X-Men Evolution
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''X-Men: Evolution'' is an American
animated television series An animated series is a set of Animation, animated works with a common series title, usually related to one another. These episodes should typically share the same main characters, some different secondary characters and a basic theme. Series can ...
based on the
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
team appearing in
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
. The series takes inspiration from the early issues of the source material and follows the X-Men as teenagers rather than adults, as they learn to control their developing
mutant In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...
powers and face various threats. ''X-Men: Evolution'' ran for a total of four seasons comprising 52 episodes from November 4, 2000, to October 25, 2003, on Kids' WB, which made it the third longest-running Marvel Comics animated series at the time, behind
Fox Kids Fox Kids (originally known as Fox Children's Network and later as the Fox Kids Network; stylized as FOX KIDS) was an American children's block programming, programming block and branding for a slate of international children's television channel ...
' ''
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
'' and ''
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
''. The series was aired on Disney XD from June 15, 2009 to December 30, 2011. Produced in the United States, the voice recording was done in Canada and the show was animated in Japan and South Korea. The series was distributed by
Warner Bros. Television Distribution Warner Bros. Television Studios (operating under the name Warner Bros. Television; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division) is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of ...
during its original run and is currently distributed by Disney Platform Distribution in the United States.


Plot


Season 1

Season one focuses on introducing the core characters of the series. The titular team founded by
Professor Charles Xavier Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the founder and sometimes leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writ ...
competes with Mystique to recruit young mutants with newly discovered
superpowers A superpower is a state with a dominant position characterized by its extensive ability to exert influence or project power on a global scale. This is done through the combined means of economic, military, technological, political and cultural st ...
to their cause. At the
Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters The X-Mansion or Xavier Institute is the common name for a mansion and research institute appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The mansion is depicted as the private estate of Charles Francis Xavier, a character in X-Me ...
, the teenage X-Men are taught by Xavier, Wolverine and Storm to control their abilities and keep them hidden from the rest of society whilst attending high school in Bayville, New York.Evan Levin
Ten years tough for X-Men
''Rome News-Tribune'' – November 21, 2000. Retrieved June 8, 2011
Their ranks grow over the course of the season and ultimately include
Cyclops In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; el, Κύκλωπες, ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguish ...
, Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat,
Spyke Spyke (Evan Daniels) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. He was created for the animated series '' X-Men: Evolution'', and was created by writer Robe ...
, and
Rogue A rogue is a person or entity that flouts accepted norms of behavior. Rogue or rogues may also refer to: Companies * Rogue Ales, a microbrewery in Newport, Oregon * Rogue Arts, a film production company * Rogue Entertainment, a software com ...
, who is initially manipulated into joining Mystique's Brotherhood of Bayville. While the X-Men teach their recruits to exercise restraint and uphold responsibility, Mystique encourages the Brotherhood to recklessly use their powers for selfish gain. The juvenile delinquents inducted into the Brotherhood consist of Avalanche, Toad,
Blob Blob may refer to: Science Computing * Binary blob, in open source software, a non-free object file loaded into the kernel * Binary large object (BLOB), in computer database systems * A storage mechanism in the cloud computing platform Mic ...
, and
Quicksilver Quicksilver may refer to: * Quicksilver (metal), the chemical element mercury Arts and entertainment Music * Quicksilver, a bluegrass band fronted by Doyle Lawson * "Quicksilver" (song), a 1950 hit for Bing Crosby * ''Quicksilver'' (sound ...
. The mastermind behind Mystique and the Brotherhood is eventually revealed to be Magneto, a shadowy and mysterious figure from Xavier's past who seeks to enable mutants to replace humans as the dominant species on the planet. Nightcrawler also learns that he is Mystique's biological son, who was lost to her long ago due to Magneto's interference. Other villains in the season are Wolverine's old rival Sabretooth, Xavier's vengeful half-brother
Juggernaut A juggernaut (), in current English usage, is a literal or metaphorical force regarded as merciless, destructive, and unstoppable. This English usage originated in the mid-nineteenth century and was adapted from the Sanskrit word Jagannath. ...
, and Weapon X professor Andre Thorton.


Season 2

Season two focuses on the continuing conflict between the X-Men, Magneto and Mystique. Beast joins the X-Men as a teacher as a cohort of new mutants are added to their ranks, including Iceman, Magma, Jubilee, Cannonball,
Berzerker In the Old Norse written corpus, berserker were those who were said to have fought in a trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the modern English word ''berserk'' (meaning "furiously violent or out of control"). Berserkers a ...
, Multiple,
Sunspot Sunspots are phenomena on the Sun's photosphere that appear as temporary spots that are darker than the surrounding areas. They are regions of reduced surface temperature caused by concentrations of magnetic flux that inhibit convection. Sun ...
, Wolfsbane, and Boom Boom, who soon leaves the team and becomes a neutral character. Angel uses his powers to help people but chooses not to join the X-Men. Cyclops and Jean grow closer, creating a
love triangle A love triangle or eternal triangle is a scenario or circumstance, usually depicted as a rivalry, in which two people are pursuing or involved in a romantic relationship with one person, or in which one person in a romantic relationship with so ...
when Rogue develops a crush on Cyclops, while Shadowcat and Avalanche begin dating despite being on opposing sides. The X-Men are faced with several threats: Mystique strikes off with the Brotherhood and recruits the
Scarlet Witch Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 1964) ...
, Magneto's abandoned daughter and Quicksilver's sister, to seek revenge;
Mesmero Mesmero (Vincent) is a Fictional character, fictional Mutant (Marvel Comics), mutant supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history Mesmero first appeared in ''Uncanny X-Men, The X-Men'' #49 and was ...
plots to free the ancient mutant
Apocalypse Apocalypse () is a literary genre in which a supernatural being reveals cosmic mysteries or the future to a human intermediary. The means of mediation include dreams, visions and heavenly journeys, and they typically feature symbolic imager ...
; and Magneto forms a new group of mutant followers called the
Acolytes An acolyte is an assistant or follower assisting the celebrant in a religious service or procession. In many Christian denominations, an acolyte is anyone performing ceremonial duties such as lighting altar candles. In others, the term is used f ...
, comprising Sabretooth, Gambit,
Pyro Pyro comes from the Greek word πῦρ (pyr), meaning ''fire''. It may refer to: Businesses *Pyro Plastics Corporation, a plastic model kit maker 1940s through the 1970s *Pyro Studios, a computer game developer based in Madrid * NRK P3 Pyro, a No ...
, and
Colossus Colossus, Colossos, or the plural Colossi or Colossuses, may refer to: Statues * Any exceptionally large statue ** List of tallest statues ** :Colossal statues * ''Colossus of Barletta'', a bronze statue of an unidentified Roman emperor * ''Col ...
. The existence of mutants is ultimately revealed to the world when Magneto pits the X-Men and the Brotherhood against Bolivar Trask's anti-mutant weapon, the
Sentinel Sentinel may refer to: Places Mountains * Mount Sentinel, a mountain next to the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana * Sentinel Buttress, a volcanic crag on James Ross Island, Antarctica * Sentinel Dome, a naturally occurring grani ...
. The X-Men discover that Mystique has been posing as Xavier, who is now missing.


Season 3

Season three focuses on the rising tension and hostility between mutants and humans. After Xavier is found and rescued, the X-Men attempt to rebuild their normal lives in Bayville and continue using their powers for good, though they face public scrutiny and discrimination from the other students at school. The X-Men are forced to contend with numerous personal struggles: Cyclops is abducted and left for dead by Mystique; Spyke leaves the team to join the sewer-dwelling Morlocks when his mutation rapidly advances; Nightcrawler overcomes his insecurities about his appearance; Rogue learns that Mystique is her adoptive mother and loses control of her powers; and Wolverine discovers that he has a teenage clone called X-23, who was created by
HYDRA Hydra generally refers to: * Lernaean Hydra, a many-headed serpent in Greek mythology * ''Hydra'' (genus), a genus of simple freshwater animals belonging to the phylum Cnidaria Hydra or The Hydra may also refer to: Astronomy * Hydra (constel ...
to be trained and used as a weapon. Meanwhile, Magneto enlists Mastermind to alter Scarlet Witch's memories to end her vendetta against him; and Mesmero manipulates Mystique and hypnotizes Rogue into helping him resurrect Apocalypse, who defeats the combined forces of the X-Men, the Brotherhood and the Acolytes.


Season 4

Season four focuses on the aftermath of the X-Men's failed attempt to prevent Apocalypse's revival. The Brotherhood try their hand at heroism only for their selfish tendencies to prevail; Wolverine and X-23 work together to bring down HYDRA; Xavier confronts his estranged son David; Spyke and the Morlocks begin fighting back against human prejudice; Shadowcat befriends Danielle Moonstar; and Rogue pushes Mystique's petrified statue off a cliff, creating a rift between her and Nightcrawler, which causes her to seek redemption by helping Gambit to rescue his father. Apocalypse captures and transforms Xavier, Storm, Magneto, and Mystique into his Four Horsemen as he attempts to turn the human population into mutants. During the final battle, the X-Men and their allies defeat the Horseman, who are returned to normal, while Rogue absorbs the powers of Dorian Leach to neutralize Apocalypse and trap him in his tomb forever. In the aftermath, Rogue and Nightcrawler rebuff Mystique's attempt to make amends; Magneto reconciles with Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch; Shadowcat and Avalanche rekindle their relationship; Spyke reconnects with his aunt Storm; and Xavier sees his students reunited as the X-Men. The series ends with a speech by Xavier, having caught a glimpse of the not-too-distant future in Apocalypse's mind that shows: * Continued anti-mutant sentiment at Capitol Hill. * A reformed Magneto as a new instructor at Xavier's institute. * Jean being consumed by the all-powerful Phoenix Force. Had the series continued, the fifth season would have focused on the '' Dark Phoenix'' saga with Jean becoming an enemy of the X-Men. * The future X-Men team consisting of Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Storm, Beast, Iceman, Colossus, X-23, and Rogue, who is now capable of flight and no longer wearing gloves. * The Brotherhood, including Pyro, joining
S.H.I.E.L.D. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August 1965), it often deals ...
as the Freedom Force. * A fleet of Sentinels led by Nimrod. * A final photographic portrait of the full X-Men roster, including new members Havok, Angel, Gambit, Colossus, and X-23.


Episodes


Cast and characters

*
Professor Charles Xavier Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the founder and sometimes leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writ ...
(voiced by
David Kaye David Kaye may refer to: * David Kaye (voice actor) (born 1966), Canadian-American voice actor * David A. Kaye, actor who played Jesse Waingrow in the film ''3000 Miles to Graceland'' * David Kaye (footballer) (born 1959), English footballer * Dav ...
) is the telepathic founder and pacifistic leader of the X-Men. Nicknamed "Professor X" by his students, he remains somewhat secretive to protect the young mutants in his care. Although he often emphasizes the importance of keeping their powers hidden from the rest of the world, Xavier remains hopeful that mutants and humans can one day coexist peacefully. * Scott Summers / Cyclops (voiced by Kirby Morrow) is the disciplined and responsible field leader of the X-Men. His eyes constantly emit powerful energy beams known as "optic blasts", which can only be controlled by his ruby-quartz glasses and visor. Scott harbors romantic affections for his best friend Jean, but only confesses his feelings for her in the third season, after which they begin dating. * Jean Grey (voiced by Venus Terzo) is a popular girl with powerful telepathic and telekinetic abilities. She finds herself romantically torn between Duncan Matthews and Scott, until she and Scott begin dating in the third season. * Evan Daniels / Spyke (voiced by
Neil Denis Neil Denis (born July 13, 1985) is a Canadian actor best known for his role as Rya'c, son of Teal'c, a Jaffa in ''Stargate SG-1''. His first appearance was in ''University Hospital'' in 1995 at the age of 8. He also appeared in the Canadian tel ...
) is Ororo's playful and stubborn nephew and the youngest member of the X-Men. He has the ability to project bone-like protrusions from his skin. Evan leaves the X-Men to join the Morlocks when he loses control of his powers in the third season. * Logan / Wolverine (voiced by Scott McNeil) is the "gruff uncle" of the X-Men and the strict instructor in charge of the young mutants' combat and survival training. He possesses heightened senses, a regenerative healing factor and an indestructible adamantium skeleton with retractable hand claws. Logan has also shown a softer side as a protective surrogate father to both his clone X-23 and Rogue after she loses control of her powers. * Ororo Munroe / Storm (voiced by
Kirsten Williamson Kirsten Williamson (born 1969) is a Canadian actress. She voices the character Ororo Munroe in the television series '' X-Men: Evolution''. She also had a role as Tammy in '' RV''. She has also appeared in ''Jeremiah'', ''Da Vinci's Inquest'', ...
) is Evan's aunt and a wise mentor to the X-Men who can harness the forces of nature and manipulate the weather. She was previously worshipped as a goddess in Africa due to her ability to summon the rains. *
Rogue A rogue is a person or entity that flouts accepted norms of behavior. Rogue or rogues may also refer to: Companies * Rogue Ales, a microbrewery in Newport, Oregon * Rogue Arts, a film production company * Rogue Entertainment, a software com ...
(voiced by Meghan Black) is a sullen and reclusive
goth A Goth is a member of the Goths, a group of East Germanic tribes. Two major political entities of the Goths were: *Visigoths, prominent in Spanish history *Ostrogoths, prominent in Italian history Goth or Goths may also refer to: * Goth (surname) ...
girl who can absorb the life force, attributes, memories, and powers of anyone through physical touch. She is Mystique's adopted daughter and Kurt's foster sister. Rogue is initially tricked into joining the Brotherhood of Mutants before defecting to the X-Men. She develops an unrequited crush on Scott but eventually becomes attracted to Gambit, an Acolyte working for Magneto. Rogue's real name is never revealed in the series. * Kitty Pryde / Shadowcat (voiced by Maggie Blue O'Hara) is an upbeat and cheerful
valley girl A valley girl is a socioeconomic, linguistic, and youth subcultural stereotype and stock character originating during the 1980s: any materialistic upper-middle-class young woman, associated with unique vocal and California dialect features, fr ...
who can become intangible. She is the second youngest member of the X-Men and develops a close friendship with Kurt over the course of the series. Despite being on opposing teams, Kitty begins dating Avalanche of the Brotherhood of Mutants in the second season. * Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler (voiced by Brad Swaile) is the blue-furred prankster of the X-Men with the ability to teleport. He is Mystique's biological son and Rogue's foster brother. Kurt develops a close friendship with Kitty and his penchant for excessive goofiness initially clashes with Scott's rule-abiding leadership. He is insecure about his appearance and given a holographic image inducer that allows him to blend in at school, though he comes to embrace his true self over the course of the series. * Hank McCoy / Beast (voiced by
Michael Kopsa Michael Kopsa (January 22, 1956 – October 23, 2022) was a Canadian actor. Kopsa was best known for his role as Char Aznable in the English dub of ''Mobile Suit Gundam'' and for his role as Commander Volcott O'Huey in ''Galaxy Angel''. He als ...
) is a mild-mannered intellectual with a repressed, feral alternative mutant personality. He initially works as a gym coach and chemistry teacher at Bayville High School before his latent transformation forces him to retire and join the X-Men as a mentor in the second season.


Music

''X-Men: Evolution'' featured several songs that were produced exclusively for the show: * "Only a Girl (The Bayville Sirens' Theme)" in "Walk on the Wild Side". * "T-O-A-D (Toad's Theme)" in "The Toad, the Witch and the Wardrobe". * "Who Am I Now? (Rogue's Theme)" in "Rogue Recruit". * "Wolverine (Wolverine's Theme)" in a promotional video. * "Evolution Theme (Theme Song)" in the start of the show. The theme and score for ''X-Men: Evolution'' was composed and produced by William Kevin Anderson. Several characters had distinct musical cues, including Avalanche (heavy guitar riffs), Storm (orchestra piece), and
Apocalypse Apocalypse () is a literary genre in which a supernatural being reveals cosmic mysteries or the future to a human intermediary. The means of mediation include dreams, visions and heavenly journeys, and they typically feature symbolic imager ...
(Egyptian music). Others had special sound effects. These include Jean Grey (light chime noise), Sabretooth (roaring),
Rogue A rogue is a person or entity that flouts accepted norms of behavior. Rogue or rogues may also refer to: Companies * Rogue Ales, a microbrewery in Newport, Oregon * Rogue Arts, a film production company * Rogue Entertainment, a software com ...
(also has a unique, black and white special effect), Magneto, Gambit, Shadowcat, and Nightcrawler. The main theme song was recorded by Anderson.


Production notes

One of the main points of the new ''X-Men: Evolution'' concept was the design of the new costumes. Early concept art sketches show the X-Men in classic gold-and-black garb. In these drafts, Spyke wears cornrows, Rogue's outfit exposes her midriff, and Jean Grey's costume is the female version of Cyclops' costume. Both Jean Grey and Shadowcat wear face masks, and Kitty is also wearing an orange miniskirt and
Doc Martens Dr. Martens, also commonly known as Doc Martens, Docs or DMs, is a German-founded British footwear and clothing brand, headquartered in Wollaston in the Wellingborough district of Northamptonshire, England. Although famous for its footwear, D ...
over spandex. Early Storm drawings show her wearing white rather than black. A point of controversy was the design of the blue-skinned villain Mystique.
Steven E. Gordon Steven Eric Gordon (born March 23, 1960) is an American film director, character designer and animator, who is perhaps most well known for his work with animation film director Ralph Bakshi and on '' X-Men: Evolution''. Gordon was one of the dir ...
, the character designer and director of various episodes, was never impressed with the Mystique designs for the first season. Mystique was originally to be presented as nude (as in the
films A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
), but Warner Brothers did not want this included in a Kids' WB! production.Marvel Animation Age Presents: X-Men: Evolution
/ref> However, a short scene of Mystique drawn to resemble her film counterpart (albeit clothed) appears in the Season 1 finale. Gordon stopped directing after two seasons, but continued to design characters for the show. He is most satisfied with the designs of Rogue and Wanda. The show also contained various pop culture references: in episode 9 of the first season, one of Wolverine's defensive programs for the Danger Room is referred to as "Logan's Run X13", a clear reference to the novel/film ''
Logan's Run ''Logan's Run'' is a science fiction novel by American writers William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. Published in 1967, the novel depicts a dystopic Malthusianism future society in which both population and the consumption of resource ...
''. The Rogue/Kitty dance in "Spykecam" was modeled after a similar dance in the ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film of the same name, also written by W ...
'' episode " Bad Girls". The play used in the first-season episode "Spykecam", ''Dracula: The Musical'', is a real play. The song used, however, is an original song made for the episode. The writers of the show have also admitted that they were fans of ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer''. Using Shadowcat as the catalyst, the two shows appear similar: a teenage girl with superpowers fights powerful villains in order to save her high school. ''Buffy'' creator
Joss Whedon Joseph Hill Whedon (; born June 23, 1964) is an American filmmaker, composer, and comic book writer. He is the founder of Mutant Enemy Productions, co-founder of Bellwether Pictures, and is best known as the creator of several television series: ...
has openly credited his inspiration for Buffy as Kitty Pryde. Starting with the first episode of Season 4, "Impact", the episode title was no longer aired on-screen at the beginning of the show, and ''X-Men: Evolution'' became the third longest-running Marvel cartoon, behind '' Spider-Man: The Animated Series'' (5 seasons, 65 episodes) and ''
X-Men: The Animated Series ''X-Men'', also known as ''X-Men: The Animated Series'', is an animated superhero television series which debuted on October 31, 1992, in the United States on the Fox Kids Network. ''X-Men'' was Marvel Comics' second attempt at an animated X-Men ...
'' (5 seasons, 76 episodes).
Boyd Kirkland Boyd Douglas Kirkland (November 4, 1950 – January 27, 2011) was an American television director of animated cartoons. He was best known for his work on '' X-Men: Evolution'' and '' Batman: The Animated Series''. He suffered from idiopathic ...
, the show's producer, says his favorite ''X-Men: Evolution'' season is Season 3. The monthly budget for ''X-Men: Evolution'' was $350,000. This is the first ''X-Men'' animated series to use digital ink and paint. Produced in the United States, the voice recording was done in Canada and the show was animated in Japan and South Korea. Most of the animation was outsourced to Madhouse, Mook Animation in Japan,
DR Movie DR Movie Co., Ltd. is a South Korean animation studio that was established in Seoul in 1990 and frequently works with Japanese companies on anime titles. Since 1991, the studio has been in an exclusive partnership with the Japanese animation st ...
, and WHITE LINE in South Korea.


Successors

The show gave birth to a new series, '' Wolverine and the X-Men'', which began airing in November 2009. It was not a continuation of ''X-Men: Evolution'', though the same creative team was behind the show: Craig Kyle, Chris Yost, Steven E. Gordon, Greg Johnson and Boyd Kirkland all returned to work on the series. In 2012, Jean Grey and Robert Kelly (voiced by their respective ''X-Men: Evolution'' actors) appeared in the '' Iron Man: Armored Adventures'' episode "The X-Factor".


Reception

According to
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
, the show aired "much to X-fans' initial protests and lamentations." RPGnet enjoyed ''Evolution'''s second season, hailing it as the show's "transition season." An improvement over the show's first season "in every way," ''X-Men: Evolution'', according to RPGnet, "introduc dmany ... re-imagined characters from X-Men lore that will certainly entertain the X-Men fans," specifically Beast and Principal Kelley. RPGnet wrote, "Some episodes could easily be cut out of the show and they would not be missed," describing the dialogue as "atrocious at times" and some of the characters as "very one dimensional." Positively, Fred Choi of '' The Tech'' hailed ''X-Men: Evolution'' as "the best incarnation of X-Men yet," admitting that "There are a few changes which will send purists howling in the streets." Choi acknowledged that "The students generally have abilities more powerful than they ever had in the comics," specifically mentioning intangible Shadowcat and telekinetic Jean Grey. While praising the show's animation and music – "cleaner than the original series" – Choi described the transformation of Rogue "into a reclusive goth chick" as " completely baffling but surprisingly palatable." Noting the show's treatment of its characters, specifically making them high school teenagers for thematic purposes as "admirable," John G. Nettles of PopMatters concluded, "What disappoints, however, is the sheer number of missed opportunities here and the decision to subscribe to the same old social norms." Reviewing ''X-Men: Evolution'''s third season, Filip Vukcevic of
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
was mixed in his analysis, deeming it inferior to ''X-Men: The Animated Series ''and concluding, "''Evolution ... ''will interest long-time X-fans, but the fluffy stories and underutilized character personalities ... will cause discerning viewers to zone out," suffering from its attempt "to cram everyone in." Additionally, the author felt that ''Evolution ''lacks the "visual flair" of ''The Batman'' and the "wit" of ''Teen Titans''. The author also panned the series' "average" voice acting, feeling that Magneto, Wolverine and Beast were "miscast." He also noted that combined with "inventive gags," "the show does its best to make the most of the mutants' powers" because "The fight scenes are fun to watch if only to see how the characters interact."


Awards and nominations

''X-Men: Evolution'' won the award for ''Outstanding Sound Mixing – Special Class'' at the
28th Daytime Emmy Awards The 28th Daytime Emmy Awards were held in 2001 to commemorate excellence in daytime programming from the previous year (2000). ''As the World Turns'' tied with ''General Hospital'' for the most Daytime Emmys won in a single year, with a total of ...
, on May 18, 2001 and won the award for ''Outstanding Sound Editing – Live Action and Animation'' at the
30th Daytime Emmy Awards The 30th Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony, commemorating excellence in American daytime programming from 2002, was held on May 16, 2003 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Hosted by Wayne Brady, it was televised in the United States by ABC. ...
, on May 16, 2003. It also won the ''Cover of the Year Award'' in 2004 for best animated figure for Beast. It was nominated for several Golden Reel Awards, as well as other Emmys.
Steven E. Gordon Steven Eric Gordon (born March 23, 1960) is an American film director, character designer and animator, who is perhaps most well known for his work with animation film director Ralph Bakshi and on '' X-Men: Evolution''. Gordon was one of the dir ...
, the director of this show, was nominated in the ''Production Design in an Animated Television Production'' category for ''X-Men: Evolution'' at the 2001
Annie Award The Annie Awards are accolades which the Los Angeles branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood, has presented each year since 1972 to recognize excellence in animation shown in cinema and television. Originally desi ...
s.


Analysis


Comparison with original comics

The ''X-Men: Evolution'' series was targeted at a younger audience and as such portrays the majority of characters as teenagers rather than adults like in ''X-Men: The Animated Series''. In the series, like many animated series based on comics, completely new characters were introduced including
Spyke Spyke (Evan Daniels) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. He was created for the animated series '' X-Men: Evolution'', and was created by writer Robe ...
. As much of the cast were teenagers, they are shown regularly attending high school in addition to the Xavier's Institute. At the latter, Professor X, Storm, Wolverine and later Beast also acted as their teachers at the institute. Beast also served as a teacher to the cast at high school prior to his transformation. ''X-Men: Evolution'' is set in Bayville, New York, the state established in the episode "The Beast of Bayville", where Kitty Pryde receives a package addressed to Bayville, New York. Furthermore, in the early part of the series (until the end of season 2) most people are unaware of the existence of mutants. Also, the "Brotherhood" team is not known as the "Brotherhood of Evil Mutants" within the context of this series. They are not a team of terrorists or mutant supremacists. Instead, the Brotherhood is made up of misfit mutants who often oppose the X-Men (in physical, social and philosophical realms). The series was created as a stark contrast to ''X-Men: The Animated Series''. The series' bible was written by
Robert N. Skir Robert N. Skir (born 3 January 1961) is a writer best known for his work in television animation on shows including ''X-Men'', '' Gargoyles'', '' Batman: The Animated Series'', and ''Spider-Man''. He co-created and served as Story Editor on prog ...
and Marty Isenberg (albeit uncredited), who meant to take The X-Men back to their roots as high school students learning to control their superpowers, as when the comics termed them "The Strangest Teens of All". Whereas the Fox series reflected the then-current role of X-Men as freedom fighters battling persecution and bigotry against mutantkind, ''X-Men: Evolution'' used the theme of mutant powers as a metaphor for the struggles of adolescence. The look of the series was designed by Producer
Boyd Kirkland Boyd Douglas Kirkland (November 4, 1950 – January 27, 2011) was an American television director of animated cartoons. He was best known for his work on '' X-Men: Evolution'' and '' Batman: The Animated Series''. He suffered from idiopathic ...
and artist
Frank Paur Frank Paur is an American television director of animated cartoons. He is best known for his work on '' Batman: The Animated Series'', the Disney animated series '' Gargoyles'', '' X-Men: Evolution'', and '' The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes'' ...
, who created new costumes for the X-Men, replacing the comics-faithful designs of ''X-Men: The Animated Series'' with anime-influenced costumes which were much more animation-friendly. The first season mainly concerned the characters' conflict with Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants as well as served as an introductory to many of the characters to allow people to get used to these new teenage versions. Later seasons predominantly featured Apocalypse as an adversary, introduced versions of the New Mutants, Morlocks and Magneto's Acolytes as well as posed the U.S. Government as an adversary to all parties. The series revealed a detailed knowledge of canon history in a number of small ways. Examples include the evolution of Cerebro from a console device, Shadowcat's initial uneasiness around Nightcrawler and
Forge A forge is a type of hearth used for heating metals, or the workplace (smithy) where such a hearth is located. The forge is used by the smith to heat a piece of metal to a temperature at which it becomes easier to shape by forging, or to th ...
's scientific arrogance along with his devices causing unintended consequences. Rogue is shown to absorb Cyclops' powers in the correct manner. In the Fox series, she also absorbed his lack of control over his beams (which was a result of a brain injury, not inherent in his powers). ''X-Men: Evolution'' shows her with full control over them, just as Scott would if he had not sustained a brain injury. In "Survival of the Fittest", Xavier says that Juggernaut acquired his powers through mysticism (but unlike the comic, says that it unlocked a latent mutant power), and in "The Cauldron" Magneto develops his mutant-enhancing technology from that same Jewel of Cyttorak (but says that he has found it to be scientific rather than mystical). In "Day of Recovery", Toad is seen to be quite comfortable with technology and in "Operation Rebirth", the
POW A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war ...
camp Magneto is held in as a child is visually similar (in the opening shot) to
Auschwitz Auschwitz concentration camp ( (); also or ) was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It con ...
, though it is not identified as such. In addition, Beast's origin is almost identical to that of the comic, despite the change in profession and setting.
Mesmero Mesmero (Vincent) is a Fictional character, fictional Mutant (Marvel Comics), mutant supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history Mesmero first appeared in ''Uncanny X-Men, The X-Men'' #49 and was ...
is shown as part of a circus troupe, much like his appearance in the "Phoenix Saga". Aside from this, supporting characters like Bolivar Trask, Nick Fury, Captain America, Destiny, Agatha Harkness and Amanda Sefton were all taken from the X-Men comic, usually serving to homage to originals without necessarily staying completely faithful to their form. Another difference between the comic and the show is the name changes. Toad, originally Mortimer Toynbee, is changed to Todd Tolansky, and Avalanche, originally Dominic Petros, is changed to Lance Alvers. Both changed names have similarities to their codenames. Also, their nationalities were changed to American from, respectively, British and Greek.


Evolution characters in the comics and films

X-23, an original character introduced in later seasons, made her comic book debut in the miniseries ''
NYX Nyx (; , , "Night") is the Greek goddess and personification of night. A shadowy figure, Nyx stood at or near the beginning of creation and mothered other personified deities, such as Hypnos (Sleep) and Thanatos (Death), with Erebus (Darknes ...
'', where her appearance was slightly altered to more closely resemble Wolverine. She received a self-titled comic miniseries in 2005. Much like Harley Quinn of '' Batman: The Animated Series'',
Terry McGinnis Batman (Terrence "Terry" McGinnis Wayne) is a fictional superhero appearing in media published by DC Entertainment. The character was created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini and first appeared in the pilot episode of the animated television series ...
of '' Batman Beyond'', Cinderblock of Teen Titans, or Marvel's own Firestar of '' Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends'', she was a character originally created for an animated series that was incorporated into comic book canon. The character of Dr. Deborah Risman which created X-23, the clone of Wolverine, was also created for the show and was replaced with a similar character named Dr. Sarah Kinney in the miniseries ''X-23''. Chris Yost (w), Jonathan Sibal (i), '' X-23'' No. 1 (January 12, 2005),
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
The comic book ''
X-Statix X-Statix are a team of mutant superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team was specifically designed to be media superstars. The team, created by Peter Milligan and Mike Allred, first appears in ''X-Force'' ...
'' featured an African-American mutant with the same codename and abilities as Spyke; however, this version of Spyke was not related to Storm, had a very different personality (modeled after popular
gangsta rap Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, emerged in the mid- to late 1980s as a controversial hip-hop subgenre whose lyrics assert the culture and values typical of American street gangs and street hustlers. Many gangsta rappe ...
pers), and is a completely separate character. Another similar character appeared in '' X-Men: The Last Stand'', but as a member of the Brotherhood of Mutants. He is listed as Spike in the credits, but is not mentioned by name in the film, and has no dialogue. When Wolverine invades the forest base of the Brotherhood, Spike is one of the characters that attacks him, demonstrating abilities identical to those shown by the Spyke character before he lost control of his mutation. Another similar character, who bears a greater resemblance to Spyke appears in '' X-Men: Days of Future Past'', but again, he is not named. In the canon Storm has a teenaged cousin, not a nephew, named David Evans, but he is apparently too young to display any mutant abilities.


Marvel references and cameos

''X-Men: Evolution'' weaves many references and cameos into its show. One of the masks worn by the vandals in the Season 3 episode "Mainstream", bears a suitable resemblance to the classic Marvel Comics monster, Fin Fang Foom. In the Season 3 episode "Under Lock and Key", circumstances gather a mix of X-Men, junior members, and nonmembers into a mission team that matches the original X-Men team (Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Iceman, and Angel)—Iceman mentions that this is "definitely the cool team." In the Season 3 episode "Dark Horizons Part 1" when Rogue enters Kitty's room, Kitty is seen sleeping with a stuffed purple dragon, a reference to Lockheed, her purple dragon companion. Also in "Dark Horizons Part 2", Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Shadowcat are grouped together when the X-Men and the Acolytes are separated, a reference to the Europe-based superhero team Excalibur which included all three mutants in its roster.
Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
is the only non-mutant Marvel superhero and mutate to appear on ''Evolution''. There is also, however, a small
Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
reference in the episode "On Angel's Wings", when a sign reading "Stark Enterprises" is seen during an exterior shot of New York City and a small
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
reference when Angel was reading the Daily Bugle, the newspaper that Peter Parker/Spider-Man normally takes pictures for. In addition, Omega Red mentions Maverick and Kestrel in the episode "Target X", referring to the latter as "Wraith". In "Dark Horizons Part 2" the hieroglyphics translated by Beast refer to the Pharaoh Rama-Tut, one identity of Kang the Conqueror.


Home media release


iTunes

All four seasons are available for download in SD format on
iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
(Only available for America), being released in 2009 by Marvel. All 4 seasons immediately broke into the Top 10 Animation charts on iTunes, with season 4 peaking at #3.


DVD


Streaming services

* Disney+ - All four seasons are currently available as of August 2023 in the United States only. * Netflix - The series is not currently available on Netflix, though does offer the DVD. * YouTube - All four seasons were uploaded on YouTube, however
Marvel Entertainment Marvel Entertainment, LLC (formerly Marvel Enterprises) is an American show business, entertainment company (law), company founded in June 1998 and based in New York City, New York (state), New York, formed by the merger of #Marvel Entertainment ...
's YouTube channel listed them as private. * Google Play - All four seasons are currently available on Google Play, although the show is inaccessible in some countries, such as Poland. * Hulu - Hulu had all episodes available on streaming as early as 2009. However, it is no longer available. * Amazon - All four seasons are currently available on Amazon Instant Video. * iTunes - All four seasons are currently available for purchase on the iTunes Store. * HBO Max - All four seasons are currently available on streaming in Latin America since September 17, 2022.


Merchandise


Comic books

In January 2002,
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
began publishing an ''X-Men: Evolution'' comic book, partially based on the show. Written by
Devin K. Grayson Devin Kalile Grayson is an American writer of comic books and novels. Titles that she has written include ''Catwoman'', '' Gotham Knights'', '' The Titans'', the Vertigo series ''USER'', and '' Nightwing''. Early life Grayson was born in New Ha ...
with art by Studio XD, it was abruptly canceled after the ninth issue due to low sales. The series has been reprinted in two
trade paperback Trade paperback may refer to: * Trade paperback, a higher-quality softcover version of a book * Trade paperback (comics) In comics in the United States, a trade paperback (shortened: TPB or trade) is a collection of stories originally published ...
s. The comic introduced the ''Evolution'' version of the Morlocks before they appeared on the show, and their appearances and motivations were radically different in both versions. It also featured an appearance from Mimic who never appeared on the show. An ongoing plot line would have introduced the ''Evolution'' version of Mister Sinister, but the comic was canceled before it could be resolved. However, the cover of the unreleased issue 10 does reveal his intended character design.


Action figurines

Toy Biz created a line of action figures. Taco Bell ran the first ''X-Men: Evolution'' themed promotion with its Kid's Meals.
Burger King Burger King (BK) is an American-based multinational chain store, chain of hamburger fast food restaurants. Headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the company was founded in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida–based res ...
also ran a Kid's Meal promotion which included ''X-Men: Evolution'' toys. Each toy included a mini-disc with games, screen-savers, and a mini-comic related to the character. The lineup included Rogue, Mystique, Cyclops, Wolverine, Magneto, Quicksilver, Nightcrawler, and Toad.


Notes


References


External links

* {{Portal bar, Television, United States, Speculative fiction, Cartoon 2000 American television series debuts 2003 American television series endings 2000s American animated television series 2000s American science fiction television series American children's animated action television series American children's animated adventure television series American children's animated science fantasy television series American children's animated superhero television series Animated series produced by Marvel Studios Animated television series based on Marvel Comics Anime-influenced Western animated television series American English-language television shows Kids' WB original shows Teen animated television series Teen superhero television series Television series by Film Roman Television series by Warner Bros. Television Studios Television shows based on Marvel Comics Animated television series set in New York (state) Works by Christopher Yost