Top 10 Best X-Men '97 Moments

“To Me, My X-Men”

While Cyclops is undeniably a fan-favorite mutant, “X-Men 97” made sure that we all put respect on his name. Evidence of this “mission statement” can be seen in the very first episode, as the hero battles the Friends of Humanity with unmatched intensity. It’s here that he kicks serious bigot butt - not only through hand-to-hand combat, but also by means of his infamous eyebeams. In fact, he uses the concussive blasts to snake around the warehouse like an absolute pro. Even when the bad guys have the upper hand, Cyclops proves that he’s got them all right where he wants them. If you weren’t a Cyclops fan before, we bet you definitely are one now.

“To Me, My X-Men”

Teamwork always leads to exceptional results. When battling the Master Mold, a deadly robot that creates Sentinels, the trio of Wolverine, Gambit, and Morph get creative with their offense. The Ragin’ Cajun supercharges Logan’s claws and launches him into the air. And, as Morph shapeshifts into Blob, he bounces off of him like a trampoline. A fastball special in motion is always a treat, and Wolverine decapitating Master Mold as he glides across the sky is next-level. The members of the X-Men do great work on their own, but as this sequence illustrates, they can do some incredible damage when they combine their skills and work together.

“Lifedeath Pt. 2”

When Storm seemingly loses her powers after getting shot by the X-Cutioner’s power-erasing gun, it sends her into self doubt. But when she’s cornered by a demon called the Adversary, she realizes her power never really left her. With a change in wardrobe, she disintegrates the enemy and creates an epic weather phenomenon. She also soars through the skies in a stunning flight sequence reminiscent of “Man of Steel”. In the hands of lesser storytellers, the “you had the power all along” trope could’ve come across as cliched. Fortunately for Storm, the regaining of her power is nothing short of an awe-inspiring spectacle. Storm is back, ladies and gentlemen - bask in her glory!

“Fire Made Flesh”

It’s an epic attack of the clones in this episode! When Madelyne Pryor learns that she’s not the real Jean Grey, she suffers a mental breakdown and becomes the Goblin Queen. With vengeance on her mind, she brings hell to the X-Men. Thankfully though, Jean makes the save in an action-packed telepathic battle. While Madelyne is certainly vicious in the fight, Jean is able to use the love that her evil clone has for her infant to break her out of Mister Sinister’s influence. Thanks to this quick thinking, Jean was able to save the X-Men and pull Madelyne out from her darkness. Now that’s using your brain!

“Mutant Liberation Begins”

When Magneto is put on trial by the UN for his past crimes, the X-Cutioner crashes the meeting and tries de-powering him. Storm intervenes on the master of magnetism’s behalf, but is shot down for her troubles. As you can imagine, the actions of X-Cutioner infuriate Magneto and push him to take matters into his own hands. He drags the humans into space to deliver a major public scolding. He certainly doesn’t mince his words as he shows exactly how powerful he is. It’s an intimidating show of force that is paired with a brilliant speech. At its core, it serves as a warning for all mankind: don’t mess with mutants!

“Bright Eyes”

Following the devastating destruction of Genosha and the losses of both Magneto and Gambit, Rogue decides to vent her frustrations by hunting down the anti-mutant foe Henry Gyrich. Along that path for revenge, she fights the United States army. It’s an impressive display of her power as she goes through soldiers, tanks, and even a bunker designed to withstand the Hulk. She also later ends up brushing off Captain Freakin’ America! We’ve always known Rogue was dangerous, but we never knew just how destructive she could be when she’s angry. The emotionally-charged rampage shows that you should never bet against this Southern Belle.

“Tolerance Is Extinction Pt. 1”

With the destruction of Genosha and the mutant casualties it brings, it’s not too surprising that Magneto eventually wanders off the beaten track. Finally giving up on trying to aid humanity, Magneto instead declares war on them. His plan involves creating an EMP which shuts down technology and puts everyone from the X-Men to Spider-Man on high alert. He’s never appeared more frightening as the world essentially experiences a global blackout. Though his methods and intentions might be extreme, many could argue Magneto is in the right! We’ll let you decide on that, though!

“Remember It”

We know, saying that a death that happened during the complete annihilation of Genosha is one of the show’s “greatest moments” is a tough sell. But, there’s a genuine beauty to Gambit’s sendoff. Impaled by a cable connected to the Tri-Sentinel, Remy uses his last bit of strength to supercharge the cable and overload the Tri-Sentinel. While it killed Gambit, the destruction of the Tri-Sentinel prevented any further casualties on Genosha. This moment is bittersweet, as it wasn’t an Omega-level heavy hitter like Magneto that saved the day, but rather a thief-turned-hero trying to do good on his dying breaths. Rest in peace Gambit, we’ll remember your name forever.

“Tolerance Is Extinction Pt. 1”

It’s not the X-Men without Professor X at the helm. The public believed that Charles Xavier was dead at the end of the original 90s animated series. Fans who wanted to see him reunite with the X-Men in this revival series were finally rewarded at the end of episode 8. With the X-Mansion in ruins and a mutant-human war on the horizon, Wolverine asks Morph a simple question. And to his (and our) shock, it’s answered when Professor X crash lands onto the scene. Little time is wasted from there as Charles begins to telepathically summon the X-Men. As far as grand entrances go, this might take the cake. And, hearing some of the professor’s iconic phrases after so long, gave us major goosebumps. Glad to have you back, Professor!

“Tolerance Is Extinction Pt. 3”

As the X-Men put their lives on the line against Bastion, Cyclops and Jean bid a tearful farewell to Cable. While the team makes it out intact, they do get displaced throughout time. Cyclops and Jean end up in the future where they meet a teenaged Cable and a woman called Mother Aksani. Comic fans will recognize her as a variant of Rachel Summers - the pair’s daughter. Meanwhile, the other X-Men are flung into the past where they encounter En Sabah Nur, the mutant who eventually becomes Apocalypse. This is a loaded moment, complete with soap opera style twists and jaw-dropping reveals. With season one now firmly in the books, this cliffhanger is sure to have fans foaming at the mouths for more!


Is there an exhilarating moment from “X-Men ‘97” that we missed? Share the exciting details in the comments below.