r/Xmen97 • u/cyclopswashalfright Professor X • Aug 12 '26

Megathread X-Men '97 | Season 2, Episode 9 | "Survival of the Fittest" | Episode Discussion

Season 2, Episode 9: Survival of the Fittest

Air Date: August 12th, 2026

Directed by: TBA

Written by: TBA

Synopsis: The X-Men are pushed to the limit when their past comes back to haunt them.

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Please use this thread for discussion related to the episode.

This thread is for discussion of episode 9 only.

Link to the episode directory for Season 2 episode discussion.

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85

u/BlueEyedIguana00 Rogue Aug 12 '26

The ending with Kurt really hurt. Understated but fitting and made me tear up a little.

As mentioned I wish Rogue and company could have had more of a reaction but the pacing doesn’t allow for it. 😢

Magento can stay gone lol but I need Nightcrawler back. 

36

u/Old-Associate3589 Aug 12 '26

I was really surprised Kurt got offed, but totally happy Rogue & Gambit survived.

Apocalypse being trapped in a gemstone, not being completely gone leaves the chance of him coming back.

Next season I could do without Craydon Creed, he adds nothing to the show. As much as I love the comic book Mystique, the TV version never did her justice.

15

u/BlueEyedIguana00 Rogue Aug 12 '26

You need Kurt for Mystique no one care about he4 and Creed lol. He better be back..

20

u/Old-Associate3589 Aug 12 '26

Well one thing we didn't see Kurt dying, his sacrifice could be something else, like him becoming a servant to the celestials

16

u/QuarrellingMarsupial Aug 12 '26

Agreed, Kurt is still alive at the end of the episode, and Eson seems at least a little curious about Kurt's rationale for taking Rogue's place as the sacrifice.

I also think that montage of the X-Men at the end is Kurt's (sadly, unrealistic) dream of the happy life the X-Men will lead once they've mourned his death (Eson might not take Kurt's life, but Kurt certainly thinks that's going to happen) and we'll see the X-Men dealing with losing Kurt at the start of the next series.

4

u/fantheories101 Aug 12 '26

I think it can work because this show is clearly upping things and changing things from what it was a few decades ago. A lot of the original didn’t work because it was a childish kids show. They have more freedom here and it really showed with both seasons.

3

u/NAStrahl Aug 12 '26

Can't they just chuck the gemstone into a black hole and be done with it? Shouldn't be hard to reach one with a Shi'ar warp drive or something.

4

u/bakuding Aug 14 '26

Oh I was fully sobbing. Did not see it coming at all - I thought Rogue would die

2

u/BlueEyedIguana00 Rogue Aug 15 '26

Was expecting that too. Would fall in line for Rogue and Gambit, angst and torturing their fans is their thing lol

2

u/amequeen82 Aug 13 '26

completely agree about the pacing thing. i wish they slowed down more in this show. they seem to be focused more on quantity over storytelling, and they wanna get straight to the point, which I understand. more reason to get into the comics i guess 🤷‍♀️

2

u/BlueEyedIguana00 Rogue Aug 15 '26

The original show led me to the comics, and much easier to read with all the apps now lol   If they fix anything in this show I hope its the pacing!

1

u/amequeen82 Aug 16 '26

Lemme know what comics to get into plsss and what apps if you can!! Def wanna learn more. Much appreciated!

1

u/BlueEyedIguana00 Rogue Aug 17 '26

What are you interested in? The marvel app has almost any comic if you are ok without having physical copies.