Make no mistake, “X-Males ‘97” will not be a whole restart. It’s a continuation of the storylines and characters that had been developed by means of the youngsters’s animated collection. Most of the unique voice actors have returned to reprise their roles. And don’t fear, that well-known theme music is unbroken, able to introduce new episodes within the X-Males saga. Whereas the entryway for this new collection is steep, with the various X-Males theatrical releases over the past twenty years redefining these characters, it is not inconceivable to have the ability to fill within the blanks. For everybody else, that is like being thrown into the deep finish of mutant historical past. It’s an issue that’s value overcoming given the relative strengths of this animated collection—it definitely reaches the bar set by the unique.
Disney had a “parting of how” with “X-Males ‘97” showrunner Beau DeMayo every week earlier than the premiere of the brand new collection, but it surely’s arduous to speak in regards to the present with out mentioning his contributions. He got here to the challenge together with his background as a homosexual Black man who grew up inside an adopted household—it is simple to think about that he noticed himself within the outsider characters created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. The mutants of the X-Males are seen as a metaphor for the wrestle of LGBTQ+ folks—mutants have “come out” to their dad and mom, whereas afraid of being disowned. In addition they should face numerous hate teams together with the Pals of Humanity, that can do something to eradicate the mutants. These themes are mirrored within the core forged of “X-Males ‘97” together with Cyclops, Jean Gray, Wolverine, Gambit, Rogue, Jubilee, Morph, Beast, and Storm as all of them have their backstories of feeling undesirable in a world uninterested of their plight and frightened by their existence.
DeMayo makes use of the pilot of “X-Males ‘97” as a homage to the ‘92 premiere in some ways, most notably bringing one other younger mutant into the fold, Brazilian teenager Roberto de Costa. By way of his eyes, Professor Xavier’s faculty and coaching facility are re-introduced, and he witnesses how the mutants are holding up one yr after the demise of Xavier. Cyclops and Jean Gray predict their first baby collectively, holding on because the custodians of Xavier’s grand imaginative and prescient of coexistence, concurrently wishing to depart and begin their very own life away from the X-Males. Elsewhere, Rogue and Gambit proceed their romantic interludes and Wolverine pines away for a future with Jean Gray that can by no means be. The unique animation performed loads with cleaning soap opera tropes and people proceed right here. Whereas the motivations for these characters stay acquainted, this animated collection has developed, catering primarily to audiences who grew up with these characters.