Over the past few weeks, X-Men ’97 has been delivering some superb new episodes. The cartoon series – a continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series – is serving up more thrills, spills, and emotions than any Marvel fan could have expected, and boy, is it one heck of a ride!
This week, the show arrives at Episode Six, which is titled ‘Lifedeath: Part Two‘. The episode follows on from ‘To Me, My X-Men‘ (E1), ‘Mutant Liberation Begins‘ (E2), ‘Fire Made Flesh‘ (E3), ‘Motendo/Lifedeath: Part One‘ (4), and ‘Remember It‘ (E5).
As with previous episodes of X-Men ’97, ‘Lifedeath: Part Two‘ is jam-packed with references and in-jokes related to X-Men: The Animated Series, as well as the wider X-Men universe. And as with previous weeks, I’ll be taking a look at those references with a run-through of what you might have missed if you’re too busy getting caught up in all the action!
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Roll credits
As is now customary, X-Men ‘97 kicks off with some changes in the opening credit sequence. The first of these changes begins with an on screen credit for Nightcrawler.
The teleporting German mutant, affectionately known in the comics as ‘fuzzy little elf’, has finally made it onto the team. Hurrah!
Nightcrawler was first introduced into the comics via Giant-Sized X-Men issue #1 in 1975, and has previously appeared in movies, cartoon shows, and a couple of episodes of X-Men: The Animated Series. However, this is officially the first time he is considered an X-Man on X-Men ‘97.
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Dark destroyers
The second change in the credits comes with the insertion of a new scene featuring two Sentinels: Nimrod and Master Mold. Those who follow X-Men ‘97 will know that Master Mold previously appeared in Episode One (aka ‘To Me, My X-Men’), while Nimrod appeared in the X-Men: The Animated Seriesepisodes, ‘Days of Future Past’ and ‘One Man’s Worth’.
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Run with us
Another blink and you’ll miss it change, but as the credits continue and the X-Men run along the screen (as they do in every episode), Nightcrawler is now part of this sequence.
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The Imperial Guard
The next change in the credits comes with another new sequence which features Gladiator and the Imperial Guard. These warriors – who are part of the Shi’ar Empire – appeared in X-Men: The Animated Series multiple times, beginning with the epic five-part storyline, ‘Phoenix Saga’.
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Charles and Lilandra
And as the Imperial Guard fade from the screen, Professor Charles Xavier and Lilandra appear. This scene is a call back to the romance shared between Charles and Lilandra, which featured in X-Men: The Animated Series.
This scene also acts as reminder that X-Men: The Animated Series concluded with Charles Xavier leaving Earth with Lilandra, following an assassination attempt on his life. He did not die, as previously stated in the first few episodes of X-Men ‘97.
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X-Men continues
Onto the episode itself now, but first a quick mention about the title.
This sixth instalment of X-Men ‘97 is called ‘Lifedeath: Part Two’. The story contains connections to Episode Four aka ‘Montendo/Lifedeath: Part One’, which featured Storm.
However, the lifedeath here is not just a reference to the ongoing saga with Storm. It is also in reference to the supposed death of Charles Xavier, who has spent a year alive amongst the Shi’ar, while on Earth he is officially dead.
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Deathbird
As the episode begins, the first major character to appear on screen is Deathbird. For those unfamiliar with Deathbird, she is the sister of Lilandra and D’Ken, and longs to rule the throne of the Shi’ar.
Deathbird previously appeared on X-Men: The Animated Series, albeit very briefly. She featured in the four-part storyline, ‘Beyond Good and Evil’.
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Ronan
The next major character to appear on screen is Ronan the Accuser. Ronan is a member of the alien race known as the Kree.
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Another Summers
And in quick succession, yet another major character appears on screen, this time in the shape of Vulcan. Vulcan appears briefly in the battle with Ronan the Accuser, and appears to be working for Deathbird.
For those unfamiliar with Vulcan, his real name is Gabriel Summers. Gabriel is brother to Scott Summers (Cyclops) and Alex Summers (Havok), son to Christopher Summers (Corsair), and uncle to Nathan Summers (Cable).
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Xavier returns
And now for the big reveal: Professor Charles Xavier is not dead. And thanks to Shi’ar technology, he has also regained the ability to walk, which is why he does not require a wheelchair in this episode.
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A familiar voice
Moving away from the Shi’ar and back to Earth, as ‘Lifedeath: Part Two’ picks up with Storm’s story and her battle with the Adversary. And if the Adversary sounds familiar it is because the mystical demon is voiced by Alison Sealy-Smith, aka the voice actress who also voices Storm.
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Let me out
During Storm’s battle with the Adversary, she is temporarily locked inside a coffin, which causes her to panic. This scene – as well as a later sequence with Storm crawling through a cave – is a reference to Storm’s lifelong struggle with claustrophobia, which she has had since childhood, and has previously been mentioned on X-Men: The Animated Series.
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Weathering the change
One of the key plot points of this episode centres around Storm regaining her powers. After a second fight with the Adversary she finally gains control of her mutant ability to control the weather, which also (inexplicably) transforms her appearance.
During this change in appearance, Storm’s hair grows and she adopts a new costume, which has not previously featured on X-Men ‘97 or X-Men: The Animated Series. However, comic book fans will be aware this is the same costume which Storm wore when she was introduced into the comics via Giant-Sized X-Men in 1975.
Yes, the same Giant-Sized X-Men that introduced Nightcrawler.
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Children of the Atom
During the course of this episode, Charles Xavier makes reference to the X-Men being his “children of the Atom”. The term ‘children of the Atom’ refers to a science fiction novel from 1953, but is also a term commonly used to describe the X-Men in the comics.
In essence, the term refers to the X-Men being a product of the post-nuclear age. The characters were created in 1963, when there were fears that the atomic bomb, as well as advancements in science and technology, could perhaps lead to mutations and an uncertain future.
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Death awaits
As the episode starts to draw to a close, Xavier learns of what happened on Genosha and becomes aware of Gambit’s death. It is here he has a vision of Gambit, whose face transforms into a skeleton.
This sequence is to highlight that Gambit has passed away, as seen in Episode Five, ‘Remember It‘, but Gambit’s connection to death doesn’t end here. In the comics, Gambit once became ‘Death’, one of Apocalypse’s Four Horsemen, so this could be a tease for a future storyline.
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A war is coming
And finally, as the episode concludes two villains appear on screen. One is Bolivar Trask and the other is Mr. Sinister.
During their union it becomes clear they were behind the devastating attack on Genosha, as seen in Episode Five. In this sequence, Trask is afraid of Sinister, who looms large.
In the background of this sequence, Trask can be seen running past a cinema which is advertising the 1953 movie, War of the Worlds – a big screen adaptation of the classic H. G. Wells novel. War of the Worlds is a nod to the coming war which is set to take place between humans and mutants, as a result of the attack on Genosha.
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