Summary
With 20th Century Fox owning the rights to both The Fantastic Four and X-Men, Marvel fans have not been able to show these characters interacting with any of The Avengers in the MCU. Now that Disney has bought Fox, the studio can finally start depicting their entire universe on the big screen. Rather than shoving all these characters into the MCU at once, though, Marvel decided to bring the mutants back by reviving the popular 90sX-Menanimated show in the form ofX-Men ‘97.
X-Men ‘97takes place in a fully realized version of the Marvel universe. As such, many fans get to see how other Marvel heroes are reacting to the mutants’ actions. With the final episode of season one ending with asteroid M about to crash into Earth, many Marvel superheroes get to make a guest appearance in the finale.
7Mister Fantastic
Morph Shapeshifts Into The Stretchy Hero
The Fantastic Four areMarvel’s first family of superheroes,and the group also got to have their own animated TV show in the 90s alongside the X-Men. Although this family is not present during the final battle on asteroid M, viewers will get to see Mister Fantastic in the episode if they pay close attention.
One of the current team members in X-Men 97 is the shapeshifter, Morph. They have the mutant ability to transform into anyone, while also gaining their powerset. That is why the character decides to transform into the elastic Mister Fantastic when Bastion arrives at asteroid M to avoid being blasted into space. It may not be the real Mister Fantastic, but it is still good to know that The Fantastic Four is still around and famous in this universe.
6Daredevil, With Cloak & Dagger
Daredevil Stops Rioters Amidst The Chaos, With Help From Cloak & Dagger
The blind lawyer from Hell’s Kitchen, Daredevil, was never fortunate enough to receive his own animated TV show. However, the character did appear in the 90sSpider-Man the Animated Series,which is set in the same universe asX-Men ‘97.
This adaptation of the character was spot on,and fans get to see that the vigilante hasn’t changed after being absent from the screen for over twenty years. While the villain Bastion has ordered his cyborg sentinels to attack the human race, Daredevil is shown in a brief moment, defending some innocent people by using his acrobatic fighting skills. It isn’t hard to miss, but fans also might not recognise the two characters that later come to his aid: Cloak and Dagger.
5Psylocke & Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight Prepare To Battle Bastion’s Invasion
Psylocke is a mutant who appeared in the original run of theX-Men Animated seriesin the ’90s. She was a thief whojoined the X-Menafter Jean and Scott first retired, but Psylocke left the team to work alongside another team of mutant heroes, Alpha Flight. With the adventures of Alpha Flight taking place far from New York, it would be understandable if the new show forgot all about Psylocke.
However, the final episode ofX-Men 97season 1 remembers the mutant with the psychic blades just as soon as fans think that the character is gone forever. In the same shots of destruction that show fans what Daredevil is up to, viewers also get a quick shot of Alpha Flight surrounded by Bastion’s men. Instead of conceding defeat, though, Psylocke is shown igniting her blades to defend her team. Since the show is focused on mutants, there may be hope for Psylocke to return to the team after all.
4Black Panther
T’Chakka, King Of Wakanda, Arrives At The Scene
With the events ofX-Men ‘97being so universal, it is sometimes easy to forget that this show takes place in the ’90s. However, the appearance of the Black Panther in the finale is a subtle reminder of the time period that the series is exploring. This is because the version of the Black Panther seen in the finale is King T’Chakka, the father ofthe modern day Black Panther,T’Challa.
The Black Panther is addressed as T’Chakka by Captain America during the king’s diplomatic meetings with The Avengers and the United States government. The hero of Wakanda is also seen in action trying to fight off Bastion’s minions. The marriage between Black Panther and Storm is something Marvel fans have wanted to see on screen for a long time. However, since Storm marries T’Challa, it is unlikely that the pair will ever meet inX-Men ‘97.The cameo also adds some confusion, as T’Challa was introduced into this animated universe through the animatedFantastic Fourshow.
3Iron Man and Captain America
The Two Leads Of The Avengers
Though the X-Men are some of the most popular Marvel characters of all time, arguably the two most popular superheroes of the last ten years are Iron Man and Captain America. These two heroes are part of The Avengers, a team that has broken many box office records during the launch of the MCU. WithX-Men ‘97looking to shine a light on how the mutants fit into the Marvel universe, it is also important to do this by showing the faces that the fans already recognize.
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Captain America had already made an appearance in episode six of the show when he talks with Rogue after Gambit’s death. In this conversation, he also name-drops The Avengers, showing that the team is active in this time period. Therefore, seeing him alongside Iron Man during the events on asteroid M makes perfect sense. However, their presence alongside the government in this episode hints that The Avengers are not always in support of the mutants and their activities. Perhaps an X-Men vs The Avengers-type event could be coming in the future.
2Doctor Strange
Performing Life-Saving Surgery With His Powers
Doctor Strange is one of the most popular Marvel characters for a reason, and his brief cameo here showcases some of his many talents. As an actual Doctor, Stephen Strange is a renowned surgeon who can save lives. The fact that he is using his mastery of the mystic arts to save people, even after Magneto shut down the world’s power with his EMP blast, shows that being a hero is more about stopping the world from ending.
Doctor Strange is a surgeon, something many people forget, especially with his Multiverse haunting adventures. To see him committing to this practice even in the darkest of times is a bold one to be admired, and it wouldn’t be the first time he camoe’d in anX-Menanimated show.
1Spider-Man & Mary Jane
Peter Parker Found MJ, An Infamous Storyline Never Seen Completed
After the huge success ofX-Men The Animated Seriesin the ’90s, Marvel quickly put a Spider-Man animated show in production. This show focused onthe company’s most popular heroand was also set in the same universe asX-Men. The show ran for five seasons before being canceled and featured many crossover episodes with the mutants. WithX-Men ‘97bringing these characters back, many fans have hoped that this version of Spider-Man would also return.
Spider-Man does appear in episode eight ofX-Men 97in his costume in a voiceless cameo. However, his brief cameo in the final episode may show that there are no plans for a continuation of the show. The ‘90sSpider-Man series ended with Spider-Man going through time and space to find Mary Jane after her disappearance, but she is shown alongside Peter watching the events ofX-Men ‘97unfold on the news. Since she is wearing the same outfit as she did in the 90s show, fans can only assume that it is the same character and that she was successfully rescued by Spider-Man after his show was canceled.
