Warning: this article contains full spoilers for X-Men '97: Episode 6! If you haven't already, be sure to check out IGN's review for "Lifedeath - Part 2."
X-Men ‘97 is now six episodes into its first season, and things are looking increasingly bleak for the merry mutants. We’ve seen the team deal with the return of old foes like Mister Sinister, the Sentinels and the Friends of Humanity. Storm has lost her powers, Jean Grey turned out to be a clone and baby Nathan Summers is now a time-traveling refugee. Now, in the wake of Episode 5, countless mutants are dead, including Magneto and Gambit.
As the dust of Genosha's destruction continues to settle, let’s explore the biggest burning questions surrounding the series right now. From the renewed Cyclops/Wolverine/Jean Grey love triangle to the debut of Cyclops' brother Vulcan to the question of whether those dead mutants are actually dead, these are the questions we can’t wait to see answered in the second half of Season 1.
When Was Jean Grey Replaced?
X-Men ‘97’s second episode ends on a big cliffhanger, as no sooner does Jean Grey return to the X-Mansion with her infant son than another Jean Grey shows up out of the blue. In Episode 3, we learn the newcomer Jean is actually the real deal, and the Jean who just gave birth is her clone. Clone Jean now goes by the name Madelyne Pryor.
While the two Jeans have mostly buried the hatchet following their brief psychic battle (more on that in a minute), one important question still remains: When exactly did Mister Sinister kidnap and replace the original Jean? How long was Madelyne a member of the team? Did this switch-up happen at some point in the unseen months between X-Men: The Animated Series and X-Men ‘97? Or did the change happen during the original series? Even the two Jeans seem to have no idea.
There are certainly plenty of points during X-Men: The Animated Series where Sinister could have made the switch. For all we know, it may have happened as early as Season 2, when Cyclops and Jean were first kidnapped by Sinister’s Nasty Boys on their honeymoon. Does that mean they have to redo their wedding yet again?
It’s also interesting to wonder how this reveal could impact the events of “The Phoenix Saga” and “The Dark Phoenix Saga” from Season 3. Was it the real Jean who was possessed by the Phoenix or Madelyne? Is Sinister to blame for Jean’s descent into madness?
The show could take yet another cue from the comics here. In the original version of The Dark Phoenix Saga, Jean sacrifices her life at the end, seeking penance for having annihilated an entire planet and wishing to spare the universe more harm. When Jean was brought back to life years later, Marvel revealed that she had been hibernating in a pod in the Hudson River while the Phoenix impersonated her. That reveal was intended to absolve Jean of massacring the D’Bari people.
Jean didn’t wipe out an entire civilization in the animated series, but there may still be a desire to distance the character from her time as the Phoenix. If so, we may eventually learn Sinister had hatched his scheme before the events of The Phoenix Saga. Marvel has an X-Men ‘97 comic lined up that’s intended to bridge the gap between the two animated series. Perhaps that book will make things more clear?
Will Cyclops and Jean Grey's Marriage Survive?
The love triangle between Cyclops, Jean Grey and Wolverine has always been a major focus in X-Men: The Animated Series, but there was only so far that the series was willing to take things. Wolverine may pine after the lovely Jean Grey, but at the end of the day, Scott and Jean were destined to be together. Or are they?
Their relationship definitely seems to be on shaky ground in X-Men '97. In Episode 5, we see that Scott is still struggling with the realization that his wife and the mother of his children are actually two different people. Nor is Jean handling the question of which memories are hers especially well. Jean is so confused by this flood of emotions she kisses Logan, who urges her to repair her relationship with Scott.
However, things really come to a head when it's revealed that Cyclops is carrying on a psychic affair with Madelyne. Is this the final nail in the coffin for the Cyclops/Jean Grey romance? It certainly was in the comics, when Scott carried on a similarly torrid affair with Emma Frost. The X-Men's power couple may be headed for a breakup. If that happens, will Scott and Madelyne get back together? Will Jean turn to Logan for support? This series is turning into a real mutant soap opera, and we're here for it.
Is Mister Sinister the Main Villain of Season 1?
Cloning Jean Grey and sneaking a double agent into the X-Men’s ranks was only part of Mister Sinister’s evil plan. In Episode 3 we learn his end goal was to orchestrate the birth of Cyclops and Jean Grey’s son. He’s been obsessed with the Summers/Grey family genetics since his first appearance, and a baby combining the two bloodlines is his ultimate prize.
Unfortunately, Sinister doesn’t have a lot of screen time in Episode 3, with the focus remaining mainly on Jean and the brainwashed Madelyne Pryor. Sinister beats a hasty retreat once it becomes clear his plans for baby Nathan aren’t going to come to fruition. But this villain returns at the end of Episode 6, where we learn he was the one responsible for destroying Genosha.
Is it safe to say Sinister is the true villain of Season 1? It definitely appears that way, and that theories about Professor X's twin sister Cassandra Nova being the main villain were wrong. But where is this all building? How does this all tie into Sinister's plans for the Summers clan and the fate of baby Nathan?
How Will Nathan Summers Become Cable?
Episode 3 ends on a tragic note where baby Nathan Summers is concerned. Thanks to Sinister’s genetic tampering — and the X-Men interrupting him mid-experiment — Nathan is now infected with a techno-organic virus. The only way to save his life is for Bishop to escort him to the future, where his condition can be stabilized.
X-Men comic fans know where this is heading. This is the origin story for Cable, a character who was eventually revealed to be the adult version of Nathan, years after originally debuting in 1990’s The New Mutants #87. There’s no reason to assume that X-Men ‘97 is diverging from the source material here. The original animated series never dealt with the question of Cable’s parentage, but it would seem X-Men ‘97 is diving headlong into that convoluted thicket. In fact, Cable made a small but pivotal appearance in Episode 5, now voiced by Chris Potter.
The question isn’t whether baby Nathan is destined to become Cable. That much seems assured. The question is how exactly he becomes a time-traveling freedom fighter. How much will we see of Nathan’s formative years? How did his rivalry with Apocalypse begin, and how did he eventually wind up in the far-flung era of 3999?
The comics have covered this ground, establishing that Nathan was raised by a group known as Clan Askani. The limited series The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix even allowed the two to psychically travel into the future and experience raising their son for a time. Will X-Men ‘97 adapt that material? How different will this story play out now that Bishop has seemingly become Nathan’s caretaker? As much as Cable and Bishop butted heads in the original series, it would be ironic to find out Bishop was actually a father figure to the younger Cable.
It’s also interesting to see Bishop of all characters become Nathan’s protector when he played a much different role in the comics. Following the events of 2007’s Messiah Complex crossover, Cable became the caretaker of a mutant baby called Hope, with Bishop (in full heel turn mode) pursuing them across time. Will X-Men ‘97 draw any inspiration from those stories? Only time will tell, no pun intended.
Will Bastion Appear in Season 1?
One fan theory surrounding the series involves the debut of the advanced Sentinel Bastion. Bastion is a hybrid of Master Mold and the futuristic mutant hunter Nimrod (who was introduced way back in X-Men: The Animated Series: Season 1). He's perhaps the most powerful variation of the Sentinels the X-Men have ever faced.
In the comics, Bastion was the central villain of a crossover storyline called Operation: Zero Tolerance. The fact that the final three episodes of Season 1 are titled "Tolerance Is Extinction" is one clue suggesting Bastion's debut is imminent. Another clue comes in the intro sequence of Episode 6, which features a shot of Nimrod inside the body of Master Mold.
Are the X-Men about to meet Bastion? Will this humanoid Sentinel turn out to be the true mastermind behind the Friends of Humanity? And if Bastion is being positioned as a major villain in the climax of Season 1, what's his connection Mister Sinister? Is Sinister's unholy brand of mad science what creates Bastion in the first place?
Will Jubilee and Abscissa Meet Again?
Episode 4 pits Jubilee and Sunspot against Mojo, who's become so desperate for ratings he's developed a video game console called Motendo. As the duo navigate their way through this deadly game, they encounter a helping hand in the form of an aged, digital version of Jubilee herself.
This older Jubilee is based on a character from the comics called Abscissa. That said, the source material took a much darker approach to the character. There, Abscissa is depicted as an alternate reality version of Jubilee who becomes Mojo's servant in exchange for him agreeing not to upset the delicate, cyclical process of the Marvel Universe's death and rebirth. But when the teen Jubilee is given the same offer, she refuses, causing Abscissa to fade out of existence. Talk about your thankless jobs...
X-Men '97's Abscissa is given a relatively happier sendoff. That still leaves us to wonder - could she return? Is she still trapped inside the Motendo console, doomed to forever replay those arcade brawler levels? And on the subject of Mojo, what happens now that he's seemingly been betrayed by his six-armed servant Spiral? We have to imagine there's more story left to be told on the Mojo front.
Are Magneto and Gambit Actually Dead?
X-Men '97 hasn't been content to focus on just one mutant love triangle. Rogue has also found herself torn between the temptation that is Magneto and her ongoing love affair with Gambit. Will she choose the arrogant Master of Magnetism, knowing she can actually touch him, or will Gambit's steadfast love win the day.
No sooner do we get an answer to that question in Episode 5 than both Magneto and Gambit are seemingly killed. A Master Mold arrives to commit mutant genocide in Genosha, and both men sacrifice their lives in defense of the new mutant nation. But the question, of course, is whether Magneto and Gambit are actually dead.
With Gambit, the answer seems to be yes, as we see Rogue cradling his lifeless body in the final scene. But Magneto is another matter. Like Joker, this is a character with a long history of cheating what seems like certain death in the comics. Even in Grant Morrison's New X-Men series, which this episode adapts in its depiction of the Master Mold attack, Magneto survives and eventually returns in a new form.
There's also the question of whether the massacre on Genosha will be undone. Let's not forget that Cable shows up just before the attack to try and evacuate the Genoshans. This is a clear sign that time travel is in play as Season 1 continues to unfold. Will Cable find a way of returning to the past and undoing the destruction on Genosha, thereby bringing Magneto and Gambit back to life? Or is the presence of The Watcher a sign that this is one tragedy that can't be erased?
Will More X-Men Get New Costumes?
Episode 6 wrapped up the "Lifedeath" storyline on the show, as Storm conquers her trauma and regains control of her mutant powers. In the process, she gains a whole new look, switching from her white costume to the iconic black suit originally introduced in 1975's Giant-Size X-Men #1. The series is going old-school with Storm's new makeover.
We have to wonder if more X-Men are due for costume changes this Season. The look of the X-Men in this animated universe has remained fairly static over the decades, and maybe other characters could do with a visual refresh. Certainly, characters like Wolverine and Cyclops have no shortage of alternate costumes from which the animators could choose.
Will we see Wolverine switch to his brown and tan costume? Will Rogue change up her look as she mourns Gambit and Magneto? There's no telling just how different this team could look by the end of Season 1.
Is Professor X's Romance With Lilandra Doomed?
After staying MIA for pretty much the entire first half of Season 1, Professor Xavier returned to the forefront in Episode 6. It was a nice reminder that the X-Men's founder isn't actually dead, even if the world at large believes him to be.
Unfortunately for Chuck, he's not having any more luck in the romance department than his hormonal students. He's forced to choose between staying with Lilandra and sacrificing his memories of the X-Men or leaving Shi'ar space to return home. And though he comes close to convincing the Shi'ar he doesn't need his mind wiped, Xavier's victory is ruined when he detects the tragedy that just unfolded on Genosha.
At this point, there's no question that Xavier will be returning to Earth. The X-Men need their mentor now more than ever. But can his relationship with Lilandra survive? Will he be forced to sacrifice his personal happiness for the sake of his school? And how does a certain mystery Summers brother fit into this equation?
When Will Vulcan Reveal Himself to Cyclops?
Episode 6 includes a tantalizing cameo in the scene where the Shi'ar Imperial Guard attack Ronan the Accuser. Among Gladiator's crack troops is none other than Vulcan, a character who happens to be Cyclops' long-lost brother.
Vulcan doesn't have a speaking role in this episode, but we can only assume his presence is a tease for major developments to come. Sooner or later, Cyclops is going to discover he has a younger brother (presumably, he'll also finally leearn the truth about Havok). Is this another big plot twist planned for Season 1, or is it being saved for further down the road?
Just how much of Vulcan's back-story is being adapted for the series? Will we learn that Xavier wiped Cyclops' memory of Vulcan as a younger man? And will we see Vulcan usurp the Shi'ar throne, as he did in the comics? Clearly, not everyone in the Imperium is happy with Lilandra's rule, and she could face an even worse threat than her traitorous sister Deathbird. There's a lot of potential for future X-Men '97 story arcs here, which is why this quick cameo is so exciting.
For more on X-Men '97, flash back to a time when X-Men was the biggest comic book on Earth and brush up on every Marvel movie and series in development.
Note: this article was originally published on March 27, 2024 and updated on April 17, 2024 with the latest developments in X-Men '97.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.