X-Men '97: Episode 3 Review/Spoilers

[ChildOfTheAtom]

forge sounds really cool but they kinda aged him down in this he seemed older in his appearances in the present time on TAS

[PhoenixStudies]

I don't see why some folks think Maddie was the one who became Phoenix.

When Maddie/Jean scans real Jean she sees her memories which include images from episodes from the original series like Captive Hearts and the Dark Phoenix Saga. Its just that real Jean's memories were fragmented and unclear due to whatever Sinister did to her.

And Maddie/Jean also has all of Jean's memories (from the original series and before-- her childhood etc). That is why Maddie thought she was the real Jean.

It was Jean who changed Maddie's blast into little phoenixes. Then Maddie protests by claiming that she was the Phoenix. Then they review their shared memories about their childhood and Annie's accident awakening their powers.

The characters themselves don't know when the switch happened and where one's memories end and the others begin. They say they don't know which one was Phoenix and which one married Scott. This will likely give Jean some pathos as it did in the comics. Remember in Inferno, when Jean accepts Maddie and Phoenix into her she says they (Jean, Maddie, Phoenix) are like strands of night and fire and she couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. She stated they were already a part of her, they were one. Of course Inferno also revealed that the part of the real Jean that had become the Phoenix came to Maddie and that is how she had Jean's memories once she realized she was a clone and Sinister had given her a fake identity. In this series, we don't know how Sinister gave Maddie all of Jean's memories.

It looked like Jean might have gotten some of Maddie's memories here when they relived Nathan's birth together. At the end Maddie mentions that Jean should know now that she had been wanting to leave the mansion.

Also, Jean was not weak here. She was in a weakened physical state (and had forgotten how to control her powers due to the trauma), but she had two powerful telepathic confrontations. She came across almost transcendent when she tore through the psychic hellscape over the mansion. And she was powerful astral projecting to Maddie and pulling her into her mind or the astral plane. She helped Maddie break the hold Sinister had over her.

I don't think Jean will faint anymore and will be reasonably powerful here on out.

I loved Maddie's use of her powers. Maddie's scene with baby Nathan and making sure he won't feel alone was touching.

[JThree]

One hell of a way to open up a new season. Overall, a fantastic episode. Loved the Madeline vs Magneto Fight. Maddy and Bishop were my favorites this time.

However, the ending left me feeling sad for Scott and Madeline.

Within 48 hours, Madeline finds out she's a clone, her own husband has doubts, mind controlled by the biggest POS in existence, watches her baby get infected, has to give up her baby, loses her husband, home, and family. How can you not feel bad for her?

As for Scott, after over a year of personal happiness with a wife and child on the way, leader of the team despite the pressures, he has lost everything. The wife he knew was not the real Jean, even if she was Jean where it counted. Maddie leaves to start her new life without Scott, who is understandably torn over the revelation that she is a clone and having to give up his child.

Meanwhile, no one but Sinister knows when the switch happened, so even though Jean and Maddie basically have the same memories now. It'll be a tough road to overcome if Scott and Jean get back together. (I personally think he should have stayed with Maddie. I can't imagine losing my kid like that, but everyone copes differently)

And Wolverine is being a simp wanting to take advantage of the situation.

I also felt bad for Jean. Locked away, missed out on her life, not sure what memories are her's but overall, the Universe looked at Scott and Madeline and gave them both the biggest f*#k you

My two biggest complaints were I wish Scott was more sympathetic/supportive of Maddy and of regardless I wish he would have at least said good-bye to his son. However, I didn't see that as Scott abandoning his son, he was mad BECAUSE he did not want to abandon him but at the end he knew it was the only way.

If I had one wish I would love to see Cyclops hunt Sinister down on his own quest to find a cure for the virus and contact Bishop. I cant see him functioning in the mansion with the X-Men.

Bless you. Thought I was the only one who wanted Scott & Maddie to reconcile. Boy! that emotion when "Jean" pleaded with Scott when Beast gave the results. Those feelings weren't faked. Like you, Scott should have been more understanding of Maddie. As you stated, they had been together for a year or so, and Scott had a child with her. That can't be just ignored. Well, there are a lot of ways X Men 97 can go with this, but I hope Maddie doesn't wind up with Havoc. That was/is just wrong. Jean and Maddie have shared memories and DNA, maybe they merge at some point. That may annoy some, and was attempted way back in the comic. But I would prefer that to all the pain Scott has gone through. If Scott goes into the future to raise Nathan (as it happened in the comics), I hope it will be with Maddie.

--jthree

[Mantis-Ray]

I don't see why some folks think Maddie was the one who became Phoenix.

When Maddie/Jean scans real Jean she sees her memories which include images from episodes from the original series like Captive Hearts and the Dark Phoenix Saga. Its just that real Jean's memories were fragmented and unclear due to whatever Sinister did to her.

And Maddie/Jean also has all of Jean's memories (from the original series and before-- her childhood etc). That is why Maddie thought she was the real Jean.

It was Jean who changed Maddie's blast into little phoenixes. Then Maddie protests by claiming that she was the Phoenix. Then they review their shared memories about their childhood and Annie's accident awakening their powers.

The characters themselves don't know when the switch happened and where one's memories end and the others begin. They say they don't know which one was Phoenix and which one married Scott. This will likely give Jean some pathos as it did in the comics. Remember in Inferno, when Jean accepts Maddie and Phoenix into her she says they (Jean, Maddie, Phoenix) are like strands of night and fire and she couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. She stated they were already a part of her, they were one. Of course Inferno also revealed that the part of the real Jean that had become the Phoenix came to Maddie and that is how she had Jean's memories once she realized she was a clone and Sinister had given her a fake identity. In this series, we don't know how Sinister gave Maddie all of Jean's memories.

It looked like Jean might have gotten some of Maddie's memories here when they relived Nathan's birth together. At the end Maddie mentions that Jean should know now that she had been wanting to leave the mansion.

Also, Jean was not weak here. She was in a weakened physical state (and had forgotten how to control her powers due to the trauma), but she had two powerful telepathic confrontations. She came across almost transcendent when she tore through the psychic hellscape over the mansion. And she was powerful astral projecting to Maddie and pulling her into her mind or the astral plane. She helped Maddie break the hold Sinister had over her.

I don't think Jean will faint anymore and will be reasonably powerful here on out.

I loved Maddie's use of her powers. Maddie's scene with baby Nathan and making sure he won't feel alone was touching.

Yeah Jean was really powerful here.

Like immediately after regaining her faculties she sensed Cyke was in danger and sent her mind across great distances to rescue him and then engaged with a mental battle against Maddie on equal grounds.

Again all that while still being physically exhausted and only just finishing to strain control of her powers.

I do hope they can keep a generally good presentation of Jean from here on out. I mean we already have one overpowered telekinetic guy with Magneto, whats another?

[Sisterhood Of Mutants]

The animation was beautiful, and all the horror nods made my week. When the early reviews mentioned body horror, I was expecting a reference to those terrifying face-snatching panels from the source material, not what we actually got. Cronenberg, Yuzna, Gordon, Barker, Carpenter, lots of manga and J-horror, Craven (or maybe Jack Sholder, in Morph’s case)… so, so cool.

Maddy was a lot of fun; Hale clearly had a blast. Was glad she got a happy(-ish) ending, at least compared to canon. Already feral for more Storm and Forge next week.

The amount of X-Men slash fiction on Ao3 that starts with Wolverine in the shower after a danger room session.....I see you, Beau

Morph is really growing on me. I'd love to see this version of him in 616 comics.

The Nightmare On Elm Street 2 homage in that scene was excellent, both visually and thematically. Logan’s voice gurgling and distorting into something Krueger-esque, the lighting, the steam, even the claws… seriously perfect.

The show’s handling of Morph is giving me high hopes for when Mystique and Bobby show up again.

[Gnostic]

When Maddie/Jean scans real Jean she sees her memories which include images from episodes from the original series like Captive Hearts and the Dark Phoenix Saga.

I forgot about that until a rewatch.

[Android 17]

Also just realized something.

When Beast looked over baby Nathan and saw the Techno Organic virus, he shouldn't have been surprised. He already came across it in that 'Time Fugitives' two parter from the OG series.

[Havok83]

Also just realized something.

When Beast looked over baby Nathan and saw the Techno Organic virus, he shouldn't have been surprised. He already came across it in that 'Time Fugitives' two parter from the OG series.

I mean its surprising to see an infant thats less than a week old infected with that. With that said, him mentioning it, didnt come across as him never having come in contact with it. He diagnosed it after examining him bc he did have knowledge about it

[Mercury]

Episode 3 was heaven. I thought Beau and the creative team, in general, handled Jean, Maddie, and Scott fairly and justly. Also, I'm all in for Jean's pathos, history ( Annie! 😭 ), and abilities being given focus and respect. It's clear her arc will comprise the aftermath of the abuse and trauma she endured at Sinister's hands, and I wouldn't be surprised if this results in a hardened, tougher Jean. It also wouldn't surprise me if she manifests Phoenix again at some point... Lastly, I loved that her power signature was both crystal blue and fuschia pink at various points.

[Refrax5]

I enjoyed the episode, despite how rushed it was. As someone who really liked Morph as a kid, I'm really glad they're being given a role here. I remember being so bummed when they didn't return permanently to the team in "Courage," so getting to see them in the opening sequence and being a regular member is great.

One little detail I liked was when they were approaching Sinister's freaky house, Magneto paused and placed a supportive hand on Morph's shoulder before proceeding. A nice human moment from one of my favorite villain-turned-heroes.

[Frontier]

Well, that was certainly a condensed adaption of Inferno. Even had Maddie go "show them...my Inferno!"

Are they going to update the intro every episode?

I will give them credit for making you feel for "Jean" at the beginning when everyone starts turning on her after the reveal. Like literally no one sticks up for her and even Scott doesn't say a word in her defense. And he was there when this woman gave birth to his child and been with her for...who knows how long at this point.

Oh look, it's Roberto! Who was just suddenly there even though he wasn't in the last episode! So, what, he's just frequenting the mansion now?

"Call me he Goblin Queen! And Madelyne Pryor! That's what they call me in the comics anyways."

Christopher Britton still sounds as creepy and sadistic as Mr. Sinister and he hasn't lost any of his menace from the original show.

We can't get Goblin Queen transforming all of New York into the demon plane so we'll just do it to the mansion! Complete with a Hayao Miyazaki reference.

Oh hey, Shard cameo! Oh, and Spiral.

The animators had WAY too much fun animating the Goblin Queen. As much as Jennifer Hale had playing her. I guess it's true what they say that playing villains is more fun (and sexy). I can only imagine how many sexual awakenings would've happened had they done this on the original show.

Magneto and Rogue sure do have a lot of Danger Room sessions together...though honestly I feel like they're setting up there's nothing really romantic going on between them, especially the way Rogue reacted to Gambit being hurt. Plus the kiss in the intro.

There were many ways I saw that scene of Morph seeing Wolverine in the shower going and not all of them involved a demon...

I like how they acknowledged Morph's history of Sinister, even having them morph into their evil Morph face!

I loved Bishop throwing Wolverine at Beast to catch him.

I KNEW they were going to differentiate the two Jean's with their hairstyle, real Jean having it in a ponytail, Maddie having her hair down. I'll leave it up to the viewer to decide which is the better Jean hair.

On the one hand I kind of get how Logan would be the one to calm Jean down and get her back to being mentally stable, it's happened to him enough times, but I'm not fond of the prospect that Logan might take advantage of Jean's current mental instability and the friction between her and Scott to make a move.

The Magik cameo, complete with Darkchylde, felt so random. Like the last time we saw Illyana on the show she was a little girl and suddenly Morph is transforming into her comic-accurate teen body and Limbo form? Was there some off-screen Limbo arc with Belasco we don't know about? Which maybe also featured her older brother in his classic costume he never wore in the show compared to his appearance here? Also, Courtney Taylor did a solid job, but did they actually contact Tara Strong (her original VA?). She's been reprising Illyana pretty consistently in games for the last few years.

Here's battle-damaged Magneto in case you thought this adaption of Inferno was missing half-dressed men.

I like how we had Magneto vs Goblin Queen for pure Superhero spectacle as well as Jean vs Maddie for the second half of what makes this franchise great, people trying to understand each other and the self-realization to be your best self.

Comic-accurate Jean Grey origin story! Complete with her dead best friend and the actual Charles Xavier!

Well, there's how Baby Nate got the Techno-Organic Virus and got shipped to the future to become he man known as Cable! Ironic that Bishop took him back knowing the two clashed in the original show,

I feel like the most powerful emotional moments involved Maddie and Morph, but the best was probably Scott's indignation at the idea of abandoning his son like he was...like so many have.

As far as endings for Maddie go, this was probably one of the better ones, seeing her son off as best she could, off to live her own life, on her own terms. Though I wonder if she's still in love with Scott?

Look at the state of Scott and Jean's bedroom and how it's an on-point representation of their current relationship status! I wouldn't even be surprised if Jean wants her own room. Poor Scott.

The X-Men keep bleeding members (also coincidentally both of them being black), though Bishop wasn't really adding much to the team so far.

Now Storm's gone full punk complete with her comic-accurate black leather ensemble, and in true Lifedeath fashion she's met up with present-day Forge! Who thinks he can help her get her powers back! Maybe also because he helped create the gun that stole it from her!

[superjosh]

Am I crazy or did I hear some beats from John Ottman's X2 score? It's right after Cyclops zaps Maddie and she wipes the blood from her lips. As she's walking down the steps, it sounds like an excerpt from X2's score... I think when Stryker is talking to Wolverine in the mansion or maybe when Mystique was snooping in Stryker's office...

[Trapgodthanos]

Really liked the 3rd episode, the animation was great and I loved this version of Sinister. One of my favorite things this show does is cool synergy with mutants (cyclops and bishop was hype) and that's something I hope other superhero shows do more of. I might be in the minority but I love the fast pace of the show, in an era where shows are taking forever to tell the story I like how this show is like "Trial of Magneto? We'll do it in 5 minutes". Watching this episode I was like I get it Havok, I'd let Madelyn Pryor ruin me too(that leg cross scene had me stunlocked lol). One last thing but morph is the best, their such a troll lol.

[Sin Nick]

If Cyclops and Jean really aren't married(again), I wonder if the show is gonna follow the comics where Cyclops ask Jean to marry him soon after the Maddie stuff and she says no.

[wlfking]

Great episode. Lot of fun. But by god does it move fast. I'm familiar with some of the stories it tossed in the blender here but I think I've only read the New Mutants portion of Inferno.

And Bishop just walking off with baby Cable into the time portal? Uh . . . I'm not saying him raising Nathan couldn't be a good story but . . . I'm guessing they might separate so that doesn't happen and Bishop gets back in time to remain part of the opening credits? ^^;

Forge, eh? Wonder if he's still leading X-Factor by this point.