X-Men'97 episode 3: All Marvel references & easter eggs explained
With the release of X-Men'97 episode 3 on March 27, keen-eyed comic book readers have spotted several references to the original storylines in the animated series. These Easter Eggs have led fans to appreciate the show even more, as it brings the aesthetic of the 90s superhero cartoons to Disney+. As such, the show not only makes references to the animated series but also the original series.
X-Men'97 episode 3 began from where its predecessor left off, with the reveal of the Jean Grey-lookalike being a clone. Simultaneously, Mister Sinister had re-emerged, forcing past traumas to resurface.
The 7 Greatest Easter Eggs in X-Men'97 Episode 3
1) The Inferno Storyline
The plot of the storyline features a series of Easter Eggs, starting with the Inferno crossover timeline where the mutants are forced to deal with Jean Grey's clone (who turns out to be the Goblyn Queen) and Mister Sinister. That is exactly what the ending of X-Men'97 hints at, with the revelation of Jean Grey's lookalike imposter as Scott Summer's wife.
2) Professor X's "death"
X-Men'97 made passing references to Professor X's death, although its predecessor, The Animated Series had confirmed that the telepath was alive and well with his extraterrestrial beloved. As such, while this seems like an unresolved plot hole, the credits of X-Men'97 soon proved otherwise, acknowledging Xavier's presence with Lillandra and thereby making the end of The Animated Series canon.
3) Bishop dons his time-travelling comic-book look with his bands
These animated bands appear in the nostalgic The Animated Series and are absent from the comics. Bishop's time travel bands have returned, as he is all set to travel into the future with Nate Grey, re-instating his signature look. These bracelets were originally created by Forge and thereby made strengthening Bishop's allusion to a mutant capable of inventing almost anything.
4) Rogue and Magneto have donned their Savage Lands costume
The Savage Lands are a place in Antarctica, constituting a primitive rainforest where prehistoric animals still dwell. In the comics, that is where the love between Rogue and Magneto bloomed. While that storyline has not yet been made real in X-men'97, there is a reference to the same in Gambit's hallucinations where he envisaged Magneto and Rogue in their Savage Land outfits.
5) Scott Summers got married according to a comic book issue
In X-Men#30, Scott Summers finally married the love of his life Jean Grey. This scene is referenced here where Madelyne, Jean Grey's clone, looks at a photograph depicting her marriage with Cyclops.
However, while Jean and Madelyne look similar, they are extremely different, in both personality and motives, and the inclusion of the photograph which acts as a recreation of the comic book cover makes for a spectacular callback.
6) Madelyne's costume as Goblyn Queen is comic-book-accurate
Madelyne finally embraces her villainous side in the storyline of X-Men'97, donning a costume similar to the one that she had been wearing in the comics. In X-Men'97, this corruption of Jean Grey's clone, who was somehow in a happy marriage with Scott, tragically references her original character's descent into insanity after her husband leaves her.
7) The opening scene has been charged with callbacks
Roberto, known by his superhuman alias Sunspot, has achieved an analogous role that Jubilee had in The Animated Series. In the opening sequence of The Animated Series, Jubilee had been running into a fence while a bunch of anti-mutant protestors chased her. Roberto plays a similar role here. Additionally, the scene where Storm faces off against Magneto echoes the first encounter between the X-Men and Magneto.
The fourth episode of X-Men '97 is scheduled to be released on Disney + on April 3 at 3:00 AM ET/12:00 AM PT.