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by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer

No cartoons had a more profound effect on me growing up than X-Men: The Animated Series. The X-Men were my superheroes, so I was extremely excited to watch them on TV. They taught me what it means to be on a team, that caring about others is a strength and not a weakness, and that tolerance and acceptance are some of the greatest gifts you could give someone. Each of the team members has something special that they give to one another and me as a fan. My favorite, Nightcrawler, taught me faith means so much more if you back it up with actions. Cyclops and Storm taught me that leadership is a privilege. Gambit taught me that your past will not define you. 

When Disney bought Fox Studios, the number one thing I wanted to know was how they would integrate X-Men into the MCU. Fox’s history with the X-Men has been inconsistent at best, so if Marvel finds a way to right the ship, I’ll be forever grateful as a fan. When they announced X-Men ‘97 as the first official X-Men project, I was nervously excited. As much as I wanted the X-Men back, is this the way I wanted Marvel to prove to me that they can tell a compelling X-Men story? Plus, Marvel could really use a win after a pretty lackluster 2023.

It turns out the MCU still has some life in it after all.

X-Men ‘97 takes place not long after the end of the original X-Men: The Animated Series. Xavier is gone and the team has to figure out who they are in this new era. Leading the team is Cyclops (Ray Chase), and everyone else is struggling to accept him as the number one guy. Jean Grey (Jennifer Hale) is pregnant, and the X-Men are sent on a mission to find a young man named Roberto Da Costa (Gui Agustini). What they soon discover is a vast conspiracy that will test humanity’s resolve for peace with mutants and the X-Men’s ability to come together as a team.

Marvel made several smart moves keeping some things the same as the original series. First up is keeping the theme song and opening sequence largely intact. The only real update is that some characters are given their own, long-awaited title card. In addition, the title sequence changes as the story changes. This flexibility kept me guessing on how much will change week-to-week. Next, they kept the setting in the 1990s. Between the fashion and jokes, X-Men ‘97 feels like an extension of the original series, rather than a reboot. Finally, they brought a lot of the original cast back. Yes, I concede you can hear the age on some of them, but it’s not enough to make it distracting or detrimental to the audience.

Perhaps the biggest thing X-Men ‘97 maintains is the messaging the mutants have brought since their inception. The X-Men have always had a tug-of-war between two different factions of mutants: those who want to coexist with humans and those who know humans will never accept them for who they are. At the very core of the series are themes involving civil rights, tolerance, and the struggle to unite people together. X-Men ‘97’s greatest strength is adhering to this messaging, which gives the MCU an added layer of relatability and depth it hasn’t had in a long time.

In addition, X-Men ‘97 has an outstanding story. The serialized version of a season-long story lends itself well to this new series. In the original series, they would do multi-part episodes that would string together one story, while maintaining an episodic nature and a very loose, consistent story structure. This version of the X-Men tells a single story that all relates to one thread. Focusing on one story allows for a stronger narrative, and enables the characters to all move in unison toward a common goal. Because the story lasts all season, the stakes feel greater and the ending feels satisfying in a way that the season finales of the old series never felt.

X-Men ‘97 also adds big emotional moments. It certainly helps if you grew up with the series, but the story takes some wild swings that I felt deep in my heart. Several episodes build to heartbreaking endings, while others contain speeches and quotes that will resonate with me for a long time. I don’t typically cry during TV shows, but this one made me tear up a few times, mainly because the writers took the time to invest in a strong story and characters

There isn’t a character wasted in X-Men ‘97. Everyone has a moment to shine and a moment that defines their impact on the series. Some have a larger role than others, but nobody is completely sidelined. This is a fantastic accomplishment considering all the characters that the writers needed to balance. It’s hard for me to pick the standouts, but Magneto (Matthew Waterson) might be the strongest character X-Men ‘97 has. Multiple times, Magneto gives some impassioned pleas for compassion, while delivering some of the devastating lines when his vision isn’t achieved. The best characters are those which operate and make you think, while offering a perspective that the audience has to consider as valid. Given his background as a Holocaust survivor, Magneto has seen the worst of humanity and will do everything in his power to ensure the same fate doesn’t happen to mutants. 

A lot has changed since the early ‘90s, and the most noticeable upgrade comes with the animation. If you go back to watch the original series, it feels static and choppy. Back in the day, that was cutting edge. With X-Men ‘97, the animation is beautiful. The biggest upgrade is with the action sequences. Viewers are in for a treat, as the action sequences feel much more vibrant and smooth. Layers can be seen with multiple people being able to fight at once, something you couldn’t get in the original series.

X-Men ‘97 is the best thing Marvel has done post-Infinity Saga. I don’t say that lightly, because I’m a Marvel fan, but know that the MCU desperately needs a jolt. If this is how the MCU treats the X-Men in animation, it gives me hope that they will knock it out of the park in live action. Everything about X-Men ‘97 is perfect, a word I don’t use lightly when it comes to a TV show. As an X-Men fan, my heart is full of hope for the future of the team with Marvel at the helm.

Rating: Loved It

X-Men ‘97 is currently streaming on Disney+

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You can read more from Mike Hilty, and follow him on Instagram, Letterboxd, and Serializd