X-Men ’97 Reveals Surprising Connection to Marvel’s What If…?

X-Men ’97 revealed a surprising connection to What If…? in this week’s episode. Magneto’s team rolls to Genosha for a diplomatic meeting and tragedy strikes. In the Marvel universe, this can only mean one thing: The Watcher is on-hand for an absolutely terrible event. Just before the gala gets going, viewers can see Uatu’s big head looking down on the mutant island pensively. A lot of fans caught this on social media and were correctly thrilled to see The Watcher included. The massacre on Genosha was already a big deal. But, it ratcheted up a few levels after that.

What If…? has also raised The Watcher’s profile a bit. So, more casual fans caught this reference than might have done so a few years ago. The X-Men are clearly going to be reeling after all these losses in this episode. (How many mutants can one TV show take out of the picture in one season? I have a sinking feeling we’re going to find out.) Still, with Uatu’s actions in What If…?, it’s fair to wonder if help could be on the way later this season if the X-Men need it. The Watcher has intervened before, what’s to stop him this time?

X-Men ’97 Already Teasing Cameos

The team behind X-Men ’97 has been up-front about the possibility for Marvel animated crossovers. This week’s episode is just the first hint toward this kind of stuff happening more in the show. Producer Brad Winderbaum gets asked about the original X-Men show’s multiple Marvel cameos a lot. He told Men’s Health that X-Men ’97 is firmly in the lineage of X-Men: The Animated Series. That means, there’s probably some larger Marvel shenanigans afoot that we aren’t even aware of yet. That’s a great thing for fans who can’t get enough of Marvel Animation.

“We have a great executive who works for us named Drew River, who manages the continuity of the timeline. And obviously that becomes more complex as you enter the multiverse saga and tracking multiple timelines,” Winderbaum explained. “X-Men ’97 fits into that ’90s timeline, along with the OG series, as well as those concurrent ’90s shows that would sometimes cross over with the X-Men. The potential is always there. Without going into spoiler territory, the original show does have a lot of fun cameos, and ’97 carries that torch.” 

X-Men ’97 Continues To Play The Hits

Fans of X-Men ’97 usually agree on one thing, it’s that the show has the utmost respect for the original series. A big part of that is the tone of the Disney+ show. Getting that iconic theme music back and an extended homage to Ace of Base this episode really feels fantastic when it hits. ComicBook.com interviewed The Newton Brothers recently to talk about their work composing for X-Men ’97. The duo knows just how to push those nostalgia buttons for older viewers.

“We took it and we, you know, look that, that music is iconic, I think, you know, it, it, it’s a perfect piece of music and it, it, it just brings me back to that my childhood and it’s just like we both love it,” Taylor Newton Stewart told us. “So I think it’s finding ways to subtly do things without ruining it. You know what I mean? Stay out of the way of the greatness. Add to moments where you can help elevate something or, or change something in a way that feels more to today because I think also a lot of the sounds from that era bring you back to the nineties.”

Do you think we’ll see What If…? Characters in X-Men ’97? Let us know in the comments down below!