5 Reasons ‘Cyclops and the X-Men’ Should be the Sequel to ‘Wolverine and the X-Men’

Wolverine and the X-Men is one of the most underrated gems in Marvel animation history. Canceled after a single season, the series is widely regarded by fans as a show that could have thrived with a little more support for future seasons. It teased so many compelling storylines for the future of this version of the X-Men, and based on what it set up, it would have made perfect sense for Cyclops to step back into the role of team leader.

Cyclops goes through a meaningful arc in Wolverine and the X-Men as he struggles to move on from Jean Grey’s death/disappearance. While public perception of the character was dampened for a time by his portrayal in the Fox films, there has since been something of a renaissance in how fans view him. Since the show ended, the X-Men comics have also evolved in major ways, providing plenty of material that a continuation could draw from to further develop the characters. That is why a follow-up to Wolverine and the X-Men should be Cyclops and the X-Men.

1 The Death of Jean Grey Set Up Cyclops’ Arc

Scott and Jean’s relationship is something Logan has struggled with for a long time. Cyclops also took a long time to move on from Jean Grey before learning that she was actually alive. With the Phoenix Force playing such an integral role in the first season, it would be interesting to explore how Scott copes with Jean’s return and possibly with Logan’s lingering feelings for her as well. Many versions of the X-Men have featured Cyclops as the team’s leader, but giving him a chance at a happy life, with Jean and without the Phoenix looming over their relationship, is something modern adaptations rarely explore.

2 Wolverine Could Never Be The Leader Cyclops Is

Wolverine and the X-Men || Credit: Marvel Entertainment

Wolverine never wanted to be a mentor to young children, much less the leader of the X-Men. While he has taken a number of younger characters under his wing, he has never truly thrived as a leader or a teacher; he works best as a lone wolf with a single cub to protect. Cyclops, on the other hand, has always been a leader — Charles Xavier’s star student. Wolverine only had to step in because Charles was gone and the X-Men were scattered. Having Cyclops take up the mantle of leader again would not only open up new storytelling opportunities for Logan, but also allow Cyclops to build a more strategically disciplined team rather than the instinct-driven one Wolverine assembled.

3 Cyclops Would Face His Own Twisted Offspring Through Mister Sinister’s Manipulation

Mister Sinister is also the looming antagonist in X-Men ’97 || Credit: Marvel Animation

Mister Sinister took Scott and Jean’s genetic material and handed it over to Apocalypse. Having Wolverine confront whatever abomination awaited him at the end of that arc would have been symbolic, but having Cyclops face a being created from his and Jean’s DNA would add a completely different emotional throughline to the story. It would also be a conflict far better suited to Cyclops than to Logan.

4 X-Men ’97 Showed Fans Cyclops Can Be Cool

The Fox films did Cyclops a disservice time and time again. However, X-Men ’97 managed to undo much of that in a single episode. While X-Men ’97 already gives Cyclops a solid amount of focus, the circumstances he faces there are vastly different from those in Wolverine and the X-Men, which almost feels like an alternate take on that show’s ending. In a continuation of Wolverine and the X-Men, Cyclops could finally have his moment to shine. After spending an entire season trying to get Jean back while being unable to lead the X-Men, it would be exciting to see what he could do in this setting as a focused, calculating leader and a caring mentor in Charles Xavier’s physical absence.

5 Wolverine Could Never Lead The Team Through Age of Apocalypse

Apocalypse routinely clashes with the X-Men || Credit: Marvel Comics

Despite preventing the Sentinel-ravaged future, the X-Men received a dire warning at the end of Season 1. A second season likely would have seen them confront the Age of Apocalypse. With both Professor X and Cyclops more or less back in fighting form, Wolverine’s place in the driver’s seat would naturally come into question. A storyline like Age of Apocalypse would demand a strategic leader, and Cyclops fits that role far better than Wolverine. As a battlefield tactician who thinks in terms of the entire team rather than individual heroics, Cyclops is better suited to that kind of story than a loner like Wolverine ever could be. Continuing that thread under his leadership would feel like a deliberate escalation rather than a retread.

Do you think Cyclops would make a better focus for a sequel of the show, should it happen? Let us know in the comments!

Wolverine and the X-Men can be streamed on Disney+ (USA)