'X-Men '97': Jean Grey's mysterious clone hints at Madelyne Pryor's potential debut in Disney+ series
Contains major spoilers and speculations for 'X-Men '97'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The first two episodes of 'X-Men ‘97', a revival of 'X-Men: The Animated Series', delve into what happened to the main characters after the original series ended.
Released on Disney+ on Wednesday, March 20, the story continues after Professor Charles Xavier's death, focusing on how the rest of the X-Men cope with losing their leader. Additionally, Jean Grey and Cyclops are shown to have become parents to a young boy.
However, towards the end of the second episode, a character resembling Jean Grey makes an appearance. Who is this character, and what role will she play in the upcoming episodes?
We believe this character could be Madelyne Pryor, a clone of Jean Grey from the X-Men comics. Her role in 'X-Men ‘97' may mirror the storyline of Madelyne Pryor from the comics.
Who is Madelyne Pryor?
Madelyne Pryor, who made her debut in 'Uncanny X-Men #163' comic book in 1983, was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith.
Her resemblance to Jean Grey in 'X-Men '97', puzzled everyone, including Cyclops, who initially mistook her for Jean. However, he eventually accepted her as a separate individual.
In the comics, Cyclops marries Pryor, and she becomes pregnant with his child. Later, after Storm becomes the leader of the X-Men, Cyclops contemplates retiring for a normal life. However, in a controversial turn of events, he leaves Pryor and their child to reconcile with Jean after her resurrection in the 'X-Factor' comic series.
Pryor faces immense challenges, including demonic possession, after Cyclops's departure. She learns that she was created as a clone of Jean Grey by Mister Sinister, who discarded her as a failed experiment.
Mister Sinister's plan was for Pryor and Cyclops to fall in love so she could bear his child and further his mutant genetics research. Pryor later becomes the Goblin Queen and is central to the 'Inferno' crossover in 1999, where various X-teams unite to battle a demonic threat.
To defeat Jean Grey psychically, Pryor takes her own life, but Jean merges with her and the Phoenix Force to survive, acquiring Pryor's memories. Despite her death, Pryor appears in subsequent comics and even collaborates with the clone Ben Reilly in the 'Dark Web' crossover of 2023.
Madelyne Pryor's role in 'X-Men ‘97'
'X-Men ‘97' left viewers hanging with a cliffhanger, leaving the identity of the newcomer unknown. It's unclear if the newcomer is Jean Grey or Madelyne Pryor.
Madelyne might have given birth to baby Nathan, while the real Jean Grey may have returned after being displaced during the original series.
However, the series might opt for a different storyline, portraying Madelyne as an escapee from Mister Sinister's lab with artificially implanted memories.
Another intriguing aspect is how the series will handle baby Nathan. In the comics, Apocalypse senses Nathan's potential and Scott and Jean give him to the Asaki Clan to raise him in the future.
Nathan later becomes Cable, a time-traveling vigilante and enemy of Apocalypse, who has appeared in several Marvel movies like 'Deadpool 2' and will appear in 'Deadpool 3' alongside Wolverine.
Despite being a baby in 'X-Men ‘97,' it will be fascinating to see the family dynamics unfold, especially if Madelyne Pryor is revealed to be Nathan's mother instead of Jean Grey.
Once the true Jean Grey is revealed, we'll get a clearer picture of Cyclops, Jean, Madelyne, and Nathan's future.
The first two episodes of 'X-Men '97' are streaming on Disney+