MUTANT X'S "CIRQUE DES MERVEILLES"

"Cirque des Merveilles" a new episode of Mutant X, will air in syndication this week. The episode is written by Mark Amato and directed by Jonathan Hackett.

Below the photos is a thorough plot synposis, with spoilers. (Click on the thumbnails for larger images).

During an exotic circus act, ringmaster Deklin Charvet (Jeff Roop) draws the attention of the audience as mutant Tony LaPorta (Jason Jazrawy) nervously performs his last death-defying act.

Rushing offstage, Tony prepares to leave the circus for good, but Diane (Janaya Stephens), a fellow mutant performer, tries to persuade him otherwise. Claiming she wants to flee with him, she asks him to meet her later at the Chamber of Souls, a freak show exhibit.

At Sanctuary, Jesse (Forbes March) finds Lexa (Karen Cliche) working feverishly at her computer after learning that the Dominion's agent, Tony LaPorta, is on the run with a circus that serves as a traveling refugee camp for mutants.

Suspicious as to why the Dominion hasn't yet called on Mutant X's help, Lexa insinuates that Tony might know something that the Dominion doesnıt want the team to find out.

Tony arrives at the Chamber of Souls to meet Diane. As he enters the mirror maze, he is surprised to find Deklin, who firmly tells him that no one leaves his circus. Suddenly, a mirror bulges open and devours Tony taking him to another dimension.

Meanwhile, Lexa insists the team find Tony and Brennan (Victor Webster) and Shalimar (Victoria Pratt) head to Cirque des Merveilles. At the circus, Brennan sees the instant chemistry between Deklin and Shalimar. As Diane leads them to get settled in, they tell her they're looking for Tony. Taken aback, Diane claims she hasnıt seen him, but is sure he;s around. Brennan and Shalimar sense something's not right, but Brennan is relieved to learn that Diane and Decklin are a couple.

At Sanctuary, Jesse tells Lexa that underground mutants have been disappearing in every town the circus has been in. His research shows that the only mutant able to check out of the circus was canine feral Mike Robson (Nicolas Van Burek), who was reported missing six months ago, but was found.

Jesse and Lexa go to meet Mike in his cave dwelling, but he is uncooperative and holds back during their questioning.

Back at the circus, Brennan follows Deklin into the Chamber of Souls. When he touches one of the mirrors, it causes the frosted reflection to vanish revealing another dimension inside the mirror where he sees Tony floating. Just then, Deklin appears and the mirror behind Brennan bulges open and traps him inside with the other discarded mutants.

Later that day, Diane jealously watches Deklin as he observes Shalimar lustfully. Just then Jesse and Lexa comlink Shalimar with an update and remind her to stay on task. As Shalimar tries to slip away from trampoline practice, Deklin persuades her to take a private tour with him in the Chamber of Souls.

Once inside, Deklin shows her the "illusion" of the world beyond the other side of the mirrors. With this he spins her around and plants a kiss on her, allowing a trapped Brennan to see.

When Diane enters, Shalimar quickly leaves. Diane then warns Deklin that Shalimar is there looking for Tony, but Deklin is unconvinced.

Tracking Brennan, Jesse and Lexa are alarmed that his comlink is off the grid.

Moments later, Lexa's Dominion contact gets in touch with her. Shocked to learn that she knows about Tony, the contact claims they have everything under control. Jesse soon discovers that Mike joined the circus because he got married, and he and Lexa head out to see what he is hiding.

Meanwhile, during Shalimar's act at the circus that night, she suffers a near fatal incident as the result of her equipment being tampered with. After scrambling to save her own life, Shalimar warns Diane of the danger lurking in the circus and insists that she can protect her.

Breaking down, Diane admits that Deklin has Tony trapped with the others in the Chamber of Souls, but there is nothing she can do. Shalimar immediately rushes off to save them.

Back at the cave, Mike tells Jesse and Lexa that he and his wife's relationship turned sour with Deklin's incessant flirting. Mike couldn't take it anymore and prepared to leave. His wife met Deklin in the Chamber of Souls to try to work things out, but she never came out.

At the circus, Shalimar walks through the Chamber of Souls looking for Brennan and sees him on the other side in a horrified state. As Shalimar desperately tries to break through the mirror, Diane enters and pushes her into the portal, which devours her.

At Sanctuary, Jesse and Lexa suddenly lose Shalimar's comlink signal. Just then Lexa's Dominion contact voices her, angry that she sent Brennan and Shalimar in after he deliberately warned her not to. The contact then advises Lexa to pull them out immediately, warning that Cirque des Merveilles is actually a traveling death camp.

Her contact goes on to explain that Deklin was the last of Genomex's sleeper agents and that Mason Eckhart had brainwashed him to eliminate mutants in case of his demise. The Dominion claims they knew about his backup plan for mutant genocide and simply used it to their advantage.

With this, Jesse rushes to the Helix to try to save Brennan and Shalimar so they do not have to pay the price for Lexa's arrogance. Knowing she feels responsible, Jesse comforts Lexa by kissing her tenderly and they both head off to meet Mike.

At the cave, Mike maintains that there is no way out of the circus and insists that Diane, a powerful psionic, is the one behind the disappearing mutants. Jesse and Lexa then jump in the Helix and prepare for their encounter with Diane and Deklin.

At the circus, Jesse confronts Diane and tells her that unless she puts an exit door on her little House of Horrors, she will never see Deklin again. In the Chamber of Souls, Lexa holds Deklin at bay aiming lasers at his neck. Jesse and Diane enter and Diane is forced to choose between Deklin and Mutant X.

Making her decision, Diane uses her psionic power to break down the mirror and release a pile of unconscious mutants.

Shocked, Deklin professes his disgust for Diane. Suddenly, Lexa shoves Deklin into Diane and the mirror envelops them both taking them to the alternate dimension forever. Jesse and Lexa revive Brennan and Shalimar and reunite Mike with his wife.

Tony comes to, but just as the team gets their chance to tell him that he was set up by the Dominion, a lethal shot from an unknown assailant hits him. With his last breath, Tony tells Lexa that "The Creator" is behind this and that she must stop him. Back at Sanctuary, the team desperately searches for information on "The Creator" to no avail, but find solace in knowing who their enemy is. Jesse and Lexaıs relationship gets stronger when he covers for her involvement in front of Brennan and Shalimar.