Explaining Why Professor X Is Absent from X-Men ’97 ( Photo Credit – IMDb )
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Professor Xavier‘s absence in X-Men ’97, a revival of the iconic 1990s X-Men: The Animated Series, prompts questions as the series offers a conflicting explanation. Despite reuniting much of the original cast and crew to continue the story from 1997, Professor Xavier’s absence stands out among the returning characters.
While X-Men ’97 isn’t officially in the MCU timeline, it’s become a big hit in the Marvel world. It keeps the storyline from the original series strong, but one significant change is why Professor Xavier is away. That change might be more important than we realized at first.
What happened to Professor Xavier?
So, in X-Men ’97, they made it seem like Xavier had passed away, just like in X-Men: The Animated Series. But it turns out he’s getting medical help on some alien planet. Throughout the original series, Xavier was the leader, always there for the X-Men, helping them through all sorts of tricky situations. From important episodes to the big finale, “Graduation Day,” Xavier’s wisdom and caring nature made him stand out. Even with all the challenges from humans and mutants, he never gave up on his dream of mutants and humans living together peacefully.
So, in the final episode of X-Men: The Animated Series, called “Graduation Day,” Xavier and his crew show up at this big summit, bashing mutants. Henry Gyrich, who helped make those scary Sentinels with Trask, goes on this rant against mutants. Always fighting for mutant rights, Xavier speaks up, asking for understanding. But then, bam! Gyrich attacks Xavier, outing him as a mutant. Xavier gets seriously hurt, but before he goes, he has this heartfelt moment with his team and even with Magneto, who chills out on his anti-human crusade for a second.
Facing an uncertain fate, Xavier receives a lifeline from his partner, Lillandra, leader of the Shi’ar Empire, who brings advanced alien tech to save him. But the cost is high—Xavier must leave Earth forever. In the heartfelt finale of X-Men: The Animated Series, Magneto and the crew watch as Xavier leaves with Lillandra, leaving behind a legacy of hope. Though his absence is felt deeply, Xavier’s beliefs live on in his X-Men, dedicated to his dream of a world where mutants and humans live in peace.
Magneto’s leadership
X-Men ’97 introduces an intriguing element by repeatedly referencing Xavier’s alleged death, adding depth to the plot. Whether this suggests a deliberate alteration of past events or foreshadows future developments. Nevertheless, this shift significantly enriches Magneto’s storyline. Their interactions become more intricate, with Xavier absent as the mediator between the X-Men and Magneto. Magneto is now forced to navigate his relationship with the X-Men without the presence of his once-ally-turned-foe, offering a new perspective to explore in the series.
In X-Men ’97, Magneto goes through a significant change, taking on more responsibility and influence. They show him more as an antihero than just a plain old villain. Since Xavier’s not around, the show gets into Magneto’s reasons and what he does, giving us a better idea of who he is. This makes Magneto’s character more attractive and adds to the X-Men’s main story – about how society treats people differently from the norm, with Magneto showing the extreme side of that struggle.
Future of Professor Xavier
The storyline about Xavier in X-Men ’97 leaves us wondering if he’s gone for good. If he hadn’t returned to Earth, the X-Men might have had to say Xavier is dead to keep the school running and legally access his money to promote acceptance of mutants. In the comics, Xavier got stuck in space for a while and put Magneto in charge of the school. X-Men ’97 could be doing something similar, suggesting that Xavier might return someday.
In the X-Men comics, there’s this story called “The Last Will and Testament of Charles Xavier,” where Xavier dies but returns to life. Well, X-Men ’97 does something similar by showing Xavier’s will, just like in the comics. It makes you think he’ll come back eventually. Also, seeing Xavier still in the updated title sequence of X-Men ’97 makes you wonder if he’s gone for good, hinting that he might return and keep shaping the series.
