'X-Men '97' Season 2 Review
- Josh Davis
- 19 hours ago
- 3 min read
Season 2. [Episodes 1 - 4]
Aired On: Disney+.
Release Date: 07/01/26.
Genre: Action. Adventure. Animation. Drama.
The Verdict: A Must-See
“We gotta get the X-Men back – to the ’90s.”
That line, doing a whole lot of meta-heavy lifting, kicks off Season 2 of X-Men ’97, Disney’s revival of the beloved animated series that helped define a generation of comic-book fans.
Picking up directly after last season scattered the X-Men across time, the new season wastes little time getting messy and weird. Forge and Bishop are left trying to reunite the team while their friends are stranded across ancient Egypt, the far future, and points in between.
What’s remarkable is that this show still works as well as it does. Originally developed by head writer Beau DeMayo before his highly publicized departure from Marvel, X-Men ’97 has managed the rare feat of resurrecting a beloved childhood property without turning it into a museum piece. Under Marvel Animation and new showrunner Matthew Chauncey, the series feels less like a reboot than a genuine continuation.
The plot is dense – sometimes almost comically so. There are time jumps, paradoxes, prophecies, alternate futures, ancient civilizations, mutant messiahs, and enough moving pieces to make a flowchart feel necessary.
Yet, somehow, it mostly works.
One storyline follows Cyclops and Jean Grey as they’re reunited with their son, Nathan Summers, in the far future alongside the mysterious Mother Askani. Another sends Professor X, Magneto, Beast, Rogue, Nightcrawler and others to ancient Egypt, where they come face to face with a young En Sabah Nur before he becomes Apocalypse. Meanwhile, back in the present, Apocalypse’s Horsemen are preparing for a war that will span centuries.
All three threads eventually converge on the same question: can Apocalypse be stopped before he becomes Apocalypse?
It sounds ridiculous written out. Sometimes it feels ridiculous on screen. But the series, mostly, sells it.
A large part of that success comes from how confidently the show embraces its comic-book roots. Rather than apologizing for concepts like the Askani, time travel, mutant prophecies, or villains who can reshape history itself, X-Men ’97 dives in headfirst. If you’re on board, it’s a blast.
The season’s biggest surprise is Apocalypse himself. For decades, he’s often worked better as an idea than a character – an immortal force of nature with a cool design and a funny voice. Here, the writers take the time to explore why En Sabah Nur became Apocalypse in the first place. It doesn’t excuse him, but it gives him more depth, turning what could have been a one-note supervillain into a tragic figure whose influence stretches across centuries.
We watch a man become a monster. Then we watch that monster prepare to haunt eons of history.
The action remains outstanding. The animation is gorgeous. The theme song still hits like a thunderous freight train. And when the season reaches its major emotional turns – including a shocking sacrifice that closes the first half – it lands with surprising weight.
Is it sometimes corny? Absolutely. This show is basically a giant bowl of sugary cereal. But sometimes a sugary treat is exactly what you need.
What’s most impressive is how much bigger and more ambitious X-Men ’97 has become. This isn’t just nostalgia bait. It’s a sequel that respects the original while challenging itself to grow beyond it.
If you grew up with the old cartoon, let it grow up with you. And if you’re new? Buckle up.
This isn’t Citizen Kane. It’s a fun, twisty, action-packed, gorgeously rendered comic book brought thrillingly to life.
Now, if only the movies could be this cool – and this fun – again.
Where to Watch:
