X-Men: Evolution was an animated series in the 2000s that premiered after the iconic X-Men: The Animated Series rounded. Evolution did a few new things that make it stand out as an adaptation of the classic ’90s animated series and the Fox movies. For much of the early seasons, the mutants exist in a world where their mutant powers are secret, and most people assume they are normal humans. Later, this secret is revealed with dramatic effect. The other major change is that most of the characters are under high school and regularly deal with typical school drama. Some characters, such as Storm and Wolverine, remain adults who must watch over the teenagers as they learn to control their powers.
X-Men: Evolution was a unique take on the X-Men mythos and in the end wasn’t afraid to experiment with the characters and try something original, while also holding onto the spirit of the X-Men. With the revelation that Hugh Jackman will return as Wolverine in live action and the reboot of the ’90s animated series on the horizon, now’s the time to watch X-Men: Evolution. This is why.
Same characters, new situation
One of ‘s greatest assets X-Men: Evolution is how it makes known X-Men characters in new situations. You get the benefit of seeing iconic X-Men characters, but you also get to see them in different situations than you are used to. One of the main ways the show does this, as described by screen frenzy, is with its teenage characters, who have to live in a normal high school and pass for normal human children. Characters like Cyclops and Jean Grey, who are mostly adults in the comics, movies, or TV shows they appear in, now face the everyday teen drama. Characters have school assignments or driving tests to deal with, in addition to being part of a superhero team. Intra-team in-fighting is not lost, although it changes slightly. Cyclops no longer has a romantic triangle with Wolverine and Jean Gray – because Wolverine is much too old – instead Cyclops gets into a fight with Nightcrawler, because the blue-haired mutant is very happy, which clashes with Cyclops’ serious attitude.
This shift in setting also gives minor characters a chance to shine. Given the secrets they must keep and the conflict with lower-stakes high school, characters like Toad or de Blob, who would normally be throwaway villains, have a higher chance of developing as serial antagonists. And because the team has to communicate with them regularly, you can see a real rivalry develop between the Brotherhood of Mutants and the X-Men.
X-Men learn to control their powers
One of the things that is rarely shown is the idea that Xavier’s institution exists to help young mutants master their powers and learn to be superheroes. While we see this occasionally in the comics, it’s a core theme that’s somewhat underrepresented in the movies and the original ’90s animated show. One of the main draws of the X-Men, especially to young teens, was that it kind of fulfilled the fantasy of being special and super powerful. It took elements of everyday life, school and an outcast, and made it more supernatural and exciting. Youngsters could introduce themselves as X-Men and answer the question, “What power would you like to have if you were a superhero?”
The idea that young people learn to master their powers is a core part of X-Men that is often explored, but underrepresented in adaptation. The fact that X-Men: Evolution exploring is refreshing, especially since all the characters are young enough to experiment and make mistakes with their powers. The characters often make mistakes and need to learn lessons, or find that their powers are spiraling out of control and need to learn something about themselves to keep them in check. Rogue often does not have full control over her powers, forcing the team to help her try to master the said powers.
The heart of the X-Men story
Ultimately, the core of the X-Men’s story is the prejudice against mutants. The fact that mutants start out as a secret from ordinary people can make those interested in X-Men: EvolutionHowever, the seasons in which the mutants are still unknown cope very well with this bias, foreshadowing it in the future. We see this especially in Hank McCoy’s (Beast) character, who transforms into a blue-haired beast-like mutant. Hank can’t be seen outside the X-Mansion or he can reveal the whole mutant secret. Although he is seen a few times, he is mistaken for a wild animal. Angel, who shows up for a few episodes, similarly deals with themes of being rejected for being different.
Then, when the secret of the mutants is revealed, the floodgates of drama burst open. The X-Men are abandoned by the people they once considered friends. Spyke later manages to make a new friend, but soon realizes that this friend is only interested in using his mutant power to protect him from bullies. Jean Grey’s boyfriend at the time, Duncan Mathews, started treating her differently after discovering her mutated abilities, which caused them to split up. This season’s payout wouldn’t have worked without all the setup from the previous seasons, showing us Bayville High before the reveal of the mutants and then changing everything with that revelation.
X-Men Evolution is a good show, if a little dated. It’s like its sister show X-Men: The Animated Series: since it is a product from the 90s, X-Men Evolutionis also very much a product of the early 2000s. And while there’s a lot of allegory you can point between X-Men: Evolutionmutant prejudice and homophobia, racism, or other discriminatory beliefs, the show doesn’t address many of those issues as directly as more modern ones X-Men do productions. Despite this, it’s still worth watching as a unique take on the X-Men in a unique high school environment.