Just six years after bringing the character into a live-action movie for the first time, Marvel Studios has officially killed off a popular X-Men hero. While the X-Men will be joining the live-action MCU in the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday, another Marvel Studios project is going to bring them to the screen first. X-Men ’97 is bringing back the animated versions of the characters with a second season starting July 1, but the mutant superhero team’s roster will be reduced by one.
X-Men ’97 season 2 has already confirmed that it’s going to kill off Magik, real name Illyana Rasputina. Interestingly enough, Magik’s death comes just six years after the character made her live-action debut in The New Mutants in 2020, where she was played by Anya Taylor-Joy. While The New Mutants and X-Men ’97 exist in different continuities, the upcoming series is still set to be the character’s first proper appearance on screen, and it’s going to kill her off.
X-Men ’97 Season 2’s Trailer Confirmed Magik Died At Genosha
During the first trailer for X-Men ’97 season 2, Colossus could briefly be seen kneeling over a dead body in the ruins of Genosha. The clip was short and presented from quite a distance away, so it was hard to tell exactly who he was mourning, but blonde hair and yellow boots could be seen in the image. Another clip later in the trailer, however, revealed a memorial to fallen mutants that centered around Magik, which seems to indicate that Colossus was mourning her death.
It now seems that X-Men ’97 season 2 has confirmed that Magik died during the attack on Genosha by the Master Mold and Sentinels in season 1. That’s a bit of a change, as both Magik and Colossus were among the many heroes who didn’t appear in X-Men ’97 season 1. The scale of the tragedy at Genosha went far beyond the mutants who were featured in the show, however, and Magik evidently ended up being one of the thousands of mutants who were killed.
Additionally, at the end of X-Men ’97 season 1, Forge had a corkboard with pictures of several mutants and their suspected whereabouts, and Magik wasn’t listed as dead. That, however, can be explained by Colossus, as he probably didn’t check in with Forge before burying his sister’s body. Clearly, thanks to the memorial shrine pictured above, the X-Men are going to discover that Magik has died at some point in X-Men ’97 season 2.
There’s also a chance that Magik didn’t actually die during the initial destruction of Genosha in season 1. Thanks to Bishop, Cable, and Apocalypse all being part of the confirmed lineup of X-Men ’97 season 2, the new season is going to dive heavily into time travel. X-Men ’97 season 2 could kill off Magik during an alternate timeline, during another battle at the ruins of Genosha, or in any other number of ways. Regardless of how it happens, however, it seems that Magik will be dead in season 2.
What Magik’s Death Means For X-Men ’97 Season 2
Magik wasn’t a very important character in either X-Men: The Animated Series or X-Men ’97, but her death should still have major consequences for the latter series. Magik only appeared a handful of times in animation; for three episodes as Illyana Rasputina in the original series, and Morph briefly transformed into her in X-Men ’97 season 1. She’s far from a central member of the X-Men, but she is important to them.
The main effect of Magik’s death will be felt by her brother, Colossus. This will be a devastating loss for Colossus, as he and Illyana were incredibly close in X-Men ’97‘s timeline. She was the reason he barely appeared in the original series, as he opted to care for her instead of joining the X-Men. Without her, Colossus could go to a very dark place emotionally, and he could be out for bloody revenge against Bastion for orchestrating the attack on Genosha.
X-Men ’97 Season 4 Is Officially In Development At Marvel
Ahead of X-Men ’97 season 2 premiering on Disney+, one of the show’s executive producers has confirmed that season 4 is also being worked on.
Without Magik to protect, Colossus could also decide to become a proper member of the X-Men in X-Men ’97 season 2. His main reason for going out on his own was Magik, and now that she’s gone, Colossus could rededicate himself to being a superhero and helping to protect all of mutantkind. He should be a powerful ally in the fight against Apocalypse, and Colossus may even be enough to turn the tide in X-Men ’97.
- Release Date
-
March 20, 2024
- Network
-
Disney+
- Directors
-
Jake Castorena, Emi Yonemura, Chase Conley
- Writers
-
Charlie Feldman, Anthony Sellitti, Beau DeMayo, JB Ballard