5 Biggest Stories X-Men '97 Can Adapt for Seasons 3 and 4

Two seasons into its run, and it’s undeniable that X-Men ’97 is a massive hit; not only has it done a perfect job of continuing the story of the classic cartoon while still being accessible to newcomers, but the show perfectly combines 2D and 3D aesthetics for artwork and animation that constantly lend themselves to gorgeous action and visuals, all of which is further complemented by a script that perfectly captures the dramatic stakes of the original comics.

The success of X-Men ’97 is hardly subjective; not only has Marvel Studios Animation already renewed it for a third and fourth season, but it’s even been stated to be a top priority of the company, as well. As it stands, X-Men ’97 could run for even longer than the original cartoon, which begs the question of what they might adapt for seasons 3 and 4. Fortunately, there are plenty of great X-Men stories left for the show to adapt, and with how great it’s been so far, each one would be utterly amazing to watch play out in animation.

Planet X

Grant Morrison’s legendary run of New X-Men culminated in the “Planet X” story, where it was revealed that the mysterious new X-Man Xorn was actually Magneto, who had infiltrated the X-Men to enact a master plan of inverting the Earth’s magnetic poles and enslaving the human race. It was an incredibly dramatic turn of events that led to Jean Grey’s death, something that wasn’t reversed for almost 20 years, and with everything X-Men ’97 has done with Magneto, it would be great to see it in the show.

Granted, after Grant Morrison left the book, the story was subjected to a series of confusing retcons in which Xorn was revealed to be a real person simply pretending to be Magneto, but if X-Men ’97 did adapt it, then they could either ignore the retcon or make it work by playing into Magneto’s death at the hands of Apocalypse. Whatever the case, “Planet X” would make for a great Magneto story for the show, and hopefully, something like it will be seen.

House Of M

There’s no X-Men story bigger than “House of M”, and it’s easy to see why. The entire premise of Scarlet Witch creating a world where mutants are the dominant species is an incredible idea that gave way for very fun and creative takes on the Marvel Universe, and ending on the massive twist of most mutants in the world losing their powers was nothing short of legendary. The events of “House of M” changed the X-Men’s status quo for years, and over 20 years later, the repercussions are still being felt.

With “House of M” affecting the entire Marvel Universe, and not just the X-Men, it would be an easy way for X-Men ’97 to bring in more Marvel characters from the other ’90s shows and beyond, and the idea of hearing Scarlet Witch’s iconic “No more mutants” line is enough incentive on its own to make it worth seeing. Scarlet Witch was already teased at the end of X-Men '97 season 1, and if she makes a formal appearance, “House of M” could be the perfect way to cap off her arc.

X-Men: Messiah Complex/Messiah War/Second Coming

If X-Men ’97 were to adapt “House of M”, then it would only make sense to adapt “X-Men: Messiah Complex”, “Messiah War”, and “Second Coming”. The series revolves around the X-Men and their allies and enemies fighting for control of Hope, the first child born with the X-gene following “House of M” who could spark the revival of mutantkind, and in addition to how great an addition to the franchise Hope was, the way the story pushes so many characters to extremes to the point that some of the heroes turn heel would all be great to watch in animation.

“House of M” being adapted would completely change the narrative and tone of X-Men ’97, so just like in the comics, the trilogy that’s kicked off by “X-Men: Messiah Complex” would be a perfect palette cleanser to bring back a feeling of hope for the franchise, right down to having a protagonist literally named Hope. All of that would be a fun way of following a hypothetical “House of M” story, and overall, it would be great to see it happen.

Avengers Vs. X-Men

When it comes to hero vs. hero stories, few are more infamous than 2012’s Avengers vs. X-Men. The story solidified the cliché of the Avengers being at odds with the X-Men, and while that could be frustrating to see in X-Men ’97, the drama that would come from it would still be great, especially as it would be a good way of properly introducing the Avengers to the show’s universe. Not only that, but Avengers vs. X-Men also sparked the famous “Cyclops was right” rhetoric, and seeing how that came to be would be great for fans old and new.

More than that, of course, is how Avengers vs. X-Men is the true conclusion of the narrative set up in “House of M”. The story ends with Hope and the Scarlet Witch finally reviving mutants en masse, so if X-Men ’97 were to do a “House of M” story, Avengers vs. X-Men could perfectly close things out with a great range of action and drama. It could be the perfect way of capping off a string of great stories, and hopefully, there’s a chance of seeing that play out.

Honorable Mentions

• Onslaught: Seeing the appearance of Xavier’s all-powerful evil doppelganger would be incredible in animation, and Onslaught himself would make for a great final villain in one season. The only reason this is an honorable mention is that it’s heavily implied that X-Men ’97 is already setting up Onslaught.
• AXIS: The classic crossover is technically an Avengers and X-Men event, and just like in the comics, it would be a lot of fun to see the morality of X-Men’s heroes and villains swapped for a while.
• Age of X-Man: The story could be a fun mini arc that sets up a lot of future events in one season, not unlike the purpose it served in the comics, and while Nate Grey doesn’t exist in the show’s continuity, it wouldn’t be impossible to find a way to fit Cable into the role.

The Krakoan Age

No era of X-Men over the past decade has been bigger and more impactful than the Krakoan Age, and for good reason. For starters, the X-Men finally succeeding in building a world just for mutants was incredibly cathartic and was a perfect vehicle for further developing their powers and lore. Not only that, but the moral complexity was also fun to watch; the X-Men teaming up with their biggest villains and resorting to increasingly dubious acts made the entire situation a powder keg waiting to blow, and when it finally did, the fallout was devastating in the best of ways.

X-Men's Krakoan Age made X-Men and mutants more relevant than they had been in ages, and while the execution of it all left a lot to be desired, the general idea and how it massively changed their place in the world was great at its core. There’s never been a story quite like the Krakoan Age, and with X-Men ’97 not ending anytime soon, it would be a perfect story to adapt in season 3 or 4 and beyond.