Collider argues that X-Men ’97’s second-season finale mishandles Apocalypse, leaving his return as the main villain feeling underwhelming despite a strong opening half and impressive animation. The article says this matters because Apocalypse is one of the X-Men’s most formidable comic-book adversaries, yet screen adaptations have repeatedly struggled to give him clear motivations and a satisfying resolution.

In the penultimate episode, Apocalypse appears to transfer his soul into the resurrected Gambit after recovering his body from Genosha, apparently echoing the Horsemen storyline from the comics. However, the article argues that it remains unclear whether Gambit’s behaviour towards Rogue is his own, caused by corruption, or controlled by Apocalypse, while the villain’s wider objective is never properly explained. It contrasts this with X-Men: The Animated Series’ “Beyond Good and Evil” storyline, in which Apocalypse’s plan to remake reality gave him a clearer, more conclusive defeat.