A Force To Be Reckoned With
Back in the series' present-day timeline of 1997, the world has changed dramatically with the X-Men scattered across different eras. In their absence, two new mutant teams have emerged to defend humanity, however they take very different approaches. Cable assembles X-Force, an independent strike team, while the U.S. government introduces X-Factor, a state-backed group tasked with policing mutant activity.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead
X-Factor
The episode opens with several young mutants desperately searching for Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, hoping it will offer them refuge from those pursuing them. Their search ends in disappointment, as the mansion now sits abandoned. With the X-Men displaced across time and the remaining members living in hiding, there is no sanctuary waiting for them.
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Just as the teenagers appear cornered, they are intercepted by X-Factor. Led by Val Cooper, the government-sponsored team includes Havok, Polaris, Multiple Man, Wolfsbane, and Strong Guy. Rather than offering true protection, however, the group detains vulnerable mutants under the banner of public safety. Their actions mirror historical examples of governments targeting marginalized communities in the name of order.
X-Force
Meanwhile, Jubilee and Sunspot, two younger mutants who sometimes worked with the X-Men in 1997, have been scraping by through arcade hustles when they witness news coverage of X-Factor's campaign to round up mutants. The situation echoes the Mutant Registration Act seen throughout previous X-Men stories, leaving Jubilee frustrated by the growing injustice.
Courtesy: Walt Disney Studios
Cable soon arrives with a proposal: join his newly formed X-Force. Alongside Psylocke and Archangel, who returned at the end of the previous episode, Jubilee and Sunspot become part of the new team. Their first assignment takes them to Brazil after learning that War, one of Apocalypse's Four Horsemen, has resurfaced. Capturing him could provide valuable information about Apocalypse and the missing X-Men.
The Cost of Victory
X-Force successfully captures War, and Psylocke attempts to extract information through her telepathic abilities. Jubilee objects, pointing out that telepaths typically ask permission before entering someone's mind, raising questions about consent and ethics.
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Cable dismisses her concerns, arguing that wartime demands difficult decisions. His philosophy reflects the belief that achieving the greater good can justify morally questionable actions. When Psylocke discovers that War's mind has been blocked by psychic diamond-like barriers, Cable decides the prisoner is no longer useful. Despite Jubilee's protests, including reminding Archangel that he was once redeemed after serving Apocalypse, the team kills War.
Believing another telepath might succeed where Psylocke failed, Jubilee suggests seeking Emma Frost's help.
A Clash Between Teams
Frost agrees to assist and leads X-Force to a former Apocalypse operation in Switzerland. Unfortunately, the facility has already been abandoned, leaving Cable with another dead end.
Before the team can regroup, X-Factor arrives and Emma reveals she's agreed to hand X-Force over to the government team. She's not evil just transactional. The confrontation forces X-Force to retreat, but Jubilee is captured during the escape.
Jubilee Takes a Stand
Imprisoned by X-Factor, Jubilee is fitted with a power-inhibiting collar and treated as a dangerous criminal. Although the team considers itself heroic, its willingness to follow orders without questioning them paints a more complicated picture.
During questioning, Jubilee manages to convince Polaris that something about their mission feels wrong. Polaris secretly removes Jubilee's inhibitor collar and gives her a brief opportunity to escape.
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Set to the energetic soundtrack of Veruca Salt's "Volcano Girls," Jubilee unleashes her powers throughout the detention facility. She not only breaks free herself but also liberates the many young mutants being held captive. After calling X-Force for assistance, she helps the children escape.
Although X-Factor appears to corner her once again, Jubilee leaps from the building. At the last moment, Sunspot arrives to catch her in a dramatic rescue before carrying her safely away.
Setting Up the Next Chapter
Following the prison break, X-Factor publicly brands X-Force as terrorists, placing the team squarely in the government's crosshairs.
The resulting tension also exposes cracks within X-Force itself. Cable remains focused solely on defeating Apocalypse, while Jubilee argues that protecting innocent people should matter just as much as stopping the villain. Archangel agrees with Jubilee's perspective, though he warns that the dangerous road ahead is "no place for children." Cable simply responds that children are often stronger than they seem.
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Elsewhere in the future, Cyclops struggles with leaving his son Nathan, who will eventually grow up to be Cable. Their reunion is cut short when Nathan learns that events in the past are spiraling toward disaster. He sends Cyclops and the future X-Men back to ancient Egypt to assist their teammates in the battle against Apocalypse.
Final Thoughts
One of the episode's greatest strengths is its exploration of moral ambiguity. Neither of the new teams fits neatly into the role of traditional heroes. X-Factor enforces government policies that oppress the very people it claims to protect, while Cable's X-Force frequently crosses ethical lines in pursuit of its mission.
These conflicting philosophies create a compelling dynamic. Both teams ultimately oppose Apocalypse, yet each raises difficult questions about justice, authority, and the sacrifices made in the name of victory. By introducing these fresh perspectives while the original X-Men remain scattered across time, the series continues to expand its world in meaningful ways and delivers another engaging chapter.
X-Men '97 is streaming exclusively on Disney+.
Article Written By: Jeremy Brown for Stelmach Brown Media 2026
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