Nightcrawler has had a rough time so far in Disney+'s X-Men '97. While the character was introduced in the original animated series, he didn't arrive in Marvel Animation's revival until Season 1, Episode 5. By the end of the episode, there was a mass genocide event in Genosha, where he resided. Since then, he's been going through one tragedy after another, though, still managing to stay sane and give sound advice to his X-Men teammates.
Going into X-Men Season 2, Nightcrawler is one of the team members who was sent into the far past, running into En Sabah Nur, aka Apocalypse, before he becomes the world-ending threat he becomes. Obviously, that reunion isn't a smooth one, and it eventually ends with En Sabah Nur turning against the X-Men—and Rama-Tut (yes, Kang the Conqueror) bombing them all.
The Direct sat down with X-Men '97 star Adrian Hough, who voices Nightcrawler and the newly introduced Strong Guy in the Disney+ series, where the actor revealed that Kurt Wagner is going to have an incredible character journey by the time Season 2 comes to a close.
The first three episodes of X-Men '97 Season 2 are streaming on Disney+, and new episodes drop Wednesdays at 3 a.m. ET.
Nightcrawler Will Have a Top-Tier Character Journey in X-Men '97 Season 2
It's Going to Be an Important Story for Everyone's Favorite Teleporting Mutant.
- The Direct: "Let's jump into Nightcrawler himself on a character level. In your own words, can you just kind of sum up his mentality going into Season 2? Where is he in this first half of the season?"
Adrian Hough: Well, he's way off in the past. I mean, he's one of the group that ended up in the past, and you know, they had to go through quite a lot to get there. He's one who's always been very soulful, very caring, and he's approached being part of the X-Men—He's embraced it wholly... I think he's very adaptable. He does teleport, he's got his skills, he's got his sword fighting. He's super passionate about protecting the X-Men and his friends and his half-sister Rogue, and ready to fight the bad guys.
- The Direct: "Can you tease his overall journey this season, and how he might be different by the end?"
Hough: I think by the end [he has]... Incredible [character growth]. In the old series, we only ever see him sort of morose and sad, but like hopeful, and you know, proselytizing to Wolverine in the chapel, and then finding out that Mystique is his mother, and [he starts to bond] with Rogue, but I think it comes to fruition in this season. That's all I'll say.
- The Direct: "We know a Season 3 and Season 4 are happening. How is Nightcrawler going to continue evolving?"
Hough: Well, I have to say, every time I get a new script, I have this moment of, oh, wow, that's where we're going, you know. 'Oh, oh my god, okay,' but I'm just gonna say it again, just hold on to your hats, because every time I come in, there's like a new version of his journey, let's say, and you know, it's fantastic. As an actor and a voice actor, it's just super fun to play, because there's always something which is going to surprise me.
- The Direct: "Well, I'm curious, you've been with Nightcrawler for so long now, with Season 2, and even further, just with your general work with the character, what are you still learning about him after all this time?"
Hough: I've been thinking a lot more about how he deals with his personal trauma and sadness, for, you know, lack of a better way of expressing it, and you know how he almost, he bounces away, like he pushes away from the suffering that he's had. And then there's the part where I'm learning that when he teleports, he actually goes to the underworld, which is like the darkest place imaginable, and then comes back like in a flash. So, he's having to contend with all these forces and energies and thought forms, and so I think that informs me a little bit. When I saw the teleportation animation, though, I squealed... And I think it subconsciously affected the way I thought about him, for sure.
Stay tuned for The Direct's entire interview with X-Men '97 star Adrian Hough, which will drop alongside Episode 4 of the series on Wednesday, July 8.
