Did X-Men '97 just retcon something major from the original animated series?

Did X-Men '97 retcon a major character from the original animated series? Well, yes...and the marketing materials already kind of spoiled the reveal.

Warning: spoilers for X-Men '97 season 1 episode 2 ahead!

At the end of X-Men '97 season 1 episode 2, the team gets an unexpected visitor. Just before the credits roll, a woman who looks exactly like Jean Grey shows up at the front door and collapses. Uh, who is that? Why does she look exactly like Jean? Well, we might already know the answer.

Last year, New York City Comic Con unveiled exclusive X-Men '97 Funko Pops – with one of them being none other than infamous Jean Grey doppelganger Madelyne Pryor donning her classic Goblin Queen costume. Madelyne first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #168 in 1983. Following the death of the real Jean Grey, Cyclops decides to marry Madelyne and have a baby with her – mainly because she's a carbon copy of Jean (and is later revealed to be her actual clone). Several retcons have complicated her and Jean Grey's individual histories, so we're not sure what direction X-Men '97 will take the characters.

We do know, however, that if that's the real Jean Grey at the end of episode 2...the Jean Grey in all five seasons of X-Men: The Animated Series has been Madelyne Pryor all along. Guess we'll just have to tune in to find out.

X-Men '97 is streaming now on Disney Plus. Keep up to date with our X-Men '97 episode release schedule, or, check out our list of the best new TV shows coming your way in 2024 and beyond.

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