X-Men '97 showrunner Beau DeMayo usually talks about the recently released episodes of the Disney+ animated series on social media. He did the same as expected after Episode 9, Tolerance is Extinction – Part 2, hit the small screens. However, aside from answering fans’ questions, dropping clues, and revealing references, the series creator can’t help but make fun of Wolverine’s tragic fate after facing Magneto.
Warning: Major X-Men ‘97 Episode 9 spoilers ahead. Read at your own risk.
Fans who have seen the second part of the first season’s three-part finale may still be in shock after Wolverine suffers a fatal blow at the hands of Magneto, losing not just his adamantium claws but his whole adamantium skeleton. But instead of sharing viewers’ pain, with many of them probably wondering if Logan will survive, DeMayo shared the “Sad Wolverine” meme on X, showing Wolverine reeling from losing his adamantium skeleton.
This meme originated from X-Men: The Animated Series Season 1 Episode 5, Captive Hearts. Here, Cyclops and Jean Grey went on a date, but the underground mutant community called Morlocks captured them. Knowing Jean was Wolverine’s one true love, with her ability to breach his defenses and understand him, her blossoming romance with Cyclops left him sad and lonely.
Reeling from these emotions, Wolverine lay on a bed and stared at Jean and Cyclops’ photo. As it was a rare scene to see Wolverine this gloomy, fans couldn’t help but turn it into a meme by creating a two-panel picture that showed Wolverine looking at the photo and a close-up image of the frame with a blank space so that anyone could put an image that they liked.
This time, DeMayo used it to show Wolverine looking at his adamantium skeleton, an epic nod to the surprising turn of events in X-Men ‘97 Episode 9. However, this isn’t the first time this meme was used for the Disney+ series. Disney and Marvel Animation even used it to market and promote the then-upcoming release of the show.
What happened to Wolverine in X-Men ‘97 Episode 9?
The fight against Magneto in X-Men ‘97 Episode 9 was based on the 1993 X-Men crossover Fatal Attractions by Fabian Nicieza and Scott Lobdell. Charles Xavier and the X-Men Blue Team, composed of Wolverine, Jubilee, and Nightcrawler, traveled to Asteroid M to stop Magneto from continuously harming people and Earth after unleashing a massive electro-magnetic pulse in Episode 8, Tolerance is Extinction – Part 1. Sure, this move destroyed Bastion’s Prime Sentinels but ruined almost all of humanity’s infrastructure.
Charles and Magnus went on a battle of the psyches. As the latter was busy trying to defeat his now-former friend, Wolverine stabbed Magneto in the back, seemingly forgetting Magneto's magnetic powers. The Master of Magnetism ripped Wolverine’s adamantium claws and continued to make him feel his wrath by dissolving his adamantium skeleton.
What will happen next to Wolverine remains to be seen. But with his healing factor, he can restore his health to a hundred percent, though the return of his adamantium is another question.
X-Men ‘97 Episodes 1-9 are available to stream on Disney+, while the first season’s final episode, Tolerance is Extinction – Part 3, is set to release on Wednesday, May 15.
