The X-Men rarely catch a break. Between Sentinels, mutant-hating politicians, time travel, and the next existential threat lurking around the corner, there's usually another disaster waiting before anyone can enjoy a quiet day. X-Men '97 Season 2 hasn't made life easier for Marvel's mutants, but it has carved out time to develop characters who weren't always in the spotlight of the original animated series.
Bishop (Isaac Robinson-Smith) has especially benefited from that extra attention. After becoming a key member of the team in Season 1, the time-traveling mutant has gotten more room to show who he is beyond preventing catastrophic futures. Polaris (Lorna Dane) and Havok (Alex Summers) have also grown more prominent as the series expands its roster. With Season 3 already on the horizon, these relationships give the show plenty to explore—and one of them might be getting a lot more complicated.
Bishop and Polaris: More Than Just Teammates?
In an exclusive chat with Collider, Robinson-Smith addressed the increasingly flirtatious dynamic between Bishop and Polaris. When asked directly about what's happening between the two mutants, he didn't exactly shut down the romance theories. "The vibe is good. I can't say very much, but keep watching. I'm glad you like that. It's fun," he teased.
The Season 2 finale makes those vibes hard to ignore. Bishop and Lorna share a rare quiet moment with an adorable picnic—a scene Robinson-Smith was thrilled to discuss. "Oh, I know. Right? How cute is that?" he said, adding that he had "a really good time recording those scenes." It's a sweet development for a character who's usually dealing with dystopian futures and dire warnings. Robinson-Smith has enjoyed exploring what lies beneath all that seriousness.
"I do like the romantic, softer side of Bishop. It's a fun thing to see. It's a fun place to explore and to just exist in because everyone's three-dimensional," he told Collider. He joked that Bishop doesn't have to permanently live in his "'time for an exorcism, punks' kind of zone," pointing out that the character can have a life beyond the constant action. "There's all that action, there's all that stuff going on, but then there's another side, and I like that we get to see more of that," he added.
Havok Looms Over the Romance
Of course, Lorna's love life comes with a rather large Summers-shaped complication. Polaris and Havok share one of Marvel Comics' longest-running mutant romances, and X-Men '97 now has all the pieces in place to make that relationship considerably messier if Bishop and Lorna's connection continues into Season 3. Robinson-Smith is being careful not to confirm exactly where that picnic is leading, but the finale certainly isn't subtle about giving fans something to speculate about.
This potential love triangle adds another layer to the show's already rich character dynamics. As the X-Men face their latest crisis, the personal stakes are rising just as high as the action. With Season 3 on the way, viewers will be watching closely to see if Bishop and Polaris's picnic blossoms into something more—and how Havok fits into the picture.
For more on the X-Men's animated future, check out our Emma Frost casting analysis and the full X-Men cast announcement. And stay tuned to Collider for more exclusive interviews and updates.
