X-Men 97 Episode 5 Breakdown: Genosha's Slave Camp Past, the Sentinel Attack Theory and Every Detail Behind Gambit's Death

X-Men 97 episode 5 is packed with comic history, and by the end of it Gambit is dead. This breakdown goes through the episode from the opening titles to the closing scene, including the theory that Mister Sinister rather than Cassandra Nova is behind the Sentinel attack that kills him.

The Intro Hides a Clue That the New Jean Is Actually Madelyne Pryor

Viewers caught something in the title sequence that I missed the first time around: Jean's hair is tied back into a ponytail, the look she wore in the original series, whereas earlier episodes showed her with her hair down. That signals this version is in fact Madelyne Pryor rather than Jean herself. I had no idea why the show made that switch when I covered episodes 1 and 2, and I still am not certain exactly when it happened in the timeline, though I lean toward it taking place during the episode where Mister Sinister kidnapped the pair on their honeymoon.

The intro also adds two new shots this week: a fight between Cable and Apocalypse pulled from the original series, and a scene from the Slave Island storyline, which sets up Genosha's darker history covered later in the episode.

Trish Tilby's Report Shows a Happy X-Mansion, but Scott and Jean Are Drifting Apart

The episode opens on Trish Tilby, the reporter from the original show who introduced X-Factor volume one. In the comics she mostly covers mutant affairs, and here she gives an in-depth tour of the X-mansion, including a moment where Beast blushes around her, a nod to the pair's relationship in the comics. She also interviews Jubilee, and we see the team in their original costumes, with Beast in his regular form and Iceman wearing the yellow boots that first showed up in episode one.

Small details stand out here too: Cyclops is shown asleep on the couch and takes off what looks like a sleep mask, a detail I love even though it is not something I had thought about before. We also get a shot of Jubilee and Roberto growing closer from episode 2, while Scott and Jean are clearly growing further apart, because he has built a life with Madelyne and now has a son that has effectively been torn away from him.

Genosha's UN Membership Carries a History Built on Slavery, Civil War and the Legacy Virus

The good news teased last week is that Genosha is joining the UN, which has been a recurring setting across X-Men media, from its appearance at the end of the first X-Men film to the finale of the original animated series and episode 2 of this season. In the comics, Genosha first appeared in Uncanny X-Men 235, located off the coast of Madagascar and advertised as a paradise and sanctuary for mutants escaping discrimination.

The darker side, shown in the Slave Island storyline referenced last week, is that Genosha was built on enslaving its own population, with anyone carrying the mutant gene shipped off to labor camps. That is based on real concentration camps, with propaganda that made them look like holiday camps. In the show, power dampening collars were placed on the mutants and they were forced into hard labor. In the comics, mutants there were put through a process overseen by a geneticist the show nods to as a version of the Island of Doctor Moreau, and those who tried to escape were tracked down and forced back, with some X-Men kidnapped and taken there.

An X-Factor storyline eventually took that geneticist down, leading to the idea of a better Genosha, which is the version most adaptations, including Dark Phoenix, tend to use, with Magneto simply leading a nation. In X-Men Volume 2 issue 87 the UN actually handed the island over to Magneto. Since then the comics have given it civil wars, the Legacy virus, and an attack by Cassandra Nova, a character who made her live-action debut in Deadpool and Wolverine. Genosha was also where Wanda Maximoff was given sanctuary during House of M. I expect it to become a major location in the MCU, up there with Wakanda in importance, and I like the idea that former villains can still be part of that.

The Magneto and Xavier Statues Reveal a Country Still Divided

On the ground in Genosha, two giant statues of Magneto and Xavier stand as the country's founding fathers, similar to Mount Rushmore. The fact that they stand on opposite sides highlights that the pair still hold somewhat opposed views, even though they came together to build this haven, showing that people have to learn to work together. Among the crowd, some signs read "Magneto was right" while others welcome the X-Men, and even though Magneto has largely shifted toward Charles's mentality, there are clearly still people who fear humans.

The comics had a similar tribute with a giant Magneto Monument located in the capital city of Hammer Bay, alongside other locations like Magda Square.

Nightcrawler's Homecoming Calls Back to His Church Storyline

Nightcrawler, a character who gained wider popularity from X2 but has always been a strong one, has a personal connection to Genosha through Rogue and Gambit, who saved him during the original series. In the episode titled Nightcrawler, he made a home in a church, but the locals feared him as a demon, which tied into his faith being one of his key traits. I am not sure how the comics currently handle his backstory since Mystique was revealed to be his parent there, but that is not the direction the original series took.

Rogue and Gambit ended up saving him from the townsfolk, so it makes sense he would be glad to see them here. The episode leans into direct nods to that church storyline and his need to flee from it, even though the original series moved away from his more swashbuckling side, which this show has embraced.

The Genosha Street Tour Introduces Leech, Pixie, Glob Herman and Dazzler

Nightcrawler takes the pair on a tour through the streets, where several mutants appear. Leech, rescued by Magneto earlier in the series, is shown having been brought to this paradise. Pixie, a Welsh mutant with wings, appears alongside Glob Herman, one of my favorite designs, a completely transparent character made of a wax-like substance that lets you see his eyeballs and skeleton.

Apples reportedly cost 10 dollars in Genosha, justified as the cost of building a secure homeland, though Gambit remains suspicious. Multiple Man, seen briefly last week, also shows up unleashing his powers. Two other mutants in the crowd were hard to identify, with one guess floated not really fitting since the character's powers do not work that way.

Dazzler also appears, first introduced in the original series' episode Dazzler. She has powerful light projection powers and can turn sound into shock waves, and in that original episode she faced off against the Hellfire Club before the X-Men saved her. She also appeared in Dark Phoenix, singing at the forest party scene.

Gambit's Insecurity About Marrying Rogue

While Dazzler performs, Gambit stands to the side with Nightcrawler, who tells him to marry Rogue, though Gambit turns it into a joke. It is clear he is not confident he can provide for her the way she might need.

Rogue and Magneto's Physical Bond Contrasts With Her History With Gambit

Rogue wants a physical connection, and Magneto is the only one who can give her that, because both of their powers involve manipulating the magnetic force of things, which is how she flies and lifts objects, even if magnetic powers is not quite the right way to describe what she does. She can change the intrinsic value of something, which is why the pair can touch, something Gambit cannot offer her.

Jean, Scott and Madelyne's Triangle Points Toward a Villain Turn for Cyclops

Scott is also seen skirting around his relationship, with Jean referred to by her original name, Marvel Girl, and Madelyne pulling his costume out back in episode 2. Jean takes herself to the water, recounting the Phoenix Saga referenced throughout the intro. Scott tells her nothing has changed even though she now holds cosmic power unlike any other, and taking off his glasses lets her hold it back, something that happened both in the original series and in The Last Stand just before Scott was killed off there.

Jean then kisses Logan, which is a significant moment. I actually think Scott may end up with Madelyne, since the two are in love and share a son, which would also let Logan have his happy ending, which is why I do not understand why Cyclops is so frustrated when the answer seems right there.

Trish Tilby brings up hospital records showing Scott has a son, tying back to the moment at the end of episode 2 where the doctor would not deliver their child. That scene turns into a personal disaster where Scott rants about humanity, which might be the start of his villain arc. In Avengers vs X-Men, he ends up siding with the mutants after being possessed by the Phoenix Force, and remains a criminal even after it is taken from him, something I would love to see this show follow through on.

The Genoshan Council Brings Together Sebastian Shaw, Emma Frost and Moira MacTaggert

Back on Genosha, a council of mutants includes Sebastian Shaw and Emma Frost of the Hellfire Club, alongside Banshee, rocking his original Scottish accent, and Moira MacTaggert, who also appeared in live action in First Class and is an ally to mutants because of her personal relationship with Charles. Callisto provides a voice for the Morlocks. Charles's absence is felt heavily here, and Magneto recounts their first meeting in Germany, where depending on the version, he was hunting the SS while Charles tried to steer him away from revenge. The council represents different segments of society debating mutant affairs.

Madelyne and Scott Share a Tender Moment Over Baby Nathan

Back at the mansion, Madelyne asks Cyclops to talk about Nathan and see his eyes behind the glasses, a humanizing detail since his eyes are normally hidden. A photo shows him in costume just after Nathan was born, having just come from fighting at the UN. Jean later has Madelyne kicked out of the lobby, and flies off the handle over the fact that she and Scott only shared a psychic kiss, unlike the real one Jean just had with Logan.

Rogue's Flashback Replays Her Savage Land Romance With Magneto

Rogue's origin story plays out here, forced by her mother down a certain path, absorbing powers from Avalanche and later falling for Magneto during his time in the Savage Land, shown through her dress in that scene. As an empath who absorbs memories, that ability made a real relationship with Gambit difficult.

The Episode Title "Remember It" Ties Every Character's Arc Together

The episode is titled Remember It, and that phrase runs through several characters: Scott being taken back into his memories, Jean struggling with hers, and Rogue finding it difficult to remember her past with Magneto while he struggles with his own memories too. One line captures it: "My love for you is the one thing I remember amid this pain and insanity." The phrase also pays off later with Gambit.

Uatu the Watcher Appears Among the Stars Before Disaster Strikes

In the night sky, Uatu the Watcher can be made out among the stars, signaling that something major is about to happen, since the Watchers typically only appear at events that require a witness.

The Party Scene Plants Marrow, Cable's Voice and a Clue to the Attacker

At a mutant party, Rogue is shown rubbing her closeness with Magneto in Gambit's face while dancing to nineties inspired pop, though she breaks it off once she realizes her connection with Magneto is purely physical compared to the deeper one she has with Gambit. Nathan is zapped in the forehead, where Mister Sinister's gems are held, and with closed captions on, Cable's voice can be heard in that moment, foreshadowing his eventual arrival. Marrow, seen on a missing poster back in episode 1, is also spotted in the crowd, though it is too late for anyone to collect the reward before the attack begins. Bishop's return here shows how dire the situation must be for him to have to travel back in time to try to stop what is about to happen. I think we may eventually see events from his point of view as he tries to prevent this, and that it could end up being reversed through time travel.

Theories on Who Is Really Behind the Sentinel Attack

When the explosion rocks the capital, a Wild Sentinel is among the attackers, which I believe is the one Cassandra Nova unleashed in Grant Morrison's New X-Men run. I do not think Nova is actually behind this attack though. Given the green magic on display and Madelyne having a meltdown, I think it is more likely tied to Mister Sinister, since his whole reason for cloning Jean was so she could have a baby with Scott that he could later use as a weapon, which is why I think Cable's arrival connects to this story too. It is worth noting that in the closed captions, the line is "he's coming" rather than "she," which supports it not being Nova. Something must have gone seriously wrong since we last saw Bishop for him to need to travel back this far.

Gambit's Death Saving Leech Delivers the Episode's Devastating Finale

The Morlocks are wiped out in the attack, which makes their hopelessness even more impactful when Gambit bursts in. His triumph does not last though, because after Magneto works to save Leech, calling back to episode 2, Gambit goes down while spouting gambling puns, and "it's what he would have wanted" as he supercharges the Sentinel and destroys it, dropping the episode's title, Remember It, as his final words. His genetic eyes turn to runes while the X-Men watch. Back at the mansion, Rogue reacts in a moment styled like the Death of Superman, unable to feel Gambit's emotions, and finally touches him for the first time only once he has died, closing the episode with sad piano music over the scene. As I put it, "what a devastating way to close out the episode."

Next Episode Preview: Storm, Forge and the Adversary

The next episode picks up the Storm story thread and is titled Life Death Part Two. In the comics, Forge tries to help Storm realize she is a goddess without her powers, telling her "you are a goddess," before she discovers he was actually behind the weapon that took her abilities in the first place. The show is taking a different route by giving more focus to Forge's Cheyenne roots rather than the comic version, where Forge lives isolated in a penthouse surrounded by expensive objects and art, detached from other mutants, which Storm criticizes him for.

The villain Adversary, an ancient demonic entity that wants to reset the universe and wipe out all life within it, works a little differently here than in the comics, similar in method to a great trickster like Loki. Shamans were trained from birth to combat this threat, including Forge, who instead chose to leave that path and join the Army. Storm eventually convinces herself that Adversary is controlling Forge and using him to build a portal that would bring forth interdimensional demons, leading her to track him down hiding in the mountains, where he had laced mystical alarms into the cliffside. After stabbing Forge, she learns the truth, that he was actually trying to close the portal, and both of them fall through it into a parallel universe. It will be interesting to see whether the show follows that same path.