The original X-Men animated series is one of the most celebrated in the medium. The show aired for five seasons, totaling 76 episodes, capturing some of the most powerful storylines of the comics that came before it. The near-faithful adaption, competent scripts, and tremendous voice acting produced stories that were filled with heart, passion, and zeal for good storytelling. Enter X- Men 97. A show that takes the original formula and updates it for the times.
In many ways, the X-Men animated series that ran between 1992 – and 1997 remains the gold standard for all X-Men content in motion pictures. With the spate of Hollywood movies in the early 2000s, the later revival during the MCU era, and 20th-century Fox getting in on the act, with a spate of movies and spinoffs on the X-Men IP, with varying levels of success.
A lot can be said about the quality of the shows, movies, and animations that have come in the period since. But few, if any, come close to matching the authenticity and spirit of the original X-Men animated series. Until now. With X–Men 97, we have the continuation of the original story with the original characters. With some of the big names who were involved in the science leading the project.
X-Men 97 – Faithful but Different
For hardcore fans of the original 92 animated series, including yours truly, the first question that will be on their minds is whether the producers of the new show respect the source material. Are the characters, the world-building, motivations, and story arcs faithful to what was imagined over two decades ago?
The answer is yes. And yes. To explain what I mean, the showrunners seemed to have had in mind what was going on in the entertainment space with spin-offs and reboots of old IPs. Many, if not most, whilst appearing to showcase a modicum of faithfulness to the original material, invariably use it as a platform to advance other ideas or, if you like, ‘agendas.’
This is a rabbit hole I rather not get into. The point is when it comes to rebooting treasured IPs like Marvel’s X-Men there is a lot of expectation and fear on what the end product would be like.
We are glad to report that X–Men 97 is, for the most part, a faithful adaption of the original material. The original characters, whilst clearly grown, are at their core the same X-Men people. The relationship between Cyclops and Jeans has grown; Beast is the same wise, calm, intelligent soul, Gambit and Rogue are at it again, and then there is a new character to accompany a still-novice Jubilee. All in all, the team is strong and relatable.
New Characters Old Motivations
As this post is the first of two, we will avoid major plot points. Among the notable changes are the entry of Nightcrawler and Bishop to the ranks of the X–Men. With Professor Xavier gone (presumed dead), there is a leadership vacuum that Scott Summers is meant to fill. But there is an issue. Jean is with a child. This opens a whole new set of affairs and the characters it draws into the equation.
Storm is there and has a new friend in Forge, and their relationship is one of the poignant aspects of the show. And topping it all off, we have the reentry of Magento. Not as a villain, but get this as the new leader of the X-Men. Interesting stuff, and the critics in the media certainly think so, too.
This kind of writing shows that the producers are not afraid to take risks while staying faithful to the elements that made the X-Men the X-Men. This is what long-time fans were waiting for, and this promise has been fulfilled. In Part 2, we will delve into the story and character motivations that drive the story. So stay tuned, for it is going to get interesting.
About the Author
Damian Thar writes on a range of topics. His interests include a wide array of topics from news media, film, science fiction, and politics. In addition to his professional work, he writes essays on subjects like philosophy, history, and culture. A key focus of his writings is the intersection between science, religion and society. He also writes and edits books and in his free time, he makes YouTube videos on topics like religion, theology, and current events. You can find his work here.
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