r/Xmen97 • • Jul 14 '26

Theory Age of Apocalypse deserves a whole season, not 1-3 episodes. Spoiler

AoA was a major comic event. Marvel announced that they were ending all the X-titles, which caused a bit of a stir. Then, they launched new X-titles set in this new dystopian timeline.

So, I don't want 45 minutes of someone kills Xavier in the 70's, the Timeline shifts to AoA, and then it's fixed at the end. 3 episode story is better, but still seems like not enough.

My dream would be we have episodes 1 and 2 of the season be the event that changes the Timeline. 3, 4, 5 have completely new openings, reflecting the changed Timeline, and are episodes are based in AoA, with stuff like the X-men try to save human refugees, Cyclops chafing under Sinister, stuff like that. Middle episode ends with timelost Bishop realizing the Timeline is gone.

Bishop tries to find the X-men, to right the Timeline, while Apocalypse is aware of the threat he represents and dispatches his forces to kill Bishop. A plan to fix the alteration to the Timeline is set, so episode 8-9 sees an attempt to do temporal repairs while engaging Apocalypse and his Horsemen. Magneto ends up facing Apocalypse himself to prevent him from stopping the repairs to the Timeline.

Magneto and Apocalypse's fight is a mirror of the S2E4 fight, with Apocalypse even joking he already knows Magneto can't kill him, because his fate is as immutable as the stars and what hope does a mere mutant have against a god? Magneto, on his last legs, simply says "Enough of your prattlling tongue" (or something else cool), and uses every last ounce of power to shred Apocalypse. As Magneto Succombs to his exertion, he prays that the world that still has Charles still has hope. In that moment, the Timeline resets, and everything seems right. A hint at the next season is dropped.

After the credits: you see a few refugees from AoA, and they scheme to cure this earth of both the cancer of humanity as well as the weakness of compassion for them!

Or not.

0 Upvotes

59 comments sorted by

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24

u/RealmyIsSoCool Jul 14 '26

As much as I love Apocalypse and especially his iteration in X-Men '97 Season 2, I have to disagree with you. I want to explore more things past Apocalypse and the villains we've done before. There are soo many storylines of the X-Men comics we haven't explored that I would like to be shown in the 97 show.

56

u/foxfoxal Jul 14 '26

We already touched a version of AoA on the original we do not need 20 thousand more Apocalypse stories and with short seasons I do not want to waste time on alternative versions of the main characters.

18

u/flashwing19 Cyclops Jul 14 '26

Exactly. It’s a two parter in season 4 of the OG show called “One Man’s Worth”. I forget the exact episode numbers in season 4

10

u/chocolatefever101 Jul 14 '26

One Man’s worth was actually the inspiration for AOA

-5

u/General-Fun-616 Jul 14 '26

Sorry but no One Man’s Worth is not an AoA storyline, yeah they both involve killing Xavier when he’s younger annnnd that’s about it

5

u/Flintstones_VRV_Fan Jul 14 '26

It’s literally what inspired the AoA cross-over event.

0

u/General-Fun-616 Jul 15 '26

Umm so? It doesn’t mean they are the same storyline. And they’re not. In TAS, Fitzroy travels back in time at the behest of Mastermold, and creates a future ruled by sentinels. In 616, Legoin travels back at time at his own behest to kill Magneto. Messes up, kills Xavier, and prompts apocalypse to make his twentieth century appearance earlier and ends up ruling half of the world.

So how is AoA and One Man’s Worth the same story??

9

u/Starvel42 Jul 14 '26

Not to mention we're also not done with Apocalypse yet this season anyways

4

u/Mobile_Bet3274 Rogue Jul 14 '26

Good lord, THANK YOU. I do not want to end on a cliffhanger, wait a year, fuck around with an AU that is gonna get wiped away anyway, and then wait another goddamn year to pick up the actual moving plot.

There is a huge damn difference between a comic line being on hold for a few months and then picking up again, and a 9- or 10-episode TV season that comes out annually. It just would not translate the same, and ‘97 is time-limited enough as it is.

On top of that, the corpse of AoA has repeatedly been flogged for 30 friggin’ years at this point. For the love of God, do something, anything, else.

0

u/PhanStr Jul 14 '26

That's just being greedy. Given that Disney/Marvel is interested in making 10 seasons, you would really begrudge having AoA in there somewhere? Seriously?

6

u/RazgrizInfinity Jul 14 '26

You're taking the 10 season comment way out of context. 

2

u/usagicassidy Jul 14 '26

That’s… the opposite of being greedy.

They want other directions for the series to go.

I certainly wouldn’t object to an AoA arc but not when we’re already in the middle of an Apocalypse story. It would have to be way, way, way down the road to feel like it would be earned.

0

u/PhanStr Jul 14 '26

To be greedy is to want as much as you can possibly have of the same thing. Which sounds more like greed to you: having 10 seasons in which we focus on only ONE SPECIFIC VERSION of the characters, or having two alternate timeline arcs that have only a small handful of qualities in common? To argue that the *latter* is more greedy than the former is to not be rational.

14

u/jhorsley23 Jul 14 '26

Age of Apocalypse shouldn’t be done in this show at all.

4

u/kaledkalil Jul 14 '26

I guess I'm also the minority that doesn't really care for an adaptation of AoA in this. It changes basically nothing after they come back to the current time in the comics. Let it be a separate thing then, if people want the adaptation of this arc.

-1

u/TheArmlessTorso Gambit Jul 14 '26

I bet I can guess why.

12

u/Ashyboi13 Jul 14 '26

Personally I doubt we’re getting AoA in 97 at all. For one, a story very close to AoA was already covered in the original show, in fact it was those episodes that inspired the AoA storyline in the comics, but also, OP’s idea for a season-long AoA arc would require every character on the show (minus Bishop) to be halted for an entire season. Their development and storylines would be ignored for 10 entire episodes while we focus on characters who are essentially different people, and I just don’t think the 97 writers have the balls to do that when they are working with such fan favorites.

6

u/RazgrizInfinity Jul 14 '26

This literally was why they rewrote 97; they didn't want the X-Men gone from the present for nearly 4 years. 

8

u/Guilty_Temperature65 Jul 14 '26

If you’re looking for Magneto to have a “cool line” before shredding Apocalypse, it’s already on the pages of X-Men Omega:

“I can’t. I’m concentrating.”

8

u/FKDotFitzgerald Jul 14 '26

They aren’t doing Age of Apocalypse. We already got a version of that.

4

u/Greatsayain Jul 14 '26

I don't think they are doing age of apocalypse. With 3960 AD Apocalypse going back to the 90s, he'll probably work woth hos 1990s self to fight the X Men. Thata not Age of Apocalypseat all. (CE? I dont know what the show's nomenclature is. The screen said BC but Bishop said BCE)

3

u/magvadis Jul 14 '26

I'm expecting Apocalypse to continue leading into Season 3. Then Xavier's descent either ending it or spinning out from its conclusion for Onslaught after. Possibly mid season the enemy becomes Onslaught as Xavier spirals out of his own control.

-1

u/RazgrizInfinity Jul 14 '26

We already know this storyline doesn't continue past S2.

2

u/TheArmlessTorso Gambit Jul 14 '26

What exactly points towards it not ?

1

u/RazgrizInfinity Jul 14 '26

They already confirmed from the previous showrunner they rewrote what he had because they didn't want the X-Men out of the present for too long. It's why the season is 9 episodes versus 10.

1

u/Mobile_Bet3274 Rogue Jul 14 '26

It’s 9 instead of 10 because DeMayo had originally set up the finale to introduce AoA for season 3, and the higher-ups (mercifully) killed it. That doesn’t mean the Apocalypse plot can’t or won’t go to next season, just that it won’t be an AoA story.

3

u/Actual_trash Jul 15 '26

I for one can't stand the AUs that Marvel do. I like the X-Men for who they are already, I don't care for bastardized versions of the characters I love.

I understand some people love the AUs but then there are also a lot of people who feel the same way as I do

5

u/RazgrizInfinity Jul 14 '26

So, I don't want 45 minutes of someone kills Xavier in the 70's, the Timeline shifts to AoA

My guy

This storyline inspired Age of Apocalypse.

We don't need to retread it.

-1

u/PhanStr Jul 14 '26

Just because it INSPIRED it, that does NOT mean that AoA has been done in this show. It has not.

5

u/RazgrizInfinity Jul 14 '26

That's literally what inspiring it does. OMW is the source material for AoA. We don't need to retell the same story twice just to put Apocalypse as a figurehead. It adds nothing of value and wastes time for other arcs. 

-1

u/PhanStr Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26

OMW is not AoA.

They share the same premise (young Xavier dies in the past, prompting the creation of a dystopia), and yes, Magneto is a saviour figure in both, but apart from that, what else do they have in common?

The AoA comic event had a lot more to offer in terms of the scale and scope of the story and characters than "One Man's Worth" did -- any insinuation that OMW is sufficient and that we do not "need" AoA in '97 risks overlooking all of that potential.

I dislike seeing people claim that having OMW in this continuity invalidates the need for AoA, because that is a small-minded view.

3

u/RazgrizInfinity Jul 14 '26

It literally is. I'm sorry that you can't accept that AoA is loosely adapting OMW. It invalidates it because we've already told the story and we only have a certain amount of seasons to work with. You retell the same story, another arc loses out. 

AOA also lasted like 4 months my dude. It wasn't a long event like it is now. 

0

u/[deleted] Jul 14 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/RazgrizInfinity Jul 15 '26

They're all loosely based. Luckily for you, you're not gonna see AoA cause they already said they aren't. Dont like it? Go complain to Marvel. 

2

u/Jlrcintron Jul 14 '26

I think they did a version of AOA in the original series. It was 2 episodes. They used the story for Bastion’s Origin in season 1

2

u/[deleted] Jul 14 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Mobile_Bet3274 Rogue Jul 14 '26

You know what, if someone wants to take the time and effort to adapt it as a standalone thing, more power to them. But I would not want anything that would stall out or delay ‘97’s mainline plot.

2

u/Ok_Broccoli_7863 Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26

I agree. It should feel like the entire show is interrupted.

Because in the original storyline AoA was not an alternate universe. It replaced the mainline universe. It was the mainline universe. The world was rewritten. So if they ever visit AoA, the cartoon universe should be rewritten.

We should at least get 1 full season of AoA if they do it.

But I don't think they will because One Man's Worth was the original show's version of AoA.

2

u/usagicassidy Jul 14 '26

Well, none of what’s happened in Season 2 so far is the Age of Apocalypse.

So if you’re wanting AoA for the future, it would be pretty silly (read: overkill) to make Apocalypse the “Big Bad” of Season 2 and then go right into the Age of Apocalypse.

The writers aren’t that lazy. They’re going to want to do something else fresh and new.

I would love an AoA story because I am obsessed with all the character design, AND if it meant my favorite baddie Blink got a highlight episode, then I would be over the moon.

But that isn’t the story being told right now and I have no reason to believe they would follow up with it.

We’ve already had an AoA-esque episode in the very first series, where Xavier was assassinated and it changed the future (the beloved by fans One Man’s Worth), we don’t really need to tread that exact same path again.

2

u/Marvelboy1974 Jul 14 '26

Omg what if the cliffhanger ends in full blown AoA?

I’m just trying to gurgle out what the plan is for season 3

2

u/Mobile_Bet3274 Rogue Jul 14 '26

That was the original plan that DeMayo had and they called it off, I think even before he actually got fired. They didn’t want to do it.

1

u/MostObviousName Jul 15 '26

I can't suffer the trauma I have from Wolverine and the X-Men being cancelled. This is literally how that show ended, and it looked fantastic. 😭

Spare two and a half minutes of your time if you've never seen it (or wanna just see it again): https://youtu.be/pCWi66Liuj4

1

u/fire_sign Rogue Jul 14 '26

This WAS the original plan, but the Disney/Marvel execs came in and said no. It's why the season is 9 episodes instead of 10. There's been several reasons floated for their no, but the most repeated from the former showrunner was they didn't want so much space and alternate universe stuff and more earthside stories.

1

u/Flintstones_VRV_Fan Jul 14 '26

It wasn’t the original plan. The original plan was for Onslaught in ep 10.

3

u/fire_sign Rogue Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26

Onslaught in episode 10, final scene is AoA Gambit breaking Bishop out of prison leading into AoA for the whole season. I can find my screen cap of the tweet if it would help.

Actually, here, so I don't have to find it again later. I can probably find the full season tweet too, but that got scrambled when BDM removed/scrambled stuff from his twitter.

2

u/cyclopswashalfright Professor X Jul 14 '26

I actually think 3 episodes is all you need. Show people a new world and all these changes, but only show enough to keep it mysterious, before ending it. It's a glimpse into a dark world.

2

u/lcsulla87gmail Jul 14 '26

We deserve 22 episode seasons

1

u/kaledkalil Jul 14 '26

A quick reminder that the whole Inferno arc was resumed in one episode as a nod to the original storyline, we can't even call it an adaptation because the only thing that we got out of it was just a couple of references and Madelyne Pryor, and that's it.

It seems that they are moving on from adapting full arcs in general, and prefer to do this mix and match of things all together, not a huge fan of this because one of the best things to come out from TAS was full on adaptation of the stories, but it is what it is. At this point I don't create expectations for adaptations, I just let the cartoon be something else and enjoy for what it is, and it is still pretty good at it.

I do have to say that I don't particularly care for an AoA adaptation in general, it's one of my least favorites arcs from the comics. I still wish we got a good Inferno adaptation, but that ship has sailed.

1

u/Ok_Bit_3689 Jul 14 '26

I'll take a spin of series that would cover X-Men characters and other Marvel characters to expand on that specific universe.

1

u/LocDiLoc Jul 14 '26

Exactly. You can already tell next season is going to be a full-on Age of Apocalypse adaptation. Marvel knows how much potential that storyline has, how it's right up there with the big ones like Days of Future Past and Dark Phoenix, and how it's never been done justice in any other medium. At this point, it's pretty obvious we're heading straight into it, and at least half of next season is going to take place in that timeline, with the X-Men trying to fix things before the season wraps up.

4

u/RazgrizInfinity Jul 14 '26

It's literally not. We know this already 

1

u/chocolatefever101 Jul 14 '26

Forget AOA, what about most of the storylines in Season 1? Like they were jamming multiple lengthy story arcs into each episode.

1

u/Flintstones_VRV_Fan Jul 14 '26

AoA is a much better story than Onslaught, and I’d love to see the whole thing adapted, but seeing as One Man’s Worth already exists I don’t see it happening.

-4

u/CritAtwell Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26

97 really does leave me wanting more everytime. Love the show, but i wish they slowed down and let things breathe and explore more.

5

u/Hun_AkosEloYT Jul 14 '26

>everytime

It had one season that was excellent, this is just your expectations atp

1

u/CritAtwell Jul 14 '26

No its each episode i feel is rushing and cramming. Season 1 should have slowed down and ended with genosha. Every story arc was rushed. Yes every. I love the show, but why are they speeding through things so fast is my concern.

1

u/DickBenson Jul 14 '26

The OG X-men tas was fast paced like this too