In which Chris Claremont defines the X-Universe; Sunfire quits the team (again); Nightcrawler is the best; the narrator is nobody's friend; Colossus is a good kid; Cyclops has a long series of bad days; everyone is a bondage Viking; Rachel is a space pedant, we meet the Phoenix, and Wolverine is the Batman of Marvel.

X-Plained:

Polaris's kinda-powersOur first crossover eventHow much we love youChris Claremont, and why he's the definitive X-writerComics In Focus: Chris Claremont's X-MenWhy Nightcrawler is the best point-of-view characterThe long gameTom Orzechowski's dimension-folding lettering skillsClaremontismsThe malicious narratorCount NefariaSliding-scale ransomThe life, death, and occasional reanimation of ThunderbirdFriendshipThe care and feeding of cairnsErik the RedQuiet momentsSentinels and X-SentinelsSteven LangThe (first) death and return of Jean GreyAccents

You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog.Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!Next week: Leprechauns!