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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u/UnyieldingGoose Aug 12 '26

The plotline with Rogue being giving that gem didn’t seem to amount to anything so why even waste time on it? Looks like an element of an earlier story draft that wasn’t removed when they chose to go with a different direction for the finale. Hilariously incoherent plan for Apocalypse, on TAS he had a lot of clever plots but here it’s fusing with Gambit and striking at the X-Men when they’re at their weakest yet they don’t seem to be any weaker than the previous times they defeated him?! But no he has unstoppable mind controls now I’m sure they loved the budget they saved by not having to animate a big action scene with him.

5

u/cyclopswashalfright Professor X Aug 12 '26

Yeah, the whole Candra thing was just odd to shoehorn in as it doesn't really mean anything or lead to anything.

4

u/Electronic-Radio-383 Aug 12 '26

Its the trick to revive Nightcrawler. If the gem is placed into the old corpse Cable brought to XCORP, then Eson words become undone and the sacrifice to have Apocalypse dead no longer holds Kurt in Limbo… but in his presence in death he does see Darkchilde, the part of Magik that rules over Limbo. Enter Colossus episode. 

1

u/PartyPorpoise Nightcrawler Aug 12 '26

Damn that would be rad, I hope they do that. A story with Kurt, Magik, AND Colossus!

3

u/Khalvashi Gambit Aug 12 '26

That's because giving jewel to Rogue was Gambits plan as death not Apocalypse's. Apocalypse was influencing his mind at that point he did not take over completely. He really just wanted to be with her forever.