A new episode of X-Men '97 arrives on Disney+ tomorrow and the first clip has just been released. In this "Lifedeath - Part 2" sneak peek, the Shi'ar Imperial Guard - led by Deathbird - are involved in a heated confrontation with Ronan the Accuser.
Deathbird's sister, Lilandra, has summoned them, though we're not sure how this ties into what else has been happening in the X-Men: The Animated Series revival.
We're sure you'll notice that Gladiator is by Deathbird's side, as is Vulcan. In the comics, he's Cyclops' brother; however, it's hard to say whether that familial connection will be explored in the show.
Professor X was taken into space by Lilandra at the end of X-Men: The Animated Series, though the Shi'ar's attempts to save the mutant leader clearly failed...unless they didn't? Either way, we're intrigued to see what's to come after the genocide in Genosha.
Talking to IGN, X-Men '97 directors Jake Castorena and Emi Yonemura explained why the show needed a TV-14 rating when its predecessor was a TV-Y7.
"Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should as far as violence or showcasing stuff, because also when you show too much gory graphic-ness, it tends to desensitize the audience," Castorena explained. "Ideally our goal is to not have the audience become desensitized to the violence, but to be emotionally exhausted from it, to live in that true realm of how our characters are living with it."
Yonemura added, "I remember thinking at the time, even for the ‘90s, and I know that you look back at it now and it feels very PG by comparison, but I remember thinking that this has high stakes. And I think for a lot of people, especially our modern community, our tastes are different and we can be a little bit more adult and respect that TV-14."
Check out this clip, and a new X-Men '97 promo, in the players below.
X-Men '97 revisits the iconic era of the 1990s as The X-Men, a band of mutants who use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them, are challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.
The first five episodes of X-Men '97 are now streaming on Disney+ with new instalments following weekly.