If you’ve been paying attention, you already know what we’re talking about.
The Big Picture
-
X-Men ’97
includes a tonal shift from its predecessor,
X-Men: The Animated Series
, that echoes the growth of its target audience. - The TV-14 rating of
X-Men ’97
allows it to fully embrace the mature themes its takes on, which strengthens the story the series is telling. - Other animated revivals, such as the final season of
Samurai Jack
and
Puss in Boots: The Final Wish
, also succeed in their mature tones.
X-Men ’97 has already exceeded sky-high expectations to become one of the best animated shows of the year, and that’s in large part due to some refreshing and surprising maturity. Now, that might not sound all that surprising at first, as X-Men as an IP is all about addressing prejudice and combating bigotry. It’s also a franchise that is no stranger to going down darker and grittier paths, as abundantly evident by the Deadpool films and Logan.
However, X-Men ’97 earning a TV-14 rating is a pretty unexpected development. It’s a direct follow-up to a show that was originally rated TV-Y7, so one would likely assume the Disney+ revival would still try to target a younger audience. X-Men ’97 isn’t an adults-only show by a long shot, but it’s clear that the fans who watched the series in 1992 are being treated as a target audience for the new series. Just as those who watched X-Men: The Animated Series in its prime have grown up, X-Men ’97 has done some growing of its own.
X-Men ’97
A band of mutants use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them; they’re challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.
- Release Date
- March 20, 2024
- Cast
- Jennifer Hale , Cal Dodd , Chris Potter , Catherine Disher , Adrian Hough , Ray Chase , Lenore Zann
- Seasons
- 2
- Streaming Service(s)
- Disney+
- Number of Episodes
- 10
‘X-Men ’97’ Is Clearly Aimed at an Older Audience
With its vibrant animation and distinctly ’90s feel, X-Men ’97 feels like a true evolution of X-Men: The Animated Series. When we see this incarnation of the X-Men return for the first time since 1997, it feels like they almost never left, with the team of mutants doing their job to protect a young mutant named Roberto Da Costa (Gui Agustini) from some…wait did blood just come out of that guy’s mouth? Yes, X-Men ’97 is not afraid of being a little more violent than your average Marvel cartoon series. We’re not talking about Invincible levels of gore, but enough to the point where the fighting seems to have some real weight to it.
The new series also has no shortage of scary and frightening imagery that would probably be considered too much for younger audiences. When the Jean Grey (Jennifer Hale) clone transforms into the Goblin Queen, she essentially turns the X-Mansion into a Nightmare on Elm Street movie. That’s not the only horror-inspired sequence either, as Storm (Alison Sealy-Smith) has a few run-ins with a terrifying entity known as The Adversary (also Alison Sealy-Smith) who torments the mutant hero after she loses her powers.
X-Men ’97 also comes complete with just a hint of more mature language. While this probably sounds tame in comparison to what Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) says in a movie like Logan, X-Men ’97‘s Wolverine (Cal Dodd) has no qualms about saying “Oh crap” when Jean’s water breaks. There are also a few mild sexual innuendos and references in the series, with the twist of Rogue (Lenore Zann) and Magneto’s (Matthew Waterson) romantic relationship adding some surprising context to both characters. There’s also some within Professor X (Ross Marquand) and Empress Lilandra’s (Morla Gorrondona) engagement, with Charles Xavier saying “Your man speaks as if I am your pet. Hmm. Not an entirely displeasing thought.”…good lord, Charles.
’X-Men ’97’s TV-14 Rating Allows It To Touch on More Mature Themes
Everything we’ve mentioned thus far is absolutely nothing compared to the absolute horrors that occur in Episode 5 of X-Men ’97, titled “Remember It.” This episode is already destined to go down as one of the greatest and most shocking entries in the history of Marvel animation. It not only comes complete with the gripping and thrilling action fans of the IP have come to love, but also features a truly unexpected conclusion that will very well leave die-hard fans in tears.
The horrific ending is a stark contrast to how “Remember It” begins, as we get to see the controversial mutant haven of Genosha turned into a true peaceful utopia. It has become a place where friend or foe, X-Men or Brotherhood of Mutant members, and even humans and mutants can live in peace. Still, it’s a fledgling country that still needs a leader, and the newly reformed Magneto seems like a perfect candidate for the role.
The episode quickly turns depressing when Magneto asks Rogue to be the queen of his kingdom, thus revealing their quiet affair to Rogue’s long-time love, Gambit (A.J. LoCascio). Gambit is understandably crushed by the revelation, and his heart breaks further when Rogue accepts Magneto’s offer. He begrudgingly agrees to be “just friends” with Rogue, but seeing her and Magneto sensually dance at the Hellfire Gala is understandably upsetting. Little do any of our heroes know that their celebratory evening is about to be interrupted by an uncharacteristically scared Cable (Chris Potter) and a massive three-headed Master Mold Sentinel (Eric Bauza).
The massacre on Genosha feels like a true cataclysm, with several established characters from the beloved series and Marvel Comics meeting an impromptu end. Though certainly the most shocking deaths are two of the saga’s most beloved characters. Magneto dies while trying to save the Morlocks and Gambit sacrifices himself to destroy Master Mold. The stunning conclusion ends on a tragic note with Rogue holding Gambit’s lifeless body and saying the powerful line, “I can’t feel you.”
‘X-Men ’97’ Is a True Soap Opera — and That’s a Good Thing
I love the smell of melodrama in the morning.
‘X-Men ’97’ Isn’t the First Animated Revival To Grow Up With its Audience
X-Men ’97 is something of an anomaly in taking an established children’s IP and transforming it for the now-older generation that watched it. However, it’s not the first time, as a few other acclaimed shows have done the same. A prime example is the final season of Genndy Tartakovsky‘s award-winning series, Samurai Jack, which released almost 15 years after the show was originally canceled and also went from a TV-Y7 rating to the polar opposite TV-MA rating. In the much darker season, Jack (Phil LaMarr) isn’t just slaying robots and monsters this time, but also other humans, and the revival wisely tackles that mature development with a lot of grace and necessity.
That’s not to say that a higher emphasis on maturity for an animated revival necessarily has to translate to a more mature rating. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a fine example of that. Releasing a decade after the last installment of the Shrek franchise, the film is essentially a lighthearted and fun kid’s movie that’s all about death. It’s a PG, animated action-comedy that kids will love, and will also ask older audiences to question their mortality and cherish their time on this mortal plane.
In the reverse scenario of that, a more mature rating doesn’t always translate to a more mature story. The universally maligned Velma did not go over well with Scooby-Doo fans, and it’s not so much for the adult-oriented tone. If anything, the overwhelming raunchiness of Velma is distracting at best and obnoxious at worst, with the show feeling like it’s just trying to be shocking for the sake of being shocking. Slapping a TV-14 or a TV-MA rating on an established IP doesn’t just automatically make a show better, but it does open the door to plenty of possibilities that weren’t necessarily possible before.
X-Men ’97 is available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.
This article was originally published on collider.com