Marvel Studios has faced heavy criticism from some fans for being ‘woke’ in the last 6-7 years. This time, the ‘woke’ controversy has surrounded X-Men ‘97, the upcoming Disney+ series that serves as a revival of the original animated series (1992-97). Developed under Marvel Animation, the series is set to premiere on the streaming platform on March 20, 2024.
The trailer for X-Men ‘97 is out now. It looks great and definitely makes us nostalgic. However, it has also given birth to “woke” criticisms. The controversy started when Marvel officially announced that Morph, one of the crucial members of the X-Men, was a non-binary. Many fans think this scenario may change the character’s representation and arc in the upcoming Disney+ series. While some have supported Morph being a non-binary, the remaining ones are not ecstatic about it. The latter believe that making Morph non-binary is Disney’s another feeble attempt to integrate “woke” elements into its projects.
“Woke” means to be aware of injustices and social issues, like gender identity, sexuality, and racism. Being aware of these topics is definitely not scary or stupid. However, many use this term as a slur for people who support the ‘woke’ culture and actively deal with social injustices.
Morph’s newly revealed gender identity has triggered many fans of the MCU. The following reactions from Twitter (X) will give you a better idea about this situation!
The ongoing criticisms about Morph’s gender identity do not make any sense at all. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, The X-Men #1 debuted in 1963, back when racism was one of the major problems faced by the United States. Over the years, Marvel has used the X-Men characters to tackle several social issues, like sexism, antisemitism, racism, LGBTQ+ issues, and more. Many X-Men characters, such as Mystique, Kitty Pryde, Northstar, Iceman, Destiny, Daken, and many more have been identified as queers. Even Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool, was confirmed as being pansexual by Gerry Duggan (writer) in 2013. In 2022, Escapade, Marvel’s first-ever transgender hero, debuted in the comics.
The X-Men franchise is on its way to being rebooted in the live-action MCU. It means that viewers should learn how to watch diverse representations on the screen. Marvel Studios looks to reboot the X-Men in the MCU. On the other hand, the Disney+ X-Men ‘97 series will serve as the continuation of the original animated series. Both adaptations will surely tackle social injustices, as they are essential to X-Men storylines. Stay tuned for more updates.