Ricky Church reviews the third episode of X-Men ’97…
Well, that was a trippy episode! X-Men ’97‘s ‘Fire Made Flesh’ was all over the place in the best ways as the team discovered the truth behind the mysterious other Jean Grey and one of their most dangerous enemies made a spectacular comeback. It showed the series, much like its predecessor, is taking the X-Men‘s vast (and often convoluted) mythology and recreating it in interesting ways for new and familiar fans alike.
Following last week’s cliffhanger of another Jean Grey literally knocking on their door, the team’s investigation into the possible clone led to the revelation Mr. Sinister is still obsessing over Cyclops and Jean and the potential for their powerful genetics. First of all, hats off to legendary voice actress Jennifer Hale who did double duty on both Jeans and managed to make each one sound distinct, even before Clone-Jean’s transformation into Madeline Pryor/Goblin Queen. Hale made the Queen sound absolutely unhinged as she delighted in tormenting her fellow X-Men with Hale seemingly having the time of her life performing a character influenced by a variety of horror villains. It wasn’t just her cackling laughter though that made Hale’s Goblin Queen memorable, but the depth she gave her behind that as she resented the fact she was potentially replaced now that the “real” Jean Grey returned. It was just a standout performance.
The animation also took things to the next level. The episode’s creepy imagery really played within the horror genre as the Goblin Queen toyed with the X-Men’s psyches, creating incredibly cool and twisted visuals inspired by horrors like Poltergeist, The Ring and The Exorcist. From how distinct each of the X-Men’s nightmare visions were to the battle within the minds of both Jean Greys, everything was very impressive. The psychic battle in particular delivered very trippy images and perspectives of how the Jeans communicated and used their powers. The blend of the original X-Men‘s style with the modern animation process of today just highlight how gorgeous and detailed ’97 can look.
Then we have Mr. Sinister, one of the most diabolical villains the X-Men ever faced ‘Fire Made Flesh’ did not disappoint in his return. It was initially surprising to see Sinister appear so soon into the season, especially since we already got Magneto’s return last week, but it was a very welcome surprise and the episode used him to great effect. He looked utterly creepy throughout the episode and Chris Britton sounds even more menacing than he did in the original series. Both him and Hale really sold the horror factor the episode was playing up in their performances.
‘Fire Made Flesh’ was quite an intriguing and exciting episode, especially on the visual front. It is nice to see X-Men ’97 play around with the series’ tone and genre so soon, emphasizing how the production team is using their limited 10-episodes of the season to push the characters and story into new directions, taking the best parts of the mythology and making it their own.
New episodes of X-Men ’97 stream on Wednesdays on Disney+.
Rating: 8/10
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