With the second season of X-Men ‘97 already concluded on Disney+, it’s now time for the companion comic to come to an end too. Issue #5 (of 5) of the X-Men ‘97: Season Two comic is now in shops, concluding the story.
As with previous issues, the comic offers extra information and plot points to enhance the television show. There are also references to the wider Marvel Universe, as well as in-jokes etc.
Here’s what you may not have noticed in this issue.
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Fight!
OK, first up, as the issue opens up we see a continuation of the conflict between the Acolytes and X-Force, as set up at the end of Issue #4. During this conflict, Cable and Senyaka get into a fight.
During the fight, Senyaka tosses one of his whips around Cable’s arm. Cable uses this as an opportunity to incapacitate Senyaka, by pulling him in close.
During this sequence, Cable shouts the phrase “Get over here!” This phrase is a nod to the video game, Mortal Kombat, when the character Scorpion uses his rope dart to pull in opponents accompanied by the same phrase.
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No kill… this time
As soon as Cable is done with Senyaka he turns his attention to Rusty and Skids, shooting them at point blank range. For a brief moment it appears as if he just executed them, but he did not – he just stunned them.
This is actually a surprise as X-Force employ more brutal methods, and as noted in the X-Men ‘97 TV show, killing is not off limits.
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The Acolytes retreat
As the conflict comes to an end, X-Force allows the Acolytes to leave with the incapacitated Rusty and Skids. Their exit here allows them to leave the comic ahead of their ‘re-appearance’ in the X-Men ‘97 episode ‘Strange Land, Savage Heart’.
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Jubilee’s promise
As X-Force prepare to leave the scene, Jubilee makes a comment regarding the Acolytes taking Rusty and Skids. She says: “Fair warning, Cable? That’s the last time we ever leave behind mutant kids in need.”
Jubilee is true to her word about her promise to protect mutant kids. In the X-Men ‘97 episode ‘A Force to Be Reckoned With’ (which takes place after this issue), when Jubilee is captured by X-Factor she ensures all the other captured mutant kids are freed when she escapes.
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Confusing continuity
As X-Force are about to leave, Ozymandias appears. Archangel goes in for an attack, and we briefly see a window into his mind, featuring snapshots of Archangel’s past, present, and future.
And this is where some confusing continuity is introduced. One shot of Archangel’s past shows him as an original member of the X-Men.
Now, this is a source of much discussion amongst the fans. In the original X-Men comics, Archangel (known as Angel back then) was an original member of the X-Men, but in X-Men: The Animated Series he didn’t meet the X-Men until a few episodes in the first season, and he was clearly not one of the team.
Later seasons seem to suggest that he may have been an original member, but these references were never clear. There was also some contradiction to suggest, nope, he wasn’t an original member, but one day he would be a future member.
So the little flashback in this issue seems to just add further confusion. The debate about Archangel being an original member of the team continues!
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I got you covered
The little memory snapshots also include a shot of Archangel embracing Psylocke. This image is a direct nod to the cover of Uncanny X-Men #319.
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Famine… no more
In the X-Men ‘97 episode, ‘A Force to Be Reckoned With’, we saw Apocalypse’s Horseman, War, killed at the hands of X-Force. In this comic, we now get to see Famine killed off too, but this time at the hands of Exodus.
Of course, the events of this issue take place just before ‘A Force to Be Reckoned With’, so War hasn’t technically died yet.
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Psylocke sees all
Back on the jet and as X-Force leave, Jubilee asks Psylocke about a vision she had of the X-Men. As Psylocke thinks back on what she saw, various images appear which make references to episodes of the second season of X-Men ‘97.
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The hunt for War
And finally, as the issue draws to a close, we see X-Force head to Rio to track down War. This panel is setting up War’s final appearance in X-Men ‘97.
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Thank you for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this post about X-Men ’97: Season Two. For more posts be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
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