The X-Men has always been an IP that prides itself on the diverse and interesting cast that it brings to the table. However, lately, it had felt like the IP was just going to focus on some key characters like Magneto, Charles Xavier, and Wolverine while leaving other interesting characters in the dust. X-Men ’97, however, has broken that mold and decided to sideline the more popular X-Men characters to focus on the entire cast of mutants that it has at its disposal.
Cyclops needs to be the leader of the X-Men in the MCU as well
Cyclops, thanks to the Fox films, is recognized by an entire generation as a side character in X-Men, despite his long and storied history when it comes to leading the team into battle, and taking over from Professor X or Magneto when they are absent for whatever reason,
X-Men ’97 has restored Cyclops to his leadership role, which has created some very interesting dynamics for the team, especially given the emotional turmoil he has been facing. Carrying this momentum over to the MCU would not only allow Cyclops to shine through as the leader but would also ask Marvel to focus on X-Men other than the ones made popular by Fox, such as Wolverine, Deadpool, and Magneto.
While these characters definitely have the potential to carry a franchise, Kevin Feige could mirror the attention given to these characters with other X-Men, allowing them to be in the spotlight and not be relegated to the status of side characters in their own films and shows.
Focusing on the X-Men at large could provide the MCU with some great storylines to adapt
Characters like Wolverine, Professor X, and Magneto have been the face of the X-Men for quite some time, having dominated both versions of Fox’s run with the IP. However, X-Men ’97 has opened itself up by focusing on other X-Men, which allows it to adapt some iconic stories that have these characters at the center of them.
Be it the relationship between Scott and Jean, the personal battles of Storm, or even the love triangle between Rogue, Gambit, and Magneto, the show is able to create a very strong sense of connection between the audience and characters that have been relegated to the side for so long.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe needs to create a similar space for its mutants, focusing on the team as a whole rather than choosing one individual character to carry the IP. Of course, it will be necessary to pick a protagonist among the X-Men such that their arc can be fleshed out over multiple crossovers, but when the films are about the mutants, they should be about the mutant population as a whole, focusing on multiple characters rather than just one of them across multiple films.
X-Men ’97 can be streamed on Disney+
