X-Men ’97 season 2 review: Apocalypse raises the stakes for Marvel’s mutants
The second season of “X-Men ’97” takes the shattered team on a multi-era adventure through the life of Apocalypse, the world’s first mutant and one of the X-Men’s most undefeatable adversaries.
At the end of season one, the X-Men were broken into three groups: one sent to ancient Egypt where Apocalypse was born, another sent to the far future at the height of his rule, and a few left behind in 1997. The first four episodes follow each of these fractured teams and their efforts to thwart Apocalypse and reunite in the ’90s.
Apocalypse delivers a darker threat
If you thought the writers of the series were going to take a break from traumatizing fans after the devastating events of season one, think again. The stakes are high, and if you thought the Sentinels were ruthless, wait until you see what kind of damage Apocalypse deals. I’m nervous to see how much more I’ll cry by the time the finale airs.
This season also brings more cameos and appearances from not only fan-favorite mutants from the comics, but even some unexpected heroes and villains the X-Men share their world with. These moments add an extra layer of excitement without distracting from the story at hand.
Courtesy of Disney+ Media Relations
A more serialized approach
While season one of this revived ’90s show had a few episodes with standalone plot lines throughout the season, it seems season two may be modernizing the formula a bit by having every episode follow the same storyline. Of course, since I only had access to episodes one through four, I can’t say for sure, but with what I’ve already seen so far, it’s hard to imagine the show taking any breaks until this plot is resolved.
And with only nine episodes this season, plus the show already receiving a green light for season three, who knows how long that may take.
Courtesy of Disney+ Media Relations
Related: Grab an X-Men 97 meal with collectible toy from Dave’s Hot Chicken
X-Men in the theme parks
The renewed popularity of “X-Men ’97” also highlights an unusual reality for Disney. While the company owns Marvel and now controls the X-Men on screen, the mutants still have little to no footprint across Disney’s domestic parks. The complicated Marvel theme park agreements and Marvel Super Hero Island at Islands of Adventure mean guests can meet Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy, but Cyclops, Storm, and Wolverine remain notably absent from Disney’s U.S. attractions.
Season 2 of “X-Men ’97” begins weekly releases on July 1, 2026, on Disney+. Make sure to watch through the credits of episode four for a short mid-credits scene.
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