Make no mistake, “X-Males ‘97” will not be an entire restart. It’s a continuation of the storylines and characters that have been developed via the youngsters’s animated collection. Lots of the authentic voice actors have returned to reprise their roles. And don’t fear, that well-known theme tune 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 not possible 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 price overcoming given the relative strengths of this animated collection—it actually reaches the bar set by the unique.
Disney had a “parting of the way” with “X-Males ‘97” showrunner Beau DeMayo per week earlier than the premiere of the brand new collection, however it’s onerous to speak concerning the present with out mentioning his contributions. He got here to the undertaking along 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+ individuals—mutants have “come out” to their mother and father, whereas afraid of being disowned. Additionally they should face numerous hate teams together with the Associates 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 college 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 expect 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 so much with cleaning soap opera tropes and people proceed right here. Whereas the motivations for these characters stay acquainted, this animated collection has advanced, catering primarily to audiences who grew up with these characters.