As a huge Marvel fan, I’m really excited about their 2026 film! It’s bringing back characters we’ve been anticipating, but it’s also throwing in some genuinely surprising twists. One of the biggest shocks? The Watcher from the What If…? series is involved! It’s funny to think back to when the MCU was mostly just films, and Stan Lee had a little cameo chatting with three Watchers in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – it feels like things have come full circle!
Putting that aside, major Marvel characters haven’t been prominently featured in the company’s live-action movies and shows – until recently. Marvel’s approach to the Watchers began to change with the introduction of TV series within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Disney+ allowed the shared universe to explore its vast multiverse with the animated series What If…?, which actually featured a Watcher as its central character.
Jeffrey Wright, who played Jim Gordon in The Batman, would voice Uatu, the central character – the Watcher – in the animated series. Traditionally, beings like The Watcher simply observe the start and end of universes without getting involved. However, Uatu took a different path. Over the course of What If…?‘s 26 episodes, viewers saw The Watcher actively altering events and entire universes.
While Wright’s character was central to the animated series, many other characters stood out in Marvel’s What If…?, like Captain Carter, Infinity Ultron, and Strange Supreme. The show was narrated by Uatu, and fans are eager to see him appear in a live-action project – especially since Captain Carter already has! Thankfully, X-Men ’97 is continuing his story, which is exciting for viewers.
The Watcher Has A Quick Moment In X-Men ’97 Season 2
Just a heads up – if you haven’t seen X-Men ’97 season 2, episode 6 yet, be warned, there are spoilers ahead! I have to say, after the first trailer for Avengers: Doomsday didn’t show Uatu the Watcher at all (even though the movie is about the multiverse falling apart!), it was amazing to see him back in the latest X-Men episode, “Danger.exe.” It was a really fun watch as a Marvel fan! They even had Morph transform into Reed Richards for a quick Fantastic Four cameo. And can you believe they brought Gambit back?! Apocalypse resurrected him right at the end of the episode – I definitely didn’t see that coming.
Similar to Reed Richards’ brief appearance in episode 6, The Watcher also made a quick cameo. Staying true to his nature and purpose, the character remained silent and didn’t interact with anyone in the Marvel series. He simply observed from Athens, Greece, as Apocalypse activated his machine to bring Gambit back as the Horseman of Death. The Watcher is known for appearing during pivotal moments, and he also had a cameo in season 1 to witness the destruction of Genosha. Notably, X-Men ’97 isn’t the only series outside of What If…? where the character has made an appearance.
The Watcher’s X-Men ’97 Season 2 Cameo Continues An Intriguing Marvel Trend
The Watcher, a mysterious figure who observes the multiverse, has been popping up in several Marvel animated series with intriguing cameos. These appearances link different shows together within the larger Marvel universe. In season two of I Am Groot, The Watcher actually spoke, hinting at a significant prophecy while Groot hilariously disrupted things. He’s also made non-speaking appearances in X-Men ’97 (twice so far), as well as Eyes of Wakanda, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and Marvel Zombies. Before his return in season two of X-Men ’97, his last appearance was in Marvel Zombies.
For the past few years, The Watcher has been subtly appearing in the background of several Marvel shows – five live-action series, not including the animated What If…?. These appearances might be setting the stage for a full, live-action debut. With upcoming multiverse-focused projects like Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, and knowing that The Watcher (Uatu) intervened to protect the multiverse in What If…?, his recent cameo in season 2 of X-Men ’97 continues a pattern that could be leading to a major moment for the character.
2026-07-23 23:47