Time-resolved x-ray diffraction, imaging and spectroscopies hold promise for providing unprecedented insights into material evolution in the dynamic extreme conditions relevant to weapons conditions, and materials processing and fabrication.  The Matter-Radiation Interactions in Extremes (MaRIE) facility concept fills a capability gap as a coherent, brilliant, high energy x-ray free electron laser source with the energy and repetition rate characteristics uniquely matched to address materials performance challenges associated with NNSA missions. MaRIE will provide a unique National diagnostic platform for investigating the underlying microscopic mechanisms associated with phase transformations, evolution of interfaces, defects, and microstructure between the atomic and continuum scales.  Within the DOE/NNSA Science Campaigns, current and strategic efforts are synergistic to, and provide foundational science and technology for the MaRIE concept.  In this presentation, an overview of recent technical examples at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) and Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) spanning decades in length and time scale will be presented, in which high brilliance 3^rd and 4^th generation x-ray sources have been used to interrogate materials dynamics.