X-MEN 97 Episode 3 Breakdown | Marvel Easter Eggs, Ending Explained & Review

Welcome to the Heavy Spoilers show, I'm your  host Paul and we're back to break down X-men 97. - Episode 3 is now out and it's another banger  that pulls heavily from the comics. It's filled with easter eggs, hidden details and things you  missed along with the introduction of a major show villain. It's getting very very sinister  and we learned a lot in the Pryor episode ey. Heavy Spoilers ahead from this point out  so if you haven't had a chance to check it check out now. Smash the thumbs up 

button like it's Morph turning into your Ex and with that out the way  let's....let's get into the video. - Now episode 2 ended with a big reveal which came  knocking at the door of the good ol' X-mansion. Totally forgot what this reminded me of but it was this episode that the penny finally  dropped. Senator Kelly showed up in a similar fashion during the original X-men  film with him also looking for the X-men. We now had two Jean Grays and many of you guessed  what was going on. The first clu

e was given by the fact that she was pregnant and then the  kid was born and called Nathan Summers. Fans of the comics will know this as Cable and it  seems like the shows telling his origin story. The comics have always been pretty  convoluted and his back story has never fully been nailed down. He's the time  travelling son of a clone of Jean who slept with Scott. I think. That's it  boiled down to it's most basic points in the comics but they went a bit all  over the place since his introduct

ion. They actually wanted to adapt it during  Deadpool 2 and give us a background on his origin story. However they realised it  was way too convoluted and thus they just cut the entire thing out. Still  though we did get an easter egg with Pryor being on the side of a van  before the big prison transport scene. Here though it's kind of a back door explanation  and it's also going over Madelyne Pryor. Now in the comics we had the Dark Pheonix saga which  was shown to us in the intro of episode 2

. Jean in the comics then seemingly died and  Scott was completely devastated. In Alaska he then met Madelyne and due to her likeness to  Jean he found her really attractive. There was even suspicion that she might be the same  and so Professor X dived into her mind. Here he saw she was seemingly in a plane crash  that happened at the moment that Jean Gray died. However this was all a plant carried out by  Mr Sinister who had his own Sinister goals. He wanted Madelynne and Scott to fall in love 

and in doing this he'd then steal their child. Sinister was out to breed a powerful mutant in the hopes that they'd be strong  enough to take down apocalypse. He'd even gave her a personality similar to Jeans  so that she and Scott would get along better. The name Pryor...that was also a pun because  it highlighted that she had a Prior life. The pair then had a whirlwind romance  and were married outside the X-mansion. We're given a nod to this and even get  the comic panel recreated here which

I think is such a cool thing to  have pop up in the episode. They also perfectly recreate the Goblin  Queen arc and have Madelyne rocking her costume from the comics. So good  seeing this pop up and I haven't seen something this hot from the  90s since those sexy Hanson girls. I wish she was Goblin up my - Now if you love clothes which...great way to start  this ad...why don't you check out our merch shop right below the video. We've got theory time  ones, it's all connected, me and the boys on

es and lots of marvel things you should check out.  We're working with a new retailer and have put a lot of work into the fit so that it accentuates  the good parts of your body. Tighter round the pecks and looser round the waist its gonna  make you look slicker than Mr Sinister. Huge thank you to everyone who's picked one up and  massive thank you for supporting the channel. Now as always we begin with the iconic intro  that made the skip button completely useless on Disney plus. The first two

episodes  came with additional shots and that's the case here too. We see Magneto Vs  the X-men with Storm rocking her longer haired look. I believe this scene pulls  directly from the original series and it had Charles and Magneto confronting  each other for the first time in years. We have Roberto running up to a chainlink fence  and getting stuck which riffs off when Jubilee did it in the original intro. Episode 1  pretty much had Roberto taking over her role in the show in that he was used a

s a way  to introduce newcomers to the X-men. That's something Jubilee did in night of the sentinals  so it makes sense that he'd be used here too. We also have Lilandra of The Shia'ar empire  smashing a control panel like the like button. She most notably appeared in the dark phoenix  saga but shes also the character who took away Charles. We can see him off to the right and  she transported him so that he could be healed. - This is why I think the characters gonna  be coming back and that we'l

l likely end with him in the finale. Brought up last week  how I think this is telling the origin story of the X-men we met in The Marvels and  Charles was of course mentioned there. We also have have a shot of  that Dark Pheonix arc with the moment in which Cyclops tried to stop Jean. Rogue kisses her hand whilst its over Ghambits lips even though shes got a bit of  magnetism with another character. Guessing that's gonna cause issues but  that's all the new shots in the intro. Now from here we

cut to the episode  Fire Made Flesh. This is of course a reference to whats gone on here with the fire  representing the phoenix. This has then been made into Madelyn though you can also see  it as being Jean made from the pheonix. Upon entering Jeans mind we see several flashes  of the show with her rocking her old head piece. This is a clear call back to this image which  they've managed to recapture brilliantly. The face has been removed though and it reminded me  of when Professor X couldn't

scan Madelyns mind. This includes a shot of her as Marvel girl  whos costume Jean held up during episode 2.  We also get...killed me this mate...also  get a recreation of one of my favourite memes with Wolverine turning his back as Cyclops  and Jean kiss. 10 out of 10 episode mate, no notes, all banging because of this moment. Next we cut to a moment directly from the Dark Pheonix arc and can even see  Beast rocking his little backpack. We then have Scott comforting Jean before we  then cut to

the big wedding shot. Not only was this a big part of the comics but it also made  it's way into the show. Now there it turned out Jean and Scott weren't technically married and  this is because Morph posed as the priest. Morph was experimented on by Sinister and this is why  we see him reflected in his eye in the intro. Now it's also important to bear in mind  that this is the last memory Madelyn sees from the show so it could hint to when it  was she was taken. This is likely during till death

do us part part two in which both  Jean and Cyclops were kidnapped by Sinister. The pair seemingly escaped in the end but  I feel like it adds new context to that. That happened all the way back in Season 2 so it would mean shes been gone for a pretty  long time. Madelyne pryor debuted in the iconic Uncanny X-Men 168 and became  the goblin queen in Uncanny X-men 240. We then see flashes of Jean waking up in Sinisters  lab which is like some old creepy Frankenstein dungeon. Escaping into the woo

ds then then made  it back to the city which is where she came across a TV shop. Shoutouts to our editor Matt for  noticing that this is the same one from episode 1. She then travelled out to the mansion  and that brings us to where we are now. Morph says its gonna get confusing and we  then watch as the character mutates into Spiral. Like Cable she was kind of created  originally through a paradox in which a future version of herself forced her to go  down a certain path. Lots of timey whimey w

ibbly wobbly stuff and Beast then drops  the bombshell that counch Jeans, Jean. Through carbondating the pair he's realised  that Madelyn is in fact a clone. Again its a bit different from the comics as Jean  hasn't died and so on and so forth. Either way Scotts devastated but  technically...its not cheating mate. Same person. Even if its Morph...still...looks  the same so its not cheating. Now the revelation completely breaks Madelyn  and she ends up going off with Nathan. Scott tries to smooth

things over but even  he hesitates when calling her Jean. - Now the comics also had Madelyn  wanting Cyclops to quit and this is something that she suggested to  Scott here too. I feel like this was implanted in her mind and it would  act as a way to break up the X-men. She then hears sinister coming from the baby  monitor which in itself, its bloody sinister that. Down in the lab we get Bishop looking at a time  bracelet which pulls from the days of future past arc. Bishops had to remain in th

e past  until this was fixed but this offers him a way back home. Cyclops asks him why he hasn't heard  of this cloning thing even though he's supposed to come from the future. In the MCU altering time  creates a branch that burst off from it and its in this that things go on a different past. In the  X-men universe time isn't a set thing and this means that things can ripple and change. This in  itself how the days of future past arc happened which meant that Bishop could alter things in  the p

ast which then created an alternate future. I kinda see it as that timeline still being  out there and that explains why Bishop wasn't erased when things were changed. Technically if  they altered things he should exist and but he still does so it doesn't create a paradox.  Guessing when he goes home he'll go to the future on this branch in which the days of  future past stuff never ended up happening. Lots of timey whimey wibbly wobbly stuff mate but  yeah let me know below...cos I don't know e

ither. Now we also see Jean getting  nursed in a bed by scott which again ties back to that image from  her memory. To me this highlights that he believes shes the real one  and its trying to recapture that. Now Beast figures out that it was Sinister  who cloned her and the villain appears in her room looking creepy as s**t near that  crib. Hes not there really but its a good way of portraying how he haunts her and  this episode takes on a real horror tone. Sinister has planted one of his gems i

n her head  and this now gies him the power to control her. Jean then starts smashing up pictures and  we see one based on the art used for the show. That had the group all standing around  with Jubliee eating popcorn at the front. They also have jean in her old costume  which is obviously triggering for her. The marvel girl costume also spills out onto  the floor perhaps symbolically showing that this goodness is now gone. Madelyn at  this point becomes the goblin queen and dons a new costume d

ue to Sinister  entering her mind. This is why it looks similar to his design with the dark  red being laced throughout the black. She also has his diamond in the centre of her head and possesses sorceress  powers just like the comics. The green glow looks similar to the chemical from his dungeon and it helps  to tie everything together. Downstairs we see some of the group  exiting the danger room and see that Rogue and Magneto have booked the  danger room out for a while. Bit suspicious mate...

sure they're just  training mate...that's why they're sweating so much mate...that's why shes  got grey hairs round her mouth...dear me. Now at the showers we see Morph in his  old costumer and upstairs catch Jubliee and Sunspot eating popcorn. Love how you  can see its out of one of those 90s hob style ones which they cooked with at the start  of Scary Movie. And scream mate I know I know. Now this sort of turns the mansion into a  house of horrors which in itself was used in the new mutants mo

vie. Sunsport  also appeared in that and there was a character who played on the fears  of others and made them hallucinate. Matt pointed out it also takes lots of inspiration  from chainsaw man most notably the eternity devil arc. Gambits worst fears come to life and he  catches Rogue and Magneto cuddling up together. Shes wearing her torn outfit from X-men 274 which  is when the pair hooked up in the Savage Land. Madlyne also creates her goblin creatures which  pullfrom Uncanny X-men 240. Abso

luytely love the tone this episode takes and we get a  creature crawling out the tv like Samara in the Ring...or Saddokoh. This then turns  into Robertos mother who calls him a freak. She also creates a nightmarish version of  Professor X and we also get his younger sister Shard. She appeared in the Days Of Future  Past episode and berates him for abandoning her. We also get a Sentinal that looks  like a skull knight from Bezerk and there's clear references to anime  laced throughout these momen

ts. Beast brings up Dante's Inferno which is  a story about escaping the nine circles of hell. This is as they're surrounded by firry  rings and a pit which is occupied by demons. We also get a nod to the Jabberwock as he rides  a create which is a book by Lewis Carrol. Now Jean arrives during this after awakening  and she helps to save the group. Madelyn arrives at this point though and I love  how shes got Nathan suspended in a bubble. Rogue and Magneto finally arrive and  yeah...wonder what t

hey've been up to. Morph brings up how Sinister  was a scientist during the 1800s which is a nod to his  origins as Nathanial Essex. Essex was obsessed with evolution and he became  a great studied of Darwin. He believed that it stemmed from untapped powers within one which  tied into how mutation could alter humanity. Essex discovered he was a mutant after coming  across Apocalypse and its from here that he truly became the villain we know. If you wanna  see that in more depth you can check out

the animated series episode Descent which features  the character in a big bad way. Nathan is also of course playing off Nathanial which is  subliminally why that name was chosen. Morph transforms into his original animated  character design and goes with the the dishevelled look that from when Sinister had control.  Morph was originally used by Sinister as an assassin but Morph managed to break free from his  control. You might remember that Morph seemingly died during night of the sentinals b

ut sinister  took charge and worked his slave powers on him. Heading out to Sinisters lab we see  as Cables placed into a pot clearly based off a witches Caldron. He also pulls down an electrical power lever which of course  chose iconography from frankenstein. Heading to his Cathedral we see  Madelyn sat on a throne and ey Scott, if you get a Goth girlfriend go for it mate. Morph then turns into Magick who  also appeared in the New Mutants and when controlled becomes her  DarkChylde form. This

is such a deep cut for comic fans and I loved  seeing it being brought up in the show. We then see her and Magneto duking it  out but even he's no match for her. He can just control metal whereas she can  control everything which is something the pair also touched upon during The Last Stand.  Cyclops attacks and we then get a scene that reminded me a lot of Castlevania with the  blood from the lip being almost vampiric. Back at the mansion we see as there's  a slight role reversal as it's Logan

who calms down Jean whereas its normally  her helping his rage. It also feels like a flip on the first X-men movie and she goes  into his mind to see how much he loves her. Im just saying mate, there's two jeans now and Scott already has a kid with one...so lets  like...lets find a way to work this out. Psychically travelling to Madelyn we  see how she once was the Phoenix but also get a flashback to her as a child.  In every iteration Professor X has went to her directly and they had a scene  p

laying out like this in the Last Stand. She also has a Cyclops toy there as  well..which...which explains a lot mate. Both Jean and Madelyn share these  memories and we see how Jeans powers are brought on by a car nearly hitting  her. Dark Pheonix had her causing a car crash with her parent while last stand  had her lifting cars int he street. We also get several flashes of key moments  from her life including a picture that riffs perfectly off the death of Jean grey. The  costumes been changed

slightly from the version here and that's due to that being  what Cyclops was wearing in this universe. However in the next shot to the left hand side  we can catch him wearing his classic 60s costume. Ice Man was also in the original X-men lineup  run who we can catch standing below him. You might also notice there's a giant hand  with this belonging to beast. This was before he turned blue...dabadee daba die  and its a nice trip down memory lane. Noiw its nathan being a representation  of love

that finally breaks Madelyn and she realises its the greatest  thing that ever happened to him. Blasting Sinister I love how you can catch a big hole in his chest which then  heals and pulls itself together. Sinister is of course an immortal and he's  extremely hard to defeat. Rumours are he's gonna be the main villain in the X-men MCu  film and Id love to see him in live action. Also it seems like he utters some keywords  which stop Madelyn from going after him. - Clearly riffing off the winte

r  soldier and manchurian candidate and like CIA brainwashing  it stops her in her path. Now Nathans been infected by  the techno organic virus which was first introduced in the Phalanx Covenant. Its something that he suffers with in the  comics and though Beast is looking for a cure we know he doesn't find it. They  ask if Bishop has a cure in the future and brings up how he's gonna go out and  seek out someone who can build anything. Now this is where things get confusing  cos Ive always thoug

ht that that was Forge. I even right...even googled...mutant who can build anything x-men and his  was the only name that came up. At the end though we see Forge  popping up and he hints he can get storms powers back. What we're dealing  with though is an older version of the character which should hopefully  clear up some of the confusion. That takes us into theory time theory  time if I could turn back time. So we saw an older version than the one we meet  here. I kinda feel like whats happene

d is that Bishop went to the future and then told  Forge about what had happened with Storm. He then might have sent this message back to  himself and this is when he sought out Storm. In the future I think we'll  see an older version of him and this will be the one that helps out Cable. Interestingly Forge appeared in the Phalanx  episodes of Season 5 meaning that this could all be connected. So he may cure Storm  and then do this. He may even need some of Storms ability's to help and this  cou

ld be why he was so interested in getting her powers back. In the comics  Forge was the one who created the gun that stripped her powers from her in the  first place so its kind of reflecting that. Anyway theory time. Just get a one some times. Now we see Madelyn then giving her baby away. This  is something that has peppered myths and stories throughout time with the basis of Moses. He went  down the Nile and Perseus was sent across the sea. Both allowed the child to escape their fate  and I fe

el like that's what they're doing here. Madelyn then ends up hitting the road and  she has a farewell with Jean. Neither know when they were switched and its kinda like  beth and spacebeth from Rick and Morty. Finally we end with Forge was voiced by Gil  Birmingham and he played Jacobs Dad in Twilight. Its likely that they're now following a big  arc from the comics called Life Death a love story. Can see Storm and Forge there on the  cover with her also rocking the Mohawk. She ends up starting

a relationship with Forge  and goes on a journey of self discovery to find out who she really is. So far shes always  leaned on her powers whereas here she sees that shes more than them. It develops her more as  a person rather and makes her a well rounded individual instead of just being a Goddess.  I wonder if they're gonna reveal that Forge built the gun from episode 2 and it could add  some real dramatic tensions to the series. Anyway that closes out the entry  and what another bloody banger

. 3 in a row for me and I'm so happy to  be back with the X-men. Me and MT did a big review talking about these episodes  and I said in it that I feel like if the MCU manages to do this in live action  then they're gonna absolutely nail it. I feel that even more now and its difficult  to think what they could do differently. The animation is a bit...bit off at points  but I mean that's really nitpicking stuff. In terms of story they're doing such a good  handling of the characters and everyone's

getting their interesting arcs. I think in the past,  especially with the movies, they've tended to lean very heavily on Wolverine and just ended up  keeping that as the focus. This has really shown you don't even need him to tell a proper X-men  story and this is beautiful, personal and tragic. Such a good way to start off the season  and we will of course be back next week to discuss the fourth entry. I don't think  we're getting early access to that so the video might be a bit later and I do

n't want  you kids staying up late if you're hanging around for us. We should have it up for the  morning though and huge thank you for sitting through the breakdown. Make sure you leave your  comments below as well as id love to read them. Please drop a like on the video and  if you want to support the channel as a member of the Spoiler Society  then please click the join button. You'll get early access to videos every week  and it goes such a long way to helping us. Now if you want something e

lse to watch we have  a video on screen right now _____________________ With that out the way, huge thank  you for sitting through the video, I've been your host and I'll see  you next time. Take care, Peace.