One of Marvel Comics’ biggest X-Men storylines has been adapted into live-action and animation many times, but the best adaptation came in the 1990s.

The best adaptation of one of Marvel Comics’ biggest X-Men storylines was delivered during X-Men: The Animated Series, and no subsequent adaptation has managed to match it. X-Men: The Animated Series ran for five seasons between 1992 and 1997, bringing dozens of mutant heroes and villains to life before 20th Century Fox began to develop its live-action X-Men franchise. The series was hugely positive, but was canceled amid major financial troubles for Marvel Entertainment, though Marvel Studios’ new X-Men ’97 series, set adjacent to the MCU, has picked up where The Animated Series left off, adapting new Marvel Comics stories.

Over its previous five-season run, X-Men: The Animated Series adapted some of Marvel Comics’ most notable X-Men storylines into animation. This included 1981’s Days of Future Past event, the idea of the mutant cure and the origins of Weapon X, and The Animated Series even inspired the narrative for Marvel Comics’ Age of Apocalypse storyline in 1995. One of the most powerful and transformative moments in X-Men: The Animated Series, however, was delivered in season 3, as the series adapted an epic Marvel Comics event that subsequent X-Men adventures have struggled to recreate, though Marvel Studios may change this pattern.

The Dark Phoenix Saga Got Its Best Adaptation In X-Men: The Animated Series

Marvel Comics’ Dark Phoenix Saga was adapted into X-Men: The Animated Series in season 3, split into two halves, with “The Phoenix Saga” taking place over five episodes, and “The Dark Phoenix” following with four episodes later on. This expansive storyline put Jean Grey, voiced by Catherine Disher, in the spotlight, as the X-Men member became possessed by the cosmic Phoenix Force. This disrupted her memories but granted her incredible new powers, which she used to protect the X-Men and the mysterious M’Kraan Crystal during “The Phoenix Saga.” However, several episodes later, things took a dangerous turn for the worse.

During The Animated Series’ “The Dark Phoenix,” Jason Wyngarde implanted an alternate history into Jean’s mind, leading to a battle between Professor X and Emma Frost for control. Unfortunately, this fills the Phoenix Force with a hunger for evil sensations, transforming Jean Grey into the Dark Phoenix. The X-Men tried to separate the Dark Phoenix from Jean, but were fought back. Jean eventually sacrificed herself to rid herself of the Phoenix Force, but each X-Men member gave up some of their lives to resurrect her, ending the Saga, but having a profound impact on Jean Grey’s future in the series.

Why Marvel’s Dark Phoenix Saga Story Has Been Adapted So Many Times

The Dark Phoenix Saga has become one of Marvel Comics’ most-adapted storylines, having become one of the most well-known storylines in mainstream Marvel media. The Dark Phoenix Saga ran between January and October 1980, and saw Jean Grey exposed to the Phoenix Force while on a mission in space, which X-Men: The Animated Series stayed close to. The machinations of Jason Wyngarde, Emma Frost and the Shi’ar were adapted faithfully, as was Jean Grey’s emotional self-sacrifice, making The Animated Series’ depiction of the Dark Phoenix Saga the most authentic and comic-accurate, but other projects have also attempted this huge storyline.

Marvel Comics’ Dark Phoenix Saga is widely considered to be one of the best comic storylines of all time, and this has been proven by the amount of times it’s been adapted into live-action and animation. For the latter, the storyline was teased in X-Men: Evolution and was adapted for the finale of 2009’s Wolverine and the X-Men. 20th Century Fox later made two attempts at adapting a live-action Dark Phoenix Saga, first with Famke Janssen’s Jean Grey in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand, and later with Sophie Turner’s Jean Grey in 2019’s Dark Phoenix, though both were poorly received.

Why Other Adaptations Haven’t Held Up Compared To X-Men: The Animated Series’ Dark Phoenix Saga Story

Subsequent Dark Phoenix Saga adaptations fell flat, changing aspects of the storyline, rushing the narrative and weakening Jean Grey’s powers as the Dark Phoenix. However, The Animated Series excelled in these areas, making “The Dark Phoenix” the best adaptation so far. The story was true to Marvel Comics, spread out to avoid a rushed narrative, included Jean Grey’s powerful sacrifice, and had a lasting impact on her throughout the rest of the series. Marvel Studios has the opportunity to attempt the Dark Phoenix Saga again in the MCU, but it will be hard to match X-Men: The Animated Series’ adaptation.