Since the start of its cinematic incarnation, no adaptation of the X-Men had aroused as much expectation as the second season of ‘X-Men’97’which arrives this July 1st at Disney+. After the first season won Best Animated Series at the Critics’ Choice Awards, it became clear that this was not just another animated superhero series. Its secret: an exquisite balance between the nostalgia that it embraces from its very title and its own identity and quality that keep it standing without needing to appeal to the affection of fans.
Just two years ago, ‘X-Men’97’ accumulated 4 million views in its first five days, becoming the biggest premiere of an animated series on the platform since ‘What If…?’ Although that has not turned it into a series with a massive following (its content is still a niche bet), its careful animation style, faithful to the original from the nineties but at the same time sufficiently current, has earned countless praise. The proof: the viewing of the original 1992 series on the platform has doubled since the premiere of this ‘X-Men’97’.
The argument leads us to an intertemporal mess of those that (literally) make an epoch: from Ancient Egypt, where Xavier, Magneto, Rogue, Nightcrawler and the Beast are, to the year 3960, where Cyclops and Jean Gray meet future versions of their children. Apocalypse is the central antagonist this time, in a season that will have no trouble surpassing the poor live-action version from a few years ago. Among the acquisitions in the cast, Neve Campbell stands out as Polaris, daughter of Magneto.
A quick look at the episode titles leads us to guess some of the scenarios and enemies that will be featured this season: there is a ‘Days of Past Future’ that obviously plays with the classic ‘Days of Future Past’); ‘A Force to Be Reckoned With’ introduces X-Force; ‘Rise of Apocalypse’ refers to one of the group’s most fearsome enemies; ‘Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs’ takes us back to Wolverine’s time as Weapon X; ‘Strange Land, Savage Heart’ is a reference to one of the fan-favorite settings, the Savage Land; and ‘The Dead Man’s Hand’ may be a nod to another long-awaited return, that of Gambit. Some confirmed secondary characters are Sabretooth, Mariko, Mental Butterfly, Archangel or Colossus, among many others.
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