Recap: Nightcrawler Pleads to Save the Life of a Mutant Hater in Season 2, Episode 7 of "X-Men '97"

Since Apocalypse killed Magneto in the fourth episode of the ongoing second season of X-Men '97 on Disney+, we have seen Wolverine fight off an alien invasion and Polaris return to the ranks of the X-Men. What we have not seen, is the season's apparent big bad resurface to further challenge the X-Men. Now, with only three episodes remaining, Nightcrawler takes us on another side quest to plead for the life of his half brother.

The episode opens with a flashback to the attack on Genosha, where we see two familiar mutants in the fray: Colossus and Magik. They attempt to save other mutants from the chaos but Magik gets caught in the blast from the giant sentinel and is seemingly killed. Colossus mourns the loss of his sister before we jump back to present day.

At a rally for known mutant hater Graydon Creed, ha officially announces his candidacy for President of the United States. The rally is stoped shot though when a group of mutants break in and storm the stage. The team includes Colossus, who approaches Creed himself. Eventually, we see that the leader of this group is a mutant known as Exodus. In the comics, Exodus has a history with both Apocalypse and Magneto, so his inclusion in this season makes a lot of sense.

A news report lets us know that this new group is called the Acolytes of Magneto and they are continuing his mission. Exodus delivers a message on the news, demanding the mutants detained by X-Factor be released or they will kill Graydon Creed. During this report, we see Pyro and Avalanche, two X-Men villains, delighted to hear this message from Exodus.

At X-Corp, the X-Men meet to discuss this new threat. Rogue acknowledges that this is a difficult situation for Nightcrawler because Creed is his half brother. In one of the more problematic family trees of the Marvel universe, Nightcrawler is the son of Mystique and Creed is the son of both Mystique and Sabretooth.

Val Cooper tries to talk Charles out of getting involved with the Acolytes but he informs her the X-Men are already on their way to the base. We then see a team consisting of Beast, Rogue, Nightcrawler, Polaris and Bishop en route to the Savage Land, where the Acolytes have found a home. Their jet gets blasted with a wave of energy before a pair of missiles are launched at them. Beast tries to evade them but they get hit. Rogue tries to fly off but it appears the energy that hit them has removed their powers.

Bishop is flung from the jet and Polaris launches after him, catching him just in time with a parachute in hand. On the ground, they narrowly avoid a T-rex before Bishop buckles in pain. He explains that he absorbed some of the energy that hit their jet but because his power to release that energy is blocked, it's just building inside him. They set off together to find the rest of the team.

Elsewhere, Nightcrawler, Rogue and Beast emerge from the wreckage of their jet and are greeted by Colossus and other Acolytes. They eventually come to an agreement to go to the home of the Acolytes, where the X-Men will hear them out and give them a chance to explain their side.

In the Acolytes' base, which is formerly the home of Mister Sinister, Colossus shows the team a tribute to those lost in Genosha, including Magik. He also brings them to see Creed, who is not happy to see his half brother. Exodus joins them in Creed's cell and eventually, he and Nightcrawler come to an agreement to allow Creed a trial held by mutants to determine his future. To up the stakes, Nightcrawler agrees to join the ranks of the Acolytes if he cannot convince them to spare Creed. He also requests that Colossus act as both judge and jury in this trial.

Out in the jungle, Bishop and Polaris rummage throw the crashed jet to collect some weapons for their journey through the Savage Land. They decide they need to take out the inhibitor tower at the Acolytes base, which has been suppressing the X-Men's powers.

In the base, the Acolytes gather for the trial of Graydon Creed, who remains defiant. Exodus explains Creed's crimes, which is met with the support of all of those in attendance. Nightcrawler bases his defense on Creed's troubled upbringing and the abuse he suffered at the hands of Sabretooth, after Mystique abandoned him. He makes the argument that he does not hate all mutants, but rather just the two who hurt him. It seems he is trying to convince Creed himself as much as he is the Acolytes and, more importantly, Colossus.

Colossus is about to render his verdict when Exodus grows impatient and attacks him. In the distance though, they can all see the inhibitor tower exploding, leading to the return of the X-Men's powers. A fight ensues and Nightcrawler and Exodus put on the best (albeit only) sword fight this series has seen. Nightcrawler eventually gets the upper hand but Exodus refuses to yield. Just before he attempts to fight back though, Exodus is shot from behind by Creed, who got his hands on a gun in the chaos.

Creed grabs hold of Nightcrawler and holds him at gunpoint. Nightcrawler teleports to an unknown snow-covered location. Even after all of this, Nightcrawler decides to spare his half brother and leaves him in the snow.

Cooper scolds Xavier for the treatment of Creed, but the Professor tells her he was alive, as he promised. Cooper threatens to shut down both X-Corp and his school if he crosses a line. Back at the X-Mansion, the team returns with Colossus now rejoining their ranks. He tells Nightcrawler that his verdict was going to be to find Creed guilty but admits that he would have convinced Magik.

In Athens, Cable and X-Force try to sneak up on Apocalypse. Instead, they find a corpse wearing Apocalypse's technology. Cable questions how this could have happened and Jubilee finds a single playing card. It appears the creation of his latest horseman did not work out so well for Apocalypse after all.

This is a very interesting twist on the story. Not only have we not yet seen Apocalypse emerge to face the X-Men, but now it appears we won't be seeing this at all. Instead, it now seems as though the resurrected Gambit is now the true big bad. Still, with all of the time travel at play in this season, I wouldn't completely rule out Apocalypse just yet.

X-Men '97 season two is now streaming on Disney+.