When Matt Murdock’s Daredevil appeared in X-Men ’97‘s ambitious finale episode, fans of the Man Without Fear were overjoyed. However, the moment is even better once you know how the team’s shapeshifter Morph sees Matt Murdock’s horn-headed vigilante.

Currently, Marvel is publishing the prequel comic X-Men ’97, revealing events before the TV show returned from its 27-year hiatus. The X-Men are currently tangling with Mister Sinister and his lackeys the Marauders, while Jean Grey (actually the clone Madelyne Pryor) has begun to sense there’s something very wrong with her memories. In this issue, the team visit Jean’s family to celebrate the news of her pregnancy. Unhappy to see Jean and Cyclops’ romance progressing, Wolverine broods in the corner, where Morph tries to cheer him up.

Morph uses their powers to take the form of Daredevil, saying that if Wolverine doesn’t cheer up, Matt Murdock is going to sue him for copyright infringement. Morph doubles down on the gag, saying Wolverine is becoming “a regular Man Without Cheer.” The joke is a funny callout of Marvel’s most self-hating hero, mocking his ‘Man Without Fear’ nickname, but it also subtly establishes an important fact about Daredevil in X-Men ’97 canon and the larger Marvel Animated Universe.

Daredevil’s X-Men ’97 Mention Establishes His Relationship with the Team

Morph Confirms the Mutants Have Worked with Matt Murdock & Sets Up His Future Return

In ‘Tolerance is Extinction – Part 3’ – episode 10 of the first season of the returned X-Men ’97 – Bastion’s Prime Sentinels perform a series of attacks all over the planet. To demonstrate the extent of the chaos, fans are shown the reactions of various heroes, with Daredevil, Black Panther, an out-of-costume Spider-Man and the Avengers all receiving cameos as they try to keep innocents safe. Not only do the cameos establish the scale of Bastion’s attack, but they also remind fans of the many connections within the Marvel Animated Universe. However, the comic preview goes even further, establishing a new fact about the X-Men and Daredevil.

Morph’s joke shows that the X-Men are intimately familiar with Daredevil and his penchant for brooding. That matters because despite other connections in the Marvel Animated Universe, the X-Men were never given a solid link to Daredevil, who did appear in other properties such as Spider-Man and Fantastic Four. In those shows, he’s shown to be friends with other heroes, however the X-Men never teamed-up with Matt Murdock. Given the animated universe is its own separate continuity, that suggested the mutant heroes may never have actually met the Man Without Fear. However, for Morph to reach for Daredevil as a comparison to Wolverine’s brooding, it’s strongly implied that the X-Men know Daredevil well and likely teamed-up with him ‘off-camera.’ Not only that, but Morph helps to iron out an inconsistency in Daredevil’s animated appearances.

Morph’s Daredevil Gag Helps Characterize Him for Future Appearances

It’s a Good Sign for Matt Murdock’s Return in the Resurrected Marvel Animated Universe

Morph knowing Daredevil is a brooding hero is also noteworthy because it firmly establishes Daredevil’s characterization in animated continuity. Matt’s behavior in Fantastic Four suggested him as more of a swashbuckling hero, while Spider-Man played up his gritty, street-level nature. This Morph moment makes it clear that X-Men ’97 has gone for the latter, comic-accurate Man Without Fear – something that will be even more relevant if Matt Murdock manages to snag another guest appearance in the next series (or indeed his own spin-off show.)

X-Men ’97‘s popularity turned it from a nostalgic ode to a great cartoon to one of the most celebrated shows of the year, likely fostering interest in an expanded Marvel Animated Universe going forward. While Morph’s joke seems small, their description of Daredevil establishes that he has a close relationship with the X-Men and clarifies his characterization for future appearances – a pretty major accomplishment for a few sentences meant to make Wolverine lighten up.

X-Men ’97 #4 is available June 26 from Marvel Comics.