In the latest twist of X-Men ’97, Jean Grey’s clone saga throws a wrench into the mix, shaking up the series’ relationship dynamics, especially between Cyclops and Jean. They’ve been the power couple of the franchise, with their love triangle with Wolverine taking center stage in nearly every adaptation. But the Scott-Jean-Madelyne angle? That’s fresh out of the oven.

Madelyne Pryor, the clone in question, doesn’t stick around for long, allowing Jean to reclaim her spot, even in the opening credits. Jean, the powerhouse of the Marvel universe, especially as the Phoenix Force’s host, remains the team’s nurturing heart, steering mutant-kind towards a brighter future, sometimes with a gentle nudge, other times with a forceful push.

With Charles Xavier out of the picture, Cyclops is all set to lead, but Magneto swoops in to take the reins. This iteration piles the pressure on Scott, freeing him from the usual character entanglements. Jean’s made her pick, the Professor has exited stage left, and in a jaw-dropping turn, Storm bids adieu to the team.

The character arcs of Jean Grey and Cyclops in this episode are layered and fascinating, enriching their personas and teasing thrilling plots for upcoming episodes. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions and power plays that keeps you guessing what’s next for our favourite mutants.

Beast uncovers that the Jean Grey look-alike is, in fact, the genuine article. Meanwhile, the nefarious Mister Sinister reveals that the other Jean is a clone of his own creation, designed to access the genetic material of her and Cyclops. Sinister, manipulating the clone’s mind, transforms her into the Goblin Queen and hands over Nathan to him, while subjecting the X-Men to nightmarish visions drawn from their deepest fears.

Morph, previously under Sinister’s sway, guides the X-Men to one of his laboratories. There, they witness Sinister administering a techno-organic virus to Nathan, believing it will render the boy indestructible. The authentic Jean Grey engages the Goblin Queen in a telepathic duel, leveraging their shared memories to break Sinister’s hold over her.

In a heroic effort, the clone Jean and Cyclops manage to rescue Nathan, though he remains critically ill, and Sinister slips away. The clone, adopting the name Madelyne Pryor, entrusts Nathan to the care of Bishop, the time-traveling ally of the X-Men, in hopes he can find a cure in the future. With her new identity, she departs from the team.

In another part of the world, a mutant named Forge makes an appearance before Storm, offering hope with a claim that he can restore her lost powers.

The opening credits throw us straight into the drama with Dark Phoenix’s grand exit in The Fate of the Phoenix. Lilandra’s console-punching antics from the same episode also make a cameo. Meanwhile, Rogue and Gambit’s near-smooch is lifted straight from X-Men #4, and Sunspot steps in for Jubilee, fleeing from the Friends of Humanity. And let’s not forget Magneto’s dramatic debut with the team in Enter Magneto.

In comic land, Nathan Summers’ mom is Jean Grey’s clone, Madelyne Pryor, courtesy of Mr. Sinister’s meddling. He’s got this grand plan for Scott Summers and Jean to produce a super-mutant baby, which he intends to hijack to crush Apocalypse. It’s a saga that spans epic arcs like the X-Cutioner’s Song.

Fast forward to 2055, and we’ve got Bishop time-traveling to chase down mutant baddies, only to get marooned in Uncanny X-Men #282. In the animated world, he pops back to the present in the Beyond Good and Evil storyline, with his sister Shard haunting his nightmares during Maddie’s attack.

Madelyne’s transformation from Jean Grey to the ultimate baddie is a sight to behold. She dubs her attack on the X-Men her Inferno, nodding to the ’80s comic event where she becomes the Goblin Queen and gives New York City a Limbo makeover, not just the X-Mansion.

The Goblin Queen’s nightmarish visions take us on a trip down memory lane to Morph’s sinister ties with Mr. Sinister in season 2 of the original series, starting with Till Death Do Us Part (Part 1) and wrapping up in Reunion (Part 2). And for a dash of historical drama, the Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix miniseries reveals Sinister’s Victorian London days, which the show touches on in Descent. 

Sunspot’s got mommy issues in his vision, but it’s his dad, Emmanuel DaCosta, who’s usually the family troublemaker, even joining the infamous Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle. 

The flashback sequence is a near-perfect echo of Jean Grey’s comic book beginnings, where she accidentally forms a psychic connection with her best friend during a tragic car accident. The traumatic experience of feeling her friend’s death sends her into a coma. Enter Professor Xavier, who uses his telepathic mojo to wake her up and, in true superhero fashion, invites her to join the X-Men. This origin story has graced the comic panels numerous times, with the latest rendition in X-Men Origins: Jean Grey #1.

In the whirlwind world of comics, baby Nathan’s life takes a sci-fi twist when he’s whisked away to the future to dodge the techno-organic virus. His futuristic nanny? None other than ‘Sister’ Askani, a time-traveling warrior with a knack for raising mutant saviours to battle the big bad Apocalypse. And for those keeping score at home, this virus saga kicks off in Time Fugitives (Part 1).

Madelyne Pryor’s dramatic departure, duffel bag slung over her shoulder, is a cheeky nod to the legendary Uncanny X-Men #138 cover. That’s the one where Cyclops, in a post-Dark Phoenix Saga funk, bids adieu to his mutant buddies.

Chatting up a storm, quite literally, is Forge, the mutant mastermind whose inventive prowess knows no bounds. He’s the brainy chap who crafted the very weapon that zapped Storm’s abilities. And guess what? He’s sharing the spotlight with her in the epic Lifedeath tale, set to make waves in an upcoming episode. Oh, and let’s not forget Storm’s throwback punk ensemble from the 80s—because who doesn’t love a bit of retro flair?

This week on “The Amazing Morphs,” we witness their spellbinding transformation into Illyana Rasputin, a.k.a. Magik. She’s not just any sorceress; she’s the sister of Colossus and a Limbo-raised powerhouse, courtesy of Madelyne Pryor’s less-than-cosy realm. But wait, there’s more! Morph doesn’t stop there; he takes it up a notch by morphing into Darkchylde, the Limbo-amped version of Illyana. And if you blinked during Red Dawn, you might have missed her cameo. Keep your eyes peeled, folks; this sorceress doesn’t like to stay in the shadows for long!

Mutant Liberation Begins | Motendo / Lifedeath (Part 1)