Warning: This review contains full spoilers for X-Men ’97 Season 2, Episode 5!
That we’re already halfway through season two and only now getting our first Wolverine-centric episode of the series says a lot about the priorities of the X-Men 97 writers. It’s a far cry from the approach taken in the classic X-Men: The Animated Series, and I’d say it benefits the new show in many ways. But ultimately, Cal Dodd’s Logan had to take center stage, especially in light of his loss of adamantium in the first season. That’s why it’s a little surprising that X-Men ’97 ends up doing so little with Wolverine’s post-adamantium status quo.
As the title suggests, Weapon X, Lies and the DVD is essentially a sequel to the original Weapon X, Lies and the Videotape series, once again focusing on Wolverine’s sordid history with the Weapon X program. This time, Logan assembles a team to infiltrate Weapon X’s new facility, but his allies discover he has ulterior motives for returning to the belly of the beast.
Stills from the trailer for the second season of “X-Men ’97”
First of all, it’s good. Episode 5 is a clear throwback to classic ’80s action films like Predator and Aliens, with direct homages to both films. Who doesn’t love a good story about a bunch of muscle-bound grunts who go on a mission only to realize they’re right in the air? I didn’t quite expect characters like Sabretooth (Daryn De Paul), Lady Deathstrike (Erika Ishii) and Maverick (Crispin Freeman) to be reintroduced in X-Men ’97, but the approach works. And there’s something fitting about Wolverine and Yuriko’s reunion turning into a conflict over alien invaders once again.
It also helps that Episode 5 is as much a Morph-based story as anything else. This is a character that never really got the attention it deserves in the new series, and this installment goes a long way to making up for lost time. It touches deeply on the strange connection between these two, further calling into question whether what Morph (J.P. Karliak) feels for Logan is pure friendship or something more akin to unrequited love. This episode only proves that Morph needs to be in the spotlight more often.
But again, not all is well in episode five, and a lot of that has to do with what I consider X-Men 97’s only real flaw. This series tends to move too fast for its own good, tearing through classic Marvel comics source material with reckless abandon. This issue is rearing its head here on more than one front. As fun as it is to see the Brood introduced in this universe (complete with homage to Marc Silvestri’s Uncanny X-Men #234 cover), it’s a little strange to see them treated like an afterthought. They are a means to an end to force Logan back into that adamantium tank, even though they should be a threat worthy of the X-Men as a whole. I suppose there’s nothing stopping the show from returning to the Brood in the future, but will it?
What We Thought About X-Men ’97 Season 2 Episode 4
“The second season of X-Men ’97 continues to fire on all cylinders, with episode four being its strongest installment to date. Apocalypse Rising: Part II cleverly concludes this extended look at the origins of the X-Men’s most fearsome villain. While not every character gets enough room to shine, the focus on the core conflict between Xavier, Magneto and En Sabah Nur gives the series all the emotional weight it could ever need. In the end, we gain a better understanding of this all-powerful enemy and bid a wonderful farewell to one of the series’ most fascinating and important characters.” -Jesse Schedeen, July 8, 2026
Click here to read our full review.
What’s worse is how abruptly X-Men 97 ends the Adamantium Logan storyline. I was afraid this would happen when the trailer spoiled the fact that he’d already gotten his metal back, but that doesn’t make it any less disappointing now that it’s happened. In the comics, Logan’s loss of his adamantium was the catalyst for literally years of storylines as he struggled with the psychological and physical consequences. Not all of these stories were great, but you can’t blame writers like Larry Hama for not using this particular plot twist to its fullest.
The time jump after the first season didn’t help matters on that front, but the point remains that the show doesn’t do much to delve into Logan’s mindset as he deals with the decapitation of fangs. The downside to Episode 5’s morphocentric approach is that it doesn’t really focus too much on Wolverine, especially the pre-infected version. The final reveal that he feels like a nobody without his signature claws certainly rings true, and I hope the series continues to pull that thread however and whenever possible. But why couldn’t X-Men ’97 delve deeper into Logan’s plight before returning the adamantium? Why couldn’t we get a spiritual successor to the first season’s “Life and Death” episodes? There remains so much storytelling potential here. Episode 5 is a fun ride, but it could have been more than that.