X-Men '97 is preparing to release its second season after a two-year break, and an early viewing of the first trailer has given fans a lot to look forward to. The animated series is a revival of the classic 1990s cartoon, X-Men: The Animated Series, with all the same characters (and many of their actors) returning. The first season of X-Men '97 was an absolute hit with fans and was Marvel Studios' first official foray into X-Men territory since regaining the rights from Fox. Now the wait continues for Season 2, which is due for release this Summer.
One of the big turning points at the end of X-Men '97 Season 1 was the looming collision of an asteroid with Earth, which sent the X-Men into space to stop it, only for the asteroid to explode and seemingly kill them. However, everything wasn't as it seemed; as it turns out, the X-Men aren't dead but are scattered through time, and returning them to the 90s is one of the major plot threads in Season 2.
At Marvel Television's New York Comic-Con presentation in October of 2025, the studio screened the first trailer for X-Men '97 for fans. The Direct was in attendance at the panel and noticed a few critical elements in the footage that tee up an interesting season of X-Men adventures ahead.
4 Major Moments From the X-Men '97 Season 2 Trailer
X-Factor
A blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment in the trailer reveals a silhouette of a team that can only be X-Factor. The mutant team has often been depicted as working for the government. Original members include Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, and Iceman, though the silhouette hinted at a few different members, which could mean there's a shake-up of the lineup in X-Men '97.
With X-Men '97 tracking the mutants through time, it seems X-Factor could be the result of one of these different timelines, perhaps forming in a future timeline as a replacement for the X-Men.
New X-Men Suits
Fans were overjoyed to see the X-Men's individual iconic outfits return in X-Men '97, but in the newest trailer, Cyclops and Jean are spotted in some quite different attire. The duo is seen wearing distinct yellow and black uniforms with "X" logos emblazoned on the sleeves. It's hard not to see the similarities between these outfits and those from the New X-Men, suggesting a connection in Season 2.
The New X-Men was a comic revamp of the characters by Grant Morrison in 2001, in which the characters eventually wore redesigned X-Uniforms that featured large yellow "X"s across their jackets. The trailer's hint suggests that X-Men '97 may adapt more storylines from the New X-Men run, as the Genosha storyline was integrated into Season 1.
The New X-Men is full of interesting story arcs for the mutants, but with Quentin Quire/Kid Omega making a brief appearance in the Season 2 trailer, it seems the "Riot at Xavier's" (in which the character is introduced in the comics) might be drawn upon.
New Allies
The tag of X-Men 97 Season 2's trailer sees Morph, Wolverine, Sabertooth, and Lady Deathstrike in a room together, meaning the loyal X-Men team members may find new allies in the second season. The scene gives little away about why the group is together, with Morph pondering over "digital video discs," to which Lady Deathstrike scoffs that she prefers laser discs.
The fate of Morph and Wolverine is left unknown at the end of Season 1, with Wolverine having been critically injured by Magneto after he separated the adamantium from his skeleton. Morph was left by Wolverine's bedside. Unlike the rest of the X-Men, who were shown spread out through time, Morph and Wolverine weren't mentioned in the season closer, so it's not clear if they're in the present, past, or future.
Wherever they end up, it seems they will come into contact with enemies-turned-allies, Sabretooth and Lady Deathstrike, who might have a mutual interest in reuniting the X-Men with their colleagues.
Phoenix's Return
Another quick tease in the Season 2 trailer seems to suggest the phoenix is set to rise again in X-Men '97. Magneto's eyes are shown reflecting a Phoenix insignia, which may hint that Jean Grey is set to become her alter ego, the Phoenix, once more in the animated series.
The Phoenix Force has manifested in interesting ways in Jean Grey throughout the X-Men's history, but more often than not, it appears as an unyielding force and a source of immense power that overcomes the mutant, often in a possessive way.
Jean arrived in her full Phoenix form in Episode 10 of X-Men '97 Season 1, helping to defeat Mr. Sinister. After this event, Jean said, "The Phoenix Force is gone now," making it unclear how accessible her deep-set power is, but if this hint in the X-Men '97 trailer is anything to go by, it won't be long before the Phoenix returns.
