As you might expect, X-Men ’97 really embraces the style and feel of the 1990s. It picks up where X-Men: The Animated Series left off – that show originally aired from 1992 to 1997. For a while, the new series stayed true to the stories and characters from those older comic books. But the most recent episode suggests things are starting to evolve.
As a long-time fan, I noticed a lot of the ideas in the “Danger.Exe” episode felt straight out of early 2000s comics. It’s not the first time X-Men ’97 has pulled from that era, but this episode really leaned into those influences more than ever before. Honestly, it feels like a big signal that the show is changing how it tells its stories, and I’m really excited to see where they take it.
X-Men ’97’s New Villain Originated in the 2000s
Danger, the central villain in “Danger.Exe,” is a robot powered by the mind of an unknown entity. While the Danger Room – a training facility – has been a part of the X-Men’s history since their very first comic book appearance in 1963, the character of Danger is much newer. She first showed up in the comic Astonishing X-Men in 2005, created by Joss Whedon.
The new show, X-Men ’97, generally followed the original storyline for the Danger Room, but made her beginnings a little simpler. In the comics, Professor X asked the inventor Forge to improve the Danger Room using advanced holographic technology from another alien civilization, the Shi’ar Empire. Neither of them realized this technology would cause the Danger Room to become self-aware.
The artificial intelligence, known as Danger.Exe, became angry at being confined within the Danger Room. This frustration led to increasingly violent behavior, ultimately manifesting as a physical form that threatened the X-Men. There was no indication of Shi’ar technology being involved; instead, Danger’s outburst was a severe reaction to Professor X pushing his students to improve their abilities.
Several characters from the early 2000s X-Men comics have shown up in X-Men ’97. The episode “A Force to Be Reckoned With” briefly featured Kid Omega, Dust, and the Stepford Cuckoos. However, Danger had a more significant part in the show’s storyline, so an entire episode was dedicated to her.
This episode wasn’t just a nod to the 2000s with its villain; it also drew heavily from the New X-Men comic series which began in 2001. That comic run sought to update the X-Men characters and make them more similar to how they were portrayed in the movies made by 20th Century Fox. Fittingly, the episode concluded with Professor X establishing X-Corp – an organization that also first appeared in New X-Men.
X-Men ’97 Is More Than a Continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series
As a huge fan, I’ve been blown away by X-Men ’97. It’s clear now that this show isn’t just about bringing back old feelings – it can stand on its own! The way they promoted the first season definitely played up our nostalgia for the original X-Men: The Animated Series, which was awesome. I remember being so excited when the first trailer dropped, with all those classic ’90s vibes like the old TV static and toy commercials. But now that I’ve seen the show, it’s proven to be much more than just a nostalgia trip.
The show’s connection to the original cartoon was a smart move that attracted many viewers, particularly those who weren’t already fans. But even without that nostalgia factor, the first season of X-Men ’97 was fantastic – critics loved it (giving it a 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes), and audiences closely followed with a 91% rating. This success means the series can now forge its own path and take the X-Men story in fresh and exciting directions.
As a huge X-Men fan, I’m loving that X-Men ’97 is bringing to life some of the best stories from my favorite era – things like “The Trial of Magneto” and even big events like “Inferno.” They’ve covered so much ground already, but even with storylines like “Onslaught” still out there, the ’90s can’t last forever. Honestly, I’m excited to see them eventually move into some of the amazing stories from the 2000s, 2010s and today; there’s just so much great material waiting to be adapted!
The show already hinted at this idea in its first season, particularly in the episode “Remember It,” which drew inspiration from the 2001 “E is for Extinction” storyline. While the episode significantly altered the original story by connecting it to Bastion’s plans, the similarities were still noticeable. Had the writers of X-Men ’97 only used comics published before the year 2000 as source material, they wouldn’t have been able to create one of the show’s most captivating episodes.
Now that X-Men ’97 has moved past its initial storyline with “Danger.Exe”, the show can explore newer ideas from X-Men comics, like the Krakoa mutant nation or the Uncanny Avengers team. While the series will likely always maintain a 1990s feel based on its name, it’s no longer restricted to that time period. This opens up possibilities for many more seasons and ensures the show’s continued success.
2026-07-23 14:36