As we first revealed on Toonado.com, more promo art for X-Men '97 Season 2 has been revealed. This batch gives us our best look yet at Apocalypse in all his terrifying glory.
Very much in line with the design seen in the comics and X-Men: The Animated Series, we're sure you'll notice the formidable-looking cannon he has for an arm. Apocalypse is expected to be the show's big bad when it returns, and will likely resurrect Gambit as Death, one of his Four Horsemen.
We also get a new shot of En Sabah Nur, and confirmation that Cyclops, Jean Grey, Wolverine, and Storm are stranded in the future (3960 A.D.), while Magneto, Rogue, Beast, and Nightcrawler are in the past (3000 B.C.).
Despite this artwork being all over social media and even Funko Pops for Season 2 being available for pre-order, Marvel Animation has neither announced a premiere date for X-Men '97 Season 2 nor revealed any footage. Hopefully, that will change in the coming weeks, especially as Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is about to wrap up.
Morph is among the characters spotlighted in this promo art, and actor JP Karliak previously teased the mutant's story arc in an interview with Fortress of Solitude.
"I’m proud to say that Morph was killed in the original animated series in the nineties, but he does not suffer that fate in this one, thankfully. Yet. [Laughs]," the actor shared. "Morph’s journey in Season 1 of X-Men ‘97 was really about overcoming the trauma of the original series, reintegrating into the team, finding this chosen family, and pushing through trauma with wit and all of that."
"I think you’ll see just a continuation of that growth and that journey away from the awfulness of being killed, brought back, and mind-controlled by a very evil villain," Karliak added. "The thing that I’ve always joked about is that I want better for Morph. [Laughs]. Wolverine is a great character, but he is a big old pile of damage, and I think Morph needs to have less of that in his life."
"So, I’d like to see Morph get with one of the other canon queer characters in the Marvel Universe, like Northstar, Iceman, Wiccan, or Hulkling."
X-Men '97 features the voices of Ray Chase, Jennifer Hale, Alison Sealy-Smith, Cal Dodd, J. P. Karliak, Lenore Zann, George Buza, A. J. LoCascio, Holly Chou, Isaac Robinson-Smith, Matthew Waterson, Ross Marquand, and Adrian Hough. Neve Campbell has denied that she'll lend her voice to Polaris.
X-Men '97 Season 2 premieres on Disney+ this summer.