X-Men '97 finale post-credits scene explained – here's how it sets up season 2 (2024)

After thrilling us for several weeks, season 1 of hit Marvel animated show X-Men '97 has come to an end with a jaw-dropping finale. Delivering plenty of shocks, episode 10, which is titled 'Tolerance is Extinction (Part 3)', brought to a conclusion the Bastion storyline in spectacular style.

However, although that tale has now been told, we were left with several teases as to where the show could go next for the already confirmed X-Men '97 season 2. So yes, that means there is indeed a X-Men '97 finale post-credits scene which comes midway through the initial closing credits. And it's not a gag either, as the scene hints at some pretty significant twists and turns, therefore it's not one to miss (do not turn off Disney Plus as soon as the episode has ended). Let's dive into it!

Warning: spoilers lie ahead for the X-Men '97 finale post-credits scene.

X-Men '97 finale post-credits scene explained

Interrupting the credits is an intriguing stinger that transports us to present day Genosha, which of course is a haunting abandoned wreckage thanks to the events of the series. The camera lingers on a figure sat on the ground in the middle of the debris, who is revealed to be Apocalypse – a supervillain who is known to be one of the most powerful villains in the Marvel universe, here making his X-Men '97 debut.

Mourning what he is seeing before him, we hear Apocalypse utter the words: "so much pain, my children, so much death". Talk about ominous... Reaching into the dirt, his hand retrieves a torn up queen of hearts card, which of course belonged to Gambit before his death.

While the scene may be short and simple, it has huge implications, setting events up nicely for X-Men '97 season 2, which is already in the works. As any fan of the comics will know, Apocalypse is the leader of the villainous group the Four Horsem*n, which Gambit becomes a member of. It's therefore looking likely that the fan-favorite mutant will return from the dead (which fans were hoping for) but with a nasty twist.

Looking to the comics offers clues as there Gambit volunteers to become Death, believing that in that role he can help bring mutants back after Scarlet Witch brutally wiped them all out. It looks like here though Apocalypse will resurrect Gambit as one of his own villainous sidekicks – which fits given that Apocalypse is heavily rumored to be season 2's big bad.

It's worth noting thatalthough this is the first time Apocalypse has appeared in this show he was previously in X-Men: The Animated Series, which X-Men '97 is a revival of. As you may remember, in that show the X-Men sent Apocalypse to the Astral plane after defeating him in battle. Upon reaching that land, the villain then took the body of mutant Fabian Cortez, although that's certainly not who we see in this post-credits scene, meaning we can safely assume he will be the huge hulking figure we usually see Apocalypse as.

It's clear that the age of Apocalypse is coming, with a villainous resurrected Gambit in tow, and so we best strap in.

All episodes of X-Men '97 are available to stream now on Disney Plus.

For more, check out all the X-Men '97 Easter eggs you might have missed, our list of all of 2024's new X-Men comics, and our guide on how to watch the X-Men movies in order.

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