The boom of superhero television shows that began to dominate the genre at the beginning of the 2020s has thankfully receded. It’s not to say that there isn’t value in the superhero genre expanding to a different medium, but the sheer number of series released within the Marvel universe quickly became a chore to consume rather than something that was actually enjoyable. But there’s a Marvel Studios production that stands out amongst its failed or canceled peers and would be welcomed to release a season each year: “X-Men ‘97,” which was renewed for a highly anticipated second season.
Picking up right where season one left off, the X-Men have been splintered into three factions: one group has traveled back in time to 3,000 B.C, another has stayed in the present day, and the third has traveled to the future in 3960 A.D. In each of these timelines, the X-Men and their friends and foes must try to stop En Sabah Nur (Adetokumboh M’Cormack), also known as Apocalypse (Ross Marquand). While two of these groups are desperate to get back to the 90s, the season never feels like it’s rushing to get these characters back into the habitat where we first met them. Instead, season two revels in trapping its ensemble within the inescapable grasp of time, intensifying and prolonging their absence from the world they know.
Ensemble shows like this haven’t necessarily worked in recent months, with the final seasons of “Stranger Things” and “The Boys” both receiving criticism from fans who ridiculed their bloated casts. Somehow, with each episode running only 30 minutes, season two of “X-Men ‘97” has managed to make each character in this expansive cast feel integral not only to the mission they’re on but also to the foundation of this series. Each episode exists within its own realm, using these sparse thirty minutes to detail one fraction of the X-Men that has been torn apart. By taking its time and allowing each splintered group to reign over its own episode, the series’ pacing has been tightened, making each episode feel like a separate experience.
The second episode is where this becomes fully realized, when we’re transported back to the present as the show’s title card reads “X-Force ‘97” rather than its regular one. What unfolds is an episode focused on those left behind in the 90s, with Cable (Chris Potter), his disciples Jubilee (Holly Chou) and Sunspot (Gui Agustini) reluctantly joining forces. We watch as they embark on vigilante missions that become increasingly dangerous, forcing Jubilee to question the morality of Xavier’s (Marquand) teachings and Cable’s desperation to stop Apocalypse by any means necessary. Mostly shown through Jubilee’s perspective, we watch all the creative ways she uses her powers and get an in-depth look at how one of the X-Men left behind is forced to grapple with their status as a hero forced into limbo.
The character work here is more fascinating than ever, with “X-Men ‘97” continuing to give this superhero group the respect they were never given in Fox’s live-action films. The animation is still top-tier, and the action sequences are more thrilling than the sloppy CGI that has plagued recent live-action superhero films. Each blast of Cyclops’ (Ray Chase) glasses appears so red, their hue feels like it’s actually emulating heat, and there’s a significant weight behind every blast of rain or snow that Storm (Alison Sealy-Smith) throws at her opponents. With each scene, it feels like we’re watching something special unfold, not just for these characters that have finally been given their dues, but for the superhero genre at large.
With its second season, “X-Men ‘97” has become a more complex yet refined version of itself. Though its storylines take place thousands of years apart, between the past, present, and future, each of them fuses into a magnetic story about family and destiny. With M’Cormack’s tenure as En Sabah Nur, a complicated foe who toes the line between villain and anti-hero, the series features some of the best voice acting put to screen in decades. As the X-Men attempt to stop him from becoming the villain they know and fear as Apocalypse, the series embarks on a stunningly crafted journey that delivers some of the most thrilling arcs in a genre in desperate need of rejuvenation.
Four episodes were screened for review. Season premieres July 1st on Disney+.