Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is a perfect piece of accidental comedy: a mutant supervillain meant to be terrifying, but speaking in such awkwardly broken English that the line became a catchphrase of the early arcade era. The clunky translation of a Japanese-made game has made it a staple of video game quote lists and memes, loved because it is so earnestly menacing and so wrong at once. Players quote it to cheerfully greet any doomed team-up.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for X-MenShow the scene
Konami's X-Men arcade beat 'em up (February 12, 1992) sends up to six players, as Cyclops, Wolverine and the rest, through an army of Sentinels, Pyro, the White Queen and Juggernaut to rescue Professor X and Kitty Pryde from Magneto. When the heroes finally reach the master of magnetism, his voice booms out a greeting. The full line in the game is X-Men! Welcome... to die!, delivered with oddly stiff, halting phrasing. Magneto's other lines in the game are just as stilted, including 'I am Magneto, Master of Magnet!'.
Sources (1)
- Marvel Database: X-Men (1992 video game)Release date, story, trivia and Quotes sectionsReference checked
Context reviewed
