Review: X-Men 97 “The Dead Man’s Hand”
Overview
The X-Men confront a ghost from their past…
Our Take
Picking up from the previous episode, the story immediately shifts into high gear as Cable and X-Force reunite with the X-Men to investigate the possibility of Gambit’s return long after his death in the iconic Season one episode Remember It. With Gambit’s resurrection and transformation heavily tied to Apocalypse and Gambit’s shared comic history, and with Gambit’s role as one of the “Death” Horsemen, the episode sets up a major turning point that could have carried significant emotional weight. However, with only one episode remaining after this, the rushed pacing raises concerns about whether the story has enough time to properly explore its biggest ideas and deliver the impact these moments deserve.
The biggest issue with the episode is how quickly it moves through developments that should have been given more room to breathe. Gambit’s return, his connection to Apocalypse, and Rogue’s reaction all have strong potential, but the story often treats them more as plot necessities than meaningful character moments. The long-awaited reunion between the X-Men and X-Force also feels surprisingly understated, especially after spending much of the season with the team divided in different X-Factions. Even Jubilee’s return to the group leaves more to be desired, as the emotional aftermath of everything she experienced is barely explored and the team’s reaction to seeing her again feels strangely muted. Characters like Polaris and Bishop also remain sidelined despite previous teases, while the episode’s strongest moments come from Rogue and Gambit’s relationship and the complicated Summers family dynamic involving Cable. Meanwhile, Apocalypse’s motives and his history with Candra are introduced so quickly that they lack the depth needed to make them truly impactful.
Overall, this was a mixed episode that delivers exciting action and a few memorable character moments but struggles to balance spectacle with the emotional storytelling that made the series stand out. Gambit’s return has the potential to be one of the season’s biggest moments, yet the execution is missing something, especially compared to the buildup surrounding his original fate. With only one episode left, the series now faces the challenge of resolving Apocalypse’s threat, the X-Factor cliffhanger, and the remaining character arcs while delivering a finale that can match the expectations built throughout the season.
