X-Men ‘97 has ruined Marvel for me. That’s right, I said it. This show has completely ruined how I think of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not because it’s bad or anything, but because this show is so good that it makes me resent the bonafide slop that Marvel has been handing us for the last six years even more.
Ever since it was announced, I was skeptical about X-Men ‘97. I was confused why a dated show with a fairly definitive ending needed a continuation instead of other Marvel projects that have left off with unresolved cliffhangers and narrative threads, such as Spectacular Spider-Man, Wolverine and The X-Men, and Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Boy, oh boy, were my reservations proven unfounded.
In recent years, I’ve become increasingly disillusioned with Marvel because of the cascade of projects that feel more uninspired and corporately mandated than the biographies of every presidential hopeful (I’m looking at you, Whitmer and Obama). After watching the first two episodes, however, I got this strange tingling sensation in my fingers and a tickling in my brain. It was almost like I actually felt something after years of cynicism stemming from the corporatization of my favorite franchise (that or I had a vitamin deficiency idk).
After that two-episode premiere, I knew we had something special on our hands with this show, and the rest of the show absolutely did not disappoint. X-Men ‘97 is a shining achievement by Marvel Studios in a time where every project feels like it’s written by market analysts and Chat GPT. While I don’t have the same reverence for the original show as all of the now middle-aged Millennials out there (feel old yet?), this show is a perfect nostalgia trip, not because it relies on your love of the old, like a certain Disney-owned sci-fi property, but because it evolves that story and brings it into new and bold directions. X-Men ‘97 pays heavy respect to what came before, but the inherent nostalgia factor does not dictate the story. It’s so refreshing to watch a revival that is unburdened by what was while also paying tribute to it.
This show has restored my faith in humanity and thawed my cold cold heat with its warm and touching embrace. This show is brimming with passion for not only the original show but just X-Men as a whole. After decades of bad adaptations and minimization across pop culture, this is finally the win that this property finally needed.
Everything from the animation, writing, acting, editing, soundtrack, and more is brimming with heart and style, and despite a few shortcomings, X-Men ‘97 has cemented itself as the definitive X-Men adaptation.
I was initially concerned that Disney would downplay the sociopolitical commentary that lies at the heart of the X-Men universe. Thankfully, this show does not pull ANY punches. The themes of bigotry and discrimination lie at the very heart of this show. The “Mutant Metaphor” has always been a bit messy since it acts as a catch-all for any marginalized group, but I think that flexibility in its messaging lends itself to a variety of engaging stories. It may not be a perfect analogy for any specific marginalized community, but it has just enough common DNA to make it relatable and identifiable.
What sets the X-Men apart from the rest of the Marvel universe is that, unlike the Avengers or Fantastic Four, they are relentlessly hated and feared by the rest of the world because they are mutants. X-Men ‘97 does not pull its punches and like the original show which was hamstrung by network censors.
This time around, things are just a little but darker and a little more mature. There’s more … ahem … spiciness, you could say, with all of the interconnected relationships. The political aspects get more depth and are given more space to breathe. The messy and soap opera-like character dynamics are put on full display. You actually get to see Wolverine use his claws for once and (lightly) curse. The entire show just has a bit more of an edge to it that makes everything feel all the more impactful
For a while, Invincible has been the premiere animated superhero show, but I’ve had a big problem with both seasons, that being the animation and art style. It always looked cheap and flat to me and it felt like they spent far more of the budget hiring celebrity voice actors rather than the animation itself.
In comparison, X-Men ‘97 looks stunning. The color palette is much more vibrant and visually engaging, and there’s always a nice contrast that avoids the distinctly modern pitfall of washed-out grey visuals. Every shot, every single frame of this show deserves to be put in a museum. After watching this show now over 3 times, I still can’t get enough of the sheer beauty of this show.
This show is just dripping style, but more importantly, passion and humanity. Moreso than ever, the X-Men feel vulnerable, conflicted, and lost. They are beaten down more than ever before, and mutantkind faces some of its most devastating blows. Throughout the show’s events, you really see the worst in humanity and the devastating effects of our hate. In the face of such hardship and scrutiny, most people would resign themselves to cynical nihilism after witnessing the atrocities the X-Men experience, and yet they still decide to stand up and fight for both humans and mutants.
Some may call it foolish, but there’s something uniquely inspiring about the characters in X-Men ‘97 who go through hell and back (sometimes literally) and still decide to have hope for a better future. These characters are flawed and have tons of baggage, but that fact just makes them all the more relatable.
The writing in this show is phenomenal for such a large and stacked cast of characters with only 30-minute episodes; it’s astounding how well-defined and developed the cast is. Every character gets their moment in the spotlight and their own complex feelings and motivations. In only ten episodes, the characters in this show felt more relatable and developed than the vast majority of the Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
That’s not to say that there isn’t favoritism, however, because it’s abundantly clear that there are characters that stand out above the rest. In particular, Ray Chase as Cyclops, Lenore Zann as Rogue, and Mathew Watterson as Magneto all deliver electrifying Emmy-worthy performances that still have left a firm imprint on me.
Cyclops is very clearly the top dog of this season as he gets the most love and attention of the main X-Men and deservedly so. For decades, my boy has been done horrendously dirty by pretty much every adaptation. He was always shown as a lame boy scout and a stool for Wolverine to stand on, but this show truly shows just how badass and interesting Scott Summers really is.
He very much struggles to uphold the dream and legacy of Charles Xavier when he himself doubts whether that dream of coexistence is really worth fighting for along with the daddy issues that come with any stoic male superhero. Scott is not only the leader but also the beating heart of the X-Men, and it makes me so happy to finally see one of Marvel’s most underrated characters finally getting the attention and respect he deserves.
Returning from the original show, Zann knocks it out of the park as the southern belle of the X-Men. Yes, it’s clear she has aged since the original show, but her performance, especially the later episodes, makes that easy to overlook. She’s always been one of the most interesting characters in the original show, but this season just further cements her as one of the best characters on this side of the Marvel universe. Her struggle to truly connect with anyone due to her inability to touch anyone at the risk of hurting or even killing them because of her absorbing powers. There’s a distinct sadness and melancholy to this initially cheery hero that leads her into the deepest depths of sadness and insecurity, and it’s both beautiful and tragic to watch at the same time.
Watterson gives a magnetic performance as Magneto (bad pun very much intended). I do not know who wrote this man’s lines, but they need to get a raise and be considered for writing presidential speeches because this man drops some of the hardest bars known to man. His two speeches in episode two need to be written down in the history books because they are legitimately some of the greatest monologues I’ve seen put to film on this side of tears in rain. You hear and feel the trauma and conflict this man carries with him every day, and you can’t help but to empathize with and understand where this man is coming from.
The only criticism I really have is that this show speeds through plotlines like it’s in a NASCAR race. While most of them work within the context of the show and still have an emotional impact, I wish these storylines got a little more time to breathe, especially because the show had a three-part finale. There are stories adapted here that could have gotten their own seasons, so I wish that they would just slow down a little bit to give each story a little more breathing room.
X-Men ‘97 managed to exceed any and all expectations and is one of the biggest sleeper hits we’ve seen in a while. Everything from the writing, animation, artstyle, and soundtrack is beaming with love and passion for the X-Men. Fans have been waiting for so long for a good and faithful adaptation of Marvel’s premier superhero team (fight me, Avengers fans). This show is magnificent and has established itself not only as the premier superhero cartoon of the modern era but also as one of if not the best superhero cartoons of all time.
Score: 9.5/10
