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Apart from a packed movie calendar, 2024 looks to be the year for Marvel to give animation more importance. The popular 90s showX-Men: The Animated Seriessaw a revival on Disney+ asX-Men ’97,which premiered on the platform in March. Taking off from where its predecessor ended, the show comprises of 10 episodes that follows the famous mutants on dangerous new missions after the loss of their leader, Professor X.
One of the characters who featured in a regular supporting role in the comics and the original series, was Kurt Wagner aka Nightcrawler. Despite not always being a central figure in the narrative, the mutant has always been considered pivotal to the plot line. In the revival series, his affinity to the show’s directors was amply proved in his introductory appearance in a key episode.
This Powerful Mutant Holds A Soft Spot With Directors
Kurt Wagner akaNightcrawlerhas been an integral part of theX-Menfranchise from the comics to live-action adaptations. He was introduced in the comic bookGiant-Size X-Men#1 in the edition of May 1975 and featured in the 1990X-Men: The Animated Seriesand its successors before being portrayed byAlan Cummingin 2003’sX2.
A younger version of the character was played by Kodi Smit-McPhee inX-Men: Apocalypse,Deadpool 2,andDark Phoenix. Known to possess an X-gene that can cause physical mutations, Nightcrawler’s powers include superhuman agility, the ability to teleport, and adhesive hands and feet.
Despite being considered more of a supporting character in theX-Mensaga, Nightcrawler has been a favorite among many directors, a fact that was evident in 2024’sX-Men ‘97,which is a reboot of the original series in the 90s. Directors Chase Conley and Emi Yonemura spoke toCinema Blendabout why this character always excited them when they were envisioning the series created by Beau DeMayo.
The mutant is introduced in episode 5 of the show when he is revealed to have joined the Council of Genosha to work with the nation’s various communities of faith at the behest of Magneto. His inclusion is significant as he is also known to be a highly religious person, which is evident in later editions of the comics.
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This episode also signals the demise of Gambit who heroically sacrifices his life by blowing up one of the Prime Sentinals during the brutal war against the mutants. Earlier though, the character who is known to be cautious and sceptical, was seen welcoming Nightcrawler into the fold, which Yonemura believed was an important moment that heralded a possible pride of place for him in the future.
There was something very important that we were trying to establish that if Gambit is welcoming to his friend, that the audience… not to say Nightcrawler wouldn’t be a fan-favorite because he obviously is, but that if even Gambit is welcoming of this character, it gets you excited for, ‘What does that mean for the future? What does that mean for the future team roster? What’s going on here?’
Conley meanwhile, had his own glowing opinions about the character and why he believed that he deserved to be a more recognized member of the mutant family.
I’ve always loved Nightcrawler. He’s a great addition in Giant-Sized X-Men [#1]. It’s just cool. Like Rogue, the tragedy of what it is to be a mutant. ‘Oh, I just long for touch, but I can’t physically touch anybody.’ You know what I mean?
The director also spoke about the character’s other dichotomies, including the fact that his fearful looks belied his caring demeanor. These opposing factors made him a very interesting personality whose nuances could be explored in different ways in the storyline.
HowX-Men ‘97Is Paying Tribute To The Original Series
X-Men ‘97,which released in March 2024 on Disney+, received a lot of love from audiences and critics over 10 episodes that created a lot of positive talking points. The series, which is aptly named owing to the original show which ran from 1992 to 1997, also worked perfectly as a fitting tribute to its predecessor in many ways.
To begin with, the series continues from where the 1997 show ends, and follows the narrative of theX-Menwho face dangerous new challenges after the loss of their leader, Professor Xavier. The animated work also took the decision to showcase the specific charm and vibe of the 90s, including the incorporation of the 2D animation style that was integral to the original show.
In addition, many actors who were involved in voicing the characters inX-Men: The Animated Series,wereroped in for its revival as well. Some of these stars include Cal Dodd, who originally played Wolverine, Lenore Zann, who voiced Rogue, and George Buza, who portrayed Beast.
Related“The storytelling is fantastic”: ‘Eyes of Wakanda’ is the Most Important Upcoming Marvel Show For One Sole Reason, Even Overshadowing X-Men ‘97
“The storytelling is fantastic”: ‘Eyes of Wakanda’ is the Most Important Upcoming Marvel Show For One Sole Reason, Even Overshadowing X-Men ‘97
If there is any more proof needed regarding how well the show has been received, one only needs to look at its highly impressiveRotten Tomatoesrating. The series earned a 99% critics rating and a 94% audience rating, making it one of the most successful shows of the year thus far.
X-Men ‘97is streaming on Disney+
Sharanya Sankar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :1230
Sharanya Sankar, Writer for FandomwireHaving completed her Masters degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Sharanya has a solid foundation in writing which is also one of her passions. She has worked previously with Book My show for a couple of years where she gained experience reviewing films and writing feature articles. Sharanya’s articles on film and pop culture have also been published on Film Companion, a popular film-based website. Apart from movies and pop culture, her interests include music and sports. She has contributed over 650 articles to Fandomwire so far.
