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On April 10, 2024, the most recent episode of X-Men '97 debuted on Disney+, sending fans into a frenzy. Titled Remember It, episode 5 was evocative of the original X-Men: The Animated Series that ran from 1992 to 1997. It had heartbreaking political commentary and notable character deaths, prompting an X user @darkempire2014 to comment:
"Best. Episode. Ever"
While most viewers were impressed with the direction the X-Men '97 series was taking, some were not so happy with their favorite mutants meeting their apparent demise in the last ten minutes of the episode.
Several fans of the Cajun Alpha-level mutant, Gambit flocked to X to vent, one of the netizens expressing that they were okay with Magneto meeting his end, but not Gambit. Some were also quick to point out the accuracy of the show to its source material.
"Very accurate. They did a great job at blowing our minds. Watching it you never expected anything that happened. Very well done. The MCU needs to use this formula for future projects," one user wrote.
Most of the fans agreed that episode 5 had some of the best cameos this season. Even though Nightcrawler didn't get much screen time in this episode, Cable's brief cameo perfectly set the mood for dread before the mayhem and destruction started.
Things were about to go terribly, as evidenced by The Watcher's brief cameo. The mutants' desperate struggle, followed by Magneto and Gambit's demise, propelled the episode to unprecedented emotional heights.
"I need therapy," another user commented.
What happened in X-Men '97 episode 5, Remember It?
X-Men '97 episode 5 focused on the fan-favorite heroes, with the storyline revolving around Gambit, Rogue, and Magneto's journey to Genosha. Additionally, it explored the Rogue/Gambit/Magneto love triangle, providing insight into Rogue's internal struggle.
The episode also delved into the crumbling marriage of Cyclops and Jean, bringing Wolverine into the mix and reigniting the iconic X-Men love triangle. While Nightcrawler felt underused in this episode, the climax delivered intense drama and showcased the series' stunning animation style.
The apparent deaths of two core X-Men, Gambit and Magneto's noble sacrifice, and the series' overall shift set the stage for an exciting reinvention as the team moves forward from these losses. X-Men '97 proves its willingness to take risks and tell compelling stories, leaving viewers eager to see how the series evolves in subsequent episodes.
A brief recap of X-Men '97 Episode 4
Episode 4 introduced another element by drawing on the enduring popularity of Konami's X-Men arcade game. Titled Motendo/Lifedeath - Part 1, the writing team opted to focus on two separate mini-episodes.
The first part of the episode showed Jubilee's light-hearted video game escapade, which was in stark contrast to the emotionally intense exploration of Storm's grief in the latter half.
Despite capturing the essence of their love story, Forge's efforts to restore her powers, and the strong bond between Storm and Forge, Lifedeath lasted less than 10 minutes before the credits rolled.
Episode 6 of the animated series, titled Lifedeath - Part 2, is set to premiere on Disney+ on April 17, 2024.
