10 Awesome Marvel Characters X-Men: The Animated Series Did Nothing With

:0:1

Despite its success in depicting many beloved X-Men characters and Marvel villains, some significant figures were markedly underutilized by X-Men: The Animated Series. X-Men: The Animated Series is often hailed as one of the greatest adaptations of Marvel Comics. It brought iconic storylines to life, from the Dark Phoenix Saga to Days of Future Past, and introduced a generation to the mutant team’s struggles for equality. Yet, some awesome Marvel characters were overlooked or barely featured in this legendary series.
The creators of X-Men: The Animated Series had the monumental task of condensing decades of comic book lore into an accessible format for Saturday morning audiences. With time constraints, budget limitations, and a primary focus on the core X-Men team, many characters were left on the cutting room floor. While favorites like Wolverine, Rogue, and Storm received substantial screen time, several pivotal comic characters either made cameo appearances or were squandered. Some of these omissions remain baffling, though they could still be rectified with X-Men "97 season 2.
10 Deadpool X-Men: TAS Season 1, Episode 4 “Deadly Reunions,” Season 2, Episode 16 “Whatever It Takes,” & Season 3, Episode 4 "The Phoenix Saga, Part II: The Dark Shroud" Close One of Marvel’s most popular antiheroes, Deadpool’s absence from the series is a glaring omission. That said, he was teased on three notable occasions. He appeared inside Sabretooth’s mind when scanned by Professor X in “Deadly Reunions,” Morph shapeshifted into him in “Whatever it Takes,” and dark Xavier conjured his image in “The Dark Shroud” to torment Wolverine. Each of these hinted at Deadpool’s importance to X-Men lore and Wolverine’s history, but the Merc with a Mouth himself never appeared.
Deadpool’s fourth-wall-breaking humor, chaotic personality, and morally ambiguous nature would have been a fascinating addition to X-Men: TAS. His interactions with characters like Wolverine and Cyclops could have provided comedic relief while exploring deeper themes of identity and redemption. Given Deadpool’s rise to fame in later years, his lack of a substantial role in the animated series feels like a missed opportunity.
9 Rachel Summers X-Men: TAS Season 4, Episodes 18-21 “Beyond Good And Evil” Close Rachel Summers, the time-displaced daughter of Cyclops and Jean Grey, is a critical figure in X-Men lore. As the host of the Phoenix Force in her timeline and a member of the X-Men and Excalibur, Rachel embodies themes of legacy, trauma, and resilience. Rachel Summers appeared in the four-part X-Men: TAS narrative, “Beyond Good and Evil,” in which Apocalypse captured the world’s psychics. Rachel is among these, but has little prominence beyond background appearances, dressed in her red suit.
Despite X-Men: TAS’s deep dive into the Phoenix Saga, Rachel only appears as an Easter Egg, with no recognition of her identity or importance. Her inclusion could have added another layer to the series’ exploration of the Summers-Grey family dynamics. Rachel’s struggle to carve her own identity while living in the shadow of her parents and the Phoenix Force would have been a compelling subplot, especially given the show’s focus on character-driven storytelling.
8 Havok X-Men: TAS Season 3, Episode 11 “Cold Comfort” Close Cyclops’ younger brother, Havok, is another significant character who received little attention in X-Men: TAS. He appears briefly in the episode “Cold Comfort” as a member of X-Factor, where he fights his brother, with both discovering their powers do not harm each other. However, this is never followed up on, with neither learning each other’s identity. Worse still, Havok doesn’t appear again except as a child in a flashback in season 3, episode 18 “Orphan’s End.”

Related Every New & Returning Voice Actor Cast In X-Men '97 (So Far) The 90s X-Men are back in the all-new revival X-Men "97 but the voice-acting ensemble is an exciting mix of returning actors and new faces.
Posts This is a missed opportunity, as the brothers’ complicated relationship is a rich vein for storytelling and was a major narrative in the early X-Men comics. Havok’s rebellious nature and struggles with living in his brother’s shadow could have provided a counterpoint to Cyclops’ leadership style. Additionally, exploring Havok’s powers and his journey toward self-acceptance would have added depth to the series’ exploration of family and identity following Cyclops meeting his father.
7 Scarlet Witch X-Men: TAS Season 4, Episode 13 “Family Ties” Close Although X-Men: The Animated Series features Magneto prominently, his daughter Wanda Maximoff, aka the Scarlet Witch, was only depicted rarely. Scarlet Witch appeared in just one episode, “Family Ties,” which explored her learning who her father is. This hardly feels like enough for one of the first X-Men villains ever. Indeed, Scarlet Witch is a pivotal figure in Marvel Comics, known for her reality-warping abilities and complex moral alignment.
Her further inclusion in X-Men: TAS could have expanded the show’s exploration of Magneto’s family and his often-conflicting roles as a father and mutant revolutionary. Wanda’s struggles with her powers and her place in the mutant world would have complemented the show’s themes of acceptance and belonging. Additionally, her dynamic with her twin brother, Quicksilver, could have added emotional weight to the series. An Easter egg in X-Men ’97 hinted that Wanda could appear sometime in the revival’s future, hopefully rectifying her minimal presence.
6 Quicksilver X-Men: TAS Season 3, Episode 11 “Cold Comfort” & Season 4, Episode 13 “Family Ties” Close Like his sister Wanda, Pietro Maximoff, aka Quicksilver, is underutilized in X-Men: The Animated Series. He appears briefly as a member of X-Factor in the episode “Cold Comfort,” but his role is minimal. He later appeared alongside Scarlet Witch in “Family Ties,” which began exploring a dynamic with their father Magneto, but fell short of reflecting the character’s position in the comics as a founding member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.

Related 10 Saddest Episodes Of X-Men: The Animated Series X-Men: The Animated Series is known for blending thrilling action with mature themes, some of which spawned narratives that are truly heart-breaking.
Posts Quicksilver’s super-speed and brash personality could have brought an intriguing energy to X-Men: The Animated Series. His complicated relationship with Magneto, oscillating between resentment and a deep-seated desire for approval, is a narrative goldmine in the comics. Exploring Pietro’s journey from arrogance to self-awareness could have provided a fascinating character arc while deepening the show’s portrayal of Magneto as a flawed, multifaceted character.
5 Psylocke X-Men: TAS Season 2, Episode 5 “Repo Man,” Episode 11 “Mojovision,” Season 4, Episode 19 “Promise Of Apocalypse” & Episode 21 “End And Beginning” Close Psylocke is a fan-favorite mutant from the comics, with telepathic and telekinetic abilities. Psylocke was teased in two brief cameos before playing a more central role in two episodes from the “Beyond Good and Evil” arc. The first of these, “Promise of Apocalypse," centered on the hero with a short scene that depicted her dynamic powers, but after that she quickly disappeared. Though she appears in the background during “End and Beginning,” she felt distinctly underdeveloped and was simplified drastically.

Related X-Men: The Animated Series's 3 Different Timelines Explained X-Men: The Animated Series has several branching timelines, with the show serving as overlapping canon for different properties in multiple mediums.
Posts 1 Psylocke’s unique blend of psychic powers and martial arts skills, along with her complex backstory involving body-swapping and identity struggles, would have made her a standout addition to the series. Much of this was removed, with Psylocke appearing as a combination of her two personas. Psylocke’s journey toward self-discovery and acceptance would have aligned perfectly with the show’s overarching themes and deserved better as a long-standing X-Men member.
4 Lady Deathstrike X-Men: TAS Season 3, Episodes 1-2 "Out of the Past" Close Lady Deathstrike, a cyborg assassin with a vendetta against Wolverine, does appear in a thrilling two-part episode in X-Men: The Animated Series, but was lost in a busy narrative that tried to connect her closer to Wolverine’s backstory. Unlike the comics, in X-Men: TAS, Deathtrike’s father was the man responsible for giving him his adamantium skeleton. Much of the episode focused on this, as well as a plot regarding the Morlocks and the precursor to the Phoenix Saga.
This would have been fine if Lady Deathstrike returned in X-Men: TAS, but she never did. Lady Deathstrike’s relentless pursuit of vengeance against Wolverine could have provided an opportunity to delve into themes of forgiveness and the cost of obsession. Her character also offers a unique perspective on the consequences of technological augmentation, a topic that resonates with the show’s exploration of humanity and mutation.
3 Spider-Man X-Men: TAS Season 3, Episode 7 "The Phoenix Saga, Part V: Child Of Light" Close While Spider-Man and the X-Men have a long history of collaboration in the comics, Peter Parker is notably absent from the animated series. Though X-Men have appeared in several episodes of Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Web-Head wasn’t permitted to appear in X-Men: TAS. This led the series to allude to his presence during “Child of Light,” by depicting a familiar hand and shadow using webs to rescue civilians from disasters incurred by the Phoenix.
Spider-Man’s witty banter and grounded perspective could have provided a refreshing contrast to the often serious tone of the X-Men. His interactions with mutants, particularly as a non-mutant hero who faces discrimination, were a very compelling addition to Spider-Man: TAS. This could have enriched the X-Men’s exploration of prejudice and acceptance. It feels like a missed opportunity to not carry this over into the appropriate series.
2 Killgrave X-Men: TAS Season 3, Episode 8 “No Mutant Is An Island” Close Killgrave, also known as the Purple Man, is one of Marvel’s most chilling villains. His mind-control abilities and manipulative nature make him a formidable adversary. While he’s not traditionally associated with the X-Men, he appears in the episode “No Mutant is an Island,” but is far less effective. He appears in X-Men: TAS as a wealthy benefactor connected to disappearances in an orphanage.

Related 10 Most Heart-Warming Episodes Of X-Men: The Animated Series X-Men: The Animated Series is known for its tough and mature themes, and as a result often proffered very touching narratives with poignant moments.
Posts Imagine Killgrave using his powers to turn mutants against one another or manipulate public perception of the mutant community. His psychological warfare would have tested the X-Men’s resolve and highlighted their resilience. A further storyline involving Killgrave could have added a darker, more psychological dimension to the series and would have been more befitting his character. Instead, X-Men: TAS presented him as a fairly interchangeable villain who seemed more like a purple version of the Leader.
1 Warlock X-Men: TAS Season 5, Episodes 1-2 “The Phalanx Covenant” Close Warlock is a techno-organic alien and a member of the New Mutants. Many other New Mutants appeared throughout X-Men: TAS, but Warlock felt very unfaithful. While he appeared in a two-part episode in which he teams up with Beast, the series turned him into more of an annoyance than a compelling hero dealing with his identity. His unique design, shapeshifting abilities, and endearing personality largely fell flat, partly due to the sub-par animation in X-Men: TAS season 5.
Warlock’s struggles with his identity as a techno-organic being and his desire to understand humanity align perfectly with the show’s themes. His friendship with characters like Rogue or Jubilee could have provided heartwarming moments, while his battles against the Phalanx would have added high-stakes action. Warlock’s presence could have expanded the show’s exploration of what it means to be “human” - a key theme in X-Men: The Animated Series.

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review Your comment has not been saved
Your changes have been saved

Email is sent
Email has already been sent
My List My Favorite TV Shows My Watchlist Success!

10/10 X-Men: The Animated Series TV-Y7 KidsSci-Fi & FantasyAnimationAction & Adventure X-Men: The Animated Series is a television show based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. The series, which aired from 1992 to 1997, follows the adventures of a team of mutant superheroes, led by Professor Charles Xavier, as they fight for peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants in a world filled with prejudice and fear.
Release Date October 31, 1992 Main Genre Animation Cast Cedric Smith , Norm Spencer , Catherine Disher , Alison Sealy-Smith , Lenore Zann Creator(s) Mark Edward Edens , Sidney Iwanter , Eric Lewald Seasons 5 Upcoming MCU Movies