When it comes to adaptations of the “X-Men” comics, animated TV series have always been king. No live-action version has ever managed to capture the same heart, scope, and universal fan approval of “X-Men: The Animated Series,” a tradition that lived on through the celebrated release of “X-Men ’97” on Disney+ in 2024.
A direct continuation of the original animated series, which aired from 1992 to 1997, “X-Men ’97” immediately established itself as a worthy successor — a faithful, forceful, and lovingly crafted return to peak “X-Men” storytelling.
Returning on Wednesday, July 1, the second season of “X-Men ’97” builds on that momentum, using it to power an epic tale of war stretched across three distinct, fully-realized timelines. Thousands of years apart yet intimately connected, the concurrent storylines cover an impressive amount of ground, incorporating lore and characters from practically every corner of the Marvel universe.
As teased by Disney+ in a new “roll call” video, Season 2 brings back most of your Season 1 favorites (R.I.P., Gambit!), while adding some interesting new faces into the mix. Mutants formally making their “X-Men ’97” debut include sonic screamer Siryn, the howling Wolfsbane, Cyclops’ brother Havok, and Magneto’s daughter Polaris, along with a larger storyline for Archangel, who appeared only briefly in the first season. But this is only a fraction of the exciting appearances (and perhaps team-ups) that Marvel fans can expect as the season unfolds.
Season 2 explores the lore of Apocalypse in great depth, fleshing out the origin and motivations of En Sabah Nur in a humanizing way that allows viewers to understand and appreciate the future supervillain. In the fragile world of the X-Men, the present can be affected equally by events of the past and future, and Season 2 includes a healthy amount of consequences from both.
Each of the four episodes made available for review contains at least one goosebump-inducing moment — be it triggered by the dramatic arrival of a pivotal character, a well-delivered plot twist, or even a tragic turn of events — inspiring plenty of other gasps along the way.