Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for X-Men ’97, episode 10

X-Men ’97 finally resolves a major cliffhanger from Spider-Man: The Animated Series. As seen in the final chapter of the series’ three-part finale, X-Men ’97 episode 10 features a legion of major Marvel cameos that are very exciting. However, the most exciting cameo isn’t even a superhero.

As seen at the end of X-Men ’97 episode 10, the X-Men are giving everything they have to take down Bastion and his mutant-killing Prime Sentinels, all while Xavier works to break through to Magneto within his own mind. As such, the series finale features several reactions from heroes and classic Marvel characters across the globe in the fact of this major Sentinel threat. This includes none other than Peter Parker’s Spider-Man who’s joined by Mary Jane Watson, an appearance that’s actually a major reveal considering how Spider-Man: The Animated Series ended in 1998.

X-Men ’97 Finally Answers Spider-Man’s MJ Cliffhanger

Cyclops Isn’t The Only One With Clone Problems

While Spider-Man did make a previous X-Men ’97 cameo in the series’ 8th episode, he also receives a new appearance in X-Men ’97, episode 10 out of his classic costume. Watching the news about the UN’s failure to destroy Asteroid M using the Magneto Protocols, Peter Parker is joined by Mary Jane Watson while Flash Thompson watches over his shoulder. However, Mary Jane’s appearance with Peter is huge, implying that major things happened to the Webslinger between the end of his own animated series and X-Men ’97’s series finale.

What Happened To Mary Jane In Spider-Man: The Animated Series?

In the third season of Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Mary Jane stands in for Gwen Stacy during a similar conflict from the comics when Green Goblin discovers Spider-Man’s secret identity. Rather than the Goblin throwing Gwen off the Brooklyn Bridge as in the comics, Mary Jane falls off the side and into an interdimensional time vortex thanks to a device in Norman Osborn’s possession, most likely a way for the animated series to convey Peter Parker’s loss without having to make the show as dark as the actual comics storyline.

However, the MJ who returned to Spider-Man in later episodes and married Peter Parker was eventually revealed to be a clone created by Miles Warren in Spider-Man: The Animated Series season 5. Shortly after the truth was revealed, this version of Mary Jane was destroyed. However, the end of the fifth and final season of Spider-Man: The Animated Series saw Madame Web agreeing to help Spider-Man find the real MJ who was apparently still missing in interdimensional limbo.

How X-Men ’97’s FInale Resolves Spider-Man’s Mary Jane Cliffhanger

As there was never any resolution for Spider-Man and the real Mary Jane Watson before the series’ conclusion, MJ being with Peter Parker in X-Men ’97’s finale is huge. Assuming this isn’t yet another clone, the implication is that Spider-Man found the real MJ and got their happy ending off-screen between the end of Spider-Man: The Animated Series and this final episode of X-Men ’97. To that end, it also generates hopes that Marvel Studios may build off the obvious success of X-Men ’97 and will eventually give Spider-Man his own reboot series in the future.

Spider-Man 1994 Was Never Intended To Be A Cliffhanger

The Animated Series Wasn’t Renewed Beyond Season 5

It’s also worth noting that Spider-Man: The Animated Series never intended to have such a massive cliffhanger for Peter Parker. The hope from creator John Semper was the series would receive at least one more season, though the show ended up not getting renewed. As such, it’s very satisfying to see X-Men ’97 taking just a little bit of time out of their own finale to confirm that Spider-Man and the real MJ did get their hoped-for reunion in Marvel’s animated universe, one that was further confirmed by X-Men ’97’s director and head writer Beau DeMayo on Twitter shortly after the finale’s release.

All episodes of X-Men ’97 are now streaming on Disney+.