X-Men '97 season 2 review: Why the mutants outshine the Avengers

X-Men '97 season 2 builds on the revival's momentum and, in this reviewer’s view, does Apocalypse better than the live-action movie. The series leans into morally gray heroes struggling to survive in a world that rejects them, and that gritty realism makes them easy to root for.

The story plays out across three timelines: an oppressive, BC-era Egypt dominated by En Sabah Nur; a war-torn future around 3960 AD centering on a teenaged Nathan; and a 1997 America controlled by fearful bigots after the Prime Sentinel invasion. After last season’s finale, Magneto, Rogue, Jean Grey, Cyclops, Storm, Xavier, Logan, Beast and Nightcrawler are thrown into Egypt, Jean, Scott and Storm land in the future with Nathan, and Forge, Bishop, Jubilee, Sunspot and Cable remain on Earth.

Bishop and Forge build a time machine, Jubilee joins Cable, Archangel and Psylocke on a black ops mission, and the hunt for Apocalypse drives the action. The season’s standout is Apocalypse, who repeatedly proves nearly impossible to kill.

United States

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