Wait, Did Marvel Just Turn One Awesome X-Men Leader Into a Villain?!

Marvel released thrilling new footage from X-Men ’97 Season 3 at San Diego Comic-Con, and it confirms major changes for one X-Man. Marvel’s X-Men relaunch has been one of the MCU’s greatest success stories, a modernized reinvention of the classic ’90s show. Season 2 is currently airing, initially scattering the X-Men across the timeline before pivoting to Gambit’s resurrection. But the animation team has already completed next year’s X-Men ’97 Season 3, and is already hard at work on Season 4.

Marvel released a brief clip from X-Men ’97 Season 3 at SDCC, albeit one carefully chosen to keep as many secrets as possible. The footage hasn’t been released online, but it hinted at growing anti-mutant sentiment in the U.S., with Sentinels spray-painted in the stars and stripes. The short clip focused on the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, featuring characters like Pyro, Avalanche, the Blob, and the Toad, who were committing basic arts of vandalism before they were attacked by Sentinels. But, most surprising of all, X-Men ’97 gave the Brotherhood a new member.

The X-Men’s Surge is Joining the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants

Introduced in the 2000s, Surge is a young mutant who combines the fairly traditional powers of electricity manipulation and super-speed. She doesn’t actually have much control over her powers, so Forge invented gauntlets for her to wear that control them; if she doesn’t discharge her powers, her mind begins to race at super-speed and she can’t focus. Surge, naturally, became one of many young mutants to head to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters because she hoped she’d be trained to control her powers. Cyclops and Emma Frost both immediately recognized that her character was suited to leadership, and began to develop her in that direction.

Surge’s debut coincided with one of the darkest comic book stories ever told. Scarlet Witch depowered most of the mutant race, and Xavier’s School turned into a “sanctuary” guarded by Sentinels. As one of the few mutants to retain their powers, Surge led a team of students as they struggled to survive against mutant-hunting zealots, time traveling Nimrod Sentinels from the future, and even Magik’s demonic Darkchild persona from the Hell Dimension of Limbo. Surge’s team lost so many of their friends, not least when a bus packed with ex-mutant children and teens was blown up by a group called the Purifiers.

X-Men ’97 Season 2 introduced the Purifiers, making Surge’s imminent animated debut feel a lot more significant. What is odd, though, is to see the brash and headstrong young mutant siding with the Brotherhood. This may be a subtle reworking of the character, perhaps placing her in the same kind of “teenager manipulated by Mystique” role traditionally occupied by Rogue. Alternatively, it may reflect some 2000-era stories that saw some of Surge’s fellow young mutants riot against anti-mutant pressure groups. Whatever the case may be, it’s surprising to see an actual X-Men team leader reinvented as a Brotherhood member.

The first six episodes of X-Men ’97 are streaming now on Disney+, and new episodes will be released weekly. Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

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