The Possible Missing Potential Of "X-Men: The Animated Series" IMHO

 

It's easy to be extremely biased when comparing X-Men: The Animated Series and X-Men Evolution. There are also comic book purists who simply bash any form of adaptation whatsoever. X-Men: The Animated Series had a considerable departure from the comics. It was because this was TV-Y7-FV. That means brutal scenes like Angel's wings getting mutilated would never get past the censors. I was thinking about the missing potential of an otherwise beloved series. Yes, I'm kinda nitpicky so DEAL. WITH. IT. I learned to be nitpicky after I wrote some bad stories. Somehow, being nitpicky can be fun as well.

Apocalypse showed up too soon IMHO

Some people think X-Men: Evolution was too much of a radical departure. However, that series had some better stuff done like slowly introducing the core team. Saban's version rushed everything for a reason -- something that was a common trend in the 1980s to 1990s. Who can remember the 1980s Transformers cartoon introduced almost everyone at once? Compare that to Beast Wars where the characters were slowly and gradually introduced -- giving breathing space to viewers!

Apocalypse is shown as the main villain and true mastermind behind Magneto's Brotherhood. Mystique follows orders out of fear of his terror. I could easily point out some things that I felt was wrong. X-Men: Evolution did Apocalypse better IMHO. My only beef was that Angel wasn't turned into Archangel as planned. Instead, it was Magneto, Mystique, Storm, and Professor X that became the Four Horsemen in this version. However, X-Men: Evolution gave Apocalypse enough mystery. Apocalypse showing up too soon in Season 1 just felt, "Like what happened to Magneto's role?" It's revealed Magneto is also one of his underlings. Both Magneto and Mystique later betray him over his madness.

I don't want to say this but X-Men: Evolution presented Apocalypse as an ancient menace that was sealed off. Apocalypse should've been kept mysterious until later. Why was Apocalypse immediately introduced so soon? Shouldn't Magneto be focused before introducing this more powerful villain? Make no mistake that Apocalypse is a fan favorite. However, this was a premature release when he could've been saved for later.

The X-Factor episode was practically sidelined

Nerdist

Several classic members are really Demoted to Extra

I'm not exactly a comic book purist. There are time I wished Juggernaut was a mutant than a mystically-enhanced human. There were some guest characters in X-Men: TAS that were actually regular characters in the comics. The ones above such as Iceman, Angel (Archangel), Colossus, and Nightcrawler deserve more screentime. X-Men: Evolution somehow decided to pick Nightcrawler into the regular team.

What's the real point? Iceman was a founding member. Angel was the first X-Men member to become Apocalypse' Horseman. Also, the comics never had Angel wanting to be human but accepted Apocalypse' deal to get new wings. Colossus was supposed to be part of the core team but we know how Pryde of the X-Men ended up. These people should've been part of the regular team or frequent sidekicks to the main cast.

Angel also had an unforeseen continuity error. Angel acted like he never knew the X-Men. However, later episodes showed that he was a founding member. Angel did make several appearances in other Apocalypse-focused episodes though. Colossus sadly only had two appearances. Nightcrawler wasn't given much to work with.

Havok is supposedly one of the most important characters. Come on, he's Cyclops' missing brother! X-Men: Evolution made Alexander Summers (Masters) more important. It's a sad thing that the show didn't directly address Cyclops and Havok as brothers. It's a shame that the X-Factor episode was never expanded upon. I feel like they should've had their own TV series too. 

Not to mention PSYLOCKE. I'm probably one to have an extreme favoritism for her. I use her a lot in the Marvel Super Heroes fighting game by Capcom. So why is she a popular character in the comics, NEGLECTED IN THE CARTOON to JUST A GUEST CHARACTER? 

The original opening featuring Magneto's Brotherhood could've brought in interesting plots but we know what happened...

It's probably buggy that Warpath and some guy with a pink head (and if I'm not wrong, he was never in the show) showed up. It's like how Napalm Man was in the opening credits of the Ruby-Spears Mega Man cartoon but NEVER appeared in the show. The show could've fleshed out the Brotherhood of Mutants all before making Apocalypse show up.

Okay, the comics had Juggernaut as a non-mutant. It would've been interesting if Juggernaut was rewritten as a mutant. I actually liked the idea of turning Elektro into Red Skull's son in Spider-Man: The Animated Series. I would've actually wanted Juggernaut to be a recurring member of the Brotherhood than just a random nuisance. Come on, it would've created tension IF Juggernaut was Professor X's stepbrother on the other side. That was a potential plot left in the dust because Pryde of the X-Men was a failed pilot. So why was Juggernaut introduced as part of this evil organization in the opening BUT NOT IN THE SHOW?

I was thinking about how Magneto and Mystique didn't interact much. X-Men: Evolution managed to change that in the first season -- all before the two became enemies. Yes, Magneto was doing the Survival of the Fittest. That caused Mystique and Magneto to be strained. IMHO, I wish Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch also left Magneto -- not just Nightcrawler and Rogue leaving Mystique too in X-Men: Evolution. Magneto and Mystique weren't working together too often in the comics though. Making Magneto and Mystique have more episodes together could've worked.

Speaking of which, Pryde of the X-Men also had the White Queen and Toad as members of the Brotherhood. There are times I feel it could've been interesting if White Queen and Mastermind were inside job agents in the Inner Circle. Toad was sadly demoted into just a guest character. Toad was supposedly Magneto's favorite scapegoat of sorts -- aside from the Blob. 

Magneto's three children could've been an interesting arc

Way before Disney threw a tantrum -- there was the interesting story arc where Magneto was the father of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Polaris as Magneto's daughter could've worked well into the cartoon too. The episode where "Family Ties" came could've created a whole batch of episodes. I'd probably have Polaris thrown into the mix. It would be interesting if Havok was actually dating Magneto's daughter and HAD NO IDEA ABOUT IT. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch sadly had more development outside X-Men: The Animated Series. 

It might've also been an interesting plot if Magneto actually showed up in Marvel Action Hour. That incarnation of the Scarlet Witch created an Archie-Betty-Veronica plot with Iron Man, Spider-Woman, and the Scarlet Witch. Wolverine and the X-Men gave them some dynamic as a family. X-Men Evolution gave some more dynamic when Magneto was presented as a negligent father. Magneto would later force Mastermind (who only showed up once) to rewrite the Scarlet Witch's memories. 

Entertainment Weekly

Cable and Deadpool could've made an interesting spin-off saga

Cable was often presented as a time-traveler. It wasn't until "Time Fugitives" arc that Jean Grey read Cable's mind and found out about their connection. Yes, Cable was probably intended to be the son of Cyclops and Jean Grey in the cartoon. However, X-Men '97 added Madelyne Pryor and changed the way Cable got the Techno-Organic Virus. There are times I would prefer if Cable was more like Future Trunks in Dragon Ball Z (and Akira Toriyama may have copied the Days of Future Past plot) instead of a time-displaced son. I definitely don't want to have a son old enough to be my father!

Deadpool made cameos but why wasn't the merc with the mouth EVEN ADDED IN? Isn't Deadpool also one of the most popular comic book antiheroes? Deadpool could've been a guest in some Cable-based episodes. Deadpool could've showed up in Spider-Man: TAS or in the Marvel Action Hour. So what was with Deadpool being just a cameo and never even had a guest role whatsoever?

The family tree of Graydon Creed

It's no secret that Graydon's one of the best villains in the show. Graydon has so much potential to be a good character IMHO. Graydon was discovered to be the son of Sabertooth and Mystique. The plot "Bloodlines" would've been a good way to write things in. In fact, I even feel like Sabertooth was supposed to be Nightcrawler's father! The episode "The Lotus and the Steel" had Wolverine hallucinate of Nightcrawler who becomes Sabertooth. It's kinda obvious that Mystique giving birth to a mutant baby that LOOKS NOTHING LIKE THE COUNT implies she cuckolded him.

The artwork almost implies that Sabertooth is REALLY Nightcrawler's father. It was also hinted in the X-Men: Age of Apocalypse storyline that Sabertooth was Nightcrawler's father. I would've actually preferred if Nightcrawler was Sabertooth's son and not just Graydon alone. That would be so much mutant filth. I believe the Human High Council that replaced Graydon could've mentioned, "Well, turns out that you're the human firstborn of two mutant parents." I almost feel Mystique's lines were edited. Mystique may have said, "Your legal father..." 

In fact, I feel like we need an episode of Nightcrawler discovering that Sabertooth is HIS FATHER. That would've been an interesting dynamic. Nightcrawler being an X-Man all the while his parents and brother Graydon, are villains. Azazel was only added into the X-Men continuity in 2003 -- meaning that it was possibly a parentage retcon. I feel Azazel could've been added without otherwise being Nightcrawler's father. 

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Just my crazy thoughts!