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
X-Men ’97 Season 2’s final episode was explosive, emotional, and a properly fitting send-off for the season. What a time to be a fan of the X-Men. Please be aware, this review contains spoilers.
X-Men ’97 became quite the phenomenon with Season 1, taking over nerd and pop culture, so Season 2 had a lot to live up to. Now that the season is over and we have all the pieces of the puzzle, it’s fun to size up how it performed, what it achieved, and whether it held up to the legendary Season 1. Season 2 definitely had its moments, and it showcased that animation as an art form has the ability to go pop culture mainstream when given the chance. While Season 2 might not have been the slam dunk Season 1 was, it still delivered some exceptional moments.
I continue to love the animation style of this show. It’s equal parts nostalgic and fresh, which is a hard balancing act to pull off. I also love the action sequences; they’re always inventive and really showcase the different abilities of all the different characters well. When you have a cast of characters that can control the weather, run through walls, and bend metal, you better get inventive with the action…and they do! The voice acting is also top-tier. I’m such a fan of the cast; they do an incredible job.
As the season came to a close, I really wished we had longer episodes, like 40-45 minutes, or just more episodes in a season. The storylines here felt a little rushed in places, and certain story beats and characters didn’t get to shine or get explored to the level I think they needed. For instance, Apocalypse and the two timelines seemed to die out mid-season, which was a true shame, because it was an interesting concept. He’s one of the X-Men’s biggest villains, and he definitely made a mark this season, but I think we needed more time with him. Also, Apocalypse and his Four Horsemen never really amounted to anything? Which was a weird choice, considering it was teased and teased. Speaking of teased, characters like Magik and Wanda got hinted at all season and in the promos, but were hardly used, which was a little disappointing.
Overall, the season has its moments. There are some wonderful character beats, such as Magneto’s death. It was a scene that will stick with me forever, shocking and brutal, and it really set a tone I wish the season had upheld throughout. We also got Polaris, who has become so popular on the internet over the past couple of weeks. She’s developed quite the fanbase, and I think this is only the beginning for this character. I would love to see her in Marvel Rivals and in the MCU at some point.
We always talk about how the final moments are what really stick with you when you watch a movie or TV show. They’re important. You want to walk away from the experience with something, and here, X-Men ’97 uses Mystique to deliver quite the end-credits scene. We’ve been wondering when and how she’ll pop up again; it’s one of the joys of the character, and she shoots and kills X-Factor leader Valerie Cooper, which was quite the reveal. I also loved the nod to the actors who have played Mystique, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but a nice touch.
Verdict
Season 2 doesn’t quite hit the dizzying heights of Season 1, but it closes out with real emotional weight, a genuinely shocking Magneto moment, and a Mystique cliffhanger that leaves you desperate for more. Pacing issues and underused characters hold it back from greatness, but as a piece of animation and a love letter to the X-Men, it still delivers.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
