X-Men ’97 Has a Chance to Reignite Forge and Storm’s Marvel Comics Romance

As a continuation of the beloved X-Men: The Animated Series, the new X-Men ’97 sees Ororo Munroe aka Storm in a place she never expected to be in. Previously, the weather goddess helped defend Magneto at the United Nations, but has since become depowered thanks to a sinister new weapon that removes mutant abilities.

Without her weather-manipulating abilities, Storm leaves the X-Men, believing she can no longer fulfill her duty at the mansion. Fortunately for Ororo Munroe, X-Men ’97 is setting up a new important role for her that could help bridge relations between humans and mutants, especially in the wake of a new weapon emerging to strip mutants of their unique powers. There’s also strong story potential between her and another character she experienced a romance with in the comics: Forge.

What Is Forge and Storm’s Comic History?

Forge and Storm first got together in The Uncanny X-Men in the 1980s. There, after Henry Gyrich shot Storm with a neutralizer gun, she lost her powers. Forge found her in a river after the fight, nursed her back to health in Texas, and sparked a romance. In time, they would end up in a secret dimension together. Forge restored Storm’s powers and got them back home. He had already destroyed all the neutralizers on Earth, so he thought this could be their happy ending.

Unfortunately, the rigors of living at the X-Mansion and working together placed a strain on Storm and Forge’s bond. Things became rocky when Bishop arrived from the future, allowing jealousy to creep in. In time, Forge left after thinking Storm didn’t want to accept the proposal. The sad thing is, she would have. She just needed time to process it all. As the years went by, there would be different versions of Forge and Storm who remained together. Nimrod came from one where they had kids.

In the Exiles comics, there was another reality where they were married, while Mutant X had them as lovers with Forge letting the vampire variant of Storm feed off him. The Ronin reality also had them engaged in a romance. In the mainstream Earth-616, they remained colleagues, which did shape some dramatic and awkward moments. Eventually, Storm married Black Panther, while Forge had a fling with Mystique and decided to try to let go of Storm.

How Do X-Men ’97’s Forge and Storm Connect?

X-Men ’97 focuses on the X-Men fighting off Madelyne Pryor at the mansion and getting her to assist in defeating Sinister. However, Storm only factors in at the end in Texas. Storm is in a bar, where Forge approaches and claims he is an old friend of Charles Xavier. He wants to help her get back what she lost after being shot by X-Cutioner. This sets the stage for them to connect on a deep, emotional level.In the “Lifedeath” arc, Forge lost his leg and replaced it with a cybernetic one. However, he felt incomplete. Storm felt the same after she lost her abilities. This created an arc filled with substance and true love.

Forge and Storm made each other feel whole, which is why a major portion of the X-Men fanbase think they were better off as soulmates working to protect the Children of the Atom. It has these fans giddy to see where the cartoon takes Storm and Forge after the events of X-Men ’97 Episode 3, “Fire Made Flesh.”With Storm depressed and Forge introduced, there is an exciting opportunity to reinterpret their comic book romance and paint both as leaders. Ironically, the future Forge used his powers of being able to see and make any technological weapon or tool in the original cartoon.

Forge sent Bishop on apportioned missions, such as stopping the techno-organic virus, ensuring Magneto didn’t break the world, and preventing the Sentinels from taking over due to their punitive actions. But those timelines don’t matter. Forge is in the present, creating a mystery as to how he knew about Storm, why he wants to help her, and what his views are on mutants dealing with a world that mostly fears and hates them. Motivations will have to be explained, but if it’s anyone who has the genius to rewire Storms’ DNA, it’s him. Reversing the effects of the radiation from the gun that took away Storm’s powers is up his alley, so one can only hope that Forge gets Storm back into thunder-and-lightning mode.

X-Men ’97’s Forge May Be Hiding a Dark Secret

Of course, a big theme of Forge and Storm’s romance is betrayal, all due to a lie of omission. As fate would have it, Forge was the one who was commissioned to make the gun. He had no clue it would be used against Storm, or that he would fall for her. This guilt is why he pushed to cure her and to remove all neutralizers from existence. It sets Forge and Storm up for a similar arc, though it remains uncertain if he will succeed in restoring her powers, and if he will garner forgiveness and redemption. His absolution arc was quite intriguing, as it reminded fans Storm could show mercy. It added a new side to her at a time many considered her a powerful god.

By giving Forge a second chance, her more human nature showed. It brought to life more of the Ororo Munroe who grew up in poverty in Africa and who wanted to heal the world when she became an adult. This could set Forge up to continue atoning by joining the X-Men, thereby crafting the link in the future. Bishop just took Nathan (who is infected with the TO-virus) there, hinting he is going to meet with a guy in the future who “can build anything.” It does feel like the show is angling to bring back Future Forge, and this Forge in Magneto’s X-Men. With no Black Panther around and Bishop and Storm not being a thing, the changes made in the X-Men cartoon could actually give Forge and Storm a happy ending.

This animated series has adopted a more idealistic approach, as seen with Madelyne being on good terms as she departs the X-Men. With Storm in the process of healing emotionally alongside Forge as a companion, Jean could get her “sister” back to help with her own loss and grief. Cyclops and the X-Men would also acquire a very formidable soldier for the war to come. Forge might even have secrets and information on enemies like the Friends of Humanity who want mutants dead. Ultimately, the Forge and Storm arc is teeming with possibility, leaving fans optimistic the Disney+ cartoon can continue to nail the potential of these characters.

New episodes of X-Men ’97 debut Wednesdays on Disney+.