A Crucial X-Men: The Animated Series Episode Took Influence From A David Lynch Movie

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"X-Men: The Animated Series" essentially had three enduring villains: the Sentinels, Apocalypse, and Mister Sinister. (The X-Men's traditional nemesis, Magneto, was their ally more often than not and even joined the team in the revival "X-Men '97.") 

Sinister (voiced by Chris Britton) was the overarching villain of "X-Men" season 2, just as the Sentinels had been for the first season. Distinguished by his pale white skin and shark-like teeth, Sinister is an immortal geneticist fixated on Darwinian evolution and creating the strongest mutants. 

During the season, Sinister attacks the X-Men on multiple fronts. He abducts Cyclops (Norm Spencer) and Jean Grey (Catherine Disher) to harvest their DNA; he revives the late X-Men Morph (Ron Rubin), killed in the series' pilot episode, and brainwashes Morph to attack his friends; he also lures Professor X (Cedric Smith) and Magneto (David Hemblen) to the Savage Land, depriving the X-Men of their leader. 

Yet it took until the show's penultimate episode for "X-Men" to elaborate on Sinister's origins. You can probably guess that "Sinister" isn't his birth name, and the episode "Descent" reveals indeed it wasn't. Once he was Nathaniel Essex, a 19th century scientist obsessed with pushing human evolution forward. Essex modified his own genes so his body would heal from any malady (even aging), and gladly embraced the people's dismissal of his experiments as "Sinister."

"Descent" is set almost entirely in the past, without any X-Men in sight. The one link to them is the episode's hero: Dr. James Xavier, an ancestor of Professor X. In "X-Men" story editor Eric Lewald's book, "Previously on X-Men: The Making of an Animated Series," he compares "Descent" to another story set in 19th century England following "freaks" and their exploitation: David Lynch's 1980 film "The Elephant Man."

Unlike "Descent," "The Elephant Man" is based on real history. The real Elephant Man, Joseph Merrick, was known as such due to his appearance; his head was covered with tumor-like growths and his right arm was unusable, just to start with. (Debates about Merrick's disease continue, but a top suspect is the growth disorder Proteus Syndrome.)

In his short life (1862-1890), Merrick was exhibited as a carnival freak and was often treated as not even human even though he was as intelligent and kind as the next man. David Lynch's "The Elephant Man" tells Merrick's life story. Renamed John Merrick, he was played by John Hurt, who carries Christopher Tucker's makeup so well you believe you are watching Merrick himself, not a recreation.

Merrick, held at a hospital by Dr. Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins), stays silent for the opening scenes of the movie. When he reveals his intellect, it shocks both the characters and audience unfamiliar with his story — thus indicting those who assumed Merrick's appearance must mean he is "lesser." Merrick continues to be at best treated as a curiosity by some British aristocrats, who seem amused that the creature before them contains a human soul.

"The Elephant Man" was shot in black-and-white like Lynch's previous film, "Eraserhead" — the coloring adds to the somberness and feels period appropriate. Even so, "The Elephant Man" is one of Lynch's most accessible movies (even if it it's got all the same heart as his more surreal films). It's his only film that's suitable — and arguably essential viewing — for children. The movie will teach them important lessons about respecting others who are different as well as any "X-Men" cartoon or comic could hope to.

In "Descent," Sinister plays the role of Dr. Treves in adopting circus freaks. Unlike Merrick's savior, though, Sinister treats his "children" like lab animals. When Sinister's mutant creations are released, they're unable to control their powers. An angry mob soon forms, foreshadowing how mutants will be feared and hated 100 years later.

James Xavier, though not a mutant himself, steps up as a mutant advocate. Xavier finds one of the mutants, an Irish immigrant named Thomas Flannery, praying in a church for salvation; Flannery throws flames, which the people interpret as hellfire. Xavier reassures Flannery that God loves him. (This wasn't the first time "X-Men" tackled religion — "Descent" also highlights the backlash to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, which contradicted religious theories of intelligent design.)

"Descent" employs a framing device wherein Xavier has been pursuing Sinister and is telling a Scotland Yard officer his fantastic tale. The episode suggests Jack the Ripper was one of Sinister's creations. Between this and the mad science, the episode also strikes similar beats to "Frankenstein." But whereas Frankenstein chasing his monster ultimately destroyed both, James Xavier concludes someone else will have to defeat Sinister. 

Cue Professor X waking up with a fright, in modern day, as Sinister's laugh echoes in a storm. As the penultimate episode, "Descent" was ironically Sinister's last appearance in "X-Men."

"X-Men '97" offered more of a pay-off, because Sinister is a major antagonist of season 1. Continuing his obsession with Cyclops and Jean, Sinister cloned the latter to make Madelyne Pryor/the Goblin Queen, and collaborated with Bastion (Theo James) to destroy Genosha. The season ended with Sinister losing his immortality and showing his true ancient age, but is that truly the end for Nathaniel Essex? Time will tell.