X-Men '97 will pick up where the previous animated series left off in more ways than one. According to a source at San Diego Comic-Con, the series will feature a call back to the iconic series.
For many, X-Men: The Animated Series was a formative introduction to the team from Marvel Comics. Though the live-action X-Men films released in the early aughts gave fans Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart in their iconic roles, the animated series featured many more characters found in the comics and comic-accurate representation. It featured the most faithful telling of the Dark Phoenix Saga and the origins of Apocalypse, which were aesthetically and fundamentally different from the 21st Century Fox films. The series lasted five seasons and closed its doors in 1997. When the series reboot premieres, it will be like no time has passed.
As reported by The Comic Circus, many X-Men '97 details came out during the show's panel at this year's Comic Con. The panel premiered an exclusive video to the audience, described on the outlet’s Twitter: "The clip showcased the X-Men interrogating one of the antagonists of the show, Dr. Trask." The outlet added that Cyclops utters a variation of the iconic line, "To Me, My X-Men."
Typically attributed to Xavier, the line was commonplace in the comics and the animated series. Close to a catchphrase, this line has become endearing in the hearts of fans. Cyclops would also go on to use the term in a particularly intense sequence featured in Astonishing X-Men Vol. 3. Later in the trajectory of the comics, he became the leader of the mutant squad, earning the right to use such a phrase.
But apart from the characters who have taken ownership of the phrase in past years, this line now belongs to the fans too. It shows how much this team means to devoted readers, especially with the current phase in Marvel. The X-Men have been outcasts in not just their books but the MCU as well. Because of their affiliation with Fox, the MCU couldn't use them in any substantial way for some time. After the merger with Disney, the X-Men comics can finally be adapted the way fans deserve.
There is no official news yet on what will happen with any live-action teams, but X-Men '97 is the first step in the right direction. Revitalizing a fan-favorite cartoon that means a lot to nostalgic fans is a gesture of goodwill, especially with the return of classic X-Men villains and characters. When the X-Men finally make it into MCU canon, hopefully, it will be just as promising.
X-Men '97 is expected to premiere on Disney Plus in late 2023 or early 2024.
Source: The Cosmic Circus