1976

The X-Men:

Cyclops/Scott Summers

Banshee/Sean Cassidy

Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner

Storm/Ororo Monroe

Colossus/Peter Rasputin

Wolverine/Logan

Professor X/Charles Xavier

Allies:

Moira MacTaggert

Jean Grey

Foes:

Erik The Red [superhuman strength and agility, hollow bones, mind control, force blasts]*

Havok

Polaris

Steven Lang

Sentinels

X-Sentinels [capable of acting like the original X-Men, and using their powers]

Black Tom Cassidy [concussive blasts via wooden mediums]

Juggernaut

Synopsis:

Davan Shakari, an agent from an alien race named Shi'ar arrives to Earth as an "observer", sent by their ruler D'Ken. He assumes the identity of Erik The Red and gains control over Polaris and Havok in order to use them as henchmen against the X-Men. Dr. Steven Lang, a pioneer in the field of robotics and genetic mutation manufactures another wave of Sentinels to capture some of the X-Men and take them to a space station, luring the rest into a trap. There, Lang uses a human size horde of droids that look and act exactly like the original members of X-Men, including Xavier, to attack the new X-Men.** The droids lose the battle, and Lang escapes leaving a near to explode space station behind. Since the aircraft the X-Men were trying to use to escape wasn't working, Jean decides to stay in the station and operate it with telekinesis, sacrificing herself to save her teammates.*** After the ship enters Earth's atmosphere, and lands into the sea, a possessed Jean emerges calling herself Phoenix and as soon as she prepares to attack, falls unconcious and is taken to a hospital. In a battle against Juggernaut and Banshee's cousin; Black Tom Cassidy, who are working for Erik The Red, It is revealed that Storm's claustrophobia roots in a past tragedy when she was a kid, and found herself trapped in rubble next to her dead parents after bombing attacks in her homeland Egypt. Jean awakens, but a strange force seems to take over her.

* Something odd but never explained. He uses the same exact outfit Cyclops wore to infiltrate Mesmero's facilities, even the same fake identity.

** In this battle, we see Colossus and Wolverine using their throwing technique for the first time: the fastball special. They used this move many times.

*** This part is pretty similar to the end of the second movie of X-Men, where Jean also sacrifices herself to save her teammates from dying staying outside the jet. The desperation from Cyclops to get her back, and the final goodbye through telepathy it’s incredibly similar; especially considering this event is followed by her return as Phoenix. Thumbs up Bryan Singer.