The team is together, Genosha could become part of The UN, everybody is happy… What could possibly go wrong?…
SPOILER WARNING! The following contains spoilers for X-Men ’97 Episode 5! Do not proceed if you wish to avoid spoilers!
MAJOR POINTS
- Gambit is dead, at least temporarily
- Magneto, Nightcrawler, Leech, and many others are also presumed dead
The X-Men return to Genosha and reunite with Nightcrawler. A reporter also interviews them, but Scott snaps after being asked about children. This leads to Jean arguing over their relationship now that they all know Madelyne is the one Scott married. Magneto is asked to be the leader of Genosha and asks Rogue to be his queen. The two dance mid-air at the evening ceremony to, of all things, Ace Of Bass. However, Rogue realizes that she loves Gambit instead.
Jean and Madlyne are struck with the same vision of Sentinels destroying the city. Cable appears and tries to warn everyone, but fails because he is sucked back into a portal. He still manages to see Madilyne, who recognizes him as Nathan.
Suddenly, just like in the vision, a giant Sentinel attacks the city. Several mutants are killed or knocked unconscious. Magneto whips the “Godzilla Sentinel” with a train while the other X-Men save civilians. Unfortunately, The Sentinel appears to blast him, Leech, and several other mutants before Gambit jumps in and destroys it by charging it with his energy. The last scene is Rogue sobbing over a dead Gambit.
MAJOR QUESTIONS
- Surely they didn’t kill off half the mutant roster?
- How will the rest of the world cope with this massacre?
FINAL GRADE: B-
This was a tripped-out episode as expected, but man there is a lot to process! We all know nobody stays dead in comics, but the sheer number of apparent deaths is quite substantial. It also looks like splitsville for Cyclops and Jean Grey since Cyclops can’t seem to make up his mind.