X-Men: The Animated Series was so iconic and influential that it directly changed Marvel, from the comics to the movies. The series was praised for its faithful adaptation of key comic book storylines and its ability to introduce complex characters and relationships to a young audience. Beyond its own success, X-Men: TAS had a profound influence on the broader Marvel universe, changing the course of the comics, inspiring the movies, and even leaving its mark on the MCU timeline.
X-Men: The Animated Series first aired in 1992 and quickly became a defining part of many fans’ experiences with Marvel’s mutant heroes. For five seasons, the show captured the spirit of the X-Men, blending action, complex storytelling, and themes of prejudice, identity, and social justice. It became a new generation’s gateway into the X-Men universe, making the mutants more popular than ever.
10 Reintroducing Morph
Morph Was Based On The Character Changeling
One of the earliest and most significant ways X-Men: The Animated Series influenced Marvel was through the reintroduction of the character Morph. Originally based on a minor, deceased comic book character named Changeling, Morph was one of the team’s earliest casualties in the first season of the show. His death was a major plot point, but the character’s popularity among viewers led to his resurrection in later episodes.
Marvel took note of Morph’s newfound popularity and eventually reintroduced him into the comics. Though Changeling had been a short-lived character in the 1960s, Morph was given a more defined personality and a new lease on life in the Exiles comic book series, where he became a dimension-hopping hero. The success of Morph in X-Men: TAS demonstrates how the show’s influence extended beyond the screen, prompting the resurrection of a previously obscure character.
9 Gambit’s Popularity
Gambit Was Introduced Into The Comics Just Before X-Men: TAS Aired
While Gambit had only been introduced to Marvel Comics in 1990, X-Men: TAS played a massive role in catapulting the character into mainstream popularity. The charming, card-throwing Cajun was featured prominently in the animated series, and his charismatic personality quickly made him a fan favorite. The show emphasized Gambit’s roguish charm, flirtatious relationship with Rogue, and his mysterious past, making him one of the most beloved X-Men.
Before X-Men: TAS, Gambit was still finding his footing in the comics. However, the animated series cemented his place as a major player within the X-Men franchise, leading to a surge in his appearances in comic books and other media. Following the show’s success, Gambit gained several solo comic book series and became a central character in major X-Men storylines. The character’s popularity reached new heights, largely thanks to his role in X-Men: TAS.
8 The Age of Apocalypse
Inspired By X-Men: TAS “One Man’s Worth”
One of the most famous alternate reality storylines in X-Men comics is the Age of Apocalypse saga, a dark dystopian tale where Professor X is killed, and Magneto leads the X-Men in a world ruled by the ancient mutant Apocalypse. This storyline, which debuted in 1995, was inspired by a two-part episode from X-Men: TAS called “One Man’s Worth.” In this storyline, time-traveling X-Men: TAS villains attempt to kill Professor X before he can form the X-Men.7
This leads to a future where Magneto is the leader of a resistance against a world dominated by hate and destruction. Writer David Lapham was inspired by this amazing X-Men: TAS episode to create the Age of Apocalypse crossover event, which has since become one of the most celebrated X-Men stories of all time. It’s a prime example of how X-Men: TAS influenced the direction of the comics, leading to one of the most iconic sagas in X-Men history.
7 Popularizing The Wolverine/Cyclops/Jean Grey Love Triangle
The Love Triangle Was Largely Invented By X-Men: TAS
Although there had been some minor tension between Wolverine and Cyclops over Jean Grey in the comics, X-Men: TAS was the first to fully explore the Wolverine/Cyclops/Jean Grey love triangle as a central storyline. The animated series played up this romantic dynamic to a much greater extent, making it one of the most recognizable elements of the series. Wolverine’s unrequited love for Jean, coupled with Cyclops’ status as her actual partner, created ongoing tension between the two men and added a layer of personal drama to the X-Men: TAS team’s adventures.
This love triangle became so popular through X-Men: TAS that it was eventually adopted into the comics and later into the X-Men movies. It became a central conflict in the original trilogy with ramifications throughout the franchise. The success of the love triangle storyline in X-Men: TAS paved the way for its prominence in other media adaptations, making it a defining feature of the X-Men mythos.
6 Establishing The Team’s Most Famous Costumes
X-Men: TAS’s Costumes Were Based On Jim Lee’s Designs
The iconic designs of the X-Men’s costumes in X-Men: TAS were based on Jim Lee’s artwork from X-Men #1 in 1991, which became one of the highest-selling comic books of all time. Lee’s bold, colorful designs were perfectly suited for animation, and the series kept the characters in these costumes for its entire run, even as the comics updated their looks every couple of years. As a result, X-Men: TAS proffered the longest-running, consistent costumes in the X-Men universe.
This consistency helped solidify these costumes as the definitive versions of the X-Men’s attire in the minds of many viewers. In fact, the costumes featured in X-Men: TAS became so iconic that they were later referenced in various media, including the X-Men films. By maintaining these iconic designs throughout, X-Men: TASensured that they became a lasting part of the X-Men’s identity across multiple platforms.
5 X-Men: TAS Inspired The Movies
The X-Men Movies Were Produced Off The Success Of X-Men: TAS
The success of X-Men: The Animated Series on Fox Kids was the reason that 20th Century Fox made the first X-Men movie in 2000. The animated series proved that there was a strong appetite for X-Men content, especially among younger audiences, and its high ratings demonstrated the potential for a live-action adaptation. The film’s producers and director Bryan Singer have acknowledged that the popularity of X-Men: TAS was a major factor in moving the project forward.
In fact, Singer noted that instead of reading decades of comics in preparation, he watched X-Men: TAS. The success of the movie, which grossed nearly $300 million worldwide, helped launch the modern era of superhero films and spawned a long-running franchise that continues to influence comic book adaptations today. Without the groundwork laid by X-Men: TAS, modern superhero cinema could look very different.
4 Beast’s Cameo In X-Men (2000)
George Buza Appears In X-Men (2000)
Considering the role X-Men: The Animated Series played in producing X-Men (2000), it’s fitting that a more explicit, albeit subtle, connection was established. This came in the form of George Buza, the voice actor who played Beast in X-Men: TAS. Buza had a cameo in X-Men (2000) as the truck driver who gives Rogue a ride early in the film. While this cameo may have been brief, it was a nice Easter egg for fans of the animated series and a way to connect the live-action film to the beloved cartoon.
Interestingly, the actor who voiced Magneto in X-Men: TAS, David Hemblen, was originally considered for the role of Magneto in the live-action movie before Ian McKellen was ultimately cast. These behind-the-scenes connections between the animated series and the film further illustrate the influence of X-Men: TAS on the early development of the live-action franchise.
3 Nightcrawler’s Cameo In X-Men: The Last Stand
Adrian Hough Appears In X-Men: The Last Stand
Another voice actor from X-Men: The Animated Series made a surprising cameo in the X-Men films. Adrian Hough, who voiced Nightcrawler in the animated series appeared in X-Men: The Last Stand. Hough played Jean Grey’s father in the opening scene, who angers Magneto when he asks how they could treat Jean’s mutation.
While Nightcrawler didn’t appear in the third film of the original trilogy, this small role for Hough was a subtle nod to his contributions to the animated series. X-Men: The Last Stand is often criticized for its handling of certain storylines, but Hough’s cameo was a pleasant Easter egg for long-time viewers of the animated series. It also served as a reminder of how the animated series had helped popularize these characters and build a foundation for their inclusion in the live-action films.
2 Bishop’s Connection To Days Of Future Past
X-Men: TAS Established Bishop’s Connection
The storyline of “Days of Future Past” is one of the most iconic in X-Men lore, and its adaptation in X-Men: The Animated Series introduced the time-traveling mutant Bishop into the series. While the original comic featured Kitty Pryde as the character who traveled back in time, X-Men: TAS opted to replace her with Bishop. This inadvertently created an association that stuck in later adaptations of the story.
When the X-Men: Days of Future Past movie was released in 2014, Bishop was once again part of the time-traveling narrative, thanks to his prominent role in X-Men: TAS. It also influenced Bishop’s storyline in the animated series Wolverine and the X-Men, another animated show that revisited the “Days of Future Past” concept. X-Men: TASplayed a pivotal role in cementing Bishop’s connection to this iconic storyline, ensuring his inclusion in future adaptations.
1 X-Men: TAS In The MCU
X-Men: TAS HAs Been Referenced On Several Occasions In The MCU
In recent years, X-Men: The Animated Series has seen a resurgence in the MCU itself. The iconic theme song from X-Men: TAS was used during key moments in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Ms. Marvel, using the music as a shorthand to signal mutancy or X-Men membership. Additionally, Professor X’s hover chair from the animated series was featured in Multiverse of Madness, further connecting X-Men: TAS to the MCU.
In The Marvels, Beast’s design was heavily influenced by his appearance in X-Men: TAS, demonstrating the lasting impact of the animated series on the portrayal of these characters. With the revival series X-Men ‘97, it’s clear that the influence of X-Men: The Animated Series is still being felt in modern Marvel projects, cementing its place as a foundational piece of the X-Men legacy.
