10 New Mutants We Want To See in X-Men ’97 Season 2

We are finally getting the next X-Men ’97 season after 2 whole years of waiting. With an explosive trailer that featured five superhero teams, the Age of Apocalypse is set to be a terrifyingly high-stakes mission for the mutants. Following the events of season 1, our heroes are fractured across different timelines, and it looks like they’ll be getting help from new and returning Marvel characters, as observed in the trailer.

Season 1 of X-Men ’97 blew everybody away with its retro aesthetic combined with stellar writing and voice performances. The hype for season 2 just took another big leap with fan-favourite additions like Colossus, Psylocke, and Archangel, to name a few. With comic-accurate teams including X-Factor and X-Force, what are some other mutants we would love to see in the second season?

1 Shadowcat (Kitty Pryde)

Fans were genuinely left wondering where Kitty Pryde was in the X-Men ’97 roster as everybody eagerly awaits to see if she’ll make her debut here. Her phasing power would complement the animation style of the show. Given that she’s an integral character for emotional arcs, it’s easy to see her presence balancing out the show’s hard-hitting veterans. With multiple squads in Season 2, Kitty can be positioned as a leader of a younger generation for a fresh POV.

2 Northstar

Northstar would make for a deep-cut X-Men mutant who can showcase the team politics on global mutant visibility. He is a founding member of Alpha Flight, with his powers being ideal for animation. A queer speedster with an abrasive personality, Jean-Paul Beaubier could potentially slot into the lineup for any government-adjacent storylines. The inclusion of an LGBTQ+ character would modernize the show in a revolutionary manner.

3 Scarlet Witch

Wanda Maximoff is one of the strongest mutants to exist, and the world knows of her reality-warping powers in the MCU. With X-Men ’97 being built around fractured timelines and alternate futures, her powers would snugly fit into the jigsaw puzzle. She is capable of standing toe-to-toe with Apocalypse, making her an asset on any of the future or past squads as a walking, talking mutant of mayhem.

4 Quicksilver

Pietro showing up as a wildcard would be unpredictable and also wonderful for the X-Men as an aid. His speed is unrivalled, making him ideal for action sequences. His complicated ties to Magneto work well in ancient Egypt, and if we see Wanda as well, the Maximoff twins will be a powerful dynamic duo for any side. Quicksilver is a morally gray piece on the chessboard, shifting between teams in this action-packed season.

5 Cannonball

Sam Guthrie as Cannonball is an ideal choice for a new mutant introduction if the show leans heavily into X-Force and X-Factor. With multiple crucial members of X-Force led by Cable confirmed for the show, Cannonball’s absence is notable. Sam’s blast-field powers would make for a great visual spectacle in a giant battlefield, and his Southern energy will add charm to the show’s rookie roster.

6 Warlock

Warlock’s pure chaos is sorely needed in a fight against Apocalypse. This techno-organic alien mutant would give the show an expansion into cosmic territory with its body-horror possibilities, as animators can let their art go wild with designs. Pairing Warlock with Cannonball would add the New Mutants vibe that the show can utilize for its on-field battle.

7 Dani Moonstar

Dani Moonstar is an ideal candidate for Season 2 of X-Men ’97, given the show’s theme around genocide. She can be put into any one of the major squads, using her fear-based illusions and psychic powers as a launching pad into battle. Her Valkyrie connections that stem from trauma tie in well with the looming apocalypse, and can act as a counterpart to Jean and Rachel’s own trauma from the war.

8 Dust

Dust is an underrated mutant from the X-Men universe who would fit well into the retro vibe of the show. Her ability to transform into and manipulate sand fits perfectly well into the ancient Egypt setting, where Magneto and his team go against En Sabah Nur. Despite no confirmation of her presence, we would like to see her slide into the Apocalypse arc.

9 X-23

In the far future, Wolverine has been de-adamantized and left relying on his bone claws. However, while Cyclops and Jean Grey are confirmed to be stranded together in 3960 A.D., Wolverine’s exact timeline and grouping remain a mystery based on the latest trailer footage. With a dire need for a clawed mutant, X-23 can snatch up the slot given her modern lore in the universe. Even as X-Force and X-Factor come together, her absence is conspicuous. X-23, or Laura, will lend the show an important storyline alongside Cable as she isn’t weighed down by past links to Apocalypse, like Wolverine.

10 Rachel Summers as Marvel Girl

The time-travel setup makes Rachel Summers’ presence crucial to the larger story, but she has yet to be framed into X-Men ’97. The Summers family saga has been an important part of the show so far, and her presence will only deepen the character arcs established. Making her Marvel Girl will position her as the mutant who bears the burden of endless timelines and psychic war. Arguably, this could make her the intimate core for the season during the mega conflict.

Here is a summary of the characters discussed.

CharacterPowersWhy We Want to See Them

Shadowcat (Kitty Pryde)	Phasing	Provides emotional balance, acts as a fresh POV leader for the younger generation, and her powers fit the show’s animation style.
Northstar (Jean-Paul Beaubier)	Speedster	The abrasive personality and queer identity would push Marvel’s show into modernized territory with powerful government-adjacent storylines.
Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)	Reality-warping	Fits perfectly into the fractured timeline plot and is strong enough to stand toe-to-toe with Apocalypse.
Quicksilver (Pietro)	Unrivaled speed	Serves as an unpredictable wildcard for action sequences and has compelling ties to Magneto in the ancient Egypt setting.
Cannonball (Sam Guthrie)	Blast-field generation	Delivers visual spectacle in giant battles and adds Southern charm to the rookie mutant roster.
Warlock	Techno-organic body manipulation	Expands the show into cosmic, body-horror territory and brings much-needed chaos to the fight against Apocalypse.
Dani Moonstar	Fear-based illusions and psychic abilities	Connects thematically to trauma and genocide, acting as a strong counterpart to the struggles of Jean and Rachel.
Dust	Sand transformation and manipulation	Fits seamlessly into the show’s retro vibe and perfectly suits the ancient Egypt storyline against En Sabah Nur.
X-23 (Laura)	Claws	Fills the void of a clawed mutant since Wolverine is currently de-adamantized, bringing a fresh storyline without past Apocalypse baggage.
Rachel Summers (Marvel Girl)	Psychic abilities	Deepens the ongoing Summers family saga and acts as the intimate core character bearing the burden of endless timelines.

All these mutants would add a fresh flair to the show, which is bringing in a monstrous amount of mutants into the picture. It’s hard to see the show rounding up the entire Apocalypse saga in one season while also delivering satisfying arcs to each character, but if Season 1 is any indication of the quality of storytelling, we’re strapped in.

What do you think of the lineup? Let us know in the comments.

X-Men ’97 Season 2 will premiere on July 1, 2026, on Disney+.