Marvel Animation’s X-Men ’97 Season 2 streams new episodes weekly on Disney+ starting July 1, 2026.
Synopsis
The second season of the American animated television series X-Men ’97 is based on the Marvel Comics superhero team X-Men. The series is a revival of X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997), continuing the story of the X-Men. In the season, the X-Men are scattered throughout time—from Ancient Egypt to the far future—and must find their way back to the 1990s to stop Apocalypse. It is produced by Marvel Studios Animation, with Beau DeMayo as head writer and Jake Castorena as supervising director.
Review
Wolverine is back, and he’s brought his new crew with him. It’s great to see him in full effect again, though “full effect” here means brutal and bloodthirsty. He’s on the hunt for some answers, and he is not in the mood to be gentle about it.
Right from the top of the episode, we get a proper look at this new crew dynamic, and honestly, it’s a joy. Morph gets a few cool quips in early doors, doing what Morph does best: undercutting the tension just enough to keep things fun, right before the show rips the rug out from under you.
And rip it does. Things take a nasty turn as the team investigates the X23 file teased in last week’s post-credit scene, and what they find is genuinely gruesome. There’s no easing you into it. It’s clear this show isn’t interested in playing it safe, and the team quickly find themselves in a situation that can only be described as gross, in the best and worst way possible.
Even amid the horror, there’s warmth to be found. One of the things I love most about this run of Morph is how he gives us these little glimpses into the wider Marvel universe. It never fails to put a smile on my face, that sense of a bigger world bleeding in around the edges of the story.
That bigger world comes into sharper focus with some proper insight into the laboratory’s research, and there’s a distinct Alien/Aliens flavour running through this episode. That influence is exciting to see, and it’s stitched into the visuals and atmosphere in a way that feels deliberate rather than decorative.
It’s in this stretch that we get a genuinely incredible shot of Logan reflected in someone’s glasses (I won’t spoil who), and it’s one of those moments that makes you sit up a little straighter. Gorgeous bit of direction. Naturally, the team get into trouble, because of course they do. But I love that this show isn’t afraid to lean into properly intense, comic-booky, cartoonish fighting and visuals. It’s got a design language that feels genuinely unique, unafraid to swing big when the story calls for it.
Through all of it, Morph is the MVP of this episode, no contest. The line delivery is on point throughout, and there are a few moments where he just steals the whole scene without breaking a sweat. Speaking of Morph, his relationship with Logan is so sweet to me. There’s an undercurrent to it that you can’t quite put your finger on, but it’s real, and it’s sweet, and it’s caring. I love them as a duo so much. They’re unexpected and unconventional, which is what I love about it.
That warmth carries into the action too. We also get some cool Logan fight sequences, which brought the biggest smile to my face. When he’s good, he’s good, and you can’t help but love watching him do his thing.
Verdict
X-Men ’97 Episode 5 is yet another great episode in an exceptional show. Comparatively, I think this one is a little less glitzy, but more lore, sowing seeds and setting up what’s to follow. The post-credit scene last week set us up to expect this episode to be a lot grander in scale, but in actuality, it has a purpose, and it delivers on it. It’s dark, surprising, and stacked from start to finish.
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