X-Men '97 Showrunner Trolls Wolverine Over Brutal Episode 9 Twist
X-Men '97's showrunner is trolling Wolverine - and fans - over the brutal cliffhanger ending to Episode 9.
X-Men '97 showrunner Beau DeMayo understands fans' pain after that brutal ending to Episode 9 – but he's not afraid to have a little fun with it.
In a social media post following Part 2 of the X-Men '97 Finale, DeMayo took a familiar X-Men "Sad Wolverine" meme and gave it a new twist to reflect what went down in Episode 9.
Obviously, we can't show you the meme without hinting at some MAJOR SPOILERS for X-Men '97 Episode 9. You've been warned.
#XMen97 pic.twitter.com/INFSkSkWoj
— Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) May 9, 2024
That's pretty cold! And definitely TOO SOON!
The "Sad Wolverine" meme comes from Season 1 Episode 5 of X-Men: The Animated Series, "Captive Hearts". The episode saw Cyclops and Jean Grey go out for a date, only to be captured by the underground mutant community known as the Morlocks. Scott and Jean's growing romance leaves Wolverine feeling lonely and longing, lying on a bed, staring at a picture of Scott and Jean.
Fans took that scene and created a two-panel picture: one image of Wolverine looking at the photo, and a close-up of the photo frame, with blank space for users to insert their images. The meme had a somewhat infamous start, going viral in 2011 with a version featuring a leaked nude selfie of Avengers star Scarlett Johansson in the picture frame. After that 'not safe for work' beginning, the meme continued going viral, with images of Nicolas Cage, and the "Ridiculously Photogenic Guy" being two big early breakouts. "Sad Wolverine" has now become so iconic that Disney and Marvel Animation used the meme in the official marketing and promotion of X-Men '97 this year. Now Beau DeMayo is giving the meme new life and relevance with his post.
X-Men '97 Episode 9 adapts the two major X-Men comic storylines from the 1990s, "Operation Zero Tolerance" and "Fatal Attractions". The latter story arc saw Magneto create his mutant haven on Asteroid M, and Prof. X and the X-Men infiltrating the orbital base with the dark agenda of finally putting Magneto down for good. That battle was one of the ugliest the X-Men ever fought; Wolverine fatally stabbed Magneto, who in turn ripped the Adamantium alloy off of Wolverine's bones. Prof. X was so enraged about Wolverine's injury that he used his psychic power to shut down Magneto's brain, leaving him catatonic.
The outcome of "Fatal Attractions" saw Wolverine have to get on with life without his Adamantium skeleton – which is the emotional journey Beau DeMayo hints at in this meme. As for Magneto, Xavier's brutal retaliation introduced a whole new, even deadlier villain to the world...
X-Men '97 is streaming on Disney+.
