The first two episodes of X-Men '97 are now streaming on Disney+ and, boy, that was quite the cliffhanger to leave us on!
In "To Me, My X-Men," we get reacquainted with the team as they move on from Professor X following his death (yes, he's now confirmed dead). The X-Men later defeat Bolivar Trask and his remaining Sentinels, though some of that tech has found its way into the hands of mutant-hating humans.
In the closing moments of the premiere, the X-Men enter Charles Xavier's office to find Magneto waiting for them; it turns out the Professor has left the Master of Magnetism his fortune, his school...and his X-Men!
"Mutant Liberation Begins" sees the X-Men reluctantly follow Magneto, though it's apparent that none of them trust him. His and Rogue's romance is soon revisited, though it's cut short when the U.N. demands to try the former villain for his past crimes.
During the hearing, The X-Cutioner attacks and Storm is hit by a blast meant for Magneto. She's left powerless and, enraged, Magneto flies members of the U.N. above the Earth's atmosphere. Rather than kill them, the mutant makes it clear he really has changed and demands they accept this is now a shared world. He does, of course, remind them not to cross him.
Scott Summers and Jean Grey's baby, Nathan, is born and the U.N. vows to help Genosha. Cyclops comes around to Magneto after his recent actions and Storm learns her power loss appears to be permanent.
She leaves the X-Men, but when the doorbell goes, Morph is convinced that she's already come home...instead, it's a second, badly injured, Jean at the door! Could this be heading where we think? Comic book fans will be familiar with Madelyne Pryor, the clone created by Mister Sinister so he could get his hands on baby Nathan, but only time will tell whether X-Men '97 is moving in a similar direction.
"A triumphant return for X-Men: The Animated Series," we said in our review earlier today, "X-Men '97 is an eXtraordinary epic which, while a little overreliant on nostalgia, should satisfy fans of the original show and serve as an eXcellent entry point for newcomers."
What did you think about the two-episode X-Men '97 premiere? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.