Last week saw the conclusion of Marvel Animation’s X-Men ’97, a reverential continuation of the widely popular 1990s X-Men: The Animated Series. Going into the first season’s two-episode premiere back in March, I wasn’t all that excited for the latest Marvel adventure, as the comic-book franchise’s constant stream of content burned my once-passionate interest in superheroes too many times to count. But as I tuned in to the television show every week for the past two months, I avidly enjoyed it for what it was: a fun, campy melodrama reminiscent of Saturday-morning cartoons that operates outside the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
This is why X-Men ’97 is arguably the best Disney+ Marvel project out right now. The animated sequel isn’t bogged down with the MCU’s persistent problems of overt propaganda or nonsensical writing. Instead, it crafts a compelling story filled with intriguing characters, interpersonal drama, and inventive action that respects what came before.
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