X-Men '97 stuck the landing and then some, and that feels like an understatement. "Tolerance is Extinction Part 3" was unbelievably good. What a way to wrap up a season, and what a way to revive a show! Every character got their moment to shine, every detail and plot point served a purpose. The show managed to bring back a cartoon from 30 years ago, update it, modernise it, make it relevant to younger audiences and current social issues, while also maintaining its heart intact in a way that immediately feels familiar to everyone who's grown up with it.
In a way, it feels that the show has grown and matured along with its original audience. Now tackling more serious issues, not holding back on the commentary, exploring trauma, grief, the anger caused by injustice, and remaining true to the X-Men's history as an allegory for the prejudice experienced by marginalised groups, while also understanding how crucial the 'found family' theme that defines the bond that holds those characters together is.
Every nod and Easter egg comes from a place of loving and respecting those stories and the artists and creators who over the years shaped those characters. All episodes were filled with references that comic book fans would recognise, but not once did it feel gimmicky or cheap. The season finale perfectly wrapped the main storyline, but also opened the way for what comes next, and season 2 cannot possibly arrive fast enough.
In a way, it feels that the show has grown and matured along with its original audience. Now tackling more serious issues, not holding back on the commentary, exploring trauma, grief, the anger caused by injustice, and remaining true to the X-Men's history as an allegory for the prejudice experienced by marginalised groups, while also understanding how crucial the 'found family' theme that defines the bond that holds those characters together is.
Every nod and Easter egg comes from a place of loving and respecting those stories and the artists and creators who over the years shaped those characters. All episodes were filled with references that comic book fans would recognise, but not once did it feel gimmicky or cheap. The season finale perfectly wrapped the main storyline, but also opened the way for what comes next, and season 2 cannot possibly arrive fast enough.
