X-Men ’97, though not officially MCU canon, is one of two bright lights currently leading the way to a new Marvel renaissance — with the other one being Deadpool & Wolverine. The new animated series took everything that made the classic 1990s X-Men: The Animated Series great and built upon it to even greater success. One of the things that stands out is a wide array of cameos that pay homage to the original series and Marvel’s comic book history — some of which left the fans wanting more.
These cameos feature a wide range of characters, from fan-favorite heroes to underappreciated villains, each of whom offered a glimpse into what could have been a fascinating full-fledged episode. Among the highlights is Morph’s transformation into Sabertooth. There’s also the brief appearance of Strong Guy assisting with the clean-up of Genosha after the Sentinel attack, which ties directly into X-Factor. This moment hints at his membership within the group and their potential appearance in the future. Here are five cameos in X-Men ’97 that deserve episodes of their own.
Sabertooth
Of course, we’ll open with Morph’s previously mentioned transformation into Sabertooth. Though it’s not the original Sabertooth, this particular cameo is a nod to the classic Wolverine and Sabertooth rivalry that spanned decades. Contrary to popular belief, the two are not brothers; Sabertooth had a brother named Saul and a sister named Clara, who is believed to be the root cause for his ongoing feud with Wolverine.
The episode could explore the origins of their rivalry, which stems from Logan’s relationship with Sabertooth’s siblings, who are responsible for hunting Logan but also help him escape his captors later on. However, Logan kills Saul after he betrays him, and Clara parts way with both of them. Later on, Sabertooth killed Silver Fox, which was the last straw in a long list of grievances Wolverine holds against Sabertooth. A dedicated episode could explore the beginnings of their rivalry.
Strong Guy
Episode “Bright Eyes” mentioned Guido Carosella, also known as Strong Guy, who was first introduced in 1985’s The New Mutants before he joined X-Factor. Born into a working-class Italian family, Guido was orphaned when falling space debris killed his parents. His superhuman strength mutation was triggered after he was severely beaten by schoolyard bullies, causing him to become overly muscular. Not only that, but his strength amplifies when he absorbs kinetic energy, but he has to spend it before it completely and permanently contorts his body.
Though he only appeared briefly in X-Men ’97, he also made an appearance in TAS, and a dedicated episode could tell a story of a mutant who has no choice but to be violent (to avoid permanent damage) but chooses to use his powers to shield others. It also serves as a tie-in with X-Factor, who has been around for at least a few years in the context of the show.
Leech
Leech’s death in Episode 5 of X-Men ’97 topples even that of Gambit, who had sacrificed himself to destroy Master Mold. For the uninitiated, Leech was a Morlock, a reptilian-looking mutant who was abandoned and left to die when his mutations became apparent. He was found and raised by Morlocks, a group of mutants whose deformities forced them to live in the sewers under Manhattan. His primary power, however, is to dampen or completely suppress the powers and abilities of any superpowered being within 50 feet of him for an undetermined amount of time.
This power helped him suppress the X-Gene of mutants around him, making them invisible on Prime Sentinels’ scanners. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do the same for himself and other Morlocks. They were collectively cut down by Prime Sentinels, which is a sad and horrific moment in the show. What’s even more heartbreaking is the fact that Leech is often depicted as a twelve-year-old. An episode dedicated entirely to Leech could tell a story about dealing with life-long alienation. Besides, there have been episodes dedicated entirely to Morlocks in the previous series.
Silver Samurai and Omega Red
Both Silver Samurai and Omega Red made their cameos in X-Men ’97, as both were affected by Magneto’s EMP. The former appeared in The Animated Series, in which he faced Wolverine in Japan (as horribly adapted in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine) while the latter was particularly fearsome in X-Men: The Animated Series. Though completely separate and independent characters, both have strong ties to Wolverine’s storyline and are often linked to his past. This could make both Silver Samurai and Omega Red interesting foes in the future.
Polaris
We previously discussed Polaris’ potential appearance in the upcoming Season 2 of X-Men ’97 after she made a rather brief appearance in Episode 8, Season 1. She also appeared in TAS, where she’s in a romantic relationship with Iceman. However, none of these depictions demonstrated her awesome abilities effectively — X-Men ’97 did show her repairing Earth’s magnetic field, but it didn’t show the full extent of her power. Her potential appearance in the upcoming season could show just how great and powerful Magento’s daughter really is.
Final Thoughts
The entirety of X-Men ’97 Season 1 was a chock-full of Marvel Comics cameos, and counting all the cameos made by both mutants and non-mutants would require a much longer list than the one we presented you with. Yet, the series has the potential to shine a brighter light on some of these mutants as the narrative evolves, further honoring the legacy of The Animated Series.