At the Marvel Animation panel at D23, fans saw a very brief sizzle reel for the second season of X-Men ’97. What we saw was brief, but enough to give us ideas on what stories from the comics will serve as inspiration. Of course, in the season finale, we got several cliffhangers, teasing what’s to come when the series returns. Those also gave us some well-reasoned guesses as to which classic comics will serve as inspiration for the new season. Here are the comic book stories we are confident will be the basis for season two of X-Men ’97.
New X-Men
For a brief scene in the season two D23 teaser, we see Scott Summers and Jean Grey fighting in their uniforms from Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s New X-Men run. Those uniforms, designed by Quitely, were meant to evoke the black leather costumes of the then-new live-action X-Men films. With a little more comic-book color to make them pop that is. Cyclops and Jean wore these costumes for the entirety of Morrison’s run from 2001-2004. This suggests to us that we’ll get an adaptation of the Morrison/Quitely era in some capacity. Naturally, this era already got a major adaptation with the centerpiece Genosha/”E is for Extinction” arc in season one.
Astonishing X-Men
After Morrison left the X-Men franchise in 2004, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly creator Joss Whedon took over the flagship mutant title with artist John Cassaday in Astonishing X-Men. The second arc of that title saw the emergence of a new villain with deep ties to the X-Men. Danger was the A.I. program of the X-Men’s training facility the Danger Room, brought to physical form. She hated Charles Xavier in particular for hiding her emerging sentience from the world and sought revenge. We see a brief glimpse of Danger in the D23 sizzle reel, suggesting an adaptation of the Astonishing X-Men arc “Dangerous” is part of season two.
X-Factor
We very briefly see the magnetic mutant Lorna Dane, a.k.a. Polaris, in the D23 footage. She appears to be wearing her X-Factor costume. This was from the early ’90s, when Polaris, the daughter of Magneto, was a member of the government-sponsored mutant team. She appeared in the classic X-Men: The Animated Series episode “Cold Comfort,” which also showed her on Forge’s X-Factor team. She might be one of his new X-Men recruits when the team goes missing in time to form a new roster in season two.
X-Men vs. Apocalypse: The Twelve
Wolverine got his adamantium skeleton ripped out by Magneto in the X-Men ’97 finale, barely clinging to life in the end. This was a direct adaptation of the classic comic book storyline “Fatal Attractions.” But the trailer showed Logan with his metal claws popping out of his hands, saying “I’m back!” This means he’ll definitely get them back this season.
So just how will the adamantium get bonded to his skeleton again? In the late ’90s storyline X-Men vs. Apocalypse: The Twelve, Logan made a deal to get his metal skeleton and claws back with En Sabah Nur, who then turned him into his Horseman of Death. This occurred in Wolverine (vol.1) #145. It continued over several other X-Men titles in “The Twelve” storyline. Of course, we expect a resurrected Gambit to become Death, but that might happen after Wolverine has a turn.
We also saw brief glimpses of Lady Deathstrike and Sabretooth in the D23 X-Men ’97 season two sizzle reel. No idea what storylines they are adapting for them, but at least we know they’re making a comeback.
The Rise of Apocalypse
This 1996 mini-series goes back 5,000 years to ancient Egypt and the rise of En Sabah Nur. He was the very first mutant and the being who would one day take the name Apocalypse. Written by Terry Kavanagh and illustrated by Adam Pollina, The Rise of Apocalypse details how a former slave rose up against the Pharoah Rama-Tut. (He is a variant of Kang the Conqueror, should they wish to connect to the MCU.) Apocalypse then began his war on the weakest of the species, eventually recruiting his legendary Four Horsemen. The design for young En Sabah Nur in X-Men ’97 directly recalls his design from artist Adam Pollina. So we definitely see this having a big influence on season two.
The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix (1994)
In 1991’s X-Factor #69, the tyrant Apocalypse infected Cyclops’ infant son Nathan with a techno-organic virus. The only way to save him was to send him thousands of years into the future. Cyclops was offered this choice by a warrior from the Clan Askani. We later found out the mercenary Cable, leader of X-Force, was Nathan as an adult. He’d been sent back to the present from that future.
In Scott Lobdell and Gene Ha’s 1994 mini-series The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix, newlyweds Scott Summers and Jean Grey are sent into the far future. They emerge in a time period where Apocalypse rules, and they go by the names Slim and Redd. There, they meet their daughter Rachel Summers, now the ancient Mother Askani. She gives them the chance to raise young Nathan from childhood to his teen years. The arrival of Jean and Scott in the far future indicates we are definitely are going to see an adaptation of this series.
Generation X
After years of villainy as part of the Hellfire Club as its White Queen, Emma Frost’s students, the Hellions, all died in a Sentinel attack. She very nearly lost her life too, falling into a coma for months. When she finally awoke, the trauma of this loss caused her to change her ways (somewhat), and she began training a new generation of X-Men at the Massachusetts Academy, now an offshoot of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.
Frost and co-headmaster Banshee taught a new group of students, nicknamed Generation X, which included Jubilee. Among the others were Synch, Chamber, Husk, Skin, and M. Writer Scott Lobdell’s Generation X series lasted 75 issues. With the school closed on X-Men ’97, and Emma narrowly surviving Genosha, she may wish to start her own school of X-Men to keep the dream alive. Maybe with Jubilee and Sunspot as students? Generation X might be a dated term now for a group of younger mutants today, but in 1997? They would have been the right age for a name Like “Gen X.”
X-Men: Blood of Apocalypse
Peter Milligan’s mid-2000s X-Men run isn’t one that gets referenced a lot. However, this comic run did contain one story that likely will inform season two of X-Men ’97. After the mutant decimation provoked by the Scarlet Witch, causing most mutants to lose their powers, Gambit was in a funk. Especially as his great love, Rogue, started a romantic relationship with another mutant with immunity to her powers. He actually volunteers to become the new Horseman of Death for Apocalypse, in a storyline that began in 2006’s X-Men #185. Gambit’s time as Death is brief, and by X-Men #200, Gambit returns to normal. This will at least partially serve as inspiration for X-Men ’97 season two.
Uncanny Avengers: The Apocalypse Twins
If Apocalypse brings back Gambit or other dead mutants as his Horsemen, it will be based on something his heirs did. This was actually something done by Uriel and Eimin, the Apocalypse Twins, in the pages of Rick Remender’s Uncanny Avengers. The Apocalypse Twins brought back to life dead characters like the Sentry, Banshee, Grim Reaper, and Daken, and turned them into their Four Horsemen of Death. If Gambit is coming back via this method, it begs the question, what other three dead mutants from Genosha are coming back too? Banshee, Sebastian Shaw, Madelyne Pryor, and Dazzler are all prime candidates for resurrection as Horsemen of Death.
Onslaught
Although Professor X didn’t wipe Magneto’s mind after he pulled the adamantium out of Logan’s body, as in X-Men #25, he did spend a lot of time in Magnus’ head. It was enough that Jean Grey worried that so much time mentally fused might break them both. While they both seem intact at the end of X-Men ’97 season one, we’re not totally buying it. We think at some point in season two (or perhaps season three) Onslaught will emerge. The entity Onslaught was born when Charles Xavier absorbed some of Magneto’s rage and hostility when he mind-wiped him, and it stayed dormant for years. We think he was in Magneto’s mind long enough on X-Men ’97 for this comic story to still happen in season two. It’s just a matter of time.
Originally published on May 17, 2024.
