Marvel Studios showcased a historic transformation with one of its powerful villains on Disney+, setting a potential precedent for future Thanos-level antagonists. The MCU introduced powerful villains across the Infinity Saga and the Multiverse Saga, such as dangerous threats that can rival Thanos' dominance, like Dormammu, Hela, Arishem the Judge, and Galactus. On Disney+, X-Men '97 Season 2 made history by unveiling a truly unique antagonist who can match that level of menace: a twisted version of its big bad, Apocalypse.
Following Gambit's resurrection at the hands of Apocalypse in X-Men '97 Season 2, the final few episodes raised the stakes after it revealed that Apocalypse's soul had transferred inside Remy LeBeau. While Gambit retained some sense of control, Apocalypse drove his darker actions, culminating in a climactic clash with the X-Men.
The X-Men '97 Season 2 finale largely focused on Cable's relentless drive to kill Apocalypse, even if it means murdering Gambit in cold blood. While Cable succeeded in shooting the possessed Gambit, who seemingly died, it was revealed that this wasn't the case, as Apocalypse transformed into a terrifying hybrid form that fused his ancient evolutionary power with Gambit's physical frame and abilities.
Gambit and Apocalypse's fusion at the end of X-Men '97 Season 2 marks the first time that an MCU villain was the fusion of two different characters. The crisis was only resolved when Rogue, upgraded with Celestial power, absorbed Apocalypse's essence out of Gambit's body, sealing the big bad mutant away and restoring Remy's true form for good.
The sequence of Gambit and Apocalypse merging cemented X-Men '97 as a formidable big bad and proved that the X-Men: The Animated Series continuation is willing to explore identity-merging villains on a scale that elevates the personal and cosmic stakes for the X-Men.
There is a strong chance that this decision was made on X-Men '97 Season 2 to set up the idea of characters merging in future seasons of the show, specifically to lay the groundwork for the introduction of Onslaught (a villain who has already been teased multiple times in the show).
In Marvel Comics, Onslaught is a psionic entity born from the darker aspects of Professor X and Magneto's minds after their psychic clash. X-Men '97 Season 2, Episode 1 already planted seeds for Onslaught's debut through visual Easter eggs, such as a red planet in a psychic landscape that evokes Magneto's helmet and the villain's unique look.
Onslaught remains one of the X-Men's most powerful comic villains that the heroes have ever faced, and the Gambit and Apocalypse fusion serves as perfect foreshadowing for the villain's potential arrival.
Why Onslaught's X-Men '97 Villain Debut Is Needed After Season 2
Despite a strong showing from X-Men '97 Season 2, some felt the show's sophomore run lacked cohesion and was all over the place in its character-driven storytelling. A villain like Onslaught is primed to elevate the Disney+ series, as it is poised to serve as a unifying threat that can assemble everyone (including other non-mutant Marvel heroes) for a high-stakes confrontation.
After X-Men '97 Season 2 delivered the Gambit and Apocalypse fusion in the finale and ultimately defeated him, the core X-Men team needs a villain who raises the stakes in a more psychological direction, rather than offering another external conqueror or a Thanos-level villain in the same vein as Apocalypse.
Onslaught is not an outside invader. Instead, the villain is a pure manifestation of the team's own founders' worst impulses, infused with godlike telepathic and reality-warping power. This villain can manipulate the X-Men from within, turn allies against one another, and push Charles Xavier to his absolute limit.
With Magneto's fate left ambiguous after his death in X-Men '97 Season 2, Episode 4, the new status quo in a post-Apocalypse world provides the necessary setup for Onslaught to finally surface, paying off years of setup and positioning the series to tackle one of the comics' fan-favorite crossovers to elevate Season 3.
