X-Men '97 episode 9 ending explained: How does Magneto's attack affect Earth? Details explored

X-Men '97 episode 9 was the penultimate of this season, and it looks like our favorite mutants are heading into one of the toughest battles of their lives. Building up from last week when we saw Magneto declare war on Earth, the episode focuses on Charles Xavier being back on Earth and reuniting with his X-Men to lead the battle against the omega-level mutant.

X-Men '97 episode 9 saw many developments take place that set the stage for the season finale. With this being the second part of "Tolerance is Extinction", we see Earth suffering from Magneto's electromagnetic attack as a new extinction-level threat presents itself. Not only that, but the X-Men also suffer major casualties, with Wolverine and Jean Grey's fates being questioned.

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Magneto sets off an extinction-level event in X-Men '97 episode 9

Last week, we saw Magneto escape from Bastion's chains and emit an electromagnetic attack on Earth that helped defeat the villain's Prime Sentinels, but at the same also caused major damage to the planet's infrastructure. Now, in X-Men '97 episode 9, we learn Earth is on the brink of destruction as its electromagnetic fields suffer severe damage, and it is imperative to halt Magneto's actions at any expense.

Magneto has also enlisted a heartbroken Rogue and Sunspot into his cause and created a mutant haven on Asteroid M. The X-Men reunite with Charles Xavier and split up into team gold and blue to deal with Magneto and Bastion at the same time.

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Jean Grey seemingly dies in X-Men '97 episode 9

One of the biggest "deaths" of the episode takes place when the team of Beast, Jean, Storm, Forge, Morph, and Cable go off to fight Bastion. With Sentinels attacking them - Storm, Forge, Morph, and Beast battle them while Jean and Cable try to get a hold of Bastion. However, Mr. Sinister shows up and uses his mind control powers on Cable so that he can attack Jean.

Cable then reveals that he is a telekinetic too, like his mother (Madelyne Pryor), and starts attacking Jean. In her last moments, Jean contacts Scott telepathically, telling him, "I love you." With Scott busy fighting Magneto, he remains helpless and can only astrally see as his mind-controlled son ends up murdering the love of his life. However, we don't see Jean's body, which leaves her fate a mystery, as we had witnessed this earlier in the season with Magneto too.

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Magneto rips off Adamantium from Wolverine's body in X-Men '97 episode 9

The blue team is also not fairing well against Magneto. While Charles tries to convince his old friend to stop the attack, the Omega Level mutant turns on them and starts attacking them. During the battle, however, Wolverine gains the upper hand and stabs Magneto in the back.

But since Wolverine's skeleton is made of Adamantium, Magneto can control him, ripping the metal out of his body in a gruesome fashion, leaving Wolverine's fate in question. That's where the episode ends as the mutants have faced some of the worst losses they probably could, and Earth's fate is on the line.

Going into the finale, though, there are a few possibilities that Wolverine and Jean aren't dead. Logan carries a healing factor and can return with his bone claws, and Jean can reignite the Phoenix force and come back to life, but so far, the X-Men are in a huge pickle.

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You can check out X-Men '97 episode 9 as it's streaming on Disney+ right now and tune in for the finale next Wednesday as well.