Along with the release of the full schedule, Marvel Studios and Disney+ confirmed that its next show will have a historic three-part finale.
After releasing multiple series on Disney+ (both in the live-action and animation realms) such as WandaVision, Loki, and What If...?, Marvel Studios is now well-versed in the art of episodic TV, and it has made it clear that they will continue to utilize it for future storytelling.
With the release of these shows also comes some record-breaking statistics. For example, Echo became the first Marvel Studios project to be rated TV-MA on Disney+, and the company's next show (which is just over the horizon) will break the record for most episodes in a Marvel Studios-produced series.
X-Men '97 Finale to be Three Parts
Marvel Studios announced via X (formerly Twitter) that the upcoming animated X-Men '97 series will have a three-part finale titled "Tolerance is Extinction."
This will be a historic release for Marvel Studios as no series from the studio has ever had a continuous finale broken up into three separate parts and spanning the course of three episodes.
According to the image that was revealed (which takes on the look of a comic book), "Tolerance is Extinction - Pt. 1" will be released on May 1, with "Pt. 2" following one week later on May 8. The final part will then be released on May 15 to end the season:
The announcement post also included the release dates for all of the episodes featured in X-Men '97, including the two-episode premiere that will hit Disney+ on March 20.
One notable aspect of the episode titles is the use of 'Lifedeath' for episodes two and four, which refers to a story arc from the Uncanny X-Men comics. The plot centers on a romance between Storm and Forge, with Ororo Munroe visiting the latter after losing her powers.
As Forge is confirmed to be a part of X-Men '97's wide cast, could this be a tease that this storyline will play out, potentially spelling trouble for Storm's weather-based abilities?
[ X-Men '97 Officially Reveals First Plot Details for Episode 1 ]
Continuing the X-Men: The Animated Series Narrative
Fans of the X-Men animated series that was released during the 1990s will undoubtedly be surprised and also grateful that Marvel Studios is electing to split X-Men '97's episodes up into parts.
While the finale will be a three-part affair, the release schedule also confirmed that "Lifedeath" will take place over a two-part story arc around the halfway point of the season.
This strategy stays true to the way that X-Men: The Animated Series told its stories 30 years ago, making it that much more believable that Marvel Studios' next show will be a continuation of the original.
X-Men: The Animated Series often had multiple parts to its story arcs in every season. Take Season 1, for instance, which featured a two-part series premiere called "Night of the Sentinels," and another two-part arc near the end titled "Days of Future Past."
As a matter of fact, many episodes of X-Men: The Animated Series were parts of a larger story arc. While some only had two or three parts, others (such as Season 3's "The Phoenix Saga") included five parts.
In total, 37 of the 76 episodes that make up X-Men: The Animated Series are known as parts of a whole. In other words, 48.7% of that show were numbered parts.
Considering how five of the 10 episodes of X-Men '97 will be parts, and the fact that that translates to a perfect 50%, it is clear that Marvel Studios wants to do right by the fans with the way that its next show is presented.
X-Men '97 is set to premiere on Disney+ on March 20.
Read more about X-Men '97:
Disney+'s X-Men '97 Release Schedule of First Episodes Gets Officially Revealed
Marvel Studios' Next Show Will NOT Be MCU Canon (Confirmed)
X-Men '97 Cast: 12 Main Actors & Characters Confirmed for Disney+ Reboot
