The Unrealized Vision: A Darker, More Militarized X-Men 97 Season 2
In a recent interview, the creator of X-Men '97, Beau DeMayo, shared his vision for what Season 2 of the Marvel Animation show would have looked like if he had been able to fully execute his plans. The show, which premiered on Disney+ in March 2024, was created by DeMayo but he was fired as head writer shortly before its debut. Despite being credited as a writer on Season 2, it is unclear how much of his work will be included in the final version of the show.
According to DeMayo, in his version of Season 2, E-Day leads to mutant task forces like the X-Men being banned in the US. This prompts Xavier, eager to find the next step in his dream, to found X-Corp, building the tower from the comics on the ruins of Genosha as a challenge for Val Cooper and the UN since X-Force would now operate outside of UN jurisdiction.
DeMayo explained that he intended to explore the militarization of Xavier's dream in Season 2, moving away from the X-Men being heroes. The final reveal in the S2 finale (which has been cut) is that it was Onslaught slowly gaining control of Xavier that made him defy the UN, start X-Corp, and militarize his team. When the X-Men realize this and Onslaught reveals himself at the end of Episode 9, they don their classic 90s costumes again and return to being heroes as they lead the Avengers, X-Factor, and X-Force against Onslaught.
While a premiere date for X-Men '97 Season 2 has not yet been announced by Marvel, fans can still speculate on what could have been if DeMayo's vision had been fully realized. The potential for a darker and more militarized take on the X-Men universe is intriguing and would have certainly added a new layer to the already rich and complex storyline of the X-Men.
In conclusion, while we may not see DeMayo's vision fully realized in Season 2 of X-Men '97, it is still fascinating to think about what could have been and how it would have impacted the overall storyline of the show. The potential for a darker and more intense take on the X-Men is certainly something that fans will be eagerly awaiting in any future seasons of the show.
