X-Men ’97 Perfectly Proved Why 1 Marvel Villain Needs To Be In The MCU 8 Months Ago

Back in March 2024, Marvel Animation’s X-Men ’97 revival series proved that one unusual X-Men villain from Marvel Comics would be perfect for the MCU. While Marvel Studios is actively developing a new live-action X-Men reboot for the MCU, the iconic mutant superhero team and some of its most formidable villains have also recently seen huge success in animation. X-Men ’97 brought back the titular team from X-Men: The Animated Series, and marked the return of one outlandish villain who could prove perfect for a live-action MCU adaptation.

X-Men ’97 saw the likes of Mister Sinister, the Sentinels, Henry Peter Gyrich and the Friends of Humanity return from X-Men: The Animated Series, continuing to pose a significant threat to the X-Men team. The Marvel Animation revival also marked the return of one of X-Men: The Animated Series’ most unusual villains, however, who perhaps nobody expected to return. While this inclusion was unexpected, X-Men ’97 actually proved that this strange supervillain would be perfect for the MCU, and Marvel Comics’ recent stories support this idea.

X-Men ’97 Reintroduced Mojo To The X-Men & Showed His Unique Villain Appeal

Mojo Is One Of Marvel’s Weirdest X-Men Villains

X-Men ’97 episode 4, “Motendo,” saw Jubilee celebrating her 18th birthday with new X-Men recruit Sunspot, who find themselves trapped in a video game comprised of some of the X-Men’s greatest hits and overseen by Mojo. Mojo previously appeared in X-Men: The Animated Series season 2, episode 11, “Mojovision,” and season 3, episode 10, “Longshot,” in 1994 and 1996, respectively, and was always depicted as one of the X-Men’s strangest villains. Few expected Mojo to return to wreak havoc in X-Men ’97, and many might have forgotten that he did.

Mojo, a member of the Spineless Ones in Marvel Comics, is a slaver and a parody of network executives who rules over the Mojoverse, a dimension where everyone is addicted to Mojo’s gladiator-like shows. Mojo is a vibrant, charismatic, fun and absurd villain that benefited the Jubilee-centric episode in X-Men ’97, and could have the same impact on the MCU’s live-action X-Men team. Contrary to what his appearance suggests, Mojo is an incredibly powerful and influential villain, and he has only become more formidable in recent Marvel Comics events.

The MCU Could Massively Benefit From Mojo Appearing Alongside The Franchise’s New X-Men

Mojo Would Surprisingly Be The Perfect MCU X-Men Villain

Marvel Studios is gearing up to introduce a new iteration of the X-Men team into the MCU, with Marvel boss Kevin Feige recently teasing some recognizable mutants appearing in upcoming projects and a “new age of mutants” occurring after 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. The MCU’s X-Men will surely face some of their most powerful adversaries from Marvel Comics, and hot on the heels of the Multiverse Saga, Mojo would be a fantastic candidate. Mojo’s command and influence over another dimension makes him the perfect villain for the MCU’s budding X-Men team.

Including Mojo in upcoming X-Men projects would allow a familiar face to help bring the X-Men into the MCU, as many will know him from X-Men: The Animated Series and X-Men ’97. Mojo could also help to establish a fun, lighthearted and colorful new chapter for the X-Men in live-action, as he is a fantastical and outlandish villain that directly opposes the darker and grittier way that 20th Century Fox handled its own mutants. After recent developments in Marvel Comics, too, Mojo would be the perfect villain for the MCU’s X-Men.

Mojo’s Huge Comic Power Upgrade Further Underlines The Potential Of The Marvel Villain

Marvel Comics Recently Gave Mojo A Huge Power Upgrade

Marvel Comics’ recent NYX #6, released in early December 2024, gave Mojo a significant power upgrade that could have perfectly primed the iconic and unusual villain for a career in the MCU. Mojo gained the ability to possess the minds of those watching his broadcasts, massively increasing his strength and influence and making him a truly terrifying threat. This kind of upgrade means Mojo could be even more powerful in the MCU after his somewhat-lackluster return in X-Men ’97, so the MCU’s X-Men team shouldn’t underestimate the shocking villain.