Was Beau De Mayo fired because Disney realized they could never make an #XMen live action movie--or any Marvel movie for that matter--that's better than this season of #XMen97? Kidding of course. But the point is this little animated series supposed to be just a fun nostalgia trip is putting the entire MCU to shame. #Episode9
I dunno if anyone has been watching #XMen97, it's a little rocky but I am really liking it overall. It seems clear to me that when you have a gay black man as the showrunner, you wind up getting a very different kind of show that has a lot to say about oppression, prejudice, respectability politics, problems with allyship, etc. My biggest issue has been the pacing, they are trying to cram a lot of plot lines into 10 30min episodes and it sometimes feels rushed. Still well worth a watch. #XMen
@Eliot_L I love the show so far. That politics/oppression angle is what made the X-Men feel so much more interesting than the Justice League or Avengers to me as a kid. I’m glad the animated show is exploring that angle too. I totally agree with you on the pacing. Episode five was a whole bunch for one episode. I would have liked to spend more time on that island and learned more about it. I bet it would be cool if they tried exploring the New Mutants in the same style too.
It's so weird seeing people pleased to see Charles Xavier back saying his immortal line.
In the comics, just as Magneto has been on the side of the angels for the last twenty plus years, ol' chuck X has been a moderately unrepentant asshole, soundly shunned by his one-time "Son", Scott Summers and even given lessons in morality by Emma Frost, the White Queen! And lately he figured he could save Mutantkind from eternal dominion by shooting child Moira McTaggert in her past. He was prevented from doing so (thank you, Rachel Summers) but only after he pulled the trigger.
The Onslaught storyline in the early 90s was among the first to really take the shine off his character, Onslaught's revelations re: Xavier's secret 'love' of his underage student, Jean Grey, serving to shatter trust and cast him in a much darker light. Subsequent stories, such as revelations he knew all along Scott had another brother, simply pushed him further away from his original portrayal os a moral guiding light for the X-Men, undoubtedly leading to their wholesale departure from him in the Utopia era, Cyclops' ascendance as the mutant driving force ("Cyclops Was Right") and Magneto's welcome into the fold as a more or less permanent state of affairs. There was a fair amount of revisitiation of earlier decisions too; looking at how he talks a very noble game but in practice he oversteps moral boundaries almost as a matter of course, wiping the minds of entire towns to protect the X-Men's identities, leaving people to believe him dead (as he just did in the cartoon...!) and more besides.
He's also a fairly crappy father to his son, David a.k.a Legion. I have one of those so it's less easy to forgive him that. Even in the Krakoan era (Krakoa is for ALL Mutants) where the likes of Apocalypse and Mr Sinister were made members of the governing council, he mistook David's peaceful reconciliatory overtures as David seeking revenge, and -get this- struck back first. Even when he's Winning at Life he's still a jerk (Thank you for that immortal insult, Kitty Pride).
And going purely by the cartoon let's not gloss over his arrogant presumption in calling for "his" X-Men when his Will handed them wholesale to Magneto, and he's subjected them all to the pain and grief of his loss for MONTHS.
Folks still riding on the nigh saint-like framing he got through the front half of the 90s, without any regard for anything before or after it.
As an aside I wonder just how much of the commitment to a positive image of Xavier has to do with investment in the idea of integration and respectability but that's another topic.
@theothersparrow It's one of my biggest frustrations with portrayals of the X-Men, certain aspects frozen in amber despite decades of further development.
I like your thoughts about his Integrationism, his vaunted "Dream". An interesting point to consider given an episode that just out loud admitted "Magneto was right".
Definitely a line of thought to consider further, thank you for that. (Hit me up later if you fancy chatting about it).
When I was a kid, #Cyclops was my least favorite #XMen for obvious reasons. He was bossy, clean-cut, and frankly had a boring superpower. But now I'm older, he's turned into my favorite. Cyclops is literally the guy who just wants to keep things together amid all the chaos. Dude just wants to have a family and a normal nine-to-five job without the kids getting in trouble while current events blow up all around him. And I like that his superpower is boring, as boring as "clocking in." #Xmen97
#XMen97 is the only show I'm watching, animated or not, where I'm literally trying to catch my breath the last 10 minutes or so. The original #XMen back in the '90s was a quality animated series for sure, but this revival is a totally different beast. Every episode is flat out inspired writing, directing, and animating. This is Emmy Awards stuff. Not even exaggerating. I'd be bummed out if people don't start these discussions, as wild as that sounds. #Episode8
I really love the Marvel vs Capcom games mainly up to the ps vita after that not so much 🤣 They are some great fighting games and especially since watching X-men97 #xmen#marvelvscapcom#VideoGames
@Sharksonaplane Thank you. You are so right and you have give me the nudge I needed to use the block button 😉 on judgy strangers who wonder into my mentions.
@Sharksonaplane I've been second guessing a lot of my interactions on Mastodon lately. Thank you for reminding me that I don't owe anybody my time and attention just because this is public. I can block people for being random buttheads. ! 🤣
Also glad it's not just me finding X-Men 97 so lore/Easter egg heavy it's confusing !
To round out my #Xmen97 cast, I want to do some #fancasting for one of the most important members of the #Xmen, Storm. To say this is a coveted role is an understatement, but my pick carries the strength needed to take on the Goddess herself. My pick is Jodie Turner-Smith because after her performance in 'Queen and Slim' she's earned the right to run away with this one. She's has so much presence and would be dead on for Ororo. 😎
There is a very strong rumor that (if true) would be incredible for the fans of #Xmen. The rumor is that #MarvelStudios is VERY pleased with the success of #Xmen97 and are considering carrying this team into live-action in the #MCU.
If this is true, they would forgo the traditional origin story and give us the complete team introduced during the upcoming #SecretWars storyline. Personally, I think this is a GREAT idea. We don't need the origins of these beloved characters. To me, my X-men. 😎