X-Men ‘97star Ross Marquand teases the backstory of his villainous character in the upcoming installment. The series acted as a sequel to the belovedX-Men: The Animated Seriesfrom the ’90s and was a huge hit with critics and audiences. Marquand played the role of Professor Charles Xavier, and in theX-Men ‘97season 1 finale, appeared as the villain Apocalypse.
X-Men ‘97ended with characters in different points of time, with some finding the mutant En Sabah Nur in ancient Egypt before he would adopt the moniker of Apocalypse. He is also seen in a post-credits scene hinting that the deceased Gambit will become the Horseman of Death. The upcomingX-Men ‘97season 2will see the characters all trying to get back to the present.
In an interview withScreenRantfor his sci-fi thrillerDescendent, Marquand teases as much as he can about season 2. As Marquand also plays Xavier, he previews that his two primary characters will be at odds with each other. Looking back on the classic animated show, he believes that audiences will see the character in a new way.
I can’t say much obviously, because Disney will shoot me to death. But I can say that I play Apocalypse in the next season, as well. There’s a really wonderful back and forth between Xavier and Apocalypse in several scenes. I think people are really going to look at the character of Apocalypse in a way that they never have before. And certainly, as a viewer of the original series from when I was a kid, I’m very excited to dive into the psychosis and the basic trauma of what made En Sabah Nur turn into Apocalypse. It’s a really interesting journey, I think people are gonna love it.
What This Mean For X-Men ‘97 Season 2
WhileX-Men ‘97is an appropriate title given that the show is a sequel, it’s a bit of a misnomer considering many of the plot points come from early ‘00sX-Mencomics. After appearing in a cameo at the end ofX-Factor#5, Apocalypse’s first full appearance comes inX-Factor#6 in 1986, co-created by Louise Simonson and Jackson Guice.
Since his first appearance in the mid ’80s, Apocalypse has had his long history fleshed out. As bothX-Men: The Animated SeriesandX-Men ‘97provide fairly faithful adaptations of the comics they are based on, it can be assumed that En Sabah Nur will have a similar backstory to his original counterpart.
Apocalypse is one of the oldest mutants, and for a while in comics was considered the oldest, so there is plenty of material to mine. As Marquand is voicing both Xavier and Apocalypse, it will be interesting to see how the two approach their different points of view.
Our Take On Marquand’s Tease
Marquand’s tease is exciting. One of the better parts ofX-Men ‘97was how it took the quality and reverence of the previous series and still managed to update it. Apocalypse will be one of the most interesting characters in season 2, as viewers will be able to see him thousands of years ago, and a modern version who has seen unimaginable things.
Given thatApocalypse will turn Gambit into the Horseman of Deathand his past actions inX-Men: The Animated Series, it will be interesting to see how he interacts with Xavier’s mutants. As the first installment was so well-received, hopefullyX-Men ‘97season 2 can live up to audiences’ expectations.
X-Men ‘97
Cast
X-Men ‘97 is the direct continuation of the popular 1990s animated series X-Men: The Animated Series. Taking up where the third season left off, Marvel’s revival brings back famous mutants such as Wolverine, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Cyclops, Beast, Magneto, and Nightcrawler, who fight villains like Mr. Sinister, the Sentinels, and the Hellfire Club.
