This article contains spoilers for X-Men '97 Episode 9

After an explosive ending last week, X-Men '97 episode 9 takes a much darker turn (both figuratively and literally) as the team and the entire world deal with the fallout of Magneto's actions. With only one episode left, "Tolerance is Extinction - Part 2" spends much of its runtime setting up a big finale. However, there were still plenty of surprises in this eventful half hour.

It's clear that no matter what happens in the next episode, X-Men '97 has been setting up a classic showdown between Charles Xavier and the X-Men and Magneto, with Bastion and his prime sentinels (and Mister Sinister) adding fuel to the confrontation with their own diabolical plans. Fans are no doubt clamoring to see how season 1 concludes, but for now all they can do is wait.

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What happens in X-Men '97 Episode 9?

X-Men '97 Episode 9 begins with an extended montage detailing the aftermath of Magneto's worldwide EMP. Xavier awakens in the ruined X-Mansion; Magneto dons his classic suit and pulls a massive meteor out of the ocean; Bastion returns to his childhood home, surrounded by Prime Sentinels frozen in place. He carries his mother to her bed, tears in his eyes; Jubilee and Roberto run from an angry mob, but are rescued by Storm and Forge.

Cyclops finally confronts Xavier about leaving the team and the school to Magneto. Xavier wanted Cyclops and Jean to be able to live freely without any obligation, while Cyclops argues that no matter what kind of live he led, he would always be pulled back to Xavier and the team. The icy conversation ends without a resolution. Director Emi-Emmett Yonemura pulls a subtle yet effective trick in this scene, placing a barrier in the foreground between Xavier and Cyclops and having Xavier be the one to cross it.

Elsewhere in the mansion, Rogue awakens with Nightcrawler watching over her, while Jubilee, Roberto, Storm, and Forge all return. Jean informs them that the team is relocating to the Muir island headquarters, which will have functional Shi'ar technology.

The team meets to discuss the situation. The Earth's magnetic field is still deteriorating and will be entirely gone by the time the sun sets, according to Storm. One team will find Magneto and convince him to reverse what he has done, while the other will face Bastion at his headquarters in the Galapagos. It is also revealed here that Bastion is the command server for all the prime sentinels, and that shutting him down is crucial to restoring people back to normal. Xavier also reveals that he had once approached Bastion about joining the school thinking he was a mutant, but was shut out by Bastion's mother. With the plan set, Beast and Forge create a device to shut down Bastion's powers.

X-Men '97 episode 9 continues the show's emotional throughline as Rogue and Xavier reminisce about Gambit. Rogue wearing his jacket is a nice touch, and a reminder that she is still grieving. It isn't long before Magneto confronts the team with his massive fortress. As they always have, Xavier and Magneto clash over their differing opinions for the future of mutantkind. Magneto says he is forming a new safe haven for mutants, and asks who will join him. Much to the team's disappointment, Rogue and Roberto take him up on his offer.

At the Muir Island headquarters, Cyclops and Cable share a nice family moment (that includes a hilarious dig at the 2000s X-Men movie). Meanwhile, Xavier meets telepathically with President Kelly, who is hesitant to let the X-Men handle the situation. He warns Xavier that if they fail, he will have to take action. The team suits up in their classic suits (which look great) and head out.

Bastion, sensing the X-Men's arrival, activates a massive fleet of sentinels. The Galapagos team fights back in an impressive action sequence that includes a fun Hulk appearance courtesy of Morph. While the team is well-equipped to fight the sentinels, Jean faces a greater challenge when Mister Sinister singles her out. However, she is able to hold temporarily stop him in a bowling alley (complete with cartoon sound effects, a nice touch). The other team confronts Magneto at his space fortress, prompting another action-packed face-off.

How does X-Men '97 Episode 9 end?

As the mutants do battle with each other, which includes a fight between Jubilee and Roberto, Xavier warns Cyclops that he needs to hijack Magneto's powers before it's too late. On Earth, Morph tries to pull a fast one on Bastion, but the ruse fails, and the team cannot get the neutralizer on him. Storm and Forge are shot out of the sky by sentinels. Despite her efforts, Jean is bested by Sinister, who has taken control of Cable. He blasts her with a massive burst of telekinetic energy (he makes a point of mentioning this is a family trait). In what seem to be her final moments, Jean tells Cyclops she loves him, before the psychic link is broken.

Wolverine manages to remove Magneto's helmet, but before Xavier can complete his plan, Cyclops stops him, saying the other team needs more time. This proves to be a bad decision, as Magneto traps everyone and forces his helmet onto Xavier, blocking his powers.

Magneto and Wolverine finally settle their long-running feud

When it finally seems like Magneto has the upper hand, Wolverine stabs him in the back, telling him that in every war "the brave always die first." It would be hard to top this huge twist, but X-Men '97 episode 9 does it in its final minute. Magneto turns his powers on Wolverine, and in one of the most brutal moments of the series, Magneto rips the adamantium from Logan's bones. The episode ends on the violent tableau of Wolverine screaming in pain.

X-Men '97 episode 9's huge cliffhanger ending leaves the door open for an even more thrilling conclusion in next week's finale, and with such a dark twist closing things out, it's nearly impossible to tell where everything ends up. Fans will just have to wait and see what happens.

X-Men '97 is available to stream on Disney Plus.

X-Men '97

The animated X-Men team returns in the Disney Plus reboot, X-Men '97. With Professor X gone, Cyclops, Wolverine, Jean Grey, and the rest of the mutants find themselves under the leadership of Magneto and facing a new threat. X-Men '97 is the first project under the newly created Marvel Animation banner.

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