These mutants make for many memorable moments! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the greatest moments in “X-Men ‘97”.
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00:00 Regardless of your stance on recent world events,
00:03 - Oh my.
00:04 the images you are about to see may be disturbing.
00:08 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the greatest moments in X-Men 97.
00:14 Warning, mutant-sized spoilers ahead.
00:17 I hope that I'm not too late.
00:20 Number 10. Cyclops shows off.
00:23 While Cyclops is undeniably a fan-favorite mutant, X-Men 97 made sure that we all put respect on his name.
00:30 Evidence of this mission statement can be seen in the very first episode,
00:34 as the hero battles the Friends of Humanity with unmatched intensity.
00:38 It's here that he kicks serious bigot butt, not only through hand-to-hand combat,
00:45 but also by means of his infamous I-Beams.
00:48 In fact, he uses the concussive blasts to snake around the warehouse like an absolute pro.
00:54 Even when the bad guys have the upper hand, Cyclops proves that he's got them all right where he wants them.
01:05 If you weren't a Cyclops fan before, we bet you definitely are one now.
01:10 Number 9. A triple assault on the Master Mold.
01:13 Teamwork always leads to exceptional results.
01:16 To me, my X-Men.
01:18 When battling the Master Mold, a deadly robot that creates sentinels,
01:28 the trio of Wolverine, Gambit, and Morph get creative with their offense.
01:32 The Ragen Cajun supercharges Logan's claws and launches him into the air.
01:42 And as Morph shapeshifts into Blob, he bounces off him like a trampoline.
01:47 A fastball special in motion is always a treat,
01:50 and Wolverine decapitating Master Mold as he glides across the sky is next level.
01:55 The members of the X-Men do great work on their own, but as this sequence illustrates,
02:06 they can do some incredible damage when they combine their skills and work together.
02:10 It was a team effort. Always has been.
02:15 Number 8. Storm takes flight.
02:18 When Storm seemingly loses her powers after getting shot by the Executioner's power-erasing gun,
02:23 it sends her into self-doubt.
02:25 But trust that I will cherish what we shared as X-Men,
02:29 memories that already feel like a lifetime ago.
02:32 But when she's cornered by a demon called the Adversary,
02:35 she realizes her power never really left her.
02:38 "So let them thunder, for I am lightning!"
02:45 With a change in wardrobe, she disintegrates the enemy and creates an epic weather phenomenon.
02:50 She also soars through the skies in a stunning flight sequence reminiscent of Man of Steel.
02:55 In the hands of lesser storytellers,
03:04 the "you had the power all along" trope could've come across as cliched.
03:08 Fortunately for Storm, the regaining of her power is nothing short of an awe-inspiring spectacle.
03:14 Storm is back, ladies and gentlemen. Bask in her glory.
03:18 Number 7. Jean vs. Madeline.
03:23 It's an epic attack of the clones in this episode.
03:26 "The Jean that lies on this couch would appear to be the actual Jean Grey."
03:30 When Madeline Pryor learns that she's not the real Jean Grey,
03:34 she suffers a mental breakdown and becomes the Goblin Queen.
03:37 With vengeance on her mind, she brings hell to the X-Men.
03:41 "Cyclops, it's like the worst horror movie ever. The whole mansion's possessed."
03:45 "Gammy can never unsee that."
03:50 Thankfully though, Jean makes the save in an action-packed telepathic battle.
03:54 While Madeline is certainly vicious in the fight,
03:57 Jean is able to use the love that her evil clone has for her infant
04:01 to break her out of Mr. Sinister's influence.
04:03 "He's a living reminder of the purest love two people can share."
04:07 "And no one can ever, ever take that away from you."
04:11 "This is the greatest moment of my life."
04:14 Thanks to this quick thinking, Jean was able to save the X-Men
04:24 and pull Madeline out from her darkness.
04:26 Now that's using your brain.
04:28 "Call me Madeline Pryor. Farewell, Madeline. Farewell, Jean."
04:34 When Magneto is put on trial by the UN for his past crimes,
04:41 the Executioner crashes the meeting and tries depowering him.
04:44 "You got a name?"
04:46 "Executioner. Here to make sure Jean freaks like Magneto pay for their crimes."
04:51 Storm intervenes on the master of magnetism's behalf,
04:55 but is shot down for her troubles.
04:57 As you can imagine, the actions of Executioner infuriate Magneto
05:01 and push him to take matters into his own hands.
05:04 "Never again."
05:06 "No! Let him go! No!"
05:15 He drags the humans into space to deliver a major public scolding.
05:19 He certainly does not mince his words as he shows exactly how powerful he is.
05:24 "And that my kind, like yours, have the right to live in it."
05:30 "I am trying to be better."
05:34 "Please, do not make me let you down."
05:45 It's an intimidating show of force that's paired with a brilliant speech.
05:49 At its core, it serves as a warning for all humankind.
05:53 Do not mess with mutants.
05:55 "This was a good week for our people. Yet it was not without cost."
06:01 Following the devastating destruction of Genosha and the losses of both Magneto and Gambit,
06:09 Rogue decides to vent her frustrations by hunting down the anti-mutant foe Henry Gyrick.
06:14 Along that path for revenge, she fights the United States Army.
06:18 "This is a top secret United States facility. You are trespassing. Cease and-"
06:23 It's an impressive display of her power as she goes through soldiers, tanks,
06:29 and even a bunker designed to withstand the Hulk.
06:32 "Our intruder is an unhinged mutant from the swamp. She ain't no-"
06:44 "Daddy always used to say breaking into prison was easier than breaking out."
06:49 She also later ends up brushing off Captain Freakin' America.
06:54 "Stand down, Rogue. Please."
07:01 We've always known Rogue was dangerous,
07:03 but we never knew just how destructive she could be when she's angry.
07:06 The emotionally charged rampage shows that you should never bet against the Southern Belle.
07:11 "Now, you get me."
07:14 With the destruction of Genosha and the mutant casualties it brings,
07:21 it's not too surprising that Magneto eventually wanders off the beaten track.
07:25 Finally giving up on trying to aid humanity, Magneto instead declares war on them.
07:30 "Magneto was right."
07:33 "Enough."
07:36 [Dramatic music]
07:39 His plan involves creating an EMP, which shuts down technology
07:48 and puts everyone from the X-Men to Spider-Man on high alert.
07:51 He's never appeared more frightening, as the world essentially experiences a global blackout.
07:57 Though his methods and intentions might be extreme,
08:00 many could argue that Magneto is in the right.
08:02 We'll let you decide on that, though.
08:04 "Magneto actually did it."
08:07 "What? Saved our hides?"
08:09 "No. Declared war."
08:12 We know, saying that a death that happened during the complete annihilation of Genosha
08:20 is one of the show's greatest moments is a tough sell.
08:23 "Gambit, see your bet."
08:25 "And raise it!"
08:26 But there's a genuine beauty to Gambit's send-off.
08:29 Impaled by a cable connected to the Tri-Sentinel,
08:32 [Gambit gasps]
08:34 Remy uses his last bit of strength to supercharge the cable and overload the Tri-Sentinel.
08:42 While it killed Gambit,
08:44 the destruction of the Tri-Sentinel prevented any further casualties on Genosha.
08:48 This moment is bittersweet, as it wasn't an Omega-level heavy hitter like Magneto that saved the day,
08:54 but rather a thief-turned-hero trying to do good on his dying breaths.
08:58 "Sugar."
08:59 Rest in peace, Gambit. We'll remember your name forever.
09:02 It's not the X-Men without Professor X at the helm.
09:10 The public believed that Charles Xavier was dead at the end of the original 90s animated series.
09:15 "I am proud. Proud of you all. My X-Men."
09:26 Fans who wanted to see him reunite with the X-Men in this revival series were finally rewarded at the end of Episode 8.
09:33 With the X-Mansion in ruins and a mutant-human war on the horizon,
09:37 Wolverine asks Morph a simple question.
09:39 "Where's the Professor when you need him?"
09:42 And to his and our shock, it's answered when Professor X crash-lands onto the scene.
09:52 "I hope that I'm not too late."
09:56 Little time is wasted from there as Charles begins to telepathically summon the X-Men.
10:02 "To me. My X-Men."
10:05 As far as grand entrances go, this might take the cake.
10:09 And hearing some of the Professor's iconic phrases after so long gave us major goosebumps.
10:15 Glad to have you back, Professor.
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10:32 As the X-Men put their lives on the line against Bastion, Cyclops and Jean bid a tearful farewell to Cable.
10:42 "What mistake?"
10:44 "Not saying goodbye."
10:47 "Bad sort of ending, huh?"
10:51 "I'm afraid so."
10:53 While the team makes it out intact, they do get displaced throughout time.
10:58 Cyclops and Jean end up in the future, where they meet a teenaged Cable and a woman named Mother Ascani.
11:03 Comic fans will recognize her as a variant of Rachel Summers, the pair's daughter.
11:08 "You may call me Mother Ascani, leader of Clan Ascani."
11:13 "I sense no need to be afraid."
11:16 "Nathan, come."
11:20 Meanwhile, the other X-Men are flung into the past, where they encounter En Sabah Nur, the mutant who eventually becomes Apocalypse.
11:28 "Do not fear us."
11:30 "What is your name?"
11:33 "My name is En Sabah Nur."
11:38 This is a loaded moment, complete with soap opera-style twists and jaw-dropping reveals.
11:44 With season one now firmly in the books, this cliffhanger is sure to have fans foaming at the mouths for more.
11:51 "So much pain, my children."
11:54 "So much death."
12:01 Is there an exhilarating moment from X-Men 97 that we missed? Share the exciting details in the comments below.
12:09 "Ahh!"
12:12 [Explosion]
12:19 [Music]
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12:34 [Music]