The X-Men '97 finale featured some huge Marvel Universe cameos, including Black Panther. However, we'd later discover that T'Chaka was beneath the mask, not T'Challa.
The decision has perplexed viewers, particularly when T'Challa's father is typically portrayed as the former Black Panther who fought alongside Captain America in World War II (which, in this timeline, could admittedly still be the case). T'Challa being sidelined spawned many discussions online, with most convinced the decision must be related to Chadwick Boseman's death.
Of course, it also created some continuity issues because T'Challa was Black Panther in the short-lived Fantastic Four: The Animated Series...which is presumably part of the same universe as this revival).
X-Men '97 season 1 showrunner Beau DeMayo was asked about the change when the final aired and responded "NDA." Now, though, he's finally cleared things up.
"I don’t know why Marvel had certain directors trying to spin and lie about this but we produced [X-Men '97] Season 1 in early 2021," he said on X. "The loss of Boseman weighed heavily on the studio, as well as on me as a black man. Felt too soon to do [T'Challa]. Put humanity before continuity."
DeMayo later added, "As I said, at the time, it didn’t feel right. Just a matter of respect. If it were today, I think the choice would may be different. Either way, trying to spin it as something other than what it was makes no sense to me."
We've gone back through the archives and can't find any interviews where anyone involved with X-Men '97 contradicts what DeMayo is saying here. Either way, the writer - who was fired by Marvel Studios for alleged misconduct which he has denied - is taking responsibility for the change.
UPDATE: Beau has reached out to let us know that this is one of the interviews he was referring to.
Following Boseman's tragic passing, Marvel Studios chose not to recast his Black Panther in live-action. Instead, the hero died off-screen in the MCU, and 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ended with the reveal that he has a son, also called T'Challa. The fact that T'Challa appears to also be off-limits in animation hasn't sat well with many fans.
You can read DeMayo's comments in full below.