The Mutants We Want to See in X-Men ’97

The Marvel Cinematic Multiverse has already begun to embrace the X-Men Animated series that defined the Mutants for a whole generation. While nods to the show such as Professor X’s yellow chair in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, have hinted towards further live-action interactions between the project and the MCU, X-Men ’97 demonstrates a commitment to the nostalgic project in animation.

X-Men ’97 will reunite fans with the classic incarnations of these characters. While the original show featured unforgettable Mutants like Wolverine, Storm, Professor X, and Rogue, the new show can look to the modern comic landscape for some additional figures. These Mutants would fit well into the X-Men ’97, with their appearances acting as a potential precursor to a future live-action role.

X-23 Deserves a Chance to Follow-Up Wolverine

First Comic Book Appearance: NYX #3 (2004)

Laura Kinney, the clone daughter of Logan, first appeared in the animated show X-Men: Evolution in the episode titled ‘X23.’ The character has been completely entrenched in Marvel lore, making her big-screen debut in Logan and taking over as Wolverine in the comics.

X-23 is still developing as a hero and maturing, with a complex past of rage and regret to explore. As Wolverine’s role in X-Men ’97 continues to evolve as he ages, it would be compelling to see him placed in a father-and-daughter dynamic with the introduction of Laura thus adding another chapter to the complex family story. What’s more, X-23 herself would be a breath of fresh air for the team, a reckless youth likely to cause mayhem.

Synch’s Powers Need to Be Explored in Animation

First Comic Book Appearance: X-Men #36 (1994)

Synch feels like a modern character but has actually been around since the mid-90s. Despite a brief name-drop in X2: X-Men United, the character hasn’t had much of a chance to shine on screen just yet. That’s a shame, as his ambitious power set adds a great deal to the team’s range of abilities.

Everett Thomas can synch up with the surrounding Mutants, duplicating their powers and thus adding an unexpected element to a battle. There are so many inventive ways for Synch to contribute to X-Men ’97 and his complicated love affair with Laura Kinney would ensure that some much-needed romantic conflict could be added to proceedings.

Magik Has Already Proven Herself in Live-Action

First Comic Book Appearance: Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975)

Magik is by far one of Marvel’s strongest heroes, and her status has grown in recent years as the comic book company embraces her full range of talents. Thus far, her screen time has been defined by The New Mutants, a sub-par film that featured a truly brilliant portrayal of the Mutant.

Magik needs another shot and X-Men ’97 feels like a natural place to make that happen. Her supernatural gifts and links to Limbo can expand the thematic concepts of the series, with even more unusual narrative arcs being embraced via the character. Although Illyana Rasputin appeared in an episode of X-Men: The Animated Series, her strengths, such as her leadership abilities and sheer power, weren’t particularly explored.

Prodigy And His Intelligence Could Elevate the Series

First Comic Book Appearance: New Mutants Vol. 2 #4 (2003)

Prodigy is yet to appear on screen, making him a fantastic contender for X-Men ’97. From the Young Avengers to the New Mutants and the New X-Men, David Alleyne has contributed to a huge variety of teams and is constantly proven to be an unsung MVP who always lives up to his name.

Prodigy can telepathically absorb knowledge and information, making him incredibly intelligent and a masterful tactician. X-Men ’97 may need someone new to come in and fill the role of the guy in the chair and Prodigy is perfectly placed to do so. Because of the specificness of his powers, the MCU needs to get Prodigy’s adaptation right and a run in the animated show first would be wise.

Hope Captures the Struggles of the Summers Family

First Comic Book Appearance: X-Men #205 (2007)

First Comic Book Appearance: X-Men #205 (2007)

Omega-level Mutants are complete game-changers in the X-Men’s world and Hope Summers’ powerful impact cannot be ignored. An iteration of Hope appears in Deadpool 2 in the far future, but she is not shown to be the all-powerful Mutant that comic book fans know.

Hope is the adopted daughter of Cable, and was born after the decimation, an event that almost wiped out Mutantkind for good. The hero thus was a beacon of hope for her people and has even been known as the Mutant Messiah. There are huge narratives for X-Men ’97 to adopt from the comics involving Hope and her role in Mutant history, which could up the scale of the show.

Warlock’s Return Would Be a Pleasant Surprise

First Comic Book Appearance: The New Mutants #18 (1984)

Warlock, a Mutant member of the Technarchy, has previously appeared in X-Men: The Animated Series. However, the original version, while vital to the narrative, didn’t quite reflect the character that fans have come to know on the page. In fact, his story is heavily altered with the character arriving on Earth to escape merging with the Phalanx.

Warlock’s links to the Technovirus and his compassionate demeanor make him a three-dimensional figure with a lot more potential to grow. Warlock should return as a permanent member of the team in X-Men ’97 but perhaps with a few alterations to make him a little more page-accurate, such as a focus on his friendship with Cypher. His unique animation style makes him a must-have figure for a new season.

Destiny Could Further Expand Mystique’s Story

First Comic Book Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #141 (1980)

Destiny had a role to play in the animated show X-Men: Evolution, but that only scratched the surface of what she could do. Irene Adler has recently become a massively influential character in the comics, as a fortune-teller with long-term plans to manipulate her future.

Adler’s ability to see events that have not yet come to pass would bring her into the X-Men ’97 world as a vital storytelling tool. But exposition aside, her love story with Mystique and her prominent position as a manipulator of Mutantkind provide plenty of compelling arcs to leap into, straight from the comics.

The Stepford Cuckoos Could Tease a Return of Emma Frost

First Comic Book Appearance: New X-Men #118 (2001)

The Stepford Cuckoos might be familiar to fans of the live-action show The Gifted, which featured the Frost Sisters who were psychically connected and telepathically powerful. The daughters of Emma Frost work as a unit in the comics and possess many of the same skills as their mother.

Emma Frost herself appeared in several episodes of X-Men: The Animated Series so the Stepford Cuckoos can be easily introduced to X-Men ’97. It’s always fun to delve into narratives that explore the character’s individualism and how that contrasts with their groupthink. As unpredictable members of the X-Men, or as potential antagonists, the sisters would absolutely stand out from a stacked cast.

First Comic Book Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #194 (1985)

The Fenris twins act as leading characters in the live-action show The Gifted, although their full comic book heritage was not fully portrayed due to various character rights. In truth, Fenris consists of Andrea and Andreas von Strucker, the children of Baron von Strucker and Nazi sympathizers.

Becoming terrorists in their older years and embracing their Mutant gifts, Fenris are dangerous villains who could prove to be an undeniable threat to the X-Men in X-Men ’97. What’s interesting is that the links to the MCU mean that Fenris could be portrayed as von Struckers, thus serving as a connecting point to the wider Marvel Studios continuity.

Exodus Could Help Hope’s Character While Offering a New Challenge For the X-Men

First Comic Book Appearance: X-Factor #92 (1993)

Exodus might not have been a major influencer in any X-Men movies, TV shows, or indeed the animated series, he has become a particularly critical character in the modern X-Men comics. It’s about time that this Omega-level Mutant was given a bigger platform.

Exodus is multi-layered, serving as both a dangerous antagonist and the protector of Hope Summers. His ideological conviction gives the figure an edge, and powers such as telekinesis, teleportation, and mind control allow him to back up his beliefs. There are so many ways to portray Exodus and X-Men ’97 would truly benefit from this generational but underutilized character.