X-Men ’97 to feature non-binary hero amid “woke” backlash

X-Men ’97, the new Disney+ animated series, will feature a new nonbinary hero amid backlash that it’s too “woke.”

X-Men ’97, the highly anticipated sequel series, will act as a continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series, which ran from 1992-1997.

The new Disney+ show will pick up directly after the events of X-Men: The Animated Series which finds the X-Men facing a new threat after losing their iconic leader Professor Charles Xavier.

X-Men ’97 will feature the original characters from the series and some new ones, including a new nonbinary hero, which is seen as the show being “woke” by some fans who have missed the original messaging of the X-Men.

X-Men’s nonbinary hero is nothing new for the franchise

It was reported that X-Men hero Morph, who can be seen in the original series, will be portrayed as nonbinary in the new Disney+ series.

When speaking to Empire Magazine [via ComicBookMovie], showrunner Beau DeMayo explained Morph’s show depiction will be a “lighter take on the character, who is nonbinary and has an interesting buddy relationship with Wolverine.”

This revelation isn’t as controversial as many fans are making it out to be, as Morph – whose real name is Kevin Sydney – is a shape-shifting mutant who has presented as both male and female in the past within the comics, so having them be nonbinary isn’t that groundbreaking.

However, many conservative X-Men fans have started bashing the show online for this decision as they claim that the series is becoming too “woke” by making the character identify as nonbinary for the first time.

But, if you’re even a little bit familiar with the X-Men franchise as a whole, one would realize that the series has always had progressive viewpoints within it, both in the comics, on the small screen, and in its live-action version.

The X-Men have always touted an “outsider/other” status amongst humans, which has been read to be an allegory for both racism and LGBTQ+ community discrimination.

Many fans excited about the show have called about these critics for “never having read the comics” and encouraged them to seek more information on the franchise before bashing the messaging it has been displaying since it first premiered in comic form back in 1963.

Whether you’re excited about the series or want to watch it in order to find something to dislike, all X-Men fans can catch X-Men ’97 when it premieres on Disney+ on March 20.