10 Easter Eggs You May Have Missed in ‘X-Men ’97’

As X-Men ’97has taken the world by storm, fans have been inspecting the episodes as they’ve hit Disney+ each Wednesday and are finding fun Easter eggs hidden within each episode. Easter egg hunting in superhero movies and television has always been one of the most fun and rewarding aspects of revisiting projects to find references to fans’ favorite heroes and villains.

Each episode of the series is packed to the brim with fun references to the greater Marvel universe and the X-Men’s long history. Whether it be an iconic moment from the comics that’s inspired superhero media to this day or a reference to another popular Marvel hero with their own canceled show from the Marvel Animated Universe, the directors and animators of the X-Men ’97 crew have been treating Easter egg hunters very well across the course of the series.

10 Daily Bugle Spider-Man Reference

Season 1, Episode 1, “To Me, My X-Men”

The Daily Bugle shows up in the first episode of X-Men ’97 and actually contains another Easter egg (more on that later), but a fan favorite one is the mention of Spider-Man at the top of the paper. It’s no secret that Spider-Man is the most popular Marvel hero and one of the most popular superheroes on the planet, so a mention of him is sure to turn some heads. The Daily Bugle newspaper itself is also a nod to the Spider-Man part of the Marvel universe, being the workplace of Peter Parker, Spider-Man’s alter ego.

Not to mention that Spider-Man once had his own series in the same universe as X-Men ’97, so it’s a great reference for fans of the old Spider-Man: The Animated Series. The Easter egg actually also served as a foreshadowing for Spider-Man’s cameo appearance later in the series, which had fans all over the internet celebrating. The newspaper questions whether Spider-Man is a mutant or not, which is a reference to a common misconception by the people of the Marvel universe in the comics. Spider-Man once had to commonly correct people when they assumed he was a mutant, as he was not born with his powers.

9 The Stark Expo

Season 1, Episode 8, “Tolerance Is Extinction – Part 1”

By the time Iron Man 2 was released in 2010, Iron Man had already become a household name and his popularity drew millions to check out the sequel to the 2008 film. This introduced said millions to the Stark Expo; a tech expo run by Stark Industries where the world’s best and brightest come to show off their revolutionary new technology to the world.

Fans of the Marvel Animated Universe already know that Tony Stark does exist in this universe, as he had his own animated series in 1994 where he would cross over with the likes of Spider-Man and Hulk, but unfortunately, not the X-Men. The existence and reference to the Stark Expo through a small ad in a box could be foreshadowing to Iron Man making his return in the Marvel Animated Universe one day, just like Spider-Man.

8 X-Men #141

Season 1, Episode 10, “Tolerance is Extinction – Part 3”

At the end of the episode, it’s revealed that Forge has been seeking out the missing X-Men, only to be approached by Bishop, who reveals that the X-Men have been scattered throughout time. On the wall, he has a board of the X-Men, marking who is missing and active. This is an Easter egg for X-Men Volume 1, Issue #141, an issue in the Days of Future Past storyline.

The Days of Future Past comic storyline is a huge storyline in the X-Men mythos that just so happens to heavily involve time travel, which fits the ending of the season quite well. The wall also features X-Men that had not made an appearance in X-Men ’97 yet, teasing that the X-Men team may look very different next season as they search for the missing team that saved the planet.

7 Nightcrawler and Rogue Being Siblings

Season 1, Episode 7, “Bright Eyes”

In the seventh episode of X-Men ’97, Rogue and Nightcrawler refer to themselves as siblings, which is a reference to Mystique, another popular X-Men character. In the comics, Mystique is the biological mother of Nightcrawler and adopted Rogue when she was young, making them step-siblings.

Thanks to her being heavily featured in the films, Mystique is a very well known X-Men character. In the animated series X-Men ’97 is a continuation of, X-Men: The Animated Series, Mystique was a major player and a consistent ally of the villain Apocalypse. The last time she was seen, Rogue claimed herself to no longer be her daughter and left her. Nightcrawler and Rogue currently believe she is dead, even though she was actually revealed to be secretly alive meaning she could easily come back into the fold.

6 X-Factor

Season 1, Episode 4, “Motendo; Lifedeath – Part 1”

Fans of the original X-Men: The Animated Series are already well acquainted with the team of a similar name referenced in this Easter egg. In the original series, Forge (the mutant helping Storm regain her powers) led a mutant team that worked for the U.S. government named X-Factor. The team is nowhere to be seen ever since their last appearance in the Marvel Animated Universe: X-Men: The Animated Series Season 4, Episode 17, “Family Ties”, which aired in 1996.

When viewers see Forge working in his basement, a photo can be seen of him and the X-Factor team, which is a nice reference to the team and hopefully a nod that they could potentially return to the universe in X-Men ’97 Season 2. The team is stacked with some popular Marvel heroes worth noting, like Quicksilver, Havok, Polaris, Multiple Man, Strong Guy and Wolfsbane.

5 The Greater Marvel Universe

Season 1, Episode 10, “Tolerance is Extinction – Part 3”

The multiple cameos in X-Men ’97 Season 1, Episode 10, “Tolerance is Extinction – Part 3” are a collective Easter egg themselves. Featuring characters like Iron Man, Captain America, Black Panther, Peter Parker, Mary Jane, Daredevil and more, this Easter egg teases the potential involvement of the rest of the Marvel universe in a second season, as the finale had a huge effect on not just New York City, but the entire world.

The X-Men have now been put on an international stage that has made an impression on the entire Marvel universe. In the original series, the writers weren’t afraid to feature guest appearances from other Marvel heroes to help the X-Men in their adventures. This Easter egg could be a sign that in Season 2, the X-Men could interact with the greater Marvel universe once more.

4 Uncanny X-Men #136

Season 1, Episode 3, “Fire Made Flesh”

If there’s anything fans love, it’s when a series or film references the source material it’s based on. In X-Men ’97 Season 1, Episode 3, “Fire Made Flesh”, when Jean Grey is facing off with her evil clone, Madelyne Pryor, she is shown a series of images and one of them just so happens to be a recreation of one of the most iconic X-Men comic book covers of all time.

The image recreates Uncanny X-Men Issue #136, the conclusion of the ever-famous Phoenix Saga. Writer and Penciller John Byrne created a comic book cover that perfectly conveyed the heartbreak and awe that struck the X-Men upon the conclusion of the Phoenix Saga. The cover depicts Cyclops holding the lifeless body of Jean Grey while the X-Men look at the scene in sadness. In the episode scene, Madelyne Pryor is trying to mess with Jean’s mind, so it would make sense she’d show her such a terrible image from her past.

3 The Hellfire Gala

Season 1, Episode 1, “To Me, My X-Men”

In the same Daily Bugle newspaper that gave fans their Spider-Man Easter egg, they can also see a reference to the Hellfire Gala, a major event and storyline from the X-Men mythos where mutants decide to open up their country, Krokoa, to the rest of the world and what comes of that decision. The Hellfire Gala is run by an elite group called the Hellfire Club, which is a team that comes to blows with the X-Men frequently as they attempt to shape the world to their own agenda.

This Easter egg also ended up being a nice foreshadowing moment for future episodes, as Emma Frost and Sebastian Shaw (founding members of the club) ended up appearing later in the series. Not to mention, the Hellfire Gala Easter egg actually has a smaller Easter egg hidden within it. The story in the paper is written by Eddie Brock, also known as the Spider-Man villain Venom, and photos by Peter Parker.

2 Onslaught

Season 1, Episode 10, “Tolerance is Extinction – Part 3”

The tenth episode of the series is filled to the brim with Easter eggs that hint at the iconic and insanely powerful Marvel Comics villain, Onslaught. Onslaught is the unholy combination of both Professor Xavier and Magneto’s consciousness.

Throughout the entire episode, Xavier and Magneto are trapped in a collective mindscape together as Xavier risks potentially shattering both of their minds into one while trying to put a stop to Magneto after he ripped the adamantium from Wolverine’s bones. Later in the episode, two civilians are shown listening to the radio station that just so happens to be 1996.06. The numbers are also a huge Easter egg hinting at Onslaught. The 06 in the station number representing June and 1996 obviously represents the year. June 1996 also happens to be the month and year that Onslaught made his first appearance in the comic books.

1 The Original X-Men

Season 1, Episode 1, “To Me, My X-Men”

In the first episode, when Cyclops feels lost as he tries to figure out how to lead the X-Men after the passing of Professor X, he finds a photo of the original X-Men team in their original comic book uniforms. This, obviously, is a reference to the original X-Men team that premiered the series in X-Men issue #1.

This provides a nice reference and confirmation that this universe of X-Men came from similar beginnings as their comic book counterparts, as audiences have not yet gotten to see the Marvel Animated Universe version of these characters in their origin costumes. Along with being a nice Easter egg for fans, the photo defines the heart of the episode; Scott’s longing for things to go back to the way they were and his fear of the uncertain future.

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