The second season of X-Men ‘97 is here and has got off to a flying start. The first episode centred its action around 3960 AD, with Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean, Storm, Morph, and Forge stuck in the past, while the second episode took place in 1997 and focused on the introduction of X-Force and the return of X-Factor.
The season then continued with episode three, Rise of Apocalypse – Part One. This episode was released alongside the first two episodes because Disney+ decided to treat fans to a three-episode premiere – something we are all grateful for.
Have you watched Rise of Apocalypse – Part One yet? Well, if you have you may wish to keep reading.
As with the previous instalments of the show, ‘Rise of Apocalypse – Part One‘ was loaded with references and in-jokes related to X-Men: The Animated Series, as well as the wider X-Men universe. And as with previous instalments, I’m about to take a look at those references with a run-through of what you might have missed while you were busy being entertained.
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Roll credits
And it’s all change for the opening credits of episode three, as the title sequence is altered once again. The roll call is tweaked to include only the X-Men who are central to this episode.
This means Magneto, Rogue, Beast, Nightcrawler and Professor Xavier appear in the team line-up. Wolverine, Storm, Jean Grey etc do not.
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Kang
With the action of this episode largely focused on one set of X-Men, the story moves over to 3000 BCE to catch up with Magneto, Rogue, Xavier, Nightcrawler, and Beast who are trapped in the past. But before the story centres on this team, a new adversary is introduced in the shape of the Pharaoh, Rama Tut.
In the comics, Rama Tut is known by numerous aliases. Arguably the most notable is Kang the Conqueror.
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Come the Apocalypse
With the X-Men trapped in the past they are spending time in the company of En Sabah Nur, aka Apocalypse. In the comics, En Sabah Nur translates as ‘The First One’ aka the first mutant in history.
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Misguided Magneto
Although En Sabah Nur is a future threat to the X-Men (as well as the world in general), Magneto believes he could be a powerful ally, if he can coerce Nur into championing Xavier’s dream of a peaceful co-existence five thousand years before Xavier is born. Instead of becoming Apocalypse, Magneto believes En Sabah Nur could become a force for good.
While Magneto’s intentions here might seem honourable, his disregard for the already established timeline is concerning. But then, this is Magneto, who will do whatever he believes is right irrespective of the consequences, as seen countless times before in X-Men: The Animated Series and X-Men ‘97.
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Logos
Another character introduced in this episode is Logos. Not much is revealed about Logos here, but comic book fans will know Logos is a cosmic being in the Marvel Universe.
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Don’t quote me
And finally, as the episode progresses, Xavier enters the mind of Logos in his search for a hidden temple. During this sequence he hears a voice which recites the line:
“I am the tide that carries all to the rocks of the eternal shore, crash against them and be broken!”
This line is a variation on a line of dialogue said by Apocalypse in the X-Men: The Animated Seriesepisode, Obsession. In Obsession he said:
“I am the rocks of the eternal shore, crash against me and be broken!”
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