X-Men'97 episode 3 recap (spoilers): The Goblin Queen arises to wreak havoc
X-Men'97 is the newest installment of the titular mutants' adventure that has reached the screen. It is a direct chronological sequel of X-Men: The Animated Series. The series has picked up from where its predecessor dropped off and showcases the X-Men trying to survive in the absence of Professor X while fighting both old and new adversaries.
X-Men'97 episode 3 made several shocking new developments in that regard. X-Men'97 episode 2 left off with the revelation that the person everyone thought was Jean Grey was an imposter and a clone of Scott Summers' deceased beloved. The X-Men are forced to deal with the aftermath of these findings in this new episode.
X-Men'97 reveals the real Jean Grey
The Inferno storyline in the comics is the focal point of X-Men'97 episode 3. The storyline focused on Madelyne, a clone of Jean Grey, who turned insane once Scott Summers broke off his marriage with her and returned to the original Jean Grey. At the end of X-Men'97, they encountered a version of Jean Grey, whom they realized to be original.
As such, the person they had thought to be Jean Grey had only been a clone, even though she had genuinely thought herself to be the original. Fans cannot help but feel sorry for Madelyne (the clone), who had been the unwitting pawn of Mister Sinister, who revealed that he had created the clone. Madelyne suddenly found herself alone, with her team and husband unable to trust her.
X-Men'97 episode 3 finally shows the transformation of Madelyne into the Goblin Queen
The Inferno storyline featured the transformation of Madelyne into the villainous Goblin Queen, a mutant with extraordinary psychic powers who could control the denizens of hell. Here, too, Mister Sinister activated the crystal he had placed in the clone's head, causing her to transform into the Goblin Queen. A series of action-packed sequences follow, with all the X-men teaming up.
However, the Goblin Queen proves to be too powerful for all of them. The X-Men are forced to see hallucinations projected by Madelyne's powers. They are finally transported into an inferno where they are forced to fight flying monsters before the real Jean Grey uses her omega-level psychic powers to ward them off and rescue them.
X-Men'97 features a showdown between Jean and Madelyne, with the latter's redemption
As Jean fights Madelyne, aided by Wolverine's love for her and her memories with Scott and Professor X, she faces off against Goblin Queen's insistence that she is the true version of the character. However, the memories of her child, Nathan, finally leads Madelyne to break free of the mind control imposed by Mr Sinister. She then helps Scott in rescuing Nathan from Sinister.
However, this rescue is bittersweet, as it is revealed that the character has been infected by a techno-virus that could only be cured in the distant future. This sets the stage for time-travel shenanigans as the Goblin Queen offers a psychic message to her child to profess her love. Viewers cannot help but feel the heart-wrenching pain of a mother forced to abandon her child and a wife knowing that her entire identity was fake.
The episode ends with Goblin Queen leaving the mansion although Jean Grey appears in episode 3 to ask her to stay. The story features Jean's reunion with Scott while Goblin Queen abandons her evil alter-ego to dub herself Madelyne, and she sets off to find a new life somewhere else.
Fans can catch new episodes of X-Men'97 on Disney+ every Wednesday.