‘X-Men ’97’ Season 2 Episode 4 Ending Features Two-Avenger Reunion After Credits

‘X-Men ’97‘ fans experienced a mix of shock and excitement this week. Season 2 episode 4 delivered a devastating blow to the core team, followed by a rewarding scene for those who stayed through the credits, hinting at the show’s future direction.

The episode, titled ‘Rise of Apocalypse Part II,’ wraps up the team’s confrontation with Kang the Conqueror Variant, Rama-Tut, and includes a surprising character death at the hands of Apocalypse. Magneto takes a blast to the chest, seemingly concluding Erik Magnus Lehnsherr’s journey. While it’s a heart-wrenching moment, longtime fans know that deaths in this franchise often come with twists, especially for such a pivotal character.

Indeed, ‘X-Men ’97’ features an end credits scene in season 2 episode 4 that is far from a mere tease. Unlike some Marvel projects that are filled with cameos, this episode introduces two Avengers in a post-credits scene. The stinger shifts away from the chaos of the main timeline to present a quieter, more intimate moment.

After the credits, viewers witness a reunion between Captain America and Wolverine, who is joined by Black Widow. The choice to bring these characters together is significant.

Black Widow appears in her eighties nineties outfit, complete with a black jumpsuit and short hair, reminiscent of the iconic Jim Lee cover of Uncanny X-Men issue 268 featuring Wolverine, Captain America, and Black Widow together.

This reunion carries emotional weight. The post-credits scene shows Wolverine traveling to Paris to meet Captain America and Black Widow, where they share brief memories of their teamwork from fifty years ago. It feels less like a random cameo and more like a meaningful callback to the show’s established history.

The emotional moment serves as a vehicle for a larger plot development. Captain America hands Logan a file labeled Weapon X, indicating Wolverine’s intent to revisit the organization that originally gave him his indestructible metal. This detail resonates deeply with fans who have followed Wolverine’s journey throughout both seasons of the revival.

This file drop sets the stage for next week’s episode. Captain America and Black Widow pass off Weapon X files to Logan, the secretive organization that provided Wolverine with his adamantium skeleton. Both Steve and Natasha attempt to dissuade Logan from pursuing Weapon X alone, but he reassures them that he has backup.

Given that Wolverine lost his adamantium skeleton when Magneto tore it from him in season one, this moment feels like the beginning of his journey back to his classic appearance and abilities.

The timing is also deliberate. Episode 5 is titled Weapon X, Lies and DVDs, serving as a sequel to the classic episode Weapon X, Lies and Video Tapes. This connection has longtime fans of the original nineties series buzzing, suggesting that the new season is not only referencing classic titles but also continuing one of its most memorable story arcs.

What makes this cameo impactful is how sparingly ‘X-Men ’97’ incorporates outside characters. While the show embraces the broader Marvel Universe, the cameos are used judiciously, allowing the narrative to maintain its brisk pace. This restraint is precisely why this scene resonates more than a random surprise appearance.

Captain America is familiar with this segment of the Marvel Animated universe. He was a significant guest in season one, appearing in episode seven to confront Rogue, who sought revenge after Gambit’s death. Captain America had also featured in the original X-Men animated series, teaming up with Wolverine during World War II in the episode Old Soldiers.

Black Widow’s presence is also well-founded, as she reprises her role from What If, providing a built-in connection rather than creating a new dynamic from scratch.

For comic book enthusiasts, there’s an additional layer of depth. In the comics, Natasha Romanoff has a history with Wolverine, having met him as a child when he and Captain America saved her from perilous mystical rituals, a backstory established in Madripoor Knights, a significant part of Chris Claremont’s Uncanny X-Men run.

Whether the show will explore that relationship further remains to be seen, but the connection is now firmly established onscreen.

With Magneto seemingly out of the picture, Wolverine’s adamantium missing, and two Avengers now intertwined in the Weapon X storyline, ‘X-Men ’97’ has laid the groundwork for its next episode. Will Captain America and Black Widow actually join Wolverine’s mission into Weapon X, or is this the last we see of them this season?