Marvel’s mutant universe with mature themes, bold storylines, and a cast of fan-favorite characters. While it’s sacrilege in some circles to question the greatness of this animated classic, not every element of the show has aged as gracefully as people like to assert.

Debuting in 1992, X-Men: The Animated Series was a gateway for many young viewers into the expansive world of Marvel Comics. Its serialized storytelling, impressive character roster, and unapologetic embrace of social themes helped define Saturday morning cartoons for an entire generation. However, being one of the first major superhero shows to tackle complex narratives also meant it had its share of missteps. In hindsight, some creative decisions, character choices, and writing styles weren’t as flawless as our nostalgia might lead some to believe.

9 Wolverine Was Given Far Too Much Of The Spotlight

Other Classic Characters Were Frequently Sidelined

Though certainly iconic, Wolverine was way overexposed in X-Men: The Animated Series. Yes, he's compelling, and yes, he’s a fan favorite, but in a show with such a rich and diverse ensemble, Logan often overshadowed everyone else. Characters like Cyclops, Jean Grey, and even Beast would frequently take a backseat so the Canadian brawler could get more angst-filled screentime.

Despite being a team show, the narrative often tilted toward Wolverine's lone-wolf journey, leaving other team underdeveloped. Some of the most powerful arcs in the comics barely got any adaptation, or worse, were filtered through Wolverine’s perspective. While his gruff demeanor and tortured backstory made him compelling, the constant focus on him made the team dynamics feel lopsided and robbed fans of deeper moments with equally important X-Men.

8 Storm's Speeches Aren't As Good As You

Storm Delivered A Speech Every Time She Used Her Powers In X-Men: TAS

Storm is an absolute powerhouse, both literally and figuratively. Her commanding presence, noble heart, and weather-controlling abilities made her a standout in the series. However, those dramatic speeches – often delivered mid-battle – weren’t always as majestic as viewers . While intended to be poetic and regal, many of her lines came off as overly theatrical or oddly phrased.

The writers seemed to favor style over substance when crafting her dialogue, and it occasionally bordered on parody. It feels a little bit like the writers created a rod for their own back and by season 4 had largely given up. What was meant to portray her as a goddess-like figure sometimes undercut her authenticity, making her sound more like a Shakespearean actor than a mutant leader. Her power and charisma were undeniable, but her monologs didn’t always rise to the occasion.

7 Gambit Was A Little Bit Creepy

Gambit Was Presented As A Charming Lothario

Gambit is often ed as the charming Cajun flirt of the X-Men team, but on closer inspection, some of his behavior crosses into uncomfortable territory. Case in point: in one scene, he kisses Rogue while she’s unconscious. In the episode, Gambit is tricked by Morph into thinking that Rogue could actually control her powers. In response, Gambit decides to kiss a sleeping Rogue, whereupon his lifeforce and powers are indeed sapped.

While this moment was likely meant to come off as romantic, it reads very differently through a modern lens. Rogue (nor Morph did not consent to that kiss – even if it was intended as an act of affection. Throughout the series, Gambit often toes the line between suave and pushy, making jokes and comments that wouldn’t fly in today's storytelling landscape.

6 Bishop’s Singlemindedness Was Actually Quite Annoying

Bishop Was A Traveller From An Apocalyptic Future

Bishop brought an exciting time-travel element to X-Men: The Animated Series, but let’s be honest – he was a bit of a broken record. His only narrative purpose was preventing his apocalyptic future, which also flattened his character. Bishop rarely deviated from his mission, no matter how much collateral damage it caused or how little he understood the present timeline.

Bishop’s refusal to consider alternate outcomes or work more collaboratively with the team made him feel more like a plot device than a person. While his gruff demeanor and dystopian background gave him a strong introduction, he never really evolved. Audiences were meant to see him as a hardened warrior, but really he’s a character trapped in a loop, lacking real depth or growth who will invariably yell “For the future!” before ignoring everyone around him.

5 The Animation Quality Varies Wildly

X-Men: TAS Fluctuated In Quality, Particularly The Final Season

While many have warm memories of X-Men: The Animated Series, rewatching it reveals a glaring issue: the wildly inconsistent animation. Some episodes are visually solid, but others look like they were rushed through production with different studios clearly working at different levels of quality. Characters go off-model mid-scene, action sequences suffer from stiff or bizarre movements, and backgrounds often look unfinished.

Things hit rock bottom in the final season, where the visual downgrade is impossible to ignore. Facial expressions are frequently awkward, and even dramatic moments lose their weight due to the subpar artwork. It’s understandable that TV animation in the early '90s had budget constraints, but compared to contemporaries like Batman: The Animated Series, the X-Men’s visuals often felt ropey – and, in the final stretch, outright embarrassing.

4 Jubilee Was a Great POV Character

Many Criticize Jubilee For Being Annoying

Jubilee often gets dismissed as the “annoying mall rat” of the series, but she was actually a smart narrative choice. As the youngest member of the X-Men, she acted as a surrogate for the audience, especially younger viewers, entering a complex, pre-existing world of mutants, prejudice, and superpowered politics. Through her eyes, audiences met the team, learned their values, and experienced the awe and danger of mutant life.

Jubilee’s colorful personality and sarcastic tone added levity to a show that frequently tackled dark themes. Critics might call her whiny, but that vulnerability made her feel more real than many of the stoic veterans on the team. Jubilee helped ground the series and made it more accessible, and without her, the first season would have lacked a vital emotional entry point.

3 Rogue and Gambit’s Romance Was More Interesting Than Jean and Scott’s

Jean And Scott’s Romance Was Often Centralized

While Jean Grey and Cyclops are positioned as the classic couple of the X-Men, their relationship often felt flat and obligatory, largely to facilitate the love triangle with Wolverine. In contrast, the will-they-won’t-they dynamic between Rogue and Gambit was filled with tension, heart, and complexity. Rogue’s inability to touch anyone without harming them created a tragic emotional barrier that gave every flirtation and near-kiss genuine weight.

Gambit’s rogueish charm (problematic moments aside) paired well with Rogue’s guarded vulnerability, and their chemistry was far more electric than Scott’s monotone devotion to Jean. Watching them navigate their feelings through stolen glances and risky gestures made their romance one of the most compelling subplots in the show. It wasn’t just a relationship – it was an ongoing struggle against emotional isolation and fear of connection, which added unexpected depth to both characters.

2 Magneto Was More Hero Than Villain

Magneto Was Introduced In Episode 3

Magneto starts X-Men: TAS as the big bad, but by the end of season one, his villain status is seriously debatable. While his methods remain extreme, most of his actions throughout the series are centered on protecting mutantkind from systemic oppression. Time and again, he steps in not out of personal greed or desire for power, but to prevent harm to his fellow mutants.

Episodes like “Sanctuary” and “Graduation Day” depict him as a leader striving for mutant autonomy, not destruction. Unlike other villains, Magneto has a consistent philosophy rooted in survival and justice. In many ways, he acts more like a tragic anti-hero than a true antagonist. By the series' later seasons, he’s less a threat and more an ideological foil – often more reasonable than the human forces opposing him.

1 The Show’s Humor Aged Poorly

X-Men: TAS Feels Very Stuck In The 1990s

X-Men: The Animated Series wasn’t exactly known for its comedy, but when it tried, the results were mixed. The humor leaned heavily into clunky one-liners, exaggerated slang, and now-dated pop culture references that just don’t land the same way decades later. Characters like Beast would drop awkward literary quotes mid-battle, while others spouted punchlines that felt forced into otherwise serious scenes.

Even Jubilee’s sass, which gave the show youthful energy, occasionally veered into cringe-worthy territory. The show took itself seriously most of the time, which made the inconsistent attempts at humor feel out of place. While it’s all part of the ‘90s charm, the comedic beats now feel like relics of another era. Viewers who revisit X-Men: The Animated Series today might find themselves groaning at lines that once seemed cool or clever.

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