Marvel fans have been riding a wave of excitement this weekend, thanks to the first official concept art for Avengers: Doomsday—giving us a peek at the heroes set to assemble in the upcoming blockbuster. But while some are buzzing about the return of familiar faces like James Marsden's Cyclops and Patrick Stewart's Professor X, others are craving fresh blood. For those who'd rather skip the debate and dive into top-tier mutant storytelling right now, X-Men '97 Season 2 is delivering in spectacular fashion.
After a two-year hiatus for creative retooling, the animated series came roaring back, and it hasn't missed a beat. Season 1 earned a stellar 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Season 2 somehow topped that with a perfect 100% critics' score. Now, the show has added another feather to its cap: Season 2, Episode 4, titled “Rise of Apocalypse Part II,” has scored a near-perfect 9.5 on IMDb, making it the second-highest-rated episode of the entire series. Only the Season 1 gut-punch “Remember It” (9.7) ranks higher.
This achievement places the episode among the most acclaimed Marvel TV episodes ever, a testament to the show's ability to blend emotional stakes, stunning animation, and classic X-Men lore. For context, the episode's IMDb score rivals some of the best live-action Marvel moments, proving that the mutant renaissance is alive and well on streaming.
If you're not caught up, now is the perfect time to binge. The season consists of nine episodes—one fewer than Season 1's ten—with five more to go. Marvel has revealed the titles for the remaining episodes: Episode 5 is “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs,” Episode 6 is “Danger.exe,” Episode 7 is “Strange Land, Savage Heart,” Episode 8 is “The Dead Man’s Hand,” and the Season 2 finale is “Survival of the Fittest.” With titles like those, expect more mutant mayhem and emotional twists.
For fans who can't get enough of the X-Men universe, there's also exciting news on the gaming front. Marvel's Wolverine PS5 Release Date Set for September 15, Insomniac's Next Big Hit is already generating buzz, and a secret Wolverine prequel comic was recently revealed ahead of SDCC. It's a great time to be a mutant fan.
Looking ahead, Marvel has already greenlit X-Men '97 for a third season, expected to premiere in 2027. That's a long wait, but with Season 2 still unfolding, there's plenty of time to savor every frame. The first four episodes are streaming now on Disney Plus, and the remaining episodes will drop weekly.
For those who love ranking the best of the best, this episode joins the ranks of other TV masterpieces. Check out our list of 15 Perfect Supernatural Episodes from the Kripke Era That Still Hold Up and 15 Years of Gut-Punches: The Heaviest TV Episodes Ranked for more must-watch TV.
Stay tuned to ShowtimeSpot for more Marvel updates, and don't miss a single episode of X-Men '97—it's making history one mutant at a time.
