Check out our thoughts on the first four episodes of season 2 of X-Men 97! Photos provided by Disney/Marvel Studios PR for this review!
Hey All!
It was quite a feat to bring back the beloved X-Men The Animated Series after over a 30 year absence. But not only did Marvel Animation Studios bring back the show, they managed a balance of staying true to the tone and look of the original series while elevating the storytelling and using modern animation techniques to create a more dynamic show overall. It was a success on every level and, as a fan of the original series, the comics, and the X-Men in general, I was more than impressed.
Two years later, X-Men 97 returns to Disney Plus and we were treated to the first four episodes of the new season.
The format of the show has not changed; the episodes are still within the 25-30 minute range, just like they would be airing on television, and they still rock the beloved theme for the show for every episode. The animation style and voice cast remain the same as well.
Though we were only given access to the first four episodes, it does appear that the show is following the same format of adapting storylines made famous in the comics but with a slight twist; this makes fans like me point to the screen and say “oh, oh, oh, I know this, this is from the mid nineties miniseries Rise of Apocalypse that I read as a kid!” So, to say that this show remains for the fans would be an understatement.
Additionally, “previously, on X-Men” our merry mutants ended season one by being blasted through time. Some of the team arrived in the distant past and some in the distant future. Though the first episode, and every subsequent episode, does begin with the catch-up scenes in the “previously on X-Men” segment, I think it would behoove anyone interested in watching season 2 to rewatch season 1. To not do that homework could leave one as lost as the X-Men are in time. And the first four episodes pick up exactly where the show left off two years ago.
The first four episodes also are all about getting the X-Men back to the 90s. In the “present,” Forge and Bishop locate the X-Men and decide who goes to when to bring them back.
The first episode “Days of Past Future” is inspired by The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix comic book miniseries from the 90s with Scott and Jean in the future where their son Nathan was sent (like I said, if you do not remember this, you are better off rewatching season one first). Alongside Scott and Jean are Storm, Morph, and Wolverine. It’s an Apocalyptic future (wordplay definitely intended) where Apocalypse has an empire and the rebels are made of mutants joined by the aforementioned X-Men.
The third and fourth episodes are the season’s first two parter titled Rise of Apocalypse Part 1 and Part 2. These episodes cover the X-Men who were thrown into the past: Professor Xavier, Rogue, Nightcrawler, Beast, and Magneto. They are in 3000 BC and are witnessing Apocalypse before he became Apocalypse and is still an impressionable young mutant named En Sabah Nur.
Leading his tribe against the oppressive Pharoah, En Sabah Nur is grappling with the struggle to find a balance by being both strong and merciful. While inspired by the miniseries Rise of Apocalypse, there are more story elements which make it its own thing and helps to set the scene for presumably what will be the main arc in season 2.
The second, and probably my favorite, of the episodes thus far is titled A Force to be Reckoned With. This episode is all about what the mutants who remained in “the present” are up to during the X-Men’s absence. The leads are Jubilee and Sunspot, who are recruited by Cable to join X-Force. This is an X-Force episode. The team we follow is X-Force and even the opening credits for the show were changed to reflect the show’s X-Force team.
This is just the creators of the show showing how much they love their job and I love them for it. This episode is also the episode, so far, that is a cameo extravaganza. 90s X-Factor makes an appearance, kids from Generation-X make appearances, Quentin Quire is there, Glob Herman is there, Nature Girl is there; the episode is so packed that fans will be rewatching it just to see everyone and I am here for it.
With little touches like making sure the opening credits reflect who is in the episode, and including lines of dialogue lifted directly from the comics which the story was inspired, its very clear that the creators of the show are not just fans but have creative takes on how to tell stories that have enough elements from the comics that other fans will recognize. The action scenes are still dynamic, Jubilee in episode 2 has an amazing action sequence, the drama is still intense, all of the Xavier and Magneto stuff always, and the music is so good at being operatic and reverent and cool.
I loved these first four episodes of X-Men 97 Season 2 but, despite the dramatic ending in episode 4, I feel that the best is yet to come for season 2. I, like all fans, will be scrambling to try and figure out which storyline is next and in which direction the show is heading and that is all part of the fun of watching a show week to week.
I still cannot say that this show is appropriate for very young kids, despite it being animated; a prevalent theme this season appears to be whether its ok to kill, but if someone is mature enough to read X-Men comics, they can certainly handle X-Men 97 Season 2.
X-Men 97 Season 2 returns to Disney+ on July 1, 2026!
