X-Men ’97’s third episode had plenty of intense action (and even some horror), but also a deep well of emotion.
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- What happened in X-Men ’97 Episode 3?
- How does X-Men ’97 Epsiode 3 End?
This article contains spoilers for X-Men ’97 episode 3
In its third episode, X-Men ’97 may have just cemented itself not just as the best Marvel Studios animated show, but maybe the best Marvel Studios project in the last calendar year. Not only does the show continue the legacy of its 90s predecessor, but it also refuses to pull any punches with its source material, diving deep into some pretty wild X-Men lore.
For casual fans, it may seem like a bit much. It’s hard to deny just how deep the storytelling in this show gets. Introducing intense psychic powers, a longtime villain, clones, and the origins of a fan-favorite character means that episode 3 has a lot of heavy lifting to do. However, X-Men ’97 manages to handle it all, while still treating viewers to some truly superb animated action sequences.
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X-Men ’97 Episode 1 Review
The premiere episode of X-Men ’97 delivers a nostalgic hit of action and exemplary comic book storytelling that will satisfy new and old fans.
What happened in X-Men ’97 Episode 3?
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Episode 3, titled “Fire Made Flesh”, immediately follows the events of X-Men ’97 episode 2, which saw Magneto cleared of his previous crimes and Storm left powerless after a radiation blast from the X-cutioner. While these were big developments, the most surprising moment came when the team encountered a second Jean Grey at the doors of X Mansion. The episode begins by filling in the blanks of just where this Jean came from, having escaped from a dark lab and made her way back to her home.
X-Men ’97 Episode 3 | |
|---|---|
Title | “Fire Made Flesh” |
Directed by | Emi Yonemura |
Written by | Beau DeMayo and Charley Feldman |
Right off the bat, Cyclops is not sure which of the two Jeans he can trust, and Beast sets about testing both women’s DNA. Surprisingly, Beast finds that the Jean who has just shown up at X Mansion is the original, and the Jean with whom Scott had a child and has presumably been living with the team for months is the clone. All of these story developments come fairly quickly, and keep the episode moving at a good clip. It’s also a genuinely surprising twist, as viewers have now become familiar with the Jean Grey they’ve spent two episodes with.
Clone Jean does not take the news well, as she still believes herself to be the original. Later on, Beast discovers a signature in Clone Jean’s DNA, pointing directly to Mister Sinister. As the second Jean comforts a crying Nathan upstairs, Mister Sinister’s voice comes over the baby monitor, and the villain exerts his control over Clone Jean, who unleashes her own evil powers throughout X Mansion.
This is where the episode really shines, as the home of the X-Men turns into an absolute horror show. Eldritch terrors emerge from every corner of the house, twisting and contorting into distorted versions of characters’ fears. This includes a vision for Gambit of Rogue and Magneto melting into one another that looks straight out of a David Cronenberg body horror. The creature design here is outstanding, and far beyond what would appear on a 90s TV show aimed primarily at children.
Clone Jean reveals herself to be the villain known as the Goblin Queen before escaping X Mansion with Nathan Summers. The original Jean Grey, meanwhile, is still recovering, and has not yet regained control of her telepathy, leaving her hearing far too many thoughts at once. Magneto, Cyclops, Morph, and Bishop head out to confront the Goblin Queen head on, but find themselves outmatched by her considerable psychic powers. At the same time, Mister Sinister begins a terrifying procedure on Nathan Summers.
How does X-Men ’97 Epsiode 3 End?
Jean Grey vs. The Goblin Queen
Though the other X-Men cannot defeat the Goblin Queen, the original Jean Grey telepathically jumps in to help, resulting in a visually stunning showdown that is as exciting as it is emotional. Jean reminds the Goblin Queen of her humanity, showing her the vision of giving birth to Nathan, and reminding her of who she once was. All of this is achieved through visuals that would feel right at home on the pages of Marvel comics, evoking two-page splash panels in every moment. This segment also includes references to Jean’s time as the Phoenix.
Goblin Queen Quick Facts
- Made her first appearance in Uncanny X-Men #168
- Has been a member of both the X-Men and the Hellfire Club
- Possesses telepathic and telekinetic powers enhanced by magic
After being brought back to reality by Jean, the Goblin Queen helps the team to fight off Mister Sinister and rescue Nathan. However, they are dismayed to learn that whatever it was that Mister Sinister was doing to Nathan, it is now too late to stop it, and the infected baby is taken back to X Mansion.
The Fate of Nathan Summers
Anyone who is familiar with X-Men lore knows that Nathan Summers eventually grows up to become the character Cable, a powerful mutant who is usually seen wielding futuristic weaponry, and who fights alongside the X-Men after traveling back in time. What “Fire Made Flesh” does is show the very beginning of Cable’s story, where Beast determines that the boy has been infected with a techno-organic virus that is quickly spreading throughout his body. Even rendered in animation, watching a small baby in distress is likely to stir up emotions in people who have kids of their own (who also maybe spent their youth watching X-Men in the 90s).
At the episode’s conclusion, Bishop takes Nathan to an unspecified future where they may be a cure for the virus, and Cyclops and Jean Grey share a sad farewell with their son as they watch him go. It’s just another example of how X-Men ’97‘s more mature storytelling, as maybe the show is acknowledging how much the original audience has grown since the original series.
Elsewhere, the second Jean Grey decides to leave X Mansion, sharing her own farewell with the original Jean. In a final nod to comics readers, who would have already seen this coming, the second Jean takes on the name Madelyne Pryor. There’s no telling whether this is the last audiences have seen of Madelyne, but if it was, it would be a satisfying conclusion to her story.
In the final beat of the episode, Storm is in a bar where she is approached by Forge, who claims to be a friend of Charles Xavier. He offers to help her get back what she’s lost, perhaps promising further developments for the character in future episodes. For now, X-Men ’97 has delivered its best episode yet, packed with plenty of great character beats and stellar action sequences. Even after its box office stumbles (along with one big Disney Plus flop in Secret Invasion), Marvel may have finally found its groove again.
X-Men ’97 is available to stream on Disney Plus.
X-Men ’97
The animated X-Men team returns in the Disney Plus reboot, X-Men ’97. With Professor X gone, Cyclops, Wolverine, Jean Grey, and the rest of the mutants find themselves under the leadership of Magneto and facing a new threat. X-Men ’97 is the first project under the newly created Marvel Animation banner.
Release Date
March 20, 2024
Cast
Jennifer Hale
, Ray Chase
, Cal Dodd
, Lenore Zann
, George Buza
Seasons
1
Studio
Marvel Animation
Creator
Beau DeMayo
Number of Episodes
10
Streaming Service(s)
Disney Plus
Franchise(s)
X-Men
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Some viewers seem to hate the idea of a nonbinary character existing in X-Men ’97. But one actor pointed out how they missed the point of the series.
Fuente: successacademy.edu.vn
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