Warning: This article contains spoilers for X-Men '97: Episode 5.
Beau DeMayo, the creator of the Disney+ series X-Men '97, has shared his first public comments on the series following his termination from Marvel.
#XMen97 Spoilers ahead: pic.twitter.com/9mZ4uPTfpk
— Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) April 10, 2024
In a post on X/Twitter, DeMayo shared two images and a lengthy statement; though he did not dive into the specifics of why he was fired, he did share some insight about the fifth episode of X-Men '97, "Remember It." DeMayo explains that the fifth episode "was the centerpiece" of his original pitch for the series.
"The idea to have the X-Men mirror the journey that any of us who grew up on the original show have experienced since being kids in the 90s,' DeMayo wrote. "The world was a seemingly safer place for us, where a character like Storm would comment on how skin-based racism was 'quaint' in One Mans's Worth."
DeMayo also explained how major events, such as 9/11, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Pulse Nightclub shooting, also influenced the series and the characters, specifically pointing out how Gambit's story took an unexpected turn after the character was killed at the end of the episode.
"Yes, it looked like Gambit's story was going a specific direction...," DeMayo wrote. "But if events like 9/11, Tulsa, Charlottesville, or Pulse Nightclub teach us anything, it's that too many stories are often cut far too short."
This is the first time DeMayo has spoken about the show since it premiered. A week before the first two episodes were released, DeMayo was fired. Prior to his firing, DeMayo had completed work on the first two seasons of X-Men '97, though neither DeMayo or Marvel have been open about the nature of his termination.
For more on X-Men '97, check out our full-written review of the fifth episode; if you have already watched it, consider checking out our piece detailing the burning questions we have after watching the first five episodes.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
