Somebody please explain! Why X-E1 JPEGS are darker?

The two cams have different metering engines and ISO management systems. You use the example of settings being the same, this would be OK if the two cameras were exactly the same but they are not.

I hear the way you are thinking, this is OK, but as has been said here by others you are not comparing apples with apples.

At the end of the day LOOK AT THE IMAGES. This is where the answer is.

As has been brought up by another poster, in the Canon shot have you ever seen the white fluros have a blown out white glow ring like that in real life - to the human eye? No. The Fuji is much closer to nailing the right exposure for the scene, which is a difficult one. The Fuji's are amongst the most intelligent at working this out, not 100% perfect all the time but pretty close. Anyway that's me 2c worth.

Cheers