It looks like the next episode of X-Men '97 will not just bring the nostalgia of X-Men: The Animated Series. Marvel Animation has released a new sneak peek for X-Men '97 Episode 4, titled Motendo/Lifedeath — Part 1, and as the clip featuring Jubilee (voiced by Holly Chou) and Sun Spot (Gui Augustini) reveals, this week's episode will feature a big tribute to Konami's arcade game, a classic side-scroller of the nostalgic '90s arcade. You can watch the clip from the Marvel Entertainment YouTube channel below:
We still don't know why Jubilee and Roberto Da Costa (Sunspot's real name) have been zapped inside an arcade game in this clip, but based on the cheeky “© Motendo 1997” on the video game's opening screen and the episode title Motendo/Lifedeath — Part 1, it looks like they are somehow transported in the Mojoverse, a strange extradimensional and extratemporal realm ruled by the villainous Mojo.
As Polygon pointed out, although the X-men: The Animated Series and the X-Men arcade game came out in the same year, the Konami title was not based on the Fox cartoon show at all — but on X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men, a 1989 animated series that only released a pilot episode after its production faced financial issues.
Konami's X-Men arcade game was based on the character designs of Pryde of the X-men and the core cast of the show: Wolverine, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Dazzler, and Colossus, but it did not feature Jubilee, who wasn’t even created until 1989. However, Jubilee of the 90's cartoon is known for having fun at the arcade in her local mall where she accidentally discovered her powers.
The sneak peek also comes with a Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver Easter Egg, which you can spot in this screenshot:
You can read the official synopsis of X-Men '97 here:
The revival revisits the iconic era of the 1990s as The X-Men, a band of mutants who use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them, are challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future". The show will explore new stories in the iconic 90s timeline of the original X-Men: The Animated Series.
What time is X-Men '97 Episode 4 coming to Disney+?
X-Men '97 Episode 4 will be released on Disney+ at 12:00 A.M. PT, 3:00 A.M. ET, and 7:00 A.M. GMT on Wednesday, April 3.
Here's the full episode schedule for X-Men '97:
Episode 1 To Me, My X-Men and Episode 2 Mutant Liberation Begins: March 20
Episode 3 Fire Made Flesh: March 27
Episode 4 Motendo / Lifedeath - PT 1: April 3
Episode 5 Remember It: April 10
Episode 6 Lifedeath - PT 2: April 17
Episode 7 Bright Eyes: April 24
Episode 8 Tolerance is Extinction - PT 1: May 1
Episode 9 Tolerance is Extinction - PT 2: May 8
Episode 10 Tolerance is Extinction - PT 3: May 15
