Listen to the episode on Spotify.

Listen to the episode on Spotify.

Mon and Ron: Previously… on X-Men

Mon: Hello and welcome to a new episode of Stereo Geeks, a bi-weekly pop culture podcast, and weekly newsletter. Today, we’re reviewing X-Men '97 Season 2. I’m one of your hosts, Mon, an entertainment writer with bylines in Bam Smack Pow and Huffpost, to name a few.

Ron: And I’m Ron, your other host, a pop culture critic and managing editor at Women Write About Comics, now on hiatus. This is a spoiler episode for X-Men '97 Season 2.

Mon: Before we start our episode, we would like to acknowledge that the land we are recording on is the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples. It is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit.

Ron: While we are making this land acknowledgement, we understand that this is not enough and that positive action is required by the people of Canada to make substantive change for the Indigenous nations and communities whose lands we now reside on.

[Music]

Mon: We’ve already touched on where X-Men '97 Season 1 left off in our episode previewing this season. The X-Men had been scattered across time, and this season is all about bringing them back together, plus, introducing new affiliations.

Ron: We learn that these time-travelling antics have been the ministrations of Mother Askani, voiced by Dr Beverly Crusher herself, Gates McFadden. Comic book readers will know more about Mother Askani, and why she’s so fiercely protective of Cable’s future. And his past. In the show, however, she continues to be a mystery. I’m not sure if we’ll meet her again. But I would certainly like to.

Mon: We also meet new X-teams in X-Men '97 Season 2. X-Force, led by Cable, has their own episode. X-Factor are also in the mix, but they’re unfortunately the fascist version who round up mutants. Led by Havok, they’re working under Val Cooper. Who has turned into a government shill for some reason. 

Ron: The first four episodes that we had previewed are all about stopping Apocalypse either in the future or the past. While the X-Men have some success in the future, an immortal being like Apocalypse isn’t that easy to stop. Cable is the key; and he takes his destiny very seriously. In 3000 BC, however, the X-Men really struggle. They have to hide, which puts a dampener on things. Plus, they have to deal with the fact that the Egypt they’ve landed in is ruled by a tyrannical leader. We’ll go into more details in our episodic reviews.

Mon: Meanwhile, Bishop and Forge are in the 90s and they’re the only way that the X-Men can return to their time. I love the cheesiness of Bishop saying, ‘we’ve got to get the X-Men back… to the 90s.’ I’ll be honest, I forgot I love corny stuff sometimes. 

Ron: The rest of the five episodes take place in the present - the 90s! I love that the 90s are both when the X-Men are most needed and visible, while also their most vulnerable time, because there’s a lot of change happening. 

Mon: Yes, which we’ll explain later.

Ron: Let’s go episode by episode of X-Men '97 Season 2 and share our reviews. Starting with the first.

Episode 1: Days of Past Future

Ron: Listen, you show me Forge and Bishop, and I’m going to be excited. We didn’t get nearly as much Forge this season, but we did get some Bishop. They’re very interesting characters. Hopefully next season, we’ll get more of them.

Mon: I teared up watching the recap ahead of the premiere. Mostly because I love Cyclops, and seeing him and the X-Men back on screen made me very emotional. They sucked us back into the world of the X-Men with a story about family. And the X-Men is all about family. 

Ron: Days of Past Future was emotional. Scott and Jean got to spend time with Nathan in the future, something they never thought they’d have. It got me feeling so many things. Let’s also not forget that Nathan isn’t technically Jean’s child – his mother was Madelyne Pryor. Yet, their telepathic connection is so powerful, that Cable has accepted Jean as his mother.

Mon: And Jean has reconciled herself to being his mother. It was a hard journey for her, and yet, she’s so loving.

Ron: Jean may be a bit too forgiving towards Scott…

Mon: It wasn’t Scott’s fault! He didn’t know Maddy wasn’t Jean! She was a clone! Blame Sinister!

Ron: Yes, yes, very understandable. But he was still telepathically with Maddy even after Jean’s return. Uncool, Scotty. But I love that Jean doesn’t take it out on Nathan. She’s his mom despite telepathic and clone shenanigans. I also loved the sweet moments Storm and Forge had. They can’t seem to get a moment to themselves to have a regular relationship, unfortunately. But what time they do get, they make the most of it. They’re a really cute couple and I want more from them.

Mon: We need more, for sure. This episode, however, is about the Summers being reunited in the future, but they can’t tell each other the truth. Young Cable thinks he’s being trained by Redd and Slym. But they’re actually his parents. That moment they do reveal themselves. Ugh, my heart! Tears everywhere. Then there’s Mother Askani, who’s really Rachel Summers, trying to fix the world and her family. It’s so sweet, and sad. I loved it.

Ron: Yes, Mother Askani, I’m so intrigued by her. The Summers-Grey family is very weird, and complicated. And Mister Sinister keeps adding more complexities. I need to see more of Askani!

Episode 2: A Force to Be Reckoned With

Mon: A Force to Be Reckoned With may have been the first time the show’s title was changed.

Ron: When we re-watched A Force to Be Reckoned With at the X-Men: Hellfire Gala with fellow fans in Toronto, everyone lost their dang minds when the X-Force logo appeared. It was such a fantastic moment. X-Men needs to be watched once at home, where you can cry and laugh. And once with fans, so you can cheer loudly.

Mon: You’re so right! It’s a glorious experience being surrounded by fans like ourselves hooting at the screen. 

Ron: It truly is.

Mon: I was most excited to see Archangel back in X-Men '97 Season 2. Some of our favs have very tiny or non-existent roles in the show, so I’m happy to see Warren flying about. I also really like Christopher Barger’s voice for Angel. Very measured, but burdened. A little higher pitched than I’d have expected Warren to have, but it really works for the show. 

Ron: You have loved Warren Worthington since we started reading the X-Men. I knew seeing Archangel would make you happy. Even though it is Archangel, and not Angel. He’s an angry, vengeful mutant after what Apocalypse did to him. The perfect recruit for Cable.

Mon: My heart broke when it was Archangel who pulled the trigger to kill War. Let’s remember, Angel was Death once, a horseman of Apocalypse. It felt like a betrayal of his journey to recovering from those ministrations. And yet, it works for the jaded version of X-Force we meet here. 

Ron: Psylocke got the most cheers at the Hellfire Gala. I am mightily relieved that she’s voiced by an Asian-origin actor, Naoko Mori, who many of us will remember from Torchwood. I like how she voices Psylocke; powerful but suspicious.

Mon: Oh how exciting! She’s fantastic as Psylocke’s voice. I do not want to mess with this lady!

Ron: Jubilee and Sunspot are rather easily convinced to join X-Force. It’s not like there’s anything else they can do. There are no X-Men, and they’re on the run. Plus, the chance to take down the X-Men’s biggest bad, Apocalypse? Obviously, they want to sign up.

Mon: First up – I love Jubilee and Sunspot’s new looks. Very cute and colourful. Because there are so many characters in this season, everyone has a smaller role. Jubilee had a welcome, outsized role in much of Season 1. Here, she pops up in this one, and has that absolutely, gobsmackingly amazing, action scene, then disappears for most of the season. It’s the name of the game, unfortunately, when you want to introduce the pantheon of comic book characters, but you only get 9 episodes in the season to do so. 

Ron: Yes.  Her action scene in X-Men '97 Season 2 was absolutely fantastic. But what stands out about Jubilee is that she’s really taken Professor Xavier’s teachings to heart. She doesn’t agree with X-Force’s violent and lethal methods. Killing bad guys doesn’t solve problems. But working for a government that locks up kids because they’re different? Also, not a good look. She’s all heart and power. I love Jubilee.

Mon: Sunspot though, he really has been shunted to the side. I’m quite disappointed. He was very controversial in the first season. The voice casting choice, the colourism issues. But Disney has taken the wrong message and basically made him into an NPC.

Ron: Agreed. Sunspot is my guy and I need Marvel to do right by him.

Episode 3: Rise of Apocalypse – Part 1

Ron: The two-part Rise of Apocalypse story is where we really get the thesis of this season. And of Apocalypse. The X-Men in the past are aiding En Sabah Nur in his quest to free the people of Egypt from Rama-Tut. Nur was a former slave, and an outcast because of his mutation. In the comics, Apocalypse was known as the first mutant. All that’s changed with the introduction of Arakki lore. 

Mon: Young Apocalypse, the first mutant, was discriminated against because of his appearance, but that didn’t stop the regime from taking advantage of his strength and abilities. 

Ron: Essentially, Nur is alone in every way. For him, meeting the X-Men is not just a chance at real companionship, but it instigates his Survival of the Fittest theory. He’s a slave whose mutant power has given him an army and the ability to right the wrongs he sees. Hence, he sees mutants as powerful and humans as weak. Get rid of them. And he feels that powerful mutants should rule, because he should rule. Mutants without powers should either be made powerful, or gotten rid of.

Mon: I don’t know how to feel about the trope of the discriminated man being the evil we need to stop. This is constantly the issue with stories. We have a big bad and then we humanize them but that ends up toeing the line of age-old tropes.  

Should Apocalypse always have been a power-hungry maniac? That to me was a closer through line with his adage, “only the fittest survive.”

Ron: That is a good point. What I did love about this storyline is that Magnus is doing his level best to follow Charles’ teachings. That humans and mutants can thrive together. That even the worst people can be redeemed. He tries to appeal to Nur’s best side. Rise up, yes, take down the tyrant, yes. But be a benevolent ruler. Magnus actually believes he can save the future X-Men by changing Nur in the past. I wish this had come true for Magnus. 

Mon: I enjoyed this aspect of the two-parter Rise of Apocalypse. I’ll admit it wasn’t clear to me what Magneto’s motivations were. But once it was, and I got to watch the episode again, it was beautiful. 

Mon: And this really plays into Charles’s and Magnus’s long relationship. The ups and downs and at the end of the day, their friendship. They are at opposing sides even as they agree. I loved that.

Ron: At the Hellfire Gala, people were getting really excited when Charles and Magnus were on screen together. You can’t escape the homoeroticism of their relationship. I felt sad for all the fans because we knew what was going to happen. We’d already seen the fourth episode for our preview episode. 

Episode 4: Rise of Apocalypse – Part 2

Mon: So we really went through it trying to figure out who Rama-Tut was in X-Men '97 Season 2. I noticed that the theme from Loki was listed in the Episode 3 credits, and Rama-Tut’s outfit is very green and gold. But we learn that he’s actually Kang in this episode. 

We can only assume Kang is being set up as the next big bad. This is a good way to continue the Kang story that the MCU has rightfully abandoned. 

Ron: Kang is an interesting character. And he’s being voiced by John de Lancie, Q from Star Trek. Plus, Michael Dorn was voicing Baal, Nur’s mentor. So many Star Trek actors!

Ron: In this second part, Nur feels betrayed. He thinks the X-Men are trying to hide his power from him. And so, he becomes the very version of Apocalypse they were trying to avoid. 

Mon: That ending… Magneto almost died a thousand times during the denouement. Part of me feels like had they let him live, it would have been a cop out. We, and the Professor, would have been put through the wringer only for Maggie to prevail. 

But then he died. Killed by Apocalypse. I still can’t believe Magneto’s death was so emotional for us.

Ron: And he kills Magnus in front of Charles. That scene absolutely crushed me. Magneto has gone through many iterations over the years and we’re very much in a Magneto Was Right era. But Magneto wasn’t right about Nur. Sometimes, you can’t change people. But the message here isn’t to give up. We can never stop trying. Because for all the bad in the world, there is still good. And we must, we absolutely must, believe that the good in humanity will prevail over evil.

Mon: You know I don’t agree with that sentiment. And I’m proved right later in the season. To rub salt in the wound, Apocalypse lets Charles live because he thinks Charles isn’t the fittest to survive. Now see, this is more of the evil that I expect from Apocalypse. He is what’s wrong with humanity, especially today, where anyone different is looked down upon. 

Mon: I worry that a lot of the X-Men show’s storylines just end up being mutants fighting mutants, instead of the real bad guys—bigotry and hatred. Mutants don’t need to be a monolith and always agree. They don’t always need to be good. But feeding into the idea that mutants are always causing the problems that they need to solve is how we got the world we have today. The stories need to be about the big picture.

Ron: I’m just going to say it: let’s go back to the humans being the bad guys, please. Because humans are causing the problems in the real world.

Episode 5: Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs

Mon: There was so much chatter about Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs being a Wolverine episode. And chatter that it wasn’t that good. 

Ron: We all love Wolverine. He’s arguably the X-Man. He gets a lot of the spotlight in the comics. The live-action films. He got his own trilogy. He was a big part of X-Men ‘92. It’s actually been surprising how little Wolverine we’ve got in X-Men ‘97. I thought Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs would be his episode. But it’s not. It ended up being a Morph episode and we loved it.

Mon: We absolutely loved it! Maybe the fact that it ended up being a Morph episode helped with my delight. Morph was so in the background last season, I couldn’t get over how happy I was to see them get the spotlight. 

Ron: Morph has really been denied the spotlight. I loved that they got a story in X-Men '97 Season 2 where they had some action, but also got to be the heart of the show. They’ve been through so much, being changed and manipulated by Sinister. Turning evil. And yet, they are now fully in control of their powers and they’re working hard to regulate their emotions. Not easy when you’re in love with Wolverine during the 90s. Being out isn’t really a done thing yet.

Mon: Yes, as gory and action-packed as this episode was, what mattered most was the message. Morph is a wonderful friend to Wolverine, even though they want to be more. 

Mon: Now, Wolverine was doing fine without his adamantium. He needed to adapt to his new body. Instead, he decided to do one of the worst things that had been done to him. Wolverine has lived a long life as just one thing, Morph tries to appeal to him to be more. 

Mon: It’s such a beautiful sentiment. And it’s a reminder that we love the X-Men most because they aren’t perfect. They are insecure. They don’t always listen. And sometimes we don’t agree with them. But that’s what makes them like us. And that’s what makes them endure.

Ron: This episode doesn’t address Morph’s confession, but I doubt this series will at all. We’re living in a deeply queerphobic time. Hollywood isn’t the bravest during times of peace; with fascists in charge? No chance. My hope is that future seasons go big and gay. Let Morph find a partner. It won’t be Wolverine because he’s the most heterosexual X-Man ever. But bring in Iceman and let him have his coming out story. And that could give Morph the impetus to be their full self.

Mon: I’d love that. We can only hope. 

Episode 6: Danger.Exe

Mon: I’d only just read about Danger when she showed up in this episode of X-Men '97 Season 2. 

I was emotional again as Charles battled with Magneto’s death. I’m glad the show came back to that, because these losses and emotions impact the characters and their choices. 

Ron: Yes, but otherwise, this is a standalone episode. The Danger of the title is the Danger Room programme gone rogue. And it heads to Genosha to cause some damage. It’s up to the Professor and Polaris to stop Danger. Along the way, they bond over their connection to Magnus.

Mon: This is the episode where Polaris joins the show as a regular. Now see, that needs more time to breathe. Quick photos here and there of her history with the X-Men can only do so much. And a throwaway line that she’s Magneto’s daughter? This is a huge part of her arc in the books. We needed more of her dynamics.

Ron: Danger.Exe was an unexpected departure for the show. I find it interesting that they’ve retconned X-Men origins here. Polaris was part of the OG X-Men. I love the warm welcome she receives when she rejoins the team from X-Factor. Despite the change in history, I felt like Polaris really had been in the periphery all this while.

Mon: But, we do get to see her new dynamic with Charles. They are bonded over the death of Magneto. And it’s really very sweet. 

Ron: Polaris only remembers her father as the leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants. The bad guy who fought the X-Men at every turn. But Charles has seen Magnus change. He left Magnus in charge of his X-Men while he recuperated off-world. He saw Magnus espouse Charles’ belief in mutant-human harmony. He saw Magnus die trying to bring peace to all species on Earth. 

Ron: What really worked for me was that Polaris and Charles are both right in their views of Magnus. They’ve seen different sides to the man. But Polaris is Magnus’ daughter and unfortunately, we can’t change our genes. However, who we choose to be has nothing to do with who made us. And that’s an important message. You are more than the sum of your parts. You are more than who nurtured you. Where you came from. You are all of that and more. You are the choices you make. The show comes back to this message in the next episode.

Mon: That’s a beautiful takeaway. The downside of this episode is that the X-Men are mostly the brawn. I’d have liked to see them supporting the Professor through his loss. He and Rogue should have had some moments too, having both faced such recent losses. A double loss for Rogue, really. 

Ron: Yes, Rogue’s relationship with Magnus has been discarded this season. It does seem like Magnus wasn’t a present father to Polaris, whereas Charles was her father figure. Again, we see the show playing around with the Charles-Magnus pairing, positioning Polaris almost as their child without mentioning it. 

Mon: Cute!

Episode 7: Strange Land, Savage Heart

Ron: Strange Land, Savage Heart is a Nightcrawler episode! At last. Everyone’s favourite blue mutant gets one hell of a spotlight. Graydon Creed, Kurt’s biological half-brother, is kidnapped by a rogue group of mutants, calling themselves the Acolytes of Magneto. They take him to the Savage Land. Turns out Exodus and Colossus have created this team to attack humans espousing anti-mutant sentiment. Creed is at the top of that list because he’s running for President. Talk about prescience.

Mon: I still don’t understand my reaction to Strange Land, Savage Heart. I felt it ran flat throughout. It’s a classic story—a bad man on trial by the bad sect of the mutant cohort. And the good, pious man, Nightcrawler, fighting for truth and humanity.

Ron: I enjoyed seeing Exodus in X-Men '97 Season 2. He’s slightly different from his Krakoan counterpart, who’s very much a disciple of Hope Summers, and a little over the top about her being their saviour. It’s a whole thing. Exodus here is now a follower of Magneto and quite murderous. Some things never change. 

Mon: Ha! Interesting. I’ve not read much of Exodus, so this episode was enlightening for me. 

Ron: Unlike in the comics I’ve read, Exodus wants to straight-up kill Creed and make a spectacle of it. That’s the problem with extremism — it never sends the message extremists think it will. All Exodus would achieve is more hatred against mutants. 

Mon: Absolutely!

Ron: And that’s exactly why Kurt insists on a trial and he takes Creed’s defense, with Exodus as prosecutor and Colossus as judge. Fascinating. In the show, we get a flashback to Genosha and we learn that Magik was killed. Damn. We’re losing some big names this season.

Ron: Let’s not forget why it’s such a big deal that Kurt is defending Graydon. He led the Friends of Humanity and terrorized mutants, including children. He kidnapped Mystique, Rogue, and Kurt, and tried to kill them because he didn’t want anyone to know he was related to mutants. Graydon is a horrible person. And yet, Kurt appeals to his humanity. He tries to coax Graydon to share his story, to realise that he doesn’t hate all mutants. He hates his mutant mother for abandoning him. By the way, Kurt was also abandoned but doesn’t hate anyone. Graydon hates Sabretooth for being a violent father who became more violent when Graydon’s powers never appeared. 

Mon: I was holding my breath throughout trying to see if the show would exonerate the heinous Graydon Creed. But they don’t. Instead, they break Nightcrawler’s heart by showing him Creed and his ilk only care about their hatred and bigotry. Poor Exodus had to die for Nightcrawler to learn that. 

Ron: Yeah, there’s no redeeming some people. Graydon gets free during the trial and he kills Exodus. I hate that Exodus is dead; dang, we’ve lost some amazing characters this season. But Graydon completely proves Exodus’ point. That humans are evil and they will not control their hateful actions. Exodus was right. Just like Magneto was right. And still, Nightcrawler chooses to take the high ground. He doesn’t execute his stupid brother. He lets him live. And we know that this is going to come back to bite our X-Men. 

Mon: Which brings me back to my earlier point. This episode proves why Magneto Was Right. And why any effort to try and meet bigots halfway simply doesn’t work! 

Ron: If your words and actions cause harm, you shouldn’t be allowed to continue doing those things. People have taken the message of Free Speech to mean, I can say and do hateful things with impunity. That was never the case. But let’s not dwell on this too much. We only have so much time to review this season.

Mon: For all the tears shed over the show, this episode is the one that broke me. You and I had to take a moment to talk through our feelings so that we wouldn’t start bawling during our mini video review. This is what I want from the show. Yes, the episode could have been better paced and been more impactful, but it was thought-provoking and heart-breaking because it put a mirror up to society and showed us the reality of our times.

Episode 8: The Dead Man's Hand

Ron: So, we’d already seen that Gambit would be returning with a teaser at the end of an earlier episode of X-Men '97 Season 2. Losing Gambit was absolutely soul-destroying in the first season. He’s a beloved character and this show has probably had the best version of Remy we’ve ever seen. He’s a good man and his love for Rogue is unconditional.

Mon: For an episode about the return of Remy, I was surprised at the lack of emotional heft. They had to pack in so much that our feelings about Remy’s death were left by the wayside. 

Ron: Gambit’s return isn’t smooth and he’s basically a bad guy. He’s Apocalypse’s new horseman, Death. Warren went through this already and look at how it changed him.

Mon: Yes, and it muddles the emotions around his return. Remy died saving fellow mutants from an unjust, discriminatory attack. Original show creator Beau de Mayo was inspired to make Remember It following the Pulse Nightclub killings. So, while we feel for Rogue losing her beloved—and we feel for ourselves for losing a beloved character—Remy’s death signified much more than one man’s murder. Genosha was a massacre. It was, still is, representative of the state of politics and fascism in the world, especially the United States of America. 

Ron: Let’s also not forget why Remember It was so effective. The Pulse Nightclub was a place where queer people could have a fun night out as themselves. Genosha was a place where mutants could be themselves and live in peace. They were literally celebrating their new lives when they were murdered. The parallels are painful. The Dead Man's Hand doesn’t bring that kind of realism here. 

Mon: Exactly! As much as I enjoyed this episode, they stuffed in so much story. Apocalypse was apparently in love and then betrayed by X-ternal. And then there’s her connection to Remy, and this Death version of Remy attempting to get immortality. All of it squeezed into one episode which should have been about loss, mourning, and injustice.

Ron: What stood out to me, as we mentioned in our video reviews on Instagram, is that Professor Xavier tries his absolute darndest to save Remy. Not being there when one of his students was killed must have been horrible. I got really invested when Charles was pulling Remy out of Apocalypse. And then of course, it is Rogue, it had to be her, who saves him.

Mon: Rogue jumping into the astral plane to save Remy, that was the first time in the episode where they pulled at my heart-strings. The whole episode should have been like that.

Ron: Agreed. I really enjoyed the astral plane scene because it was subversive. Remy is a manly man. Yes, he’s beautiful and wears crop-tops, but he’s a hetero ideal. And yet, it is the older professor in a wheelchair who’s saving him. It’s the Southern Belle who does save him. Remy is the damsel in distress. And honestly, I don’t think he’d mind this turn of events.

Mon: Gambit is awesome in this show. I’m glad he’s back. I think?

Episode 9: Survival of the Fittest

Ron: Survival of the Fittest had to take the season out on a bang. It’s all coming to this – the greatest villain the X-Men have ever faced taking over one of the sweetest X-Men ever. Val Cooper bringing together X-Factor and X-Force to take down a common enemy. Everyone acting for the greater good, or so they believe. And, a sacrifice that will break our hearts.

Mon: After The Dead Man's Hand, I was worried how X-Men '97 Season 2 would stick the landing. 

Ron: Yes, considering the last few episodes had been tepid, I didn’t know what to expect from the X-Men '97 Season 2 finale. But it ended up being extremely entertaining, and very emotional. We have the X-Men under siege from Cable and X-Force, with X-Factor beside them, and Cooper’s army of Mech-Sentinels. Considering what the Sentinels trigger for mutants, I was shocked that Val would do this. 

Mon: I’m still upset with Val’s heel-turn in this season, though.

Ron: She’s proving once again that humans cannot be trusted. Meanwhile, Cable is a dog with a bone this episode – he’s determined to destroy Apocalypse, aka Gambit, and he’s willing to fight his own parents to do so. We get amazing match-ups throughout the action scenes, and there are really high stakes.

Mon: Cable was exasperating in this episode. But we can’t forget, he’s a child soldier. He’s been groomed for one thing, and one thing only, to kill Apocalypse. Because the end of Apocalypse means a better future for mutant-kind, and for Cable. I, honestly, couldn’t blame the man for his doggedness. But, he’s not much of a listener is he? Like, my man. Just stop and listen to your parents!

Ron: I know, right? 

Mon: The action set pieces in this episode were spectacular. That dogfight scene between Jubilee and Havok in their jets – so clever, amazing banter, utterly thrilling. Polaris and Bishop versus X-Factor, supercool. Wolvie and Morph as two Wolvies. Ugh… This is what I live for!

Ron: But it’s the heart of this episode that really sold me. Rogue, Nightcrawler and Beast find Ship in the 90s and Rogue makes a deal with the Celestial that granted Apocalypse his powers. I do like that we’re still getting throwbacks to Eternals. At least Marvel is keeping them alive somehow. Rogue is willing to sacrifice herself to save Remy – and Nightcrawler figures out what she’s done, without her saying a word.

Mon: Kurt is just the best! He’s so attuned to his sister that he immediately understands that she’s made a bad deal. And then we don’t see Kurt or Beast for the climactic fight. There’s a reason why. 

Ron: Yes, because meanwhile, hell’s broken loose at X-Corp. Watching Apocalypse take over Remy’s body completely, and then control the X-Men. Brutal stuff. 

Mon: I’ll let you continue, but I have to say Gambit’s fight scene – mon ami, what a spectacular way to bring him back to us. Loved the flamboyance, the nonchalance, the animation. Beautiful. And then they purposely turn him into a monstrous version when Apocalypse takes over. Utterly clever stuff. They know how to play with our hearts.

Ron: Yes, but then Rogue arrives in her new form and she saves the day. And I’m wondering what’s going to happen, because she’s supposed to die. But she doesn’t. Rogue changes back to herself. And the X-Jet returns and Beast steps out holding Kurt’s bible without Kurt. I fell to pieces. I could hear you falling apart beside me. Poor, sweet, wonderful Kurt Wagner. Rest in Peace, you beautiful elf.

Mon: I was trying to keep it together, but my word, it’s not possible. All the emotional heft missing in the previous episode comes back in spades in this one. It’s not just Kurt’s death that broke me. It’s Kurt’s words of hope and faith. Gambit and Magneto, they were killed, brutally and unfairly. But Kurt, he’s making a sacrifice for the greater good–and for those he loves. He’s been a beacon of light throughout this season, and for him to die, and Graydon Creed to live and become a powerful president. My heart just breaks. This show isn’t just telling us stories, it’s a mirror of how many good things and people we lose, while the worst of the worst keep living and making the world worse. 

Ron: Who could have seen those losses and returns coming? Never in a million years could I have predicted they would kill Gambit in the first season. So I thought it would be open season this time around. And yet! Magneto was a massive loss. But he did die in the Krakoa comics so not entirely unexpected? It was extremely emotional, though.

Mon: Interesting. I’m still shocked that we were weeping over Maggie. I’ll keep saying it. It’s a testament to the writing and characterizations that we felt Maggie’s loss. 

Ron: I was surprised that Magik was dispatched in a tiny scene during the Genosha attack. She’s a massively popular character. Bold decision. 

Mon: It’s definitely shocking that Magik was killed off like that. Is that fridging? I think it’s fridging. That’s not great.

Ron: You’ve got a point. I don’t think people are as connected to Exodus but I’m sad to see him go. He has such a cool design. 

Ron: As for the returns; part of me was like, can Gambit really stay dead? Now that would be brave. But they did bring him back. I think, for Rogue, this is the best story decision. Mystique wants nothing to do with her kids. Magneto is dead. Again. Remy was Rogue’s whole world. As she was his. I’m happy for Rogue that he’s back. 

Mon: Is it a copout though to bring Remy back? I really like him being back but does it undermine the events of Remember It? I just don’t know.

Ron: I don’t think it does. Because a lot of mutants died in Genosha, and their hope for a peaceful existence was destroyed forever. We may have emotional damage from Remember It because of Gambit, but, as you said, that massacre was about more than him.

Mon: Yes, that’s fair. Now the mutants are being torn apart further with the X-Men in X-Corp, the assassins in X-Force, and the fascists in X-Factor. Plus, rogue teams like the Acolytes, and then there’s the students at the school. 

Ron: Exactly, which brings me to Polaris. I’m very interested in her return to the X-Men. Especially with her relationship with Havok, who’s fully onboard with Val Cooper’s X-Factor. How does Polaris handle her partner being against her? How does Cyclops reconcile with being on Polaris’ side but not his brother’s? I need more Cyclops and Havok. I need more Summers family drama, obviously. 

Mon: I love Cyclops. I need more of him. I know that’s selfish–there’s already so much Cyclops. But I’m just gutted that Havok is a fascist and Val Cooper’s against the X-Men. Like… I really dug her character in Season 1, and now she seems to be the opposite of that character. 

Ron: We’ve got to talk about Nightcrawler. I did not see his death coming. Who would have?

Mon: I didn’t either. I was dumbstruck by the choice. 

Ron: We’ve loved Nightcrawler ever since we first saw him. I was surprised how small a role he had in the animated series but at least he got more to do in ‘97. This season, I wasn’t sure where they were going with Kurt. He’s such a wonderful brother, and an excellent friend. He’s really been the one keeping the X-Men grounded but optimistic. He always knows the right thing to say at the right time.

Mon: They’ve been so consistent with Kurt’s characterization, especially this season. He’s a man of faith – yes, of religious faith – but mostly, of faith in people. He is such a good person, he wants to see the good within him reflected in others. And he keeps getting knocked down by monsters. And yet, he dies with a smile and the faith that his death will bring happiness to those he loves most. 

Ron: The fact that Kurt immediately figured out Rogue had sacrificed herself. And yet, I couldn’t have imagined he’d do the same to save her. Because if there’s anyone championing Rogue and Remy, it’s Kurt. He just wants them to be happy. It makes no sense for Remy to live if Rogue is gone. So, it had to be Kurt. I am so crushed. I will miss him terribly.

Mon: Kurt is the goodness we should aspire to be. But what message is the show sending–a good man like him dies for those he loves. And yet his kindness, to let his evil brother Graydon Creed live, is probably going to come back to haunt his loved ones. Because Creed is never not going to be a mutant-hater, and he’s now the most powerful man in the world. I do like the realism of the finale. But it’s breaking my heart all the more because we need good, happy, sweet people like Kurt. Yet, all we get are rotters like Creed. 

Ron: Well, my hope is that Mystique will fight her stupid son from the inside as Val Cooper. She’s lost the good kid she had, and she’s ignoring the other good’un. She might as well be useful now and take down the worst of her genes.

Mon: One thing I loved about this season is how many characters we met. It is to the detriment of the story, but the world of the X-Men feels so alive and hopeful because we see mutants from the comics, young and old, join the fray.

Ron: Maybe not all of them are great to see – looking at you, Kid Omega. I was particularly excited by Synch’s appearance this season. He’s voiced by Zeno Robinson, and is one of the mutants on the run from X-Factor, who joins Xavier’s school under Storm. I love Synch from the Krakoa-era comics. He’s an incredible character with mimicking powers. But he’s also very brave and selfless. This is a very young version we see in X-Men '97 Season 2, but he exists in this universe, and that makes me happy.

Mon: I was so psyched to see Synch because you’re so fond of him. I also loved seeing Archangel have a bigger role. And Psylocke has a lot more to do. They’re a couple in some comic runs, but doesn’t seem like they are here… Yet. 

Ron: Interestingly, Archangel and Monet start a business together in Krakoa, but here, Monet is introduced with Synch, one of the teen runaways. So, no business prospects, I guess?

Mon: Not yet. The teen mutants introduced here are in line with their comic book introduction in Generation X.

Ron: There’s a lot to love this season. The character dynamics, Charles and Magnus, the Summers family, Polaris and the X-Men. And whatever’s happening between Polaris and Bishop. I’m invested in this relationship!

Mon: I think it’s cute, whatever’s happening, but is it comic-accurate? I don’t think I’ve ever seen these two together in the comics.

Ron: Magik and Exodus are dead. Sunspot and Jubilee are together. Polaris is an OG X-Man. Who cares about comic accuracy?

Mon: Ok! X-Men ‘97 is an adaptation, after all. So, let’s see where it goes!

Ron: Indeed. Now, what didn’t work in X-Men '97 Season 2? I think the first four episodes of this season were the strongest. They were imaginative, seriously emotional. The character dynamics were heart-warming. Once we return to the 90s, the show struggled a bit. The one-off episodes away from Apocalypse weren’t as strong. Polaris is a great addition but Danger.exe wasn’t the strongest story. Savage Land did right by Kurt but the pacing was a bit slow.

Mon: I totally agree. There are too many characters, too little time, far too many storylines to really do justice to anything. I love being in this world. And I love that they’re filling it up with all these characters from the comics. But they need to streamline things. Is it a case of too many cooks behind-the-scenes? Are they trying really hard to pivot from the original show creator’s vision because of the firing/departure, whatever you want to call it? It’s too much.

Ron: I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but The Dead Man’s Hand was probably the poorest of the season. You have a monumental plot about Gambit returning and the episode was that slow? Until we go into the astral plane, there’s no urgency at all. This should have been a two-parter. Because we have two distinct stories. Gambit’s return and the revelation that Apocalypse has transferred his consciousness to Gambit. Putting them together made the episode sluggish and unfocused.

Mon: It’s frustrating, but I agree with you on that. 

Ron: Can I also make yet another plea to Marvel, all the different groups of Marvel, comics, games, movies, TV. Please, please, figure out what to do with Storm. She’s Storm. She’s freaking Storm. How do you not have her in every episode? How do you not have a story about her? How do you not have her leading this team? What’s happening here, people?

Mon: So, I’m just going to say it – the characters of colour are still being left behind in this show. We all saw it in Season 1, and it’s still happening in Season 2. It’s seriously disappointing. No, it’s an outrage. This is the X-Men, people!

Ron: Couldn’t have said it better myself. But what are our final thoughts on this season?

Mon: X-Men '97 Season 2 was an uneven sophomore entry. They tried to pack in a lot while adding additional characters, but somehow had an episode less to work with. The studio system is doing a disservice to the creatives, the story, and the fans. But they found the emotional beats and they knew how to land them. Equal parts prescient and gut-punchingly reflective of the world today, X-Men '97 reminded us that the reason why we love, have loved, and hopefully will continue to love the X-Men is because they are the best that we can be. The show tells us to aspire to find the kindness, the empathy, and the goodness within us to make the world better. And that is a message worth repeating. 

Ron: This season started off unbelievably strong. The time travel episodes were innovative, creative, full of heart. They leaned into the family aspect of the X-Men that we love. It got a little bit monotone and slow near the middle, and dropped the ball on Gambit’s return. But the finale was extraordinary, action-packed, incredibly tense, and that ending with Kurt’s sacrifice was an emotional gut-punch. Beautifully-written and acted; it’s the ending Kurt deserved.

I’m fascinated to see where we’re going to go next. Now with Graydon Creed as the US president, and Mystique pretending to be Val Cooper. I can’t wait for Season 3.

Ron: And that’s it for our review of X-Men '97 Season 2.

Mon: Join us next time for our recap of Fan Expo Canada 2026.

Ron: You can listen to Stereo Geeks on stereogeeks.ca, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to rate us, and leave us a review; it helps other listeners find us.

Mon: And, get more exclusive content when you subscribe to our newsletter on our website, and follow us on Instagram, @stereogeeks_podcast. Plus, we’re also on BlueSky, @stereogeekspodcast.bsky.social. 

Ron: The Stereo Geeks logo was created using Canva. Our music is courtesy Audionautix. 

Mon: See you next time.