X-Men ’97 is a rare follow-up series that improves upon its inspiration. Great care was taken in replicating the original X-Men Animated Series’ aesthetic, down to the finest detail. This resulted in a number of nods to the original cartoon and the larger Marvel Universe setting. This culminated in the Season 1 finale, which was packed full of references to the comics and cameos from other Marvel Comics characters.
Silver Samurai
Keniuchio Harada is a Japanese Mutant with the ability to generate tachyon fields around objects he holds, As the Silver Samurai, he became a gang leader, who could slice through almost anything with his empowered katana. In X-Men ’97, he appears briefly, watching the energy wave released by Professor X battling Magneto pass over Tokyo.
Iron Man and Captain America
When the wave passes over The White House, it restores the electricity to the Presidential bunker. Iron Man and Captain America are seen assessing the situation with President Kelly. This seems to confirm that the team Steve Rogers mentioned during his encounter with Rogue earlier in the season is The Avengers. The two are also later seen defending President Kelly, as the Prime Sentinels attack various world leaders.
Doctor Strange
The role of Sorcerer Supreme limits the time Stephen Strange can devote to practicing medicine. Nevertheless, Doctor Strange is seen conducting surgery by candlelight at Manhattan Memorial Hospital, as the power is restored to the city. Doctor Strange had several similar cameos in the original X-Men Animated Series, reacting to the events of The Phoenix Saga.
Carol Danvers is a Prime Sentinel?
As Bastion reassembles his Prime Sentinel army, the camera lingers on a blonde woman in a distinctive cowl. This resembles one of the headpieces worn by Carol Danvers in her Captain Marvel uniform. However, it should be noted that Carol’s fate in the reality of X-Men ’97 is uncertain. She made a single appearance in the X-Men Animated Series episode “A Rogue’s Tale”, where she was still in a coma after her battle with Rogue. It is possible, however, that Bastion converted Carol in her sick bed.
Black Panther and the Dora Milaje
The Prime Sentinels attack various world leaders, even making it as far as Wakanda. Black Panther is shown leading the Dora Milaje against the invaders. Later, this Black Panther is revealed to be King T’Chaka, rather than his son, T’Challa.
Daredevil, Cloak and Dagger
Daredevil has a quick cameo fighting looters in Manhattan, and then fighting the Prime Sentinels. After the Man Without Fear falls in battle, two figures appear from the shadows to defend him. These heroes are Cloak and Dagger. Tyrone Johnson has the power to teleport and become intangible. Tandy Bowen creates daggers of light that can hurt or heal.
Omega Red, Darkstar, and Crimson Dynamo
Three figures are shown defending a Russian official from the Prime Sentinels. Two of them are easily identified as Omega Red and Darkstar. Both appeared in the X-Men Animated Series “Red Dawn.” The third figure, in the power armor, appears to be Crimson Dynamo. While there have been several designs for his armor, the one seen here resembles the one used in the 1994 Iron Man cartoon.
Psylocke, Cipher, and Alpha Flight
Psylocke (who joined the X-Men in the comic based on the original X-Men Animated Series) and Cipher are shown fighting the Prime Sentinels alongside several members of Alpha Flight. Alpha Flight is a superhero team sponsored by the government of Canada. The team was introduced in the original X-Men Animated Series, as they tried to recapture former member Wolverine. Northstar, Puck, and Aurora are the Alpha Flight members shown in the quick cameo.
Blue Area of the Moon
When Bastion arrives on Asteroid M, Rogue relocates the fight to the Moon. While not identified by name, the ruins they crash into mark it as the Blue Area of the Moon. Beyond containing the Citadel of Uatu the Watcher, this is also where the X-Men fought the Dark Phoenix.
The Magneto Protocols are Revealing
In the comics, the Magneto Protocols were a series of measures devised by Professor X, working in conjunction with the United Nations and SHIELD. They offered a series of countermeasures to stop Magneto in the event of his going too far. The existence of the Magneto Protocols was revealed during the 1993 Fatal Attraction storyline. which heavily inspired the finale of X-Men ’97.
The documentation for the Magneto Protocols contains a number of Easter eggs. The Power Ratings resemble the statistics from The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe and various X-Men trading cards. His list of aliases has two partly redacted names – Ian M. and Michael F. – referencing the actors who played Magneto in the movies. The aliases also include David Hemblen, who voiced Magneto in the original X-Men Animated Series. Finally, the list of Magneto’s children lists Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and a redacted name starting with a P. This is a nod to the magnetic heroine Polaris.
Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Polaris
The children of Magneto make a more direct appearance later in the X-Men ’97 Season 1 finale. While trapped in his mindscape, Magneto sees a ship containing everyone he loves being threatened by the storm of his turmoil. While everyone except Rogue is obscured by shadows, the other figures are clearly Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Polaris.
Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson, and Flash Thompson
It is unclear if the Marvel Animated Series from the 1990s fit into a single universe. However, most accept the Spider-Man and X-Men cartoons took place in the same continuity. This seems to be confirmed by one cameo in the X-Men ’97 Season 1 finale.
Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson are shown watching Asteroid M racing towards Earth in a shop window. Their clothes are identical to their character designs from Spider-Man: TAS. They are joined by a blonde man in a purple letter jacket, who resembles Peter’s bully Flash Thompson.
Forge’s List of New X-Men
With most of the X-Men presumed dead, Forge takes it upon himself to start assembling a new team. Six months after “E-Day,” he’s assembled a list of Mutants that are likely recruits. The poster Forge makes resembles the famous cover of Uncanny X-Men #141, which started the Days of Future Past storyline.
The most notable thing about the poster is that it confirms the existence of Shadowcat in the X-Men ’97 continuity. Kitty Pryde is one of the most popular X-Men of all time. Indeed, she was the focus character of the original X-Men Animated Series pilot, “Pryde of the X-Men.” Despite this, Kitty Pryde never appeared in any episode of the 1992 X-Men Animated Series.
The poster makes reference to Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, noting they are off world. This could be a confirmation that they are part of this world’s Avengers. The poster also lists Archangel as Missing and Presumed Dead, and Cable, Jubilee, and Sunspot as AWOL. This leaves the only potential recruits as Colossus, Magik, Dust, Iceman, Havok, Exodus, and Emma Frost.
En Sabah Nur
Transported to Egypt in 3000 BC, Rogue, Beast, Nightcrawler, Professor X, and Magneto fight to save an outnumbered man from a group of soldiers. Once the fight is over, the man removes his mask and introduces himself as En Sabah Nur. This, coupled with his distinctive facial tattoos, mark him as the Mutant who becomes Apocalypse.
Mother Askani and Clan Askani
Cyclops and Phoenix are sent forward in time to 3960 AD. Here, they meet a tribe called the Askani, who are raising the young Nathan Summers in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. This is a nod to the comic series The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix, where a time-displaced Scott Summers and Jean Grey finally got the chance to raise their son, under the aliases Slim and Redd. To further complicate matters, Mother Askani was eventually revealed to be Rachel Summers, another child of Scott and Jean from a different alternate future.
“So Much… Death”
The post-credits scene of the X-Men ’97 season 1 finale shows Apocalypse in modern day Genosha. Digging through the rubble, Apocalypse retrieves a playing card belonging to Gambit. The scene ends with Apocalypse musing that there has been “so much pain” and “so much death.”
In the comics, Gambit attempted to infiltrate Apocalypse’s organization by volunteering to become one of his Horseman. He became the new Horseman of Death, but was brainwashed into becoming a loyal servant of Apocalypse. It seems that X-Men ’97 will be replicating this story in Season 2, but with a resurrected Gambit filling the same role.
All ten episodes of X-Men ’97 Season 1 are now streaming on Disney+.
