‘X-Men ’97’ Episode 6 Finds a Clever Method to Inflict Further Emotional Turmoil on Fans

We’re halfway through ‘X-Men ’97’ and fans are already hailing it as one of the best things to come out of Marvel Studios in a while. Last week’s episode 5 packed quite an emotional punch, taking viewers on a wild ride.

In the episode, Genosha came under attack, Magneto and Gambit made sacrifices to stop the Sentinels and destroy Mister Mold, and the relationship between Cyclops and Jean is deteriorating. Jean discovers Cyclops has been communicating telepathically with Madelyne, while she finds herself drawn to Wolverine. This is just a brief overview of the events from last week.

Before episode 6 aired, there was hope among fans that maybe Gambit and Magneto could be brought back to life. However, their deaths were confirmed by a subtle change in the opening credits.

The opening credits no longer feature these notable mutants, which bluntly signals to viewers that their deaths are real and they won’t be returning. The intro in ‘X-Men ’97’ serves an important function as both a recap and resolution of the previous episode, using clever hints in a detached manner.

For example, in episodes 1 and 2, Jean Grey wears her hair down in the opening credits, but from episode 3 onwards, she switches to a ponytail, indicating that the initial Jean Grey was actually Madelyne Pryor.

Beau DeMayo recently shared his plan for the first half of ‘X-Men ’97’. He aimed to start with a nostalgic and comforting atmosphere before plunging viewers into chaos to emphasize that nowhere in the world is safe. He also hinted at some emotionally intense moments to come in episodes 8-10.

Producer Castorena explained that the decision to kill off Gambit and Magneto was tough, and they considered various options.

‘X-Men ’97’ airs new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+. Share your thoughts in the comments below!