up the last X-film.

This is honestly the main reason I hate X3 as much as I do. I thought X2 did such a good job of setting us on the path toward an awesome Phoenix story, and then X3 completely missed the point.

Same here, the whole thing just screams "this would have been ten times better if..."
Mainly if the whole film weren't about 15 minutes long

As for X2, the ending like the rest of the film to top class

 

[Forbin]

I mean, how the hell can you do the Dark Phoenix story and never ONCE show a fire bird effect?!

 

[Dream]

I mean, how the hell can you do the Dark Phoenix story and never ONCE show a fire bird effect?!

Singer already showed it at the end of X2, so it's not his fault Ratner completely ignored in X3.

 

[Dark Gilligan]

The reason isn't stated, but watching the movie from the beginning it's easy to figure out. Her growing powers were disrupting electronics. If she stayed on the plane, and perhaps stayed to close to it, the Blackbird would have never been able to get off the ground.

This is exactly true. While Singer didn't explain it through dialogue he showed it through action.

Jean herself was the reason the jet was shorting out. In the beginning of the film she inadvertedly screws up electronics in the museum. She's starting to lose control of her powers, and this loss of control escalates. The jet never would have flown if she'd stayed aboard. She had to get out in order to save everyone else.

 

[blockaderunner]

Why? Dramatic impact.

Occam's Razor, people.

 

[wew]

And how many people actually go around with rope anyway?

 

[Trekker4747]

Jean's being on the plane was shorting it out. It couldn't take off with her on board.

What they really needed was someone on the plane with the powers to make a huge ice-dam or likely could've turned the rushing tide into ice or something. That would've been pretty useful.

Or maybe someone who could teleport them all out of there in a blink.

Or evaporate/push all of the water out of the way with a powerful beam that can "blow the top off a mountain."

Or create powerful winds to "glide" the X-Jet out of there and/or blow the water out of the way/around them.

Oh, wait...

 

[Dream]

And how many people actually go around with rope anyway?

What would a group of superpowered mutants with a superjet need with a rope anyway?

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

Jean's being on the plane was shorting it out. It couldn't take off with her on board.

What they really needed was someone on the plane with the powers to make a huge ice-dam or likely could've turned the rushing tide into ice or something. That would've been pretty useful.

I said that back then. But as someone pointed out, Iceman didn't have the full-on ice-generating abilities he had in the comics.

Or maybe someone who could teleport them all out of there in a blink.

Or evaporate/push all of the water out of the way with a powerful beam that can "blow the top of a mountain."

Or create powerful winds to "glide" the X-Jet out of there and/or blow the water out of the way/around them.

Oh, wait...

Or fly to them saftey with bird wings.

Or make them or the jet intangilbe so the water passes through.

Oops...wrong movie.