Check on Your Friends Who Watch X-Men ’97, Episode 5 Did Not Hold Back

We’re officially halfway through X-Men ’97 as of this week, and if there was ever any doubt that we were in the presence of Marvel Studios royalty here, it’s surely all been shattered by now.

That, of course, isn’t the only thing that episode five, “Remember It,” has shattered. The closing moments of ’97‘s season one midpoint were punctuated by the collective cracking of millions of hearts as they bore witness to one of the most severely devastating endings we’ve ever seen out of a Marvel Studios property, and it’s now gravely apparent that the show never had any intention of messing around.

So, what exactly went down during the ending of X-Men ’97‘s longest episode yet?

X-Men ’97 Episode 5’s devastating ending

Moments after Cable arrived from the future to warn Genosha about the Wild Sentinel’s impending attack, his efforts proved to come too late as it began laying waste to the mutant nation, vaporizing mutants by the dozen and leaving a path of hellish destruction in his wake.

Magneto, Rogue, Gambit, and Nightcrawler were on the scene immediately, with the former three fighting their way through swarms of Sentinels to rescue as many mutants as possible. As Magneto guards a group of Morlocks from the Wild Sentinel’s deadly laser, he tearfully peers down at a terrified Leech, briefly remembers his own fear as a child in Holocaust-era Europe, and whispers “Do not be afraid” as the robotic titan overpowers him, seemingly killing Magneto.

But neither the battle nor the heartbreak is over, as Gambit launches his own attack on the Wild Sentinel, with the robot stabbing him in the torso within inches of meeting the X-Man’s wrath. It finds its way to the Sentinel overlord anyway, though, as Gambit uses his mutant power to kinetically charge the inorganic monster—who, again, has a sharp appendage thrusted deeply into Gambit’s ribcage—to the point of self-destructing.

As the rest of the X-Men watch the news report of Genoshan devastation with palpable grief, we see Rogue cradling Gambit’s lifeless body in her arms, muttering “I can’t feel you…” through her sobs. This, as the former had just internally reconciled her love for Gambit. Cue the gut-punch felt around the world.

(featured image: Disney+)