X-Men ’97 Season 3 Villains Revealed in Post-Credits Scene

August 12, 2026

Spoilers ahead for the X-Men ’97 season 2 finale.

The second season of X-Men ’97 closes with a post-credits sequence that points towards a dangerous new chapter. Apocalypse may have dominated season 2, but the next threat appears to be a team-up involving Mystique, the Brotherhood of Mutants and an openly anti-mutant US president.

The scene also hides several Easter eggs, including references to Mystique’s family, her past identities and some of the mutant villains connected to her.

What happens in the season 2 post-credits scene?

In the finale, Valerie Cooper joins Cable and X-Force in an attempt to kill Gambit before Apocalypse can take control of his body. The plan fails, and Gambit’s death instead releases Apocalypse. Rogue ultimately saves Gambit and traps Apocalypse inside a gem, aided by the same Celestial responsible for transforming En Sabah Nur into Apocalypse.

Kurt Wagner sacrifices himself so Rogue and Gambit can remain together, trusting that his death may help the X-Men create a better future. That hope is immediately challenged by the post-credits reveal.

Graydon Creed, a committed anti-mutant politician, has been elected president. His administration could revive the Sentinels programme, placing the X-Men under renewed political and military pressure.

In Washington, D.C., Cooper watches the election coverage while reviewing a mutant threat assessment file on Mystique, the shapeshifting mutant. The real Cooper then enters the office. Mystique shoots and kills her, confirming that the file’s warning is more than bureaucratic speculation.

Mystique’s file is packed with X-Men references

Mystique’s heavily censored dossier identifies her children as Graydon Creed, Kurt Wagner and Anne-Marie Darkholme, the latter being Rogue’s real name. Her principal alias is given as Raven, while the additional names Randall C, Rebecca R, Jennifer D and Jennifer L point to performers who have portrayed the character.

Randall Carpenter and Jennifer Dale provided Mystique’s voice in X-Men: The Animated Series. Rebecca Romijn and Jennifer Lawrence played her in the live-action X-Men films. The names therefore connect the animated revival with several earlier versions of the character.

The dossier also includes photographs of Mystique’s known associates. The images are difficult to identify in full, but Magneto, Blob, Toad, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are clearly part of the lineup.

It describes Mystique as “determined to attack the United States”, a conclusion she appears to validate. Although Apocalypse killed Magneto during season 2, the evidence suggests that season 3 will place Mystique at the head of the Brotherhood of Mutants as it confronts both mutantkind’s enemies and the X-Men.

X-Factor leader Valerie Cooper in X-Men '97

Who could appear alongside the main villains?

Mystique, the Brotherhood and Graydon Creed look set to form the central opposition in season 3, but the series has consistently made room for additional threats.

Season 1 centred on Bastion and the Sentinels while also featuring Mister Sinister, Adversary and Mojo. Apocalypse was season 2’s main villain, yet the story introduced the Brood, Exodus and Danger as well. That broad roster leaves plenty of scope for one-off antagonists alongside the season’s larger conflict.

For more entertainment and gaming news, browse RETROCADE’s Arcade Blog and explore our arcade videos.

When will X-Men ’97 season 3 be released?

Production on X-Men ’97 season 3 has been completed, and the season is scheduled for release in 2027. An exact date has not been announced, although the expected window is sometime during the Australian winter, corresponding with a summer premiere in the United States.

The series has already been renewed for a fourth season. That makes another post-credits tease a possibility, with season 3 potentially setting up the next major threat before the following chapter begins.