The first season of X-Men ’97 is now underway, and it is expanding audiences’ perceptions of Marvel’s mutants along the way. Thus far, X-Men ’97 has already homaged or outright adapted a number of X-Men comic arcs, all while folding new characters into its orbit. The final moments of Episode 3 of X-Men ’97 brought back another fan-favorite mutant — and may have teased a major storyline for him in the future.
The ending sees Storm at a bar in Dallas, Texas, after she left the X-Men when she was depowered by X-Cutioner. While at the bar, a man introduces himself to Storm as a friend of Charles Xavier’s, who can help her get her powers back. The man in question is Forge, who has a complex history in Marvel Comics.
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Who Is Marvel’s Forge?
Created by Chris Claremont and John Romita Jr. in 1984’s The Uncanny X-Men #184, Forge is an unnamed Native American mutant with the power to invent and master technology. After serving in the Vietnam War and losing his right hand and leg, Forge creates cybernetic prosthetics for himself, and becomes an ally of the government. In the iconic arc “LifeDeath”, Forge saves a depowered Storm and brings her to his home in Dallas, where they both bond over their shared traumas. This becomes even more complicated when Storm learns that Forge helped create the weapon that depowered her. Eventually, the pair reconcile and rekindle their romance, and he helps her get her powers back. He then joins the X-Men, briefly forms a relationship with Mystique, and later works as the X-Factor’s government liaison. He most recently was on the roster of X-Men decided during the 2022 Hellfire Gala.
Forge previously appeared in a supporting role in multiple story arcs of X-Men: The Animated Series, including “Days of Future Past”, “Time Fugitives”, “Cold Comfort”, “One Man’s Worth”, “The End of Time”, and “Phalanx Covenant.”
What Is X-Men ’97 About?
Marvel Animation’s X-Men ’97 revisits the iconic era of the 1990s as The X-Men, a band of mutants who use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them, are challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.
The voice cast of X-Men ’97 includes Ray Chase as Cyclops, Jennifer Hale as Jean Grey, Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm, Cal Dodd as Wolverine, JP Karliak as Morph, Lenore Zann as Rogue, George Buza as Beast, AJ LoCascio as Gambit, Holly Chou as Jubilee, Isaac Robinson-Smith as Bishop, Matthew Waterson as Magneto, and Adrian Hough as Nightcrawler. Beau DeMayo served as head writer; episodes are directed by Jake Castorena, Chase Conley and Emi Yonemura, and the series is executive produced by Brad Winderbaum, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and DeMayo.
What did you think of X-Men ’97‘s reintroduction of Forge? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
New episodes of X-Men ’97 debut on Wednesdays exclusively on Disney+. If you haven’t signed up for Disney+ yet, you can try it out here.
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