Animated Mutants: Taking a look back at X-Mens television adventures.

Artwork: Lee Olson

If you interact with the media in any way, you’ve probably heard of a little brand called Marvel. Marvel is one of the largest comic book companies, creating some of the world's most recognizable superhero and pop culture names. Some of the names used include but are not limited to Spiderman, Iron Man, The Hulk, Captain America, Fantastic Four, Thor, and the X-men. Recently, with the slew of films and series that have come out with Marvel Studios, we have been blessed with a revival of one of the 90s’ most beloved series, X-Men.

X-Men 97’ is a sequel to the animated series X-Men. This series is beloved by many, including myself. Its legacy is strong, and it has created the image of the team that we know and love. Today, I will review the series and give my thoughts on it.

My history with X-Men goes as far back as 2007. X-Men: The Last Stand. My dad rented it from the local movie store(back when those existed). I was close to wearing the disc down from watching so much. We did not return that movie to the store, but I knew I had found a new hyper-fixation for myself. From there, I never looked back. Comic books, television, and memorabilia I have seen and heard it all. I was obsessed with two forms of X-Men media, specifically X2, the sequel to the original live-action film, and the animated series. For me, these were and still are the peak of X-Men media. I have always loved the series because it is always on. It was on Disney in the mornings while I got ready for school and at night when I couldn’t fall asleep. Weirdly, X-Men have always been with me. This is essentially the reason why I love the series so much.

First, let’s look at some history. X-Men ran for five seasons from 1992 to 1997 before being revived in 2024 as X-Men 97’. It is widely considered one of the best on-screen portrayals of the X-Men and superheroes. This is because it was developed to be the perfect image of the X-Men, inspired by the X-Men team from Jim Lee’s early 90s rendition of X-Men (which is my favorite series, by the way.) The team includes Cyclops, Wolverine, Rouge, Gambit, Jean Grey, Jubilee, Storm, Beast, Professor X, and an original character, Morph, who can shapeshift into other people. This iconic team opened the doors for the creators of the show. They crafted beautiful stories combined with the perfect voice cast, primarily assembled by theater actors, to capture the X-Men drama perfectly. This worked as it was one of Fox’s highest-rated television shows and revitalized the image of X-Men for the public. It was exciting and raw. It covered social issues like religion, Aids hysteria, and the Holocaust. This was relatively unheard of, with series at the time creating something incredible.

I'm letting you know this includes spoilers, so please read cautiously. 

Season One: Rating 8.5

Season one was a developmental era of the show, as it was still trying to find its voice. The main storyline involves an ensuing battle between the X-Men and the humans that developed Sentinels, mutant-destroying robots. You see the famous X-Men antagonist Magneto beginning a mutant-human war. You also see another popular villain, Apocalypse, who attempts to “eradicate the weak.” To show just how dark the series wanted to go, they killed off Morph early into the season. These are all exciting and shocking storylines, but the series doesn’t pick up until Season Two, where we see more robust character development and exciting stories. Overall, this season is tight and has a clear arc that is fun to see develop, but there are better seasons that are just as well developed with stronger storylines. I give this season an 8.5.

Season Two: Rating 9

This is my favorite season in the series and arguably the most popular among fans. It features the development of characters, with Jean and Cyclops marrying each other and their controversial love triangle with Wolverine, who is in love with Jean. The introduction of the Friends of Humanity, an anti-mutant organization that commits hate crimes against mutants and advocates for the eradication of mutants. But the best part of the season is the introduction of Mister Sinister, one of the most potent X-Men villains. The storyline of him trying to capture mutant DNA to create a powerful, brainwashed mutant army is fun and well-written. We see the reintroduction of Morph, who was revived by Mister Sinister and brainwashed into being his sidekick. Morph struggles with his morals and makes several attempts to better his mind and stay with the X-Men. Magneto plays an anti-hero role, assisting Professor X with a mission throughout the season. Overall, this season is fantastic, and I give this a 9.

Season Three: Rating 7

Season three is also perfect, featuring the Dark Phoenix Saga, a prevalent X-Men comics storyline among fans. This was very robust and tight, featuring a clean arc with Jean Grey. We see Lady Deathstrike, a popular character in Wolverine lore. But overall, this season could have been better, as the episodes were released sporadically, so the order could be better and falls very flat beyond the five episodes of the Dark Phoenix Saga. Overall, I give this season a 7.

Season Four: Rating 6

Season four is solid, but it feels weird because it was supposed to be the end of the series, but it isn’t. We see the introduction of the popular character Night Crawler. We also see the famous character Cable fight with the X-men in an epic finale battle with the Apocalypse. But besides that, the episodes this season play more like one-offs and don’t have a consistent arc. I appreciate the episodes, but I want to see the arcs that made this series great. I give this a 6.

Season Five: Rating 4

Season Five feels unnecessary because it has no notable storylines or arcs. It was purely a money grab for Fox at the time because they reduced the budget to shreds. It was produced by multiple studios worldwide, making it sloppy and giving it a different animation style than previous seasons. I give this a 4.

Overall, this is a great series to watch. I thoroughly enjoy it, as many other people would. The early seasons are solid and well constructed, with later seasons giving us fun episodes that can remind you that it is a kid show at points. If you’re a fan of Marvel and appreciate cool animation, I highly recommend this show. You should watch X-Men and X-Men 97’ on Disney Plus. Let me know what you think of the show and your favorite season. I’d love to hear your thoughts.