The second season of X-Men '97 has introduced a formidable antagonist in Pharaoh Rama-Tut, a character whose presence bridges the animated series with a complex lineage of Marvel Comics villains, most notably Kang the Conqueror. The current storyline sees the X-Men in Ancient Egypt, assisting En Sabah Nur, the future Apocalypse, in a slave rebellion against Rama-Tut.
Rama-Tut, voiced by John de Lancie, seeks to harness advanced technology to elevate himself to godhood. This ambition is rooted in his comic book origins, where he first appeared in Fantastic Four #19 in 1963, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Initially, he was depicted as a time traveler who seized control of Ancient Egypt. Later retcons revealed him to be Nathaniel Richards, a relative of Reed Richards and a descendant of a warlord from a technologically advanced alternate Earth. The character's history is closely intertwined with the rise of Apocalypse, as seen in the 1996 miniseries 'The Rise of Apocalypse,' where Rama-Tut intended for En Sabah Nur to become his successor.
X-Men '97 adapts this narrative by focusing on Rama-Tut's desire to steal technology from a Celestial spaceship, which is crucial for En Sabah Nur's transformation into Apocalypse. In the series, Rama-Tut attempts to persuade Charles Xavier of the necessity of this technology for controlling future threats. However, Xavier refuses, and the events unfold as predicted: En Sabah Nur acquires the Celestial technology, transforms into the formidable Apocalypse, and ultimately kills his would-be mentor.
The character of Rama-Tut, despite operating under this title in X-Men '97, is also known by many other aliases, including Kang. This connection is significant given Kang the Conqueror's prominent role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Kang, also a variant of Nathaniel Richards, made his MCU debut in the Disney+ series Loki and was later featured in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. His presence in the MCU has been multifaceted, encompassing roles such as "He Who Remains" and a leader within the Council of Kangs, a group of multiversal variants plotting world domination.
Executive producer Larry Houston has hinted at deeper connections within the X-Men '97 narrative, suggesting that the presence of multiple time travelers, including figures like Reed Richards, Doctor Doom, Kang, and Immortus, will be intertwined. This suggests that Rama-Tut's storyline in X-Men '97 is not merely a standalone plot but part of a larger, interconnected tapestry of Marvel's temporal sagas.
