X-Men '97 episode 5 recap and review - the show chose violence today

I can only use this expression every once in a while here, but this episode definitely warrants it: holy shit. Let's all just take a minute to process what we've just witnessed.

Last episode, X-men '97 had a fun adventure in video game land and we were introduced to a terrifying new villain - The Adversary. Today's episode cranks it up to eleven in an episode that touches on relationship problems, adding Genosha to the UN, and... tears.

Let's take a look at how this episode, "Remember It", managed to rip our hearts out for a hot minute.

SPOILER WARNING FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T WATCHED "REMEMBER IT" YET - READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Gambit, Rogue, and Magneto are the weirdest love triangle ever, but it's completely understandable. Rogue loves Gambit, but the fact she can actually touch Magneto (something-something, the Daddy of Magnetism's powers can prevent her from sucking up his life force) is understandably appealing to her. Sure, she's a mutant, but just like humans, mutants also have their needs. Magneto being able to fulfill her physical needs can sometimes cloud Gambit's romantic antics even though she does love him - and this is something Rogue has to deal with on a whole new level after the end of the episode.

"You light up everything you touch, except me."
"Some things are deeper than skin."

Jean and Logan share a moment that had younger-Cam-watching-X-Men-in-the-early-2000s squealing. Jean gives a heartfelt TL;DR on why she loves Scott very much, only to kiss Logan right afterward. Why can't these mutants just be faithful??

"You're Jean Grey. He's Scott Summers. Those are the rules. You just forgot 'em for a sec."

If this were Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, he'd never say that. Just sayin'.

Things start to go into Dr. Phil territory as the X-Men crew gets interviewed, and Scott does a whole 180 when the topic of Nathan Summers comes up. For those who don't remember, Scott and Jean's clone, Madelyn Pryor, had a child together in the third episode. Nobody knew she was Jean's close, including Madelyne herself, and Nathan was taken away to another dimension at the end of the episode. Scott gets angry and... telepathically calls Madelyne to talk about it? Jean catches him in the act, claiming telepathic communications were their thing. This creates a whole new type of infidelity.

While I understand that Scott is spiraling because of everything going on, him saying he loves them both is kinda cringy.

And this is where things get absolutely nuts.

We get to see my all-time favorite X-Men, Nightcrawler, for a little bit as we see that Genosha, the place where mutants hoped to catch a break, finally gets a seat at the big kids' table by joining the United Nations. Yay, right? Well, it's all fun and games until things go south faster than a goose in winter. Just when you're starting to feel all warm and fuzzy inside, the episode pulls a 180 and turns into a nightmare faster than you can say "Sentinels."

We see Nathan Summers, aka Cable, appear through a portal begging Jean to turn the music off and to get everyone out of there, only to be sucked back into his dimension while saying a very heavy "I'm so sorry, Mom". What follows next is absolute annihilation.

Enter the Sentinels, those giant, mutant-hunting robots that have about as much empathy as a teaspoon. They decide that Genosha looks better in ruins, and who's there to stop them? Our favorite trio: Magneto, Rogue, and Gambit. Except, it's like bringing a knife to a rocket launcher fight. Mutants are dying left and right, getting pulverized by these Sentinels in a sequence that literally left me glued to the screen with my hand over my mouth.

Magneto, bless his magnetic heart, tries to take down the Sentinel mothership with a train (yes, a train), but ends up being overpowered and - brace yourselves - killed. Yes.

The Daddy of Magnetism is dead.

Just as we're trying to process that shock, Gambit, in a last-ditch effort to save the day, sacrifices himself in an explosion that takes down the mothership. The episode leaves us with Rogue holding Gambit, uttering the heart-wrenching words, "I can’t feel you," and me scrambling for tissues.

Is Magneto really gone for good? He was last seen getting a laser facial from the mothership, and though the Sentinel declared "Omega Level Threat Eliminated," we're left hanging without seeing a body. So, the big question remains: Is he, or isn't he?

The episode ends with more questions than answers, leaving us all impatiently waiting for the next one to drop. Will Magneto make a miraculous return? Will the X-Men recover from this double whammy of loss? Before disappearing into his portal, Cable says "Not again." Is this a time travel loop and, if so, how many times has this happened?

I, for one, highly doubt this is the last thing we will see on the Genosha attack. I am a firm believer that we're in for some trippy time-traveling loop, which means could very well see this scene play out at least once more in a different (or identical) way. This means Magneto and Gambit could both return and, with a 3-parter finale, I am pretty sure this is what the show will be diving into next.

Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure: X-Men '97 is not pulling any punches, and we're all here for the emotional rollercoaster.

So, mark your calendars for next Tuesday, April 17th, because episode 6 promises to either heal our broken hearts or smash them into even tinier pieces. Until then, keep those tissues handy and maybe, just maybe, start that therapy fund because, in case this didn't make it clear enough, we're in for a wild ride.