Ep 8. Savage Land, Strange Heart, Part 1

In X-Men: The Animated Series season 3 episode 8 titled "Savage Land, Strange Heart, Part 1," the X-Men are alerted to strange seismic activity in the Savage Land, a prehistoric region hidden deep in Antarctica. Professor X sends Storm, Wolverine, Gambit, and Rogue on a mission to investigate the source of the activity.

Upon arrival, the X-Men encounter unfamiliar wildlife and hazardous terrain. They quickly discover that the seismic activity is caused by a mysterious energy force emanating from the heart of the land. The team is soon ambushed by a group of mysterious warriors riding dinosaurs and wielding advanced weaponry.

The X-Men manage to fend off their attackers, but are separated in the process. Wolverine and Rogue team up to find their missing teammates while Gambit and Storm venture deeper into the Savage Land to uncover the source of the energy force.

As they journey deeper into the Savage Land, Gambit and Storm are confronted by a tribe of humanoid creatures. The creatures speak a language unknown to the X-Men, but seem to be friendly. The creatures show the X-Men a strange crystal which they believe holds great power.

Meanwhile, Wolverine and Rogue are captured by the same mysterious warriors who ambushed them earlier. They are taken to a hidden underground city where they discover that their captors, who call themselves the Mutates, are a group of humans who were mutated by the energy force in the Savage Land.

The Mutates are led by a man named Sauron who possesses the ability to transform into a pterodactyl-like creature and controls the energy force. Sauron plans to use the energy force to conquer the outside world and enslave humanity.

Back on the surface, Gambit and Storm are attacked by a group of pterodactyls controlled by Sauron. They narrowly escape and return to the humanoid creatures who give them a device that can communicate with the Mutates.

With the help of their new allies, the X-Men infiltrate the Mutate's city to stop Sauron's plan. However, they are quickly discovered and forced to fight their way through the Mutate's soldiers.

As the X-Men make their way to Sauron's throne room, they are confronted by a powerful mutant known as Magneto who has also come to the Savage Land in search of the energy force. Magneto agrees to help the X-Men stop Sauron, but it quickly becomes clear that he has his own agenda.

The episode ends in a cliffhanger as the X-Men and Magneto prepare to face Sauron and his army.