What’s funny with Cable is that while he was never considered a member of the team, Japan thought otherwise. The famous “CRY FOR THE MOON!!” the Japanese intro of the original cartoon often threw Cable into the mix, acting like he might as well be a part of the team. At least somebody out there was trying to shake things up.
Nightcrawler and the All-New X-Men
It took four seasons for Nightcrawler to finally appear on the original X-Men, which is nuts. A staple from the comics and a fan-favorite, if anyone should have been added to the team in a late-stage attempt to shake things up, it’s this guy. Nightcrawler appeared for two episodes, “Nightcrawler” and “Bloodlines,” but they never even suggested he hang out at the mansion in the aftermath. We would have to wait nearly 30 years for that invitation.
Kurt Wagner finally returns in X-Men ’97‘s devastating Genosha episode “Remember It,” in which the Sentinels not only destroy the mutant nation but also kill Magneto and Gambit in the process. Episode 6, “Lifedeath Part II,” makes clear that Nightcrawler’s re-introduction is no accident, as he’s now been added to the opening credits, suggesting he’s taking over for Gambit on the team. That episode also sets up the return of Professor X as the leader of the mutant superhero team.
In other words, X-Men ’97 has now set an all-new lineup going forward: Cyclops, Jean Grey, Wolverine, Morph, Beast, and Nightcrawler, led once again by Charles Xavier. It’s a change that establishes once and for all that the new animated X-Men will be as fluid as the comics that inspired them. It’s definitely a refreshing change of pace that will allow Marvel Studios to really experiment with the team’s dynamic going forward. Not to mention that Xavier’s absence while his children suffered back on Earth, as well as Nightcrawler’s experiences during the destruction of Genosha, will likely add quite a bit of drama to their new/old roles on the team.
In the years following X-Men: The Animated Series going off the air, superhero cartoons were able to change things up a bit more. Justice League went two seasons with seven members while flirting with the idea of Aquaman joining. Then the show turned into Justice League Unlimited and dozens upon dozens of heroes joined the fray. Then there’s Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, which changed the group pose at the end of the show’s intro from episode to episode. Now X-Men ’97 is following that idea. No more contrived reasons why characters can’t leave or join the team. No more X-cuses.
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