The X-Men '97 Team Dishes on the Finale's Big Bad Reveal

The X-Men ‘97 Team Dishes on the Finale’s Big Bad Reveal

The season finale of X-Men ‘97 left fans reeling with its shocking reveal of the show’s big bad villain. After a season filled with red herrings and misdirection, it was revealed that Bastion, a relatively unknown character in the X-Men universe, was the mastermind behind the attacks on mutantkind.

To get a better understanding of this bold move, we spoke with the creative team behind X-Men ‘97, including executive producer Eric Lewald, writer/producer Joe Pokaski, and voice actor Cal Dodd (who voices Cyclops). They gave us the lowdown on their decision to make Bastion the big bad, how they kept it a secret, and what this means for the future of the X-Men franchise.

The Decision to Make Bastion the Big Bad

According to Lewald, the idea to make Bastion the big bad came from a desire to introduce a new and unexpected villain to the X-Men universe. “We wanted to create a sense of danger and uncertainty for the audience, and introducing a new character like Bastion allowed us to do that,” he said.

Pokaski added that they also wanted to explore the idea of a villain who wasn’t necessarily motivated by the usual reasons, such as power or revenge. “Bastion’s motivations are rooted in his belief that mutants are a threat to humanity, and that he’s doing the right thing by trying to eliminate them,” he said. “This created a sense of complexity and moral ambiguity that we thought would be interesting to explore.”

Keeping the Big Bad a Secret

One of the biggest challenges the team faced was keeping Bastion’s identity a secret until the season finale. Lewald revealed that they went to great lengths to keep the surprise under wraps, even using decoy scripts and fake storylines to throw off fans and critics.

“We knew that if the news got out, it would ruin the surprise, so we kept it hidden until the very end,” he said. “It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it in the end to see the reaction from the fans.”

Dodd, who voices Cyclops, also praised the team’s efforts to keep the secret. “As an actor, it’s always fun to be in on a secret like that,” he said. “It added an extra layer of excitement to the production, and I think it really paid off in the end.”

Implications for the Future of the X-Men Franchise

With Bastion’s reveal as the big bad, many fans are wondering what this means for the future of the X-Men franchise. According to Lewald, this twist opens up a whole new world of possibilities for the show and its characters.

“Introducing Bastion as the big bad adds a new layer of depth to the X-Men universe,” he said. “It shows that there are still many unknown threats out there, and that our heroes have their work cut out for them.”

Pokaski also hinted that this twist could have major implications for future seasons of X-Men ‘97. “We’re excited to explore the aftermath of Bastion’s reveal and see how it affects the relationships between our characters,” he said. “There are a lot of interesting storylines to explore, and we’re eager to dive in.”

Conclusion

The season finale of X-Men ‘97 left fans stunned with its big bad reveal, and for good reason. The introduction of Bastion as the show’s main villain adds a new layer of complexity and danger to the X-Men universe, and opens up exciting possibilities for future seasons.

We’d like to thank Eric Lewald, Joe Pokaski, and Cal Dodd for taking the time to speak with us about this shocking twist. It’s clear that the creative team behind X-Men ‘97 is passionate about their work, and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us next.