X-Men '97 Season 2 Just Set the Stage for a Massive X-Team Battle

This article contains spoilers for X-Men '97 Season 2, Episode 8.

Since its debut in 2024, X-Men '97 has seen the show's heroic mutants facing major threats such as Bastion, Danger, and Apocalypse. The end of Season 2 promises significantly different opponents for the X-Men, as it seems the team is about to come into conflict with the combined might of X-Force and X-Factor. The three teams have had their differences throughout Season 2, and it's all coming to a head following the conclusion of Episode 8, "The Dead Man's Hand."

The penultimate episode of X-Men '97 Season 2 saw the return of Gambit as Apocalypse's Horseman Death. Gambit was able to successfully corrupt Nightcrawler, Belladonna, and the Thieves Guild, but the X-Men and X-Force's combined efforts led to Gambit seemingly returning to his normal state. Part of Apocalypse still remains inside the hero though, and Cable and X-Force attempted to kill Gambit after he'd been subdued. The X-Men managed to escape with their resurrected friend in tow, setting up big things to come in the season finale.

The X-Teams Seem Poised to Combine Forces in X-Men '97's Next Episode

Cable's actions at the end of "The Dead Man's Hand" appeared to be a complete surprise to Jubilee and Sunspot, who had joined up with X-Force earlier this season. That alliance has now come to an end, with the younger heroes rejoining the X-Men following the conflict with Gambit. The episode's conclusion sees Cable concerned about his lack of allies, but the arrival of X-Factor hints at a team-up between the two squads. The X-Men would have little trouble in a physical confrontation with either X-Force or X-Factor, but the combined teams could represent a major threat.

The differing methods between the three X-Teams were a hallmark of Marvel stories in the '90s. Comic book crossovers like X-Cutioner's Song saw the groups physically battling it out, before they set aside their differences for the greater good. The season finale will be titled "Survival of the Fittest," which has long been Apocalypse's motto, and also seems fitting for an episode pitting the X-Men, X-Factor, and X-Force against one another. This brawl has been brewing for several episodes, and the season finale has a chance to resolve existing conflicts between multiple characters.

X-Men '97 Has Major Rivalries & Lingering Questions to Wrap Up in the Season 2 Finale

The biggest conflict in "Survival of the Fittest" should be between Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Cable. The Summers family has had a lot of struggles over the years, and Cyclops and Jean will likely try to appeal to their son even as he attempts to fulfill his destiny by killing Apocalypse. Cyclops' brother is also the X-Factor field leader Havok, and the two characters haven't had a lot of opportunities to interact recently. Scott Summers and Alex Summers have often had a tense relationship, but Havok might also be busy dealing with his on-again, off-again girlfriend Polaris. Polaris quit X-Factor to team up with the X-Men earlier this season, and that should cause even greater tensions.

One of the biggest question marks heading into the season finale is the presence of Archangel on X-Force. Warren Worthington III was corrupted by Apocalypse all the way back in the first season of the 1992 X-Men cartoon, serving as the Horseman Death long before Gambit. Warren seemed empathetic about Gambit's corruption at the hands of Apocalypse at the start of "The Dead Man's Hand," but he was more than willing to join Cable's efforts to kill the ragin' Cajun. That decision on Archangel's part leaves a lot of questions about his state of mind, and the writers of X-Men '97 could elaborate during the big X-Team brawl.

The X-Men '97 Season 2 Finale Needs to Set Up the Next Installment

X-Men '97 Season 2 is almost at an end, but fans can expect a lot more to come. X-Men '97 has been renewed for at least two more seasons, and there are still plenty of comic storylines for the animated series to adapt. Season 1's finale set up the roles of both Apocalypse and Gambit, and viewers can probably expect something similar at the end of Season 2.

One of the biggest possibilities for X-Men '97 Season 3 is the arrival of Onslaught. The villain was a massive threat in the '90s, and his defeat required the combined efforts of the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and the Avengers. After X-Men '97 Season 2 featured multiple X-Teams, Season 3 could increase the scope and scale by bringing in Marvel's other big hero groups. Onslaught was created after Xavier wiped Magneto's mind, and X-Men '97 has already adapted that storyline. The show has even laid out hints that a piece of Magneto could still exist within Xavier. It remains to be seen whether Onslaught will make his debut next season, but it's a safe bet that the villain will show up sooner or later.