The X-Men 97 Trailer Teased Marvel's Grossest Mutant (But You Likely Missed It)
X-Men: The Animated Series" returns on March 20, 2014. Now titled "X-Men '97," Marvel has finally released the first trailer for the highly anticipated continuation of the fan-favorite cartoon. Among the many revelations in the new footage, some eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed a surprise X-Men hero featured in the first look at the Disney+ show, with the bizarre character Maggott seen in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo.
In the trailer, we see a Daily Bugle newspaper blowing in the wind. On the front page is a reference to the Hellfire Gala and a mutant fashion show, with photos of Banshee, Dust, Nature Girl, Loa, Stacy X, and Maggott sporting fashionable looks. Since Maggott was introduced in the comics towards the end of the "X-Men: The Animated Series" run in 1997, this marks his official debut in the cartoon's universe.
Debuting in "Uncanny X-Men" #345, Maggott (created by Scott Lobdell and Joe Madureira) is a South African mutant who has one of the most bizarre powers in comics. His abilities derive from two slug-like creatures, Eany and Meany, who live inside his stomach and communicate with him telepathically. They can leave his body and consume matter, converting it into energy on his behalf. When they return to and refuel his body, Maggott's skin turns blue, and he exhibits several enhanced abilities, including super-strength. Yes, it's as gross as it sounds. But despite his stomach-turning powers, Maggott has exhibited surprising staying power in the comics, most recently starring in "X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comics," where one of the slugs went rogue, leading Maggott to defend Krakoa against one of his former parasites
Maggott's appearance opens the door for more weird mutants
Considering Maggott is one of Marvel's strangest and most disgusting mutants, his "X-Men '97" arrival may indicate that the show is willing to travel down some of the more unusual roads when it comes to featuring characters from Marvel Comics' expansive X-Men lore.
With the mention of the Hellfire Gala, it's not out of the question that the new series may feature the mutant paradise of Krakoa. If that happens, it would be the perfect opportunity to introduce Fabio Medina, aka Goldballs. The hero lives up to his name, as he has the bizarre power of creating giant gold balls from various parts of his body. While that might seem pretty useless, he actually serves a vital role as a member of The Five, the group that made the X-Men's resurrection protocols possible.
When it comes to fan-favorite heroes who sport unique looks, Glob Herman, who has transparent, throwable skin, would be a fun addition to "X-Men '97." And if the show wants to get even more gross, Zeitgeist, a mutant who vomits acidic ooze and made his live-action debut in "Deadpool 2" (Bill Skarsgard), would be a fun choice. However, his puke-based abilities might be too graphic for the Disney+ series' younger audiences.