X-Men '97: The Animated Series

[MentalManipulator]

On the other side of things, there's few things more frustrating than hearing a show creators bemoan "we were going to get to telling that story in Season 9" of a show that lasted 5 seasons.
I understand the pacing issue that viewers are having, but put in the behind the scenes perspective: This series is the result of a pitch to revive a long concluded animated program in a genre (superhero in general/Marvel in particular) that is on the bubble so I can see where there would be a sense of urgency to get to the good stuff asap and to make sure that story arc completed before it got yanked.
Tomorrow is not promised...unless you get an upfront order for a number of seasons guaranteed - and even then...

That's why I tend to prefer series that have less seasons but that are more consistent in animation/filming quality and story planning. If 97 lasts 5 10 episodes seasons I would be super satisfied if they keep up with this quality.

[MentalManipulator]

If there's a schism between Mags and Xavier where do you think each member will go? Cyclops and Rogue will go with Magneto for sure, while Wolverine and Jean(if she doesn't die or get shot off into space) with Xavier

Could be interesting if the "Blue and Gold" teams end up forming due to this schism.

I could see:

Blue Team:
Mentor - Magneto
Leader - Cyclops
Rogue
Bishop
Psylocke
Archangel
Magik
Sunspot
suport - Forge

Gold team:
Mentor - Professor X
Leader - Storm
Wolverine
Jean
Nightcrawler
Jubilee
Morph
Colossus
suport - Beast

[Sammael]

You telling me people that you didn't like seeing Storm get her powers back and stretch her beyond Omega level powers? We literally see her fly up in space and return back to Earth without a scratch or burning marks. And she was able to survive out in open space and breath normally. Yeah, I think we ate well. Putting aside Shi'ar stuff because they were boring to me even back in the original show.

It's not their fault. Some people are just dead on the inside. That entire storm sequence coupled with the music and taking back what was hers was absolutely thrilling. Probably some wolverine fans who are more excited by him grunting and scratching things in melee with his claws vs a mutant that can reshape the weather on a planetary scale and wipe entire sentinal armies solo. We just have incompatible conceptions of what is exciting, and there is nothing to bridge the gap.

[Sammael]

This episode was a great episode

BUT, neither storyline felt as interesting to me as seeing the X-Men deal with what just happened. This episode isn’t a filler episode at all, but its placement in the season (like episode 4) makes it feel like a filler episode

When a solid episode hits as filler it's the sign of a great series.

[Frontier]

That's kind of a bummer. I think the idea of Magneto trying to change his ways and leading the team is always interesting (currently reading the TPB of Dematteis' recent Magneto mini) and it feels like we barely got any of it before reverting to the status quo. One of the things that really excited me about this series was getting to see the heroic Magneto and it was like one full episode of him leading the team. It makes sense that what happened in episode 5 would cause him to revert to his old beliefs, but his attempt at redemption seems so brief that its almost pointless.

I don't disagree but this is the same show that did Inferno in a single episode.

[Wiccan]

I mean, if there was ever a way to "revert" Magneto without it being forced, this was it. I'm not gonna be mad about it.

[Frontier]

I mean, if there was ever a way to "revert" Magneto without it being forced, this was it. I'm not gonna be mad about it.

Plus he looks way better in the classic suit .

[Refrax5]

I mean, if there was ever a way to "revert" Magneto without it being forced, this was it. I'm not gonna be mad about it.

It definitely makes sense, but it just feels pointless to have even bothered with the redemption arc if it's just going to be undone in two seconds. I feel a little bit the same about Storm losing her powers and immediately getting them back. It just feels pointless to put these things in there if they aren't going to be explored at all before reverting it. Storm, it at least felt like it said something about her character and overcoming her demons.

With Magneto, they started to do one of his most interesting arcs and then reverse it before it even goes anywhere.

I really like the show, but some of these storylines don't seem to go anywhere.

[Refrax5]

Plus he looks way better in the classic suit .

I love the original Magneto suit, but I like what the purple M suit represents and I always like those heroic Magneto stories. It just feels like a weird storytelling choice.

[Refrax5]

more people should be open to acknowledging areas they may not know or understand about a character versus than just outwardly saying it doesn't make sense, so i appreciate you are open to this. ororo's mystical heritage was first discussed in Uncanny 160. she had met an older version of herself that explained that half of her heritage was mystical. this older version relied on her magic because her mutant powers waned as she got older:



it was then brought back up in uncanny 162 where ororo herself acknowledges her mystical heritage but that it didn't make sense.



she never really explored magic and it wasnt until scarlet witch many years later that it was revealed to ororo she was a part of the Sisterhood and even as a non-practicing sorceress her powers were still potent, and that she even without knowing was able to use her magical powers.




So im not sure where xmen 97 will go with this but her mystical heritage is very much a part of her just as her mutation is.

Yeah, I'm always down to learn in areas where I'm ignorant. I've been reading comics for over 30 years and I still learn new stuff about these characters all the time.

The funny thing is, that issue with Belasco where her mystical heritage is first mentioned? That's the first X-Men comic I ever read when it was reprinted in X-Men Classic in the early 90s. I completely forgot that revelation about Ororo. It's been so long since I've read that issue, but that page you posted was instantly familiar the second I saw it.

Anyway, I appreciate the information and your patience in explaining.

[whitecrown]

It definitely makes sense, but it just feels pointless to have even bothered with the redemption arc if it's just going to be undone in two seconds. I feel a little bit the same about Storm losing her powers and immediately getting them back. It just feels pointless to put these things in there if they aren't going to be explored at all before reverting it. Storm, it at least felt like it said something about her character and overcoming her demons.

With Magneto, they started to do one of his most interesting arcs and then reverse it before it even goes anywhere.

I really like the show, but some of these storylines don't seem to go anywhere.

I agree, I was enjoying Magneto's redemption arc and I'm going to be disappointed if he just reverts right back to what he was before this. It didn't feel long enough. I feel like this show's pacing is its main fault because all these storylines (depowered Storm, Goblin Queen, reformed Magneto) should have been stretched out for a longer season or even multiple seasons.

I also have grown to like his new costume.

I'm hoping the best-case scenario is that even if he leaves the X-Men, he doesn't turn into a full-fledged villain again but becomes more of an anti-hero or something gray and in-between. Also even when rewatching the original show, I noticed he was rarely ever outright villainous the way he was in the movies or even X-Men: Evolution. He always come across as rather sympathetic and didn't have any bloodthirsty or vicious acts.

[Refrax5]

I agree, I was enjoying Magneto's redemption arc and I'm going to be disappointed if he just reverts right back to what he was before this. It didn't feel long enough. I feel like this show's pacing is its main fault because all these storylines (depowered Storm, Goblin Queen, reformed Magneto) should have been stretched out for a longer season or even multiple seasons.

I also have grown to like his new costume.

I'm hoping the best-case scenario is that even if he leaves the X-Men, he doesn't turn into a full-fledged villain again but becomes more of an anti-hero or something gray and in-between. Also even when rewatching the original show, I noticed he was rarely ever outright villainous the way he was in the movies or even X-Men: Evolution. He always come across as rather sympathetic and didn't have any bloodthirsty or vicious acts.

That's true. I always liked the way he was depicted in the original series and I agree with you that it could work if he doesn't fully go backwards as a character and becomes more of an anti-hero. That way, at least the character is still evolving and changing so his time with the X-Men remains a part of his character development, rather than just being meaningless in the end.

And the pacing is the only real problem I have, too, although I enjoyed Inferno despite that.

[whitecrown]

That's true. I always liked the way he was depicted in the original series and I agree with you that it could work if he doesn't fully go backwards as a character and becomes more of an anti-hero. That way, at least the character is still evolving and changing so his time with the X-Men remains a part of his character development, rather than just being meaningless in the end.

And the pacing is the only real problem I have, too, although I enjoyed Inferno despite that.

That's what I'm hoping. If this was up to the comic book writers we've gotten since the 21st century started, I would have no hope. Thankfully this is a different animal altogether and in Beau we trust.

I liked Inferno, even if it was crammed into only one episode, but when the Goblin Queen was first leaked/rumored, I always assumed it would be a slow burn throughout the whole season with Sinister and Inferno saved for the finale. And maybe Magik would have been introduced so she could be part of it as well. It's fine for what we got and I guess I'm also glad they didn't leave us hanging with a false Jean for very long like they did in the comics for so many years. I think that also resulted in my enjoying Maddie in the show in a way I never did in the comics.

[DragonsChi]

Just posted something like this in the Gambit Thread but....

I think there is a possibility that this season is going to end with Apocalypse with Gambit, Banshee, Marrow, and maybe Calisto as his horsemen.

[Grunty]

Just posted something like this in the Gambit Thread but....

I think there is a possibility that this season is going to end with Apocalypse with Gambit, Banshee, Marrow, and maybe Calisto as his horsemen.

Why would Apocalypse pick any of the later 3 given there were much better choices present?

In particular Magneto, Exodus and Madelyne, but also Dazzler, Multipleman, Boom Boom and even Nature Girl and Leech would offer much better potential with their powers including fitting the theme of the Horsemen.

So except for Gambit who, sadly, has a precedent in the comics of being a Horseman for a while, that would both be a rather random and quite weak selection.