'X-Men '97' Episode 8: From Doctor Doom to Omega Red, all the major cameos in 'Tolerance Is Extinction Pt 1'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The latest episode of 'X-Men '97', called 'Tolerance Is Extinction, Pt. 1', aired on Wednesday, May 1. It's the first of the three-part finale for the show.
In Episode 8 of 'X-Men '97', we saw some nods to the wider Marvel universe. There were mentions of places like Kamar-Taj and companies like Stark Industries, hinting at connections beyond the X-Men's world. The episode wrapped up by setting the stage for the last two parts of the season.
The ending of Episode 8 sets up the final arc well, focusing on Bastion's plans and the threat posed by the Prime Sentinels. It also nods to a classic storyline from the comics by echoing Magneto's belief that mutants are superior.
This sets the stage for Magneto's actions and the global consequences they might bring. Cameos from various Marvel characters highlight the widespread impact of the story.
Here's a quick rundown of all the cameos we saw in 'X-Men '97' Episode 8 titled, 'Tolerance Is Extinction, Pt. 1'.
Doctor Doom
In 'X-Men '97', another big Marvel Comics character making an appearance is Doctor Doom, known as the villain from 'The Fantastic Four'. Although Marvel Studios plans to introduce him in future movies, 'X-Men '97' and Marvel Animation have brought him into the mix first.
In episode 8, Doctor Doom is shown as part of Bastion's Operation: Zero Tolerance meeting, revealing his involvement in Bastion's plans, especially regarding the Prime Sentinel program.
However, Doctor Doom's cameo in 'X-Men '97' shows his complex morality. Despite admitting his connection to Bastion's plans, Doom keeps his involvement hidden.
As the ruler of Latveria, he's troubled by Bastion's actions against Genosha. This could explain why Doom's role in Bastion's scheme remains secretive; revealing it could lead to diplomatic issues for the Marvel supervillain.
Baron Zemo
In 'X-Men '97' Episode 8, alongside Doctor Doom, another villain, Baron Zemo, was present at Bastion's briefing. Unlike his MCU counterpart played by Daniel Brühl, this version of Zemo returns to his comic roots.
Zemo openly supports Bastion, in contrast to Doom, who criticizes Bastion's actions against Genosha.
Zemo advises Bastion that the Prime Sentinel program will fail as long as the US President sees the X-Men as allies. This shows Zemo's alignment with Bastion's tactics, as he aims to undermine the X-Men's alliance with America.
Whether Zemo will continue in 'X-Men '97' is uncertain, but it's possible given his expected appearances in upcoming MCU TV shows, including confirmed seasons 2 and 3 of 'X-Men '97'.
Silver Samurai
Besides Spider-Man, most of the Marvel cameos in 'X-Men '97' Episode 8 were from villains. One such villain was Silver Samurai, often linked with Wolverine and the X-Men.
Silver Samurai hasn't been used much in superhero movies or TV shows since his appearance in 'The Wolverine' in 2013.
This cameo in 'X-Men '97' is only his second in such projects. Though brief, it hints at a potentially larger role in the show's second season.
Unlike Zemo and Doom, Silver Samurai's appearance was short. He's seen in Japan, witnessing Magneto's worldwide EMP.
This cameo not only adds another exciting Marvel character to 'X-Men '97' but also highlights the vast reach of Magneto's powers, from Manhattan to Japan.
Omega Red
While Silver Samurai's appearance in 'X-Men '97' Episode 8 didn't hint at potential battles with the X-Men, Omega Red's cameo might have.
In Marvel Comics, Omega Red, originally Arkady Gregorivich Rossovich, is a Soviet-created villain intended to be a counterpart to Captain America.
He's more of a rival to Wolverine, though. Omega Red was given carbonadium (A fictional metal) tentacles, similar to adamantium, as part of Soviet experiments. These tentacles, one in each hand, serve as both weapons and essential for his survival.
Like Wolverine and adamantium, the carbonadium slowly poisons Omega Red. Unlike Wolverine, he doesn't have healing powers, so the tentacles and their vampiric abilities keep him alive.
Omega Red discovers the X-Men possess something that can stop the poisoning, leading to conflict between him and the mutant team.
Soviet Russia eventually puts Omega Red in cryogenic suspended animation to control him. This connection to cryogenic suspension ties into Omega Red's appearance in 'X-Men '97' episode 8.
In 'X-Men '97' Episode 8, Magneto's display of power affects an undisclosed location, possibly a power plant. Among the chaos, Omega Red is seen awakening from a containment pod as Magneto's waves disrupt the facility's power.
His carbonadium tentacles shoot out of his wrists, hinting at his future role as a villain in 'X-Men '97', similar to his portrayal in 'X-Men: The Animated Series', but possibly more faithful to the comics.
Juggernaut
In 'X-Men '97' Episode 8, the final villain cameo, unlike Doom, Zemo, Silver Samurai, and Omega Red, had a different purpose. Juggernaut's appearance was linked to Morph.
Throughout 'X-Men '97' Season 1, Morph has often used his shape-shifting abilities to mimic various X-Men members from Marvel Comics, even if they're not part of the main story. This includes mutants like Quicksilver, Psylocke, and Illyana.
In Episode 8, Morph transformed into Juggernaut, a member of the Brotherhood of Mutants in 'X-Men: The Animated Series'.
Despite being in the opening credits of 'X-Men '97' episodes, Juggernaut had yet to make a proper appearance until now. Morph assumed Juggernaut's form to harness his immense strength in the battle against the Prime Sentinels.
However, Juggernaut's role was short-lived as the focus shifted to highlight the formidable new foes introduced in 'X-Men '97'.
Spider-Man
Certainly, the standout cameo in 'X-Men '97' Episode 8 was Christopher Daniel Barnes' Spider-Man from 'Spider-Man: The Animated Series'.
This scene occurred toward the end of the episode, following Magneto's display of power. Magneto's magnetic waves originated from the North Pole, with a shot of Manhattan included. In that scene, we see Peter Parker swinging through Manhattan, sensing Magneto's power pulses.
As he swings, Peter Parker pauses, sensing the disturbances caused by Magneto. He then performs a backflip, revealing himself to be identical to the Spider-Man from 'Spider-Man: The Animated Series', which aired from 1994 to 1998, around the same time as 'X-Men: The Animated Series', the prequel to 'X-Men '97'.
The confirmation that this Spider-Man is indeed from the 90s show came from 'X-Men '97' creator Beau DeMay via Twitter/X.
This cameo delighted Marvel fans, particularly those familiar with 'Spider-Man: The Animated Series'. While it still resonates with those who haven't seen the 90s show due to Spider-Man's iconic status, it's especially thrilling for fans of the series.
This has sparked discussions among fans, urging Marvel Animation to revive 'Spider-Man: The Animated Series' in a similar fashion to 'X-Men '97'. While it's uncertain if this will happen, the cameo itself is exciting enough for fans to celebrate.
'X-Men '97' trailer
8 Episodes of 'X-Men '97' are now streaming on Disney+