Editor’s Note: The following article contains spoilers for X-Men ’97 Season 2, Episode 9.
X-Men ’97left no stone unturned in its Season 2 finale, “Survival of the Fittest.” Not only does this finale feature a free-for-all between the X-Men, X-Factor, and X-Force, but it also finally resolves the fate of Gambit (AJ LoCascio) after he was resurrected and possessed by Apocalypse (Ross Marquand). In true X-Men fashion, it’s a victory that’s both hard-earned and bittersweet, and will leave some fans heartbroken by the end. Yet it’s the mid-credits scene that’s truly shocking, as it pays off a long-running fan theory about one character.
The scene involves Val Cooper (Catherine Disher) going over files at her desk until the door opens…and reveals another Cooper, who’s shocked to see someone who looks like her. The Cooper at the desk shoots her duplicate through the stomach and then transforms into Mystique, who reveals that she intends to take Cooper’s place and destabilize the United States. Fans had long speculated that Mystique would show up at the end of the season or was secretly masquerading as Cooper, and this scene brings those theories to life. It also gives more context to the events that will play out in X-Men ’97 Season 3.
Mystique’s Presence Means The X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants Will Clash in ‘X-Men ’97’
Sunspot, Cyclops, Xavier, Nightcrawler, and Jubilee in X-Men ’97 Season 2Image via Disney+
The first look at X-Men ’97 Season 3 was revealed during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con this year, which features the Brotherhood of Mutants wreaking havoc before being chased off by red, white, and blue-themed Sentinels. It hints that Mystique will be stoking chaos by pitting the Brotherhood against the X-Men, while also using her newfound disguise as Cooper to command X-Factor to round up any mutants who might oppose her. Further complicating matters is the fact that Mystique’s son, Graydon Creed, is now the President of the United States; Creed’s made no secret of how much he hates mutants due to his upbringing, which introduces more of the personal dynamics that drive the best X-Men stories.Ironically, X-Men ’97 is actually tapping into a long-forgotten part of Mystique’s comic book history with its big plot twist. In Uncanny X-Men #199 by Chris Claremont and John Romita Jr, the shape-shifting villainess offers her services to Val Cooper, alongside the rest of the Brotherhood. Rechristened “Freedom Force,” they’re tasked with arresting threats to American citizens — starting with their former leader, Magneto. It remains to be seen how the Brotherhood plays into X-Men ’97, but an episode could see them donning their Freedom Force moniker and hunting down the X-Men, especially as Season 2 established the mutant heroes were outlawed from operating on American soil.
Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz Which MCU Hero Are You? Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap
Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory?
🕷️Spider-Man
😈Daredevil
🤖Iron Man
💀Punisher
⚡Thor
🛡️Cap
01
What drives you to do what’s right? Choose the answer that feels most like you.
02
It’s 2 AM. Where are you? Your answer says more about you than you’d think.
03
How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice? Every hero has a method. What’s yours?
04
How do you feel about keeping a secret identity? The mask — or the lack of one — says everything.
05
You’ve lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that? Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it.
06
What’s your role when working with a team? Who you are under pressure is who you actually are.
07
Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge? The answer defines what kind of hero you really are.
08
When you’re not saving the world, what does life look like? The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story.
09
What keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
10
The battle is lost. You’re outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do? This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.
Your Hero Has Been Identified Your MCU Hero Is…
Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed.
Queens, New York
🕷️ Spider-Man
You carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing.
You do the right thing not because it’s easy, but because no one else will.
You understand that responsibility isn’t a burden you choose — it’s one that finds you.
Whether it’s a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up.
Peter Parker’s lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn’t a slogan to you. It’s the code you live by, even when it costs you everything.
Hell’s Kitchen, New York
😈 Daredevil
You fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free.
You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks.
You’ve looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy.
Matt Murdock’s duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own.
Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you.
Stark Industries, Malibu
🤖 Iron Man
Brilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem.
You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic.
You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility.
Tony Stark’s arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too.
You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you’re willing to give everything. Because in the end, you’re Iron Man.
New York City
💀 The Punisher
You’ve been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What’s left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief.
You don’t ask for forgiveness, and you don’t expect gratitude.
You see a corrupt, broken world and you’ve decided to do something about it, consequences be damned.
Frank Castle’s war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours.
Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute.
Asgard · Protector of the Nine Realms
⚡ Thor
Powerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry.
You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth.
You’re larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on.
Thor’s story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector.
You bring the storm when it’s needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much.
Brooklyn, New York · The Avengers
🛡️ Captain America
You believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will.
You don’t bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard.
Steve Rogers didn’t become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you.
Your strength isn’t in your fists; it’s in your refusal to compromise what’s right, no matter the cost.
In a world full of people taking the easy road, you’re the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time.
‘X-Men ’97’ Continues To Be Marvel’s Biggest Show
The Mystique plot twist all but ensures that audiences who’ve been tuning into X-Men ’97 will return for Season 3, and continue to make the series one of Marvel’s biggest hits. Not only has X-Men ’97 constantly stayed in the Top 10 charts for Disney+ during its run, but it also remains one of Marvel’s highest-rated television series. Marvel Animation head Brad Winderbaum also told Collider that Season 3 will mark the beginning of a yearly release for X-Men ’97, which will no doubt continue the series’ rapid momentum.
“Season 3 is going to come out next year and Season 4 the year after that…X-Men was a constant element of my life growing up, and I just want to make as many [seasons] as fast as possible for people to see.”
What makes X-Men ’97 such a hit is that it continues the story of X-Men: The Animated Series while also tackling deeper themes and staying true to all the elements that make the X-Men some of Marvel’s most popular characters. Introducing Mystique continues that trend, especially considering her own dynamic with the X-Men; it also adds an element of suspense to the mix. This is a character who can be anyone and everyone she wants, and like Val Cooper, you’d never know until it was too late.
Release Date
March 20, 2024
Network
Disney+
Directors
Jake Castorena, Emi Yonemura, Chase Conley
Writers
Charlie Feldman, Anthony Sellitti, Beau DeMayo, JB Ballard
