Fired X-Men ’97 Showrunner Beau DeMayo Breaks Silence After Episode 5

Highlights

• DeMayo finally broke his silence after being fired from
  X-Men ’97
  .
• X-Men ’97 episode 5 devastated fans with a tragic turn of events, paralleling real-world tragedies.
• While some fans hope for DeMayo’s return, Marvel has not hinted at reversing their decision to dismiss him.

Warning: The following post contains X-Men ’97 episode 5 spoilersX-Men ’97 episode 5 prompted ex-showrunner Beau DeMayo to finally comment on the Marvel Animation series for the first time since he was fired. However, fans hoping for answers about his firing will be left wanting.

Roughly a week before X-Men 97 premiered on Disney Plus, fans were shocked when DeMayo was fired from X-Men ’97. While reports claimed DeMayo was difficult to work with, neither Marvel nor DeMayo has publically commented on the reason for his firing. However, X-Men ’97 episode 5, “Remember It,” concluded with Sentinals attacking the fictional island nation of Genosha, a mutant homeland that Magneto, Rogue, and Gambit were visiting. Although the Sentinels were destroyed, the attack left Genosha in ruins and claimed the lives of several mutants, including Magneto and Gambit.

Naturally, the events of X-Men ’97 episode 5 devasted fans and left them with many questions. In response to these inquiries, DeMayo broke his silence with a lengthy Twitter post to explain how real-world tragedies and personal experiences influenced his decision to take X-Men ’97 in a traumatic direction. As DeMayo outlined, he wanted X-Men ’97 to parallel the experiences of fans who were kids when the original series aired and now were adults. “My plan was the first half of the season is the OG audiences pre-9/11 days, rife with nostalgia and comfort,” DeMayo wrote on Twitter. “Then 9/11 – like Tulsa and other mass tragedies – turned the world upside down and reminded us the whole world unsafe.” DeMayo’s full comments can be read in another post below:

Although DeMayo did not address his firing, he did respond to one fan who called on Marvel to bring DeMayo back. “Bring @BeauDemayo back. Because if 1×05 is any bit of him, you’ll need him to carry this series to the end,” wrote Ace Cruzat. “The man just adapted the comics and the OG like it was heartbreaking magic. Remember It indeed.” DeMayo did not comment on the desire to reinstate him, but he thanked the fan and noted that he had been working on X-Men ’97 episode 5 for four years.

Because he or Marvel has not officially explained the reason for DeMayo’s firing, some fans are willing to give the former X-Men ’97 showrunner the benefit of the doubt and hope to see him return to the series. “You have done an amazing job, Mr. Demayo. I can’t wait to see the next season and a half you wrote and(I hope) maybe more one day. You’ve become a top tier Xmen writer to the fans in just a month,” wrote Gap Toothed Wonder. Twitter user John Jonas Jameson also urged Marvel Studios to bring DeMayo back, comparing the situation to when James Gunn was fired from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 only to be reinstated several months later.

While X-Men ’97 has earned DeMayo goodwill among fans, Marvel Studios and Disney have not announced or suggested any indication that they intend to reverse their decision to dismiss him. So, while DeMayo was instrumental in crafting X-Men ’97‘s acclaimed first season, fans must hope his successors also contributed to the show’s excellent storytelling and can continue to do so for future seasons.

X-Men ’97 premieres new episodes on Wednesdays on Disney Plus.

Source: Beau DeMayo/Twitter