X-Men '97 Season 2 Episode 4 Review: Apocalypse Rises as One Hero's Fate Shocks Fans

After four episodes, I can confidently say X-Men '97 hasn't lost a step, and I would have been able to predict what happened in this episode.  "Rise of Apocalypse Part 2" delivers exactly what you would want from this storyline. It has incredible action, emotional character moments, and one of the biggest "OMG" endings the series has given us so far. This episode doesn't just move the story forward, it completely changes the future of the season.

Picking up where Part 1 left off, Nur has just watched his followers die, and while he's furious, he still gives the X-Men an opportunity to explain who they are and why they've traveled back in time. That's one thing I appreciate about this version of Apocalypse. Before becoming the legendary villain we know, he's still capable of listening. You can actually see the man before the monster, even though we all know he is still a monster.

Magneto, believing there may still be hope, destroys Bishop's time band and convinces everyone that the technology inside the mysterious temple General Logos spoke about could get them home. It's a risky move, but it's also classic Magneto. He refuses to accept that fate is already written.

Meanwhile, Charles Xavier discovers that someone else has been pulling strings. Rama-Tut better known to Marvel fans as Kang the Conqueror, or Nathaniel Richards uses his own version of Cerebro to invade Charles' mind. I wasn't expecting Kang to play such a major role in this storyline, but it fits perfectly with all the time-travel chaos that's been happening this season.

From there, the team splits up. Charles, Bishop, and Nur head toward the temple while Magneto, Rogue, Beast and Nightcrawler board the ancient celestial ship. Watching them walk through the very ship we've seen throughout the series was a great callback, and it finally starts connecting the dots between Apocalypse's past and everything we've known about him.

The biggest turning point comes when Charles learns exactly who Nur is destined to become. His future as Apocalypse is literally written on the walls of the shrine. Charles desperately tries to stop him from entering, but by this point it's already too late. Nur is on another level. He's tossing the X-Men aside like they're nothing, and every second you realize you're watching the birth of one of Marvel's greatest villains.

Then comes one of my favorite lines of the episode.

"All creation is forged in destruction."

That one sentence perfectly sums up Apocalypse's philosophy and explains why he becomes the character we've known for decades. Once Apocalypse gains his full power, the episode shifts into overdrive.

Bishop wants everyone to forget trying to change history and just return to their own time, but Magneto refuses to abandon Charles. It might not be the smartest decision, but it is exactly what I'd expect from Erik. No matter how much he and Charles disagree, he'll always fight to protect his oldest friend when it matters most.

The battle between Magneto and Apocalypse is easily the highlight of the episode. Even after being seriously wounded, Magneto summons every ounce of strength he has left, surrounding Apocalypse with massive shards of metal before forcing him off the ship in an attempt to save both Charles and the timeline. It's one of the most heroic things we've ever seen Magneto do.

Unfortunately... It isn't enough. Apocalypse simply walks back toward him, and without hesitation, incinerates Magneto.

I honestly sat there in disbelief. The way the scene is presented doesn't feel like a fake-out. It feels brutal, sudden, and completely hopeless. Whether Magneto is actually gone or not, the episode wants you to feel that loss, and it absolutely succeeds.

Before things get any worse, Bishop returns to rescue Charles, leaving behind a version of history that may have been permanently altered. Magneto was not supposed to die in the past.

What I continue to love about X-Men '97 is that it respects these characters. Charles isn't always right. Magneto isn't always wrong. Both men are trying to save the future in their own way, and that's what has always made their relationship so compelling. This episode captures that better than almost anything we've seen in the series.

Visually, the animation continues to impress. The scale of Apocalypse's transformation, the psychic sequences with Charles, and Magneto's final stand all look phenomenal. Marvel Animation continues to prove that animation is it’s biggest strength.

Four episodes into Season 2, this show still hasn't missed. Every episode raises the stakes while finding meaningful moments for its characters, and that's why this series continues to stand alongside the best superhero television we've ever gotten.

I already can't wait to see where Episode 5 takes us.

What did you think?

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