“X-Men: The Animated Series” continues to cast a phoenix-sized shadow over the Marvel Universe. Airing from 1992 to 1997, the series offered a definitive portrayal of the iconic superhero team for a generation growing up on Saturday morning cartoons. Nearly 30 years later, the show’s dazzling legacy carries on with “X-Men ’97.” Of all the X-Men animated shows, however, one less-remembered effort deserves far more love and recognition than it currently receives.
“X-Men: Evolution” first aired in November 2000, three years after its predecessor’s last episode, and just a few months after the mutant team’s live-action debut on the big screen. From the very beginning, the series had a colossal and unenviable task in front of it. It had to reintroduce everyone’s favorite Marvel characters, for one thing — the Avengers were nowhere close to being mainstream yet. At the same time, it had to separate itself from both its live-action counterpart and one of the greatest superhero cartoons of all time. The show also needed to strike an impossible balance of familiar sentimentality and originality. Four seasons, 52 episodes, and over 20 years later, however, it’s safe to say that “X-Men: Evolution” did all of this in spades.
X-Men: Evolution was a breath of fresh air for the franchise
Arguably the best thing “X-Men: Evolution” did to differentiate itself from other X-tales of the time was age down most of its cast and place them in an actual high school. From the very first episode, characters like Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue, and Nightcrawler are teens who get to act … well, like teens. They’re kids who have to juggle saving the day with class field trips and finding dates for the big dance, all while hiding their mutant identities from the world. Meanwhile, fan favorites like Storm and Wolverine get to serve as older mentor figures.
“Evolution” took what fans know and adapted it all for the new millennium. Rogue is still very much Southern, just with an updated goth look. Cyclops still gets to become a no-nonsense field commander, and Wolverine remains the team’s loveable gruff uncle — but the revamped ages mean the love triangle between them and Jean Grey is finally thrown out the window, giving the trio a chance to thrive outside that storyline.
Simply put, “X-Men: Evolution” is an underrated gem that continues to gleam bright in the ever-expanding Marvel canon. For fans who may have missed the show when it first aired, or those who are anxiously waiting for more “X-Men ’97” episodes to roll out, be sure to check out “Evolution.” Decades after its end, it remains one of the best “X-Men” stories ever told. You can currently find the show streaming on Disney+.