X-Men '97: All the Easter eggs, cameos, and references
May. 15, 2024X-Men ‘97: All the Easter eggs, cameos, and references
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The first three episodes of X-Men ‘97 arenow streaming on Disney Plus, with every installment of the fan-favorite revival of X-Men: The Animated Series being chock full of references to the classic show, the comics, and the wider MCU.
Warning - spoilers ahead for all of X-Men ‘97 season 1
Episode 1depicts the team’s first mission after the death of Xavier, rescuing Roberto da Costa (Sunspot of the New Mutants in comics) from the Friends of Humanity. Cyclops and Jean debate leaving the team, but wonder who will take Xavier’s place as team leader if they’re not there. But Magneto shows up with a shocking revelation - Professor X willed him the mansion, his fortune, and leadership of the team.
Then inepisode 2, Magneto rescues humans from a near disaster, but surrenders himself to judgment by a world tribunal for his crimes. When anti-mutant demonstrators break into the hearing, he protects the tribunal from the X-Cutioner, who uses his mutant neutralizing gun to steal Storm’s powers. Thanks to Magneto saving their lives, the tribunal allows him to go free and promises aid to the mutant nation Genosha. Just as the dust settles, a second Jean Grey arrives at the mansion’s door, disoriented and terrified.
Episode 3 also adapts another classic - and tragic - X-Men story, Inferno, the tale of Jean Grey’s cloneMadelyne Pryordescending into villainy under the influence of both Mister Sinister and the demonic realm of Limbo. In the X-Men ‘97 version of the story, her downfall begins when a second Jean arrives at the mansion, as seen in the cliffhanger ending of episode 2. Beast confirms that the disheveled Jean who just arrived is actually the original, while the Jean who gave birth to Nathan is a clone.
Emotionally shattered and driven by the machinations of Mister Sinister, the clone (who takes the name Madelyne Pryor) turns the mansion into her personal version of hell, forcing the returning Jean Grey to get herself together and bring Madelyne back down to earth. As Madelyne leaves the mansion to hunt down Sinister, Scott and Jean discover that baby Nathan is infected with a deadly techno-organic virus, sending him into the future with Bishop in order to save his life - and sealing his fate to grow into the time-traveling warrior Cable.
X-Men ‘97 episode 4is a two part story. The first half of the episode, titled ‘Motendo’ features Jubilee and Sunspot entering Mojoworld, where they’re forced to play through a deadly video game to survive. There they encounter a digital version of Jubilee who helps them escape. In the second half, ‘Lifedeath,’ Storm and Forge bond as he tries to build a machine that will restore her powers. But he’s keeping the secret that he invented the gun that neutralized Storm’s abilities to begin with, and to complicate things even further, the spiritual entity known as the Adversary is closing in on the pair.
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Thefifth episode of X-Men ‘97ramps up the show’s emotional storytelling with a deeply tragic adaptation of the fall of Genosha and the mutant genocide that resulted from it in comics, all set against the character drama of Rogue being pulled between Gambit and Magneto, and Cyclops and Jean struggling to connect in the wake of the reveal of Madelyne Pryor. It’s an intense and horrifying tale told with surprising maturity, and it still manages to pack in its share of guests and surprises.
X-Men ‘97 episode 6, Lifedeath Part 2, features the return of Charles Xavier, who learns of the Genosha massacre, and vows to leave behind the Shi’ar empire to return home to the X-Men. Meanwhile, Storm finally regains her powers with the help of Forge, after fighting a haunting spiritual battle with the Adversary.
X-Men ‘97 episode 7, Bright Eyes, deals with the fallout of the attack on Genosha as the X-Men mourn and regroup from their losses. A big secret is revealed as Bastion is shown as the season’s apparent main bad guy, and his secret Prime Sentinels begin to activate.
Thefirst part of X-Men ‘97’s three part season finaleis now streaming, and in it, the X-Men and their allies must face down the activated Prime Sentinels, while Magneto escapes captivity and Professor X returns to Earth. We alsolearn more about Bastion’s past.
InX-Men ‘97 episode 9, ‘Tolerance is Extinction Part II’, the X-Men are forced to fight on two fronts as one team takes on Bastion and his Sentinels and another travels to Asteroid M to fight Magneto, and Rogue and Sunspot join the Master of Magnetism, leaving the X-Men behind.
Thefinale of X-Men ‘97 season oneshows the final conflict between the X-Men and Bastion, with the fate of the world in the balance. Meanwhile, Professor X and Magneto are locked in a psychic battle that could destroy them both - and take everyone else with them.
There’s a lot to take in, including some blink-and-you’ll-miss-it deep cut references and cameos. If you’re ready to dive back in for your next watch, or you’re wondering what you missed, here’s every single Easter egg we could spot in the first four episodes of X-Men ‘97.
X-Men ‘97 streams new episodes every Wednesday onDisneyPlus, so check back in weekly for the rundown on the latest instalments.
AndMarvel is about to relaunch the X-Men comicswith a vibe that will feel at home for ’90s X-Men fans.
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