Upon the launch of X-Men ’97, fans immediately posed one question: would we witness the appearance of Spider-Man or other characters from Marvel’s interconnected animated world? Not only were fans provided with the answer, but they were also potentially given insight into the ultimate destiny of Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson.
The X-Men ’97 episode 7 featured a quick, unspoken appearance from the iconic wall-crawler. Although it was later confirmed to be based on the Spider-Man: The Animated Series version, viewers were eager for a larger role from Spider-Man.
In the X-Men ’97 Season 1 finale, their wish was granted as Peter Parker and Mary Jane made a brief, easily-missed appearance.
The cameo in X-Men ’97 does bring up more questions about the timeline, but it could also be a sign that fans will ultimately get the happy ending they’ve been waiting for.
X-Men ’97 Finale Features Surprising Spider-Man Twist
The third season finale of Spider-Man: The Animated Series, titled Turning Point, was a highly traumatic event.
In a nod to the iconic The Night Gwen Stacy Died, the scene depicts Mary Jane apparently plunging from the George Washington Bridge. However, she actually passes through a portal created by a time-dilation device.
Despite appearing to return in season four, it was later revealed in the two-part episode The Return of Hydro-Man that the Mary Jane present was a hydro-clone. It wasn’t until the finale of season five, with the assistance of Madame Web, that Spider-Man finally discovered Mary Jane’s predicament of being trapped in another time.
However, fans were left without closure as they never got to witness the resolution of the story. Spider-Man: The Animated Series ended abruptly on a major cliffhanger, with the last scene showing Spidey and Madame Web entering a portal.
Years later, series writer John Semper Jr. disclosed that the original plan for season six was for Spider-Man to start off stranded in the past in London, having been separated from Madame Web.
Upon his arrival, he would discover Mary Jane in Whitechapel, suffering from amnesia. As Spidey traverses the streets, he uncovers the disturbing truth that Jack the Ripper, a notorious killer, is on the loose. It is not until later that he learns Jack is none other than Carnage.
The tale, named Peter Finds Mary Jane, has gained notoriety among enthusiasts. Although the initial cast filmed a brief preview, the conclusion has never been officially released and should not be considered canonically valid.
Possible Connection Between X-Men ’97 and Spider-Man’s Rescue of Mary Jane
It’s likely that the Peter Parker and Mary Jane portrayed in the X-Men ’97 cameo are from a time after the events of Peter Finds Mary Jane. This subtle appearance serves as confirmation that Spider-Man successfully rescued Mary Jane.
Despite the lack of confirmation on how Spider-Man: The Animated Series and X-Men/X-Men ’97 align their timelines, there are some reasonable assumptions that can be made.
X-Men ’97 may have finally given fans a happy ending for Spider-Man and Mary Jane.
In Secret Wars, Wolverine and Storm are members of Spider-Man’s team, indicating a crossover between their respective timelines. This suggests that their timelines coincide with each other.
Based on the finale dates, it can be inferred that Spider-Man would have entered the portal around the same time as X-Men: The Animated Series, which aired its finale on September 20, 1997, while Spider-Man’s finale aired on January 31, 1998.
There is clearly some room for interpretation. First of all, it is uncertain how much time is supposed to pass between seasons, as events can occur within a few minutes of each other even though they are shown in multiple episodes.
However, if we consider the time jump used in X-Men ’97 (which takes place about a year after the original series ended), it is possible that Spider-Man could have traveled back in time, rescued Mary Jane, and returned to the present within this timeframe.
While it is possible that these are simply cameos included for the sake of having cameos, it is difficult to ignore the fact that Spider-Man’s ending has gained a notorious reputation among fans.
Despite the effort and care put into preserving the timeline of X-Men in the transition to X-Men ’97, it is difficult to believe that this cameo would not have been meticulously planned as well.
At present, fans will have to patiently anticipate a potential Spider-Man ’98 series to uncover the ultimate fate of Mary Jane.
You can currently stream X-Men ’97 Season 1 and Spider-Man: The Animated Series on Disney+. As you eagerly anticipate the release of X-Men ’97 Season 2, make sure to check out the comic books that served as inspiration for Season 1 and the top 10 X-Men comics.
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