In a world where comic book adaptations are either too loyal or too blasé to the source material, X-Men ’97 strikes the absolute perfect balance. Its second season has played fast and loose with a few well-known storylines, mostly subverting expectations where it suits the story. Even though small details may change, the animated series retains the soul of the X-Men’s strangest adventures — and that continues in its latest episode.
While X-Men ’97 mourns the demise of Magneto (and continues to tease the audience with the potential rise of Onslaught), Season 2 Episode 6 pits the titular team against a new, if lesser-known villain. Magneto’s fall in ancient Egypt inadvertently brings on the rise of a subversive threat, which Professor Xavier and his students must rally to defeat. Ironically, it also springs out of Xavier’s best intentions, forcing our heroes to learn another painful lesson.
Spoilers ahead for X-Men ’97 Season 2 Episode 6!
The X-Men vs. the Danger Room
It’s up to Polaris to save Xavier’s students in Episode 6.
If there was any hope of Magneto making a miraculous return, X-Men ’97’s latest episode effectively shuts that door. That said, fans do get a few consolation prizes when it comes to the new additions to the X-Men team. Magneto’s estranged daughter, Polaris, was first introduced to the series as a member of the X-Factor, a division of mutant warriors led by Val Cooper. When her methods prove too violent (re: Magneto-like) for the state-sanctioned team, Polaris heads back to Xavier’s school and reconnects with her old professor, who’s mourning the loss of Magneto in the unhealthiest way possible.
Charles has been using his Danger Room — a holographic training ground run by advanced Shi’ar technology — to relive the moment of Magneto’s demise over and over. His operating system doesn’t seem to totally understand the intention behind the exercise: the Danger Room is typically designed to prepare students for adventures as X-Men, which calls for militant drills and sparring sessions. When Charles explains that he’s replaying his last memories of Magneto for therapeutic methods, that seems to chafe against the OS’s protocols.
Before long, it’s clear Charles’ AI has gained some form of consciousness — and it’s on the hunt for a corporeal form next. During a run-of-the-mill training exercise with some of Xavier’s students, the Danger Room lures Polaris and Bishop into her program, trapping them inside. As Polaris can control electromagnetic fields, the Danger Room goads her into attacking, absorbing the power of the blasts and using that energy to construct a body. As she later explains to Xavier (after attacking him and the X-Men in the ruins of Genosha), it’s the logical next step in her efforts to honor her prime directive: “You built me to protect you from the dangers of the world. Now, I am the Danger.”
Danger’s astonishing origins
X-Men ’97 brings a lesser-known villain out of the comics.
Danger first came online in Astonishing X-Men #9, the sequel series to New X-Men helmed by Joss Whedon and artist John Cassaday. X-Men ’97 nods to the New X-Men continuity by fitting the X-Men in new uniforms inspired by Frank Quitely’s designs — and it otherwise takes a fairly faithful approach to Danger’s origins. In the comics, Professor X suspects that the Danger Room might be growing a consciousness long before it actually manifests, but kept it a secret (as he’s wont to do) from his students and his team since it was otherwise performing perfectly. He’d come to regret that decision shortly: one fateful day, the Danger Room trapped all of Xavier’s students within its four walls, even convincing one, the mutant Wing, to take his own life. (Wing also appears in X-Men ’97, but Storm and Bishop save him from the fate he suffers in the comics.)
While the X-Men fought to rescue the students from the outside, the Danger Room hijacked Wing’s body to herald her transformation. Once Danger succeeds in building a body of her own, her confrontation with Xavier unfolds in much the same way as we see in X-Men ’97. In the comics, however, Danger is seeking revenge against the man she calls “father.” She resents Xavier for suppressing her sentience and using her as a tool to better the X-Men, and she nearly succeeds in her quest to tear the team asunder.
Fortunately, X-Men ’97 takes a very different approach to the fallout. Danger ends up being the tool that unites the X-Men, brings Polaris back into the fold, and helps Xavier let go of unhealthy coping mechanisms. The series gets the best of both worlds in adapting Astonishing X-Men for its own devices: we get a great (if short-lived) villain, a compelling adventure, and some heartwarming team-building in one fell swoop.
