'X-Men '97' Proves It's High Art in One Pivotal Scene

Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for X-Men '97 Episode 8.

The Big Picture

Logan's increased role in X-Men '97 is a refreshing change, showcasing his epic action scenes with Nightcrawler.
The animated series pays homage to the comic relationship between Wolverine and Nightcrawler, highlighting their bond.
The fight scene in X-Men '97 Episode 8 expertly intertwines narrative development, fan service for Wolverine, and Kurt's evolution as a more important member of the team.

Almost more than any of the shocking plot twists, arguably the most surprising thing about X-Men ’97 has been the size of Wolverine’s (Cal Dodd) role. Despite his status as the most popular and well-known X-Man in all media as well as his significant part in the original animated series, Logan has had only a small supporting part in the first season of the follow-up so far. The closest thing to character development he's received in the new season are a few scenes of romantic tension with Jean Grey (Jennifer Hale).

Logan’s popularity is so great that he often receives more attention than his teammates in other media adaptations, even the Marvel Comics source material itself, so most fans haven’t minded him being in the background of the new series. But it was still a nice change of pace when this week’s episode put him back in the spotlight with an epic action scene. In the latest installment, Logan teams up with Kurt Wagner, aka Nightcrawler (Adrian Hough), in an intense battle with Bastion’s (Theo James) horrifying Prime Sentinels.

X-Men '97

A band of mutants use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them; they're challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.

Wolverine and Nightcrawler Unite Against the Sentinels in 'X-Men '97' Episode 8

In “Tolerance Is Extinction – Part 1,” Bastion reveals that he has turned a large portion of the human population (at least some of whom volunteered because of their hatred for mutants) into Prime Sentinels and sets them loose to wipe out the global mutant community. While Cyclops (Ray Chase), Jean, and Cable (Chris Potter) investigate Bastion’s background in Pennsylvania, other X-Men are attacked at the X-Mansion by a contingent of Prime Sentinels led by one that was formerly Trish Tilby (Donna Jay Fulks), a television news reporter who has been in a quasi-romantic, if recently strained, friendship with Beast (George Buza). Trish and the other Sentinels quickly dispatch Hank and Morph (J.P. Karliak), but they find Logan to be a much more difficult opponent. Although they launch him into the sky, he continues to cut through Sentinels while plummeting back down into the mansion, after which his mutant healing abilities quickly help him recover and resume the fight.

When Logan stops a group of Sentinels from attacking the comatose Rogue (Lenore Zann), one of them asks, “Why resist the inevitable?” which prompts him to make the wonderfully cheesy reply, “Lady, I got six reasons why!” while brandishing the six adamantium claws that extend out of his knuckles. Having already engaged a few other Sentinels, Kurt then teleports into the room, dispatching the one closest to Rogue, and corrects Logan by saying, “No, my friend, nine!” while brandishing three swords, one in each of his hands and the third held by his prehensile tail.

They proceed to clear the room of the Sentinels, often fighting back-to-back, with Kurt teleporting the opponents away from the scene before he and Logan simultaneously stab the last enemy in the chest and back, respectively. The vibrant purple lighting and the dolly zoom effect used to show Logan’s distorted perspective of the other dimension Kurt passes through to teleport make that moment the most visually striking part of the fight, but the whole sequence is a wonderful treat for fans of both the X-Men and well-filmed action. It highlights the benefits of the animated medium, boasting smoothly tracked superpowered maneuvers that would likely necessitate an assortment of cuts to accommodate the same stunt work and visual effects in live action.

Logan and Kurt Have an Important History in the X-Men Comics

In addition to reminding fans why they love seeing Logan in action, the sequence paid homage to the beloved friendship he and Kurt share in the comics. Although Logan was previously featured in The Incredible Hulk, both characters were introduced to the X-Men comics in Giant Size X-Men #1, in which they joined the team as members of its second roster, known as the “All-New, All-Different X-Men.” They both remained as leading characters in The Uncanny X-Men and related comics for much of writer Chris Claremont’s historic run on the franchise.

In his early appearances, Logan was characterized as an anti-hero, with his ruthless crime-fighting methods leading to moral disagreements with other members of the team and his vicious berserker rages often endangering even people fighting on his side. Along with Charles Xavier’s psychic therapy, the affable Kurt’s efforts at friendship helped Logan reclaim the humanity he’d lost after lifetimes of war and tragedy and the bond between the two became one of the cornerstones of the franchise, with Logan being very protective of Kurt, who he affectionately refers to as “Elf” in joking reference to the blue-skinned Kurt’s unusual features.

When Kurt was killed during the conflict to save Hope Summers, a teenager believed to be the mutant messiah, Logan gave the last remarks at his funeral, stating, “Kurt was the only guy who ever looked me in the eyes like a man, and spoke to me like one, and treated me like one. No matter what I did or where I was or how I felt. He was my best friend and he never treated me like a damn animal.”

'X-Men '97' Could Bring Logan and Kurt's Bond to TV

As two of the most popular characters in the franchise, both Logan and Kurt appear in most X-Men adaptations, but none have ever directly recreated their comic book relationship. That said, they do share a meaningful dynamic in X-Men '97’s continuity, even though Morph more often plays the role of Logan’s comedic friend in the series. In the original animated series, Logan, Rogue, and Gambit (Potter) were the first X-Men to encounter Kurt when he was secretly living and working at a Catholic monastery that protected him from the persecution he faced from most humans. Logan initially clashes with Kurt and the other monks, as he can’t reconcile widespread anti-mutant bigotry and the violence he’s experienced with the idea of a loving God. Kurt attempts to provide some comfort and advice, and his faith and optimism seem to restore some of Logan’s own, as Rogue later notices him reading Bible scriptures Kurt recommended.

Kurt is reintroduced to the continuity in the fifth episode of X-Men '97. He is happily living on the mutant island of Genosha until it is devastated by Bastion’s genocidal Sentinel attack, during which Gambit (A.J. LoCascio) sacrifices his life to destroy a gigantic wild Sentinel. After subsequently delivering Gambit’s eulogy, Kurt has continued to work with the X-Men to combat Bastion’s anti-mutant conspiracy, with recent episodes giving him his own introductory shot during the theme song, signaling his transition from a supporting role to a member of the main cast. Many of his scenes have focused on his relationship with Rogue, who the original series revealed to be his adopted sister as the comics did. Kurt’s fierce fighting in defense of Rogue during the Sentinel battle is a compelling payoff for the development of this relationship and highlights the desperation and high stakes of the fight, as the usually gentle character reveals a surprisingly lethal expertise in combat.

The fight scene displays the immense skill of X-Men '97’s storytellers, as it accomplishes several narrative tasks despite being brief and light on dialogue. In addition to delivering some long-awaited Wolverine fan service, the scene cements Kurt as a member of the main team and draws on the viewer’s investment in his connection with Rogue. Most exciting of all, it suggests that his dynamic with Logan could continue to evolve, inching closer to the powerful bond it is in the comics.

X-Men '97 is available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S., with new episodes premiering Wednesdays.

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