X-Men Evolution: The Future - the 5th Season

Dork Note: With Young Justice coming back for a Season 3 now is the time to bring X-Men Evolution back for the cancelled 5th season. I believe this was the best X-Men series to date. 

Season 5 What If:  Had the show continued after its two-part Season 4 finale,"Ascension", with thirteen more episodes would have been produced. It would likely focus on the constant persecution and discrimination mutantkind continues to receive from normal people since being discovered at the end of Season Two. It would also have adapted its own version of "the Dark Phoenix" saga, with Jean Grey being taken over by the all-powerful Phoenix Force within her, as foreseen by Professor X, and with the X-Men attempting to save her from the universal entity that controlled her. There was also talks of bringing in Emma Frost and Psylocke. A possible arrival of Scott's father, Corsair, Magneto officially allying himself with Xavier, David Haller and Apocalypse returning, the arrival of the Shi'ar, Madelyne Pryor, Mister Sinister, Bishop, Cable and Rachel Summers (from the present and future; although in the current timeline, Nathan and Rachel are twins whereas the others are not.), and Scott Summers' romance and marriage with Jean Grey.

The Future X-Men

"Thanks to you all, we have averted catastrophe. It was not without its price, however. But steel is forged through fire, and like it we have been made stronger. We are prepared for what the future brings. I know this, because I have glimpsed into the mind of Apocalypse. Many challenges still await us. But I have seen some who were our enemies become friends.And with a heavy heart, I saw the dearest of friends, become the most terrible of enemies.I saw my X-Men grow and change. And of course, I saw that some people never change. But one thing was clear...that no matter what awaits us, terrible or wonderous... my X-Men will always be there, ready. And of that, I am proud."—Charles Xavier

- A reformed Magneto becomes the teacher of the New Mutants, including a returned Jubilee and Wolfsbane.

- Jean Grey becomes possessed by the almighty and all-powerful Phoenix Force and transforms into the Dark Phoenix. Had the series continued, the show's next season would have focused on the "Phoenix/Dark Phoenix Saga". (Note: It's unknown whether the Phoenix would have been a cosmic entity or a part of Jean's mind as similar to the films and originally in the comics).

- The future X-Men team consisting of adult versions of Cyclops, Nightcrawler, X-23, Iceman, Beast, Shadowcat, Colossus, Rogue (able to fly and not wearing gloves), and Storm. However, Jean Grey and Wolverine are notably absent (Jean was shown in a separate scene, apparently turning into Phoenix). The uniforms these future X-Men wear look very much like the dark uniforms seen in the Ultimate X-Men comic, as well as that of the live-action feature films.

- Adult versions of the Brotherhood, including Pyro, join S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Freedom Force.

- An attack fleet of Sentinels led by a Super Sentinel, which is hinted to be Nimrod. Though Bastion and Mastermold have been suggested.

- The last scene shows the X-Men, the New Mutants, Gambit and Colossus (both former Acolytes), Boom Boom, Havok, Angel, X-23, and Spyke.

Steven Gordon Talks X-Men: Evolution

MAA: How did you come to work on X-Men: Evolution?
Gordon: Boyd Kirkland and I were both working at Saban (on different projects) and had started to toy with the idea of re-designing The Avengers show. I'd worked with Boyd off and on over the years and we had always had a good working relationship. About the time the re-vamping of the Avengers looked like it wasn't going to happen Boyd was hired to produce a new X-Men show for KidsWB and Marvel. I was one of the three artists he hired to direct on this show and it seemed like a good fit.

MAA: What was your initial reaction to making the X-Men younger? Did it worry you at all that these established mature characters would be designed as teenagers?
Gordon: At the time I really wasn't a big comic book fan. In fact, I hadn't seriously looked at comics since I was a kid and the original X-Men were more or less teenagers - in fact I barely knew who Wolverine was. One of the new comics that was out on the stands, at this time, was 'Children of the Atom' so it really didn't seem to be that big a leap to do this show with the charcater as teens - at least to me. The original working title for the show was Children of the Atom. Of course, there was some initial trepidition that we would be forced to make X-Men Babies, but we quickly realized that no one else wanted that either.

MAA: The New Recruits were intended as a homage to Jack Kirbys original Jumpsuit look. Were there any other, more subtle homages to previous X-Men incarnations that you feel werent picked upon by the shows fans?
Gordon: We did a lot of little things including making Wolverine's colors closer to his brown uniform, making Beast more grey than blue and designing Angel's costume look similiar to a comic version. But I doubt anything we did ever slipped past the fans.

MAA: If you were given the chance to design a Marvel cartoon in a similar look to X-Men: Evolution, which character would you choose?
Gordon: Spider-Man would be fun, but any of the titles would be an interesting challenge. I had a very good time designing characters for the Ultimate Avengers DTV just recently. I 'm really happy with how some of these turned out.

MAA: How does an animation directors work differ from live action directing?
Gordon: They're very similiar in a lot of ways, but the big difference is that in live-action a lot of extra footage has been shot as coverage and edited down in post production. In animation you have to do most of your editing before the show is even animated.

MAA: X-Men Evolution was made in digital ink and paint. Do have a preference between digital ink and paint animation and cel Shaded animation? What are the pros and cons of each method of colouring, to you?
Gordon: I definitely prefer digital ink and paint. It allows for a lot more control and makes many of the things that were dificult to achieve in traditional ink and paint - such as color line - easier to get. Changes are also much simpler to implement. The only real pro, that I can think of, for traditional painting is that at the end of proiduction you have something tangible to hold in your hands and the cels make great gifts. But that also creates a huge storage problem.

MAA: Mystique got revamped in season two. Now that you had a full seasons worth of episodes to see what did and didnt work with the character, what thought went into redesigning her? 
Gordon: I was never happy with the original Mystique I designed. I felt that she had a very dated feel, but the clock was ticking and we just ran out of time. The second design was influenced by having seen the film and also a better understanding of what Mystique needed to be as a character. If we could have gotten away with a nude - look like in the film we would have, but I don't think Kids WB was quite ready for that. I also tried to make her more physically imposing and look more like a female weight-lifter - more in the vein of an Adam Hughes character. But that didn't go over very well so I settled for a more slimmed down version.

MAA: Are there any X-Men characters you were looking forward to designing, but never got the chance to?
Gordon: Over the course of the show I think I had a chance to tackle any possible character I could think of. I was most happy with Rogue (in her civvies) and Wanda (both versions) turned out. It actually would have been nice to get a second chance to redesign many of the main cast.

MAA: Which characters were most fun to direct, be it either their actual designs or their use of powers/mannerisms?
Gordon: I enjoyed episodes with Kurt, Rogue and Boom-Boom the most. It wasn't becuase of their designs, but what I could do with the characters and the stories they had.

MAA: Adrift was an odd episode, compared to most X-Men: Evolution episodes. What went into making the episode visually exciting when most of the time, the characters were stuck in water?
Gordon: What was most intersting to me was the fact that this was an episode completely about the two brothers and I somehow had to maintain their relationship throughout the course of 22 minutes. Clearly I was heavily influence visually by the film The Perfect Storm - just as the writer was when he wrote the show. I'm not sure it was completely successful and I see things now that I would have done differently if given the chance.

MAA: You animated some of the animation in the main title sequence, were those shots done entirely in studio?
Gordon: When we had to put together a title sequence and we hadn't received any footage back yet we didn't know the level of animation we might be getting back from overseas. So we decided to hedge our bets by animating several of the shots here (mainly the close-ups) and shipping them overseas for inbetweens.

MAA: Who came up with the idea to have an evolving design for Apocalypse throughout the series? 
Gordon: As I recall the idea of Apocolypse evolving was always part of the concept for the show. I couldn't tell you specifically where it came from, but I assume that Boyd, Curt and Greg collaborated on the specifics and then I was brought into visualize that concept

MAA: What thought went into the future designs for the characters, shown in the final seconds of Ascension, Part 2? Where you ever intending on using these designs again if more episodes were made?
Gordon: If I recall right this was Frank Paur's show and he came up with some initial design ideas that I used as a starting point. What I also tried to do was take the current designs and push them to where they seemed to naturally go. At this point we knew the show was over and we were looking for a way to wrap things up visually as well as storywise.

MAA: Whats your overall opinion of the show? Which episodes count as your most/least favourite? 
Gordon: I'm probably a little predjudiced, but I think it ranks as the best super-hero animated show to date only because we actually tried to make it more than just an action show about a bunch of characters in spandex yelling at each other and fighting every few minutes. Though we weren't always successful I think we made a real attempt at showing what the characters were going through and experiencing in their personal lives. As to whether the designs were better than other shows or not that comes down to personal opinion. I know what I like and I don't like and I supsect the fans feel the same way.

Marvel Animation Age would like to thank Steve for his participation in this interview. Thanks Steve!

Boyd Kirkland Talks X-Men: Evolution

Boyd Kirkland, perhaps best known to some animation fans for his directing work on Batman: The Animated Series and producing the direct to video feature Batman and Mr. Freeze: Subzero. To others, he is known for his outstanding work as Producer/Writer/Director on X-Men: Evolution. The Marvel Animation Age managed to catch up with Boyd to talk about his work on the critically acclaimed show.

MAA: How did you come to work on X-Men: Evolution and what did your duties include?

Kirkland: I heard that Marvel was doing the show and contacted them about being the producer. Both Marvel and Kids WB interviewed me. The network had a great deal to say about what they wanted for the show, including approval of whoever would get to produce. I was basically the show runner, having input into all phases of the series development and production. Marvel had no production facility of their own at the time, so put the show at Film Roman, where I negotiated my deal. Working with them, I selected the staff, subcontractors, etc., and developed the production schedule and budget. Once work started, I managed everything from story development through final postproduction. Of course, I had a very talented and dedicated crew who made my life a lot easier along the way. They really carried the workload, while I ensured quality control.

MAA: What thought went into deciding which members of The X-Men from the comics would make it into the shows core team? What made you pick those who did make it?

Kirkland: We considered many factors, including personalities, powers, how they would work together, whether there was a good variety to provide visual excitement, drama, and opportunities for storytelling. Some were chosen because of their importance to the X-Men mythos. And some, obviously, because of their popularity with fans.

MAA: In the beginning of season two, a whole host of new recruits joined the show. With a large cast already in place, what made you decide to introduce these new characters?

Kirkland: Well, we initially started with a smaller cast since we were showing the progression of how these characters first gained their powers and came to Xaviers institute. By the second season, we wanted to imply that some time had passed and more recruits had arrived. Also, the network liked the scenes from the first X-Men movie showing many miscellaneous mutants at the school, and asked us to work that into the series. From a production standpoint, we knew that it would be difficult if we had too many of these characters involved in the stories all the time, so mostly kept them in the background.

MAA: What was it like working with the Canadian voice cast, whilst the shows production took place in the States?

Kirkland: The first season, I flew to the recording sessions in Vancouver every week, and that took a toll. But the folks up there were great to work with, and we always had a good time. Eventually, we hooked up a direct digital line between Film Roman and their studio so I could sit in on the sessions without having to be there. Modern technology is great!

MAA: An odd question, but given the big build Apocalypse received throughout the series, were there ever any plans to introduce Mr. Sinister in the show?

Kirkland: I think his name came up a time or two, but we were concerned about getting too many big baddies going on at the same time. We were mostly doing smaller, character driven stories, while planting seeds for the bigger epoch action stories which finished up each season. With the Apocalypse arc finished at the end of season four, we might have been able to bring him into the fifth season, but we never really had any serious discussions about it.

MAA: If you were given the choice to start a new universe in the style of X-Men: Evolution, which character(s) would you choose?

Kirkland: I assume you mean from the Marvel universe? Well, as a kid, I was initially drawn to Marvel comics because of Jack Kirbys art, so am partial to the Fantastic Four, including the Inhumans, as well as Thor and the Tales of Aasgard. I have always been convinced that the story of Ragnarok would make a great big budget animated feature!

MAA: Was anything beyond Phoenix planned for season 5?

Kirkland: We never knew from one season to the next whether or not we would get renewed, so it was difficult to plan very far ahead. And once the network made a decision, we usually only had a few weeks to develop ideas before going into production. So no, we didnt do any serious development for season 5, beyond sketching an outline for the network of the Jean storyline and indicating the general direction wed like to take the series if they gave us a pick-up.

MAA: What was the censorship like on the series? Did it restrict you from telling a certain story you wanted to tell?

Kirkland: The first season was very restrictive. The network felt that action shows like Batman, etc, had gotten too dark and mature for the kid audience they were trying to reach, so they really kept a tight lid on us. Once the first season aired, and proved to be a big success, they loosened the reigns a little more with each succeeding season. The good side of this, however, is that I had always wanted the show to be more character driven than big action-story driven, so the restrictions actually helped play into that. The high-stakes epochs we did later really became more meaningful and poignant because of how much time we had given the audience to get to know and empathize with the characters.

MAA: If you were given free reign to tell one last story with these characters, what would you tell?

Kirkland: Wow, just one, huh? Thats tough, because we left so many story threads that I would love to revisit and resolve. One story that I always wanted to tell but couldnt interest the network in, was how Professor X lost the use of his legs, and how he came to know Magneto  kind of give the back-story of these two guys, if you will. The comics version of Xaviers story wasnt that great, and I thought we could come up with something better.

MAA: Whats your opinion on the show romantic storylines? Is there a specific reason why most were either left unresolved or their conclusions were only hinted at? For example, are we to believe that Kitty/Lance and Scott/Jean eventually got together?

Kirkland: This is one of those areas where the network really boxed us in. We thought this kind of character development was crucial and consistent with the fact that these X-Men were teenagers in high school, but the network felt that 6-10 year old boys (their intended audience) would find such fair just icky. Often, we had to slip stuff like that in visually without writing it into the script, or it wouldnt have made it into the show (like in the last episode where Lance puts his arm around Kitty as they walk away). We kept pushing it, and they kept saying no, even though they knew that it was popular with their tween audience

MAA: The second season finale really changed the course of the show, with the world now aware that mutants existed. Was this planned from the beginning? Did you feel the revamped format (mutants now public knowledge) that came after these episodes was needed?

Kirkland: Marvel always felt that the whole subtext of human hatred and mistrust of mutants was crucial to the X-Mens success in the comics, and wanted it to be part of the show. But as I indicated above, the network was concerned that this theme was too dark and mature to include in the first season. As the second season progressed, they finally conceded that we could lead that direction, so we came up with the second season cliffhanger that would make it the theme of the third season

MAA: As the show grew, so did the scope of the storylines. What are your thoughts on the season long arcs? Do you prefer them to the standalones stories? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each style of storytelling?

Kirkland: Until recently, networks have always preferred series (in both live action and animation) to have stand-alone stories. There are many reasons for this, including the flexibility it gives them in scheduling and repackaging the show for later syndication. They also have concerns about potential viewers being reluctant to get into a show with an on-going storyline. The success of TV shows on DVD has been the biggest factor in changing this thinking. On our series, we were allowed only one to-be-continued story in the finale of each season. All other stories had to be resolved by the end of the episode. We would sometimes plant seeds in these episodes that would pay-off in the finales, but we had to be careful about how much of that we did. Character relationships would also naturally evolve and progress throughout the series. One of the great advantages of series television over the shorter format movies is the ability to tell these grand stories that evolve over time. Networks have dragged their feet about this, but Im sure youve noticed that almost all of the current big hits in prime-time TV are serialized shows.

MAA: If the show had lasted longer, would we have ever seen some of the more fantastical elements of The X-Men (Time travel, space stories, Savage Land visits etc), or were these purposely ignored throughout the series?

Kirkland: The latter. We wanted to keep the series as grounded and realistic as possible. Plus, it played into our format of starting at the beginning of these young X-Mens careers. The kind of stuff youre talking about came later when they had a few years under their belts. 

MAA: Were any restrictions placed on the show because of the movies? Alternatively, were you told to use certain characters more because they were in the movie/make them more like their movie counterparts?

Kirkland: When we were initially developing the series, the first movie was still being shot, so we couldnt really refer to it. Only Avi Arad knew what it was going to be, and he didnt share much of that with us (everything was top-secret). He did guide us a little in such things as the style of Wolverine�s hair, the look of Sabertooth and the design of Xaviers chair. Beyond that, we were pretty much on our own. By the second season, the movie had been released, and influenced a few things such as the addition of new recruits as I mentioned before.

MAA: Overall, which was your favourite season?

Kirkland: There are episodes in all of the seasons that I really like. Our season two finale had some great twists in it, and epoch events, and I loved the stuff we did with Rogue particularly in seasons three and four, as well as the Apocalypse build-up and resolve. I dont know  it would be tough for me to pick just one favorite season. In terms of quality, Id have to say the season 3 had some of the most stand-out shows.

MAA: Whats your thoughts on the series overall? Which episodes do you pick as your most/least favourite?

Kirkland: Im very proud of the series. Consistently good TV is difficult to produce even under the best of circumstances, and we definitely faced some challenging circumstances when making this. I often stuck my neck out and took risks, but I think it paid off. One of the greatest pleasures for me, as I indicated before, was getting to work with a really great crew. We were working under some really crazy deadlines, and with increasingly shrinking budgets, but still managed to maintain the quality of the show. As far as favorite episodes, I like several for a variety of reasons: some for artistic excellence, others for comedy or out-of-the-norm storytelling, etc. But those that worked on a powerful, emotional level really stand out, such as Shadowed Past, Power Surge, On Angels Wings, Mainstream, Blind Alley, Self-Possessed, Impact, Day of Reckoning 1 & 2, Dark Horizon 1 & 2. I hesitate to name least favorites, as Id like to think that even the worst of them often have redeeming, entertaining qualities (would you expect a parent to tell you which of his children he likes the least?!).;-)

The Marvel Animation Age would like to thank Boyd for his participation in this interview, and his work on the show. Thanks Boyd!

Dork (Sad) Note: Boyd Kirkland died in 2011 awaiting a lung transplant.