Marvel’s X-Men ’97 Season 2 Scatters Its Heroes Across Time While Apocalypse Closes In

Marvel Animation released the first trailer for season two of X-Men ’97 this week under the name Roll Call, and the footage makes the direction clear without giving every twist away. The core team ends up split across different eras after the events of the first season, with some members landing in the ancient past, others in a distant future, and all of them trying to find a route back to the time they know. Back in the 1990s, the absence leaves room for fresh waves of mutant fear and new enemies who see an opening.

The new season keeps the heart of the original but raises the stakes dramatically. Rogue is still devastated by Gambit’s death, and it will have a tremendous influence on the entire team. It has an impact not just on their mental well-being, but also on their ability to function. At the end of the last episode, there’s a brief end credits sequence in which Apocalypse holds one of Gambit’s playing cards while the guy talks to his buddies about anguish and death, hinting that old comic book themes may reemerge as the season develops. The trailer makes it clear that Apocalypse is the main antagonist, portraying himself as an Omega-level threat who claims to be the last one standing. The potential of a confrontation with Magneto heightens the drama.

The main cast returns, including Ross Marquand as Professor X, Matthew Waterson as Magneto, and Ray Chase as Cyclops. We also have Jennifer Hale as Jean Grey, Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm, Cal Dodd as Wolverine (giving him that edge we adore), Lenore Zann as Rogue, George Buza as Beast, and the same strong blend of resolve and personality that made the first season so popular.

Some mutants that played minor parts the previous season will have far more to do this time around. Strong Guy offers some serious muscle to the fights, Psylocke provides some slick psychic moves, and Wolfsbane and Siryn get to show off their animal and sonic abilities. Then there’s Multiple Man, who is rather good at the “making copies of himself to handle stuff” trick. Meanwhile, Archangel, Havok, Polaris, and Emma Frost all receive far more screen time than the prior time. Oh, and Nightcrawler enters, engaging in some great sword combat with Exodus, while Storm has a very wonderful moment that demonstrates her leadership talents.

There are numerous new costumes floating around, as well as some really cool homage to historical covers, including a subtle nod to the first Frank Miller Wolverine comic, which was first published in 1982. The conflicts are faster and more intense, which contributes to the season’s attractiveness. What are the settings? It’s extremely diverse, which is part of the fun. he season consists of nine episodes, all of which will be available on Disney+ on July 1st.