X-Men '97: Episodes 7 Review/Spoilers

[Rift]

Granted it was a little over a decade ago, but he was the main villian in Second Coming and that was very well received. I think he was most recently used as one of the main villains of Bunn’s run with Mothervine right before this era

Tbh Second Coming isn't well-known outside of comic book circles, and even then it's still niche. But that is a good point. I do remember him from X-Men Blue, I think? Back in the mid-'10's. Though I don't know how many people would call that a plus, given how that Blue and Gold era wasn't the most popular.

AHHHHHH! No! I probably was a baby when he had relevance, yet I’m starting to feel old now from this!!!

Welcome to my world.

[Havok83]

Tbh Second Coming isn't well-known outside of comic book circles, and even then it's still niche. But that is a good point. I do remember him from X-Men Blue, I think? Back in the mid-'10's. Though I don't know how many people would call that a plus, given how that Blue and Gold era wasn't the most popular.

To be fair, OZT is niche too and I dont think is that well known an X-men story to the general publix

[Grunty]

As mentioned in the past, there is a trend where Marvel's marketing has basicly hollowed out the term "fan favorite" to describe obscure or unsuccessfull characters when they want their upcomming appearance to be considered important.

So at this point it might not even be worth discussing if a character is or isn't one when someone from Marvel uses the word.

Tbh Second Coming isn't well-known outside of comic book circles, and even then it's still niche. But that is a good point. I do remember him from X-Men Blue, I think? Back in the mid-'10's. Though I don't know how many people would call that a plus, given how that Blue and Gold era wasn't the most popular.

It sometimes feels like since House of M, many X-men comic readers are not so much enjoying status quos and major storylines anymore as much as they are "enduring" them out of a sense of obligations to know what is happening in the "source" material (or to complete their collections). Hence leaving little impact or having the ability to become "classics".

To be fair, OZT is niche too and I dont think is that well known an X-men story to the general publix

One could argue that this kind of evaluation applies to nearly every larger or event storyline of the X-men over the past 25 years which has not made it to the big or small screen yet, because to the general public the comics a weird unapproachable oddity with byzantine continuity and storylines that only a small group of monks who live in remote monastries of nerd dome in the high mountains of the internet can understand.

[whitecrown]

I'm not going to deny that he's probably a fan favorite, or at least was at some point. But Bastion hasn't been in the mainstream consciousness for in decades, peaked in relevance almost 30 years ago and he's been comparatively underused ever since. That video game might have been popular by X-Men fans, but it's not exactly a cultural milestone. I can't blame people for not seeing him as a fan favorite.

But that's also true for the X-Men in general, at least since the 90s. By the 2000s, the Avengers were supplanting them as Marvel's top book and the X-Men lost much of their cultural currency and relevance in the comics. As noted below, House of M is really the last well known X-Men arc and even that only remotely hinges on the actual team. The center of House of M is on Wanda, Magneto, and their family. It's as much an Avengers event as an X-Men one and you could eliminate most of the X-Men and it wouldn't really make a difference. There's a reason that when WandaVision came out, House of M was the top selling graphic novel because it's most closely associated with her.

It sometimes feels like since House of M, many X-men comic readers are not so much enjoying status quos and major storylines anymore as much as they are "enduring" them out of a sense of obligations to know what is happening in the "source" material (or to complete their collections). Hence leaving little impact or having the ability to become "classics".

And my feelings about House of M, besides it being more Wanda centric than anything X-Men centric, is that the actual ramifications of House of M were more important to the X-Men rather than House of M itself. Decimation is what caused a major shift in the X-Books and unfortunately meant that mutant extinction became the dominant storyline and status quo until basically Krakoa. Ignore House of M by itself for a second and ask how many X-Fans love Decimation or that era because it became tired very quickly. So it's a weird case where the last major "X-Men" event that was popular with people only tangentially involved them and everything that came out of it was responsible for the doldrums the franchise has been in ever since.

[Frontier]

Morph adds nothing to this series IMO. He’s not funny, or particularly useful. Just taking up space. Should’ve left him dead IMO. He was more impactful as a martyr. But he’s a useful cameo machine I suppose. That’s about it.

And comedy relief .

No. it was a cameo. I doubt the Avengers will have a strong presence in this show, especially since they dont have their own cartoon

They do probably want you at least a little curious what Cap meant when he aid "my team."

I don't think Cap was exactly out of character. He was also going after Gyrich and Trask but he's doing it more cautiously thinking what his actions can cause long term. He even gave Rogue Gyrich's whereabouts. Rogue, who just went through Genosha, is understably pissed and just wants to get her hands on those responsible as soon as possible. I think the bigger issue, and frankly the only issue I had with this episode, is that if there was ever a time to just cameo non-mutant heroes it was during the rescue efforts on Genosha. The heroes wouldn't even need to speak, just show that other heroes are there to help the surivors of Genosha even if it's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment. That way Cap's words towards Rogue would sound more genuine.

In Cap's defense, illegally crossing into Mexico, breaking into a private facility and assaulting people, all while acting as a symbol for America and giving the impression that his country is involved with his actions, would be pretty cool and morally correct in this instance. But it'd also probably cause an huge incident, put him into the crosshairs of the UN AND Mexico, put mutants under more suspicion, and create a lot of chaos that could easily give their enemies the upper hand. So I think trying to temper his reaction and assemble backup - no how mediocre and uncool - sounds like the best course of action. He could have done more, just jumped in and let his heroic nature guide him. But I approve of his decisions here.

"It shames us all" - Was a very Cap line.

Although had this been his show I feel like he would have put on a stealth suit and gone in Arkham Batman style.

I think he was genuinely remorseful. He might have been aware he was made into a robot, but not that he would become what he is now. Maybe he wanted to die before he became a threat. Maybe he wanted to die a human.

Especially since the Prime Sentinel version seemed to have its own personality and wasn't Trask.

I think the X-men will be split in two sides one will go with Mags(if he doesn't go Xorneto or Bastioneto?) and Xavier

Animated schism?

Cable seems to reject Jean. Interesting twist.

It is kind of interesting how he seems to view Maddie more as a mother and is uncomfortable around Jean which is kind of the opposite in the comics.

Meanwhile he seemed genuinely bummed out that Scott didn't realize the truth until Jean did.

[whitecrown]

Meanwhile he seemed genuinely bummed out that Scott didn't realize the truth until Jean did.

That's in character for Scott in every reality it seems, based on his reaction to Rachel. It was even more incredulous with Rachel considering she's the spitting image of Jean, has her same powers, and uses her name and costume.

[berserkerclaw]

Well Maddie is his mom so it makes sense that he wouldnt call Jean mom at least nit yet in the show. Comics he had longer to warm to Jean and was raised by Jean as Red in thevfuture.

[whitecrown]

Well Maddie is his mom so it makes sense that he wouldnt call Jean mom at least nit yet in the show. Comics he had longer to warm to Jean and was raised by Jean as Red in thevfuture.

Even as a baby, he preferred Jean in the comics. That's why it's so jarring here.

[Doom'nGloom]

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6NbMAng..._web_copy_link

This is cracking me up. I wish Rogue kept Cap's shield. It would be of little use to her but I don't care. Rule of cool.

[Rift]

But that's also true for the X-Men in general, at least since the 90s. By the 2000s, the Avengers were supplanting them as Marvel's top book and the X-Men lost much of their cultural currency and relevance in the comics. As noted below, House of M is really the last well known X-Men arc and even that only remotely hinges on the actual team. The center of House of M is on Wanda, Magneto, and their family. It's as much an Avengers event as an X-Men one and you could eliminate most of the X-Men and it wouldn't really make a difference. There's a reason that when WandaVision came out, House of M was the top selling graphic novel because it's most closely associated with her.



And my feelings about House of M, besides it being more Wanda centric than anything X-Men centric, is that the actual ramifications of House of M were more important to the X-Men rather than House of M itself. Decimation is what caused a major shift in the X-Books and unfortunately meant that mutant extinction became the dominant storyline and status quo until basically Krakoa. Ignore House of M by itself for a second and ask how many X-Fans love Decimation or that era because it became tired very quickly. So it's a weird case where the last major "X-Men" event that was popular with people only tangentially involved them and everything that came out of it was responsible for the doldrums the franchise has been in ever since.

Alright, the X-Men peaked as well. But they still had some cultural relevance since their peak. They drifted in and out of the mainstream thanks to the movies, and we almost always had X-Men comics that kept them relevantto the comics. Unlike Bastion, who as largely forgotten by many and never even heard of by most. His peak was smaller than most of the X-Men's more middling moments.

[Frobisher]

To be fair, OZT is niche too and I dont think is that well known an X-men story to the general publix

None of them are until they get adapted in a film. Not that much even then.

[yogaflame]

Even as a baby, he preferred Jean in the comics. That's why it's so jarring here.

To be fair, the comics went out of their way to literally demonize Maddie so Jean wouldn't look so bad stealing her child and husband. The show did their best to make all three of them look better.

[Winter_fury]

Wow people are really erasing the messiah era like fraction and gillen uncanny didn’t out sell bendis his avengers. Just wow!

[toddcam]

What does the term fan favorite even mean? Fans' favorites as a whole would be the most popular characters, right? If it's supposed to be a subset of fans, then isn't that pretty much every character, since almost any character has its fans?

[NK1988]

I'm reminded of a discussion the other day about how literally nobody cared about Iron Man before RDJ and the movie. I really doubt the Avengers pre-MCU were half as mainstream famous or popular as the X-Men.