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The X-Men '97 finale was a spectacular episode packed with all the action that one could expect from Marvel's most popular mutants. Focusing on the mutants trying to stop Magneto and Bastion at the same time, it was a rollercoaster ride.
Even with all the praise, there were a few things that did stick out in the X-Men '97 finale. For instance, fans not getting a proper answer to what happened to Wolverine, Storm, and Morph. In addition, the X-Men forgave Rogue and Sunspot for their betrayal quickly. These were certain moments that did stand out as nitpicks in an otherwise great ending.
With X-Men '97 having aired its finale on May 15, 2024, let's take a look at different ways the episode felt a bit disappointing and exciting at the same time.
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Note: This article contains spoilers of X-Men '97 finale and reflects author's opinions.
Three ways the X-Men '97 finale was disappointing
1) Storm didn't get to do much
With the show putting a big focus on Storm this season, the Omega-Level mutant barely got to do anything in the X-Men '97 finale. While over the season she got her moment to shine, but she was regulated to being a background character in the last episode.
It is made even more jarring by the fact that the show went out of its way to give her an important arc. With her coming to terms with her mutant heritage and accepting her powers, it was surprising to see her not have a big role in the finale.
2) Rogue and Sunspot being forgiven felt a bit rushed
In episode 9 of X-Men '97, Rogue and Sunspot agreed with Magneto that humanity was far too gone to be saved and they joined forces with the mutant. Effectively betraying the X-Men, the two fought those that they called family. However, in the finale, they were quickly forgiven by X-Men for joining sides with Magneto after they saw what the mutant was actually about to do, and that did come across as a bit rushed.
It's understandable as the finale itself was a bit short for time, but seeing as there was potential future drama to be set up over here, it was a bit surprising to see that Rogue and Sunspot were taken back in so quickly.
3) What happened to Wolverine, Morph, and Storm?
The X-Men '97 season finale saw various X-Men be sent across time to different time periods following the explosion of Asteroid M. At the end, Charles, Magneto, Nightcrawler, Beast, and Rogue ended up in Egypt in 3000 BC and met a young Apocalypse. On the other hand, Jean Grey and Cyclops found themselves in the future, meeting a kid version of Nathan Summer. However, what happened to Wolverine, Morph, and Storm is still a mystery.
While this was a nitpick, the show never explained what happened to three of the major X-Men characters. Considering that all will be revealed once season 2 comes around, it's still a bit disappointing that important developments like this weren't teased in the finale.
Three ways the X-Men '97 finale delivered
1) Incredible fight scenes and a huge emotional impact
Now with the nitpicks being done, let's move on to how the X-Men '97 finale exceeded the expectations. The episode was packed with some incredible fight sequences with an immense amount of heart. The episode caused an adrenaline rush with emotions running high.
The X-Men defeated Bastion and Mr. Sinister in the most satisfying way possible, but at the same time, their victory was quite bittersweet too as humanity still hated them. It was the quintessential X-Men theme that was echoed throughout the show, and the finale nailed that aspect of it.
2) A bunch of Marvel cameos
While throughout the series, the viewers saw many Marvel heroes pop up, the X-Men '97 finale took things one step further and delivered more. From Daredevil, Iron Man, Captain America, Doctor Strange, Peter Parker, and MJ, and even more, the finale packed in a ton of cameos that built up the existing Marvel universe around it.
While characters like Spider-Man and Iron Man already had their own respective shows in the X-Men '97 universe, it was interesting to see them react to unrest on Earth in real time.
3) The setup for season 2
The X-Men '97 finale set up season 2 in a huge way. With the X-Men trapped in other time periods across their time, it appears that things will get a bit apocalyptic. In the finale, the group with Charles Xavier and Magneto met a young Apocalypse in 3000 BC. That's when the viewers saw the current-day Apocalypse during the post-credits scene.
Mourning over the lives that were lost during Genosha, Apocalypse held up one of Gambit's cards, teasing his return as one of his Horsemen for season 2. It's a setup, that certainly has fans excited to see where the show will take us going forward.
Even with the few nitpicks, the X-Men '97 finale stuck the landing and even more. It's a great X-Men adaptation that honors everything the comics stand for and elevates X-Men: The Animated Series with a mature story that no fan should miss.
Watch the season finale currently streaming on Disney+.
