The X-Men are coming to the MCU, that much is clear, but oddly enough it’s not a rebooted team of the Children of the Atom we’re getting, but the returns of the two most iconic legacy versions of the mutant heroes instead. Many of the OG Fox cast are rumored to be back for Deadpool 3 and then Marvel Studios is sequelizing X-Men: The Animated Series with the nostalgic animated series X-Men ’97.
Because of this throwback technique to folding the X-Men into the MCU multiverse, we’re not expecting a whole lot of new characters we haven’t yet met before on screen in either of these two projects. Having said that, fresh intel is pointing to a popular comic book character will be making their animated debut in X-Men ’97. Specifically, scooper CWGST claims that Madelyne Pryor will be turning up in the incoming show.
Oh, woe is me as I now have the unfortunate job of attempting to sum up Madelyne’s gonzo comic book history for anyone understandably not familiar with the character. *Cracks knuckles.* OK, so back in 1983, Madelyne was introduced as Cyclops’ new romantic interest who conveniently looks identical to his long-lost love Jean Grey. Writer Chris Claremont simply envisioned her as a means to give Scott Summers a happy ending.
However, because comics never stop, Madelyne’s happy ending eventually became a nightmare. In the 1990s, she was retconned as a clone of Jean, and after Jean was resurrected, Scott Summers abandoned his wife and child (who grows up to be Cable!) for his first love. This then sends Madelyne on the path to villainy, because she’s corrupted by a demon from Limbo (just go with it). More recently, she’s become the Goblin Queen and has gotten tied into Spider-Man’s own convoluted Clone Saga. Starting this August, she’ll be leading her own anti X-Men team in Dark X-Men.
While her involvement in X-Men ’97 has yet to be officially announced, it would make sense given how the series will be picking up where X:TAS left off and therefore will expand its mythology, not to mention hark back to the glorious excess of ’90s Marvel comics. So, what’s next, Madelyne Pryor in live-action? I mean, that would be one way to liven up the well-worn Dark Phoenix arc…