X-Men ’97 episode 5 ended with a heartbreaking and shocking death, but this lost hero’s journey has now been celebrated in beautiful MCU fan art.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for X-Men ’97 episode 5, “Remember It.”

One fan-favorite mutant hero from X-Men ’97 has been celebrated in beautiful MCU fan art, only days after his heartbreaking and shocking death in X-Men ’97 episode 5. Continuing the story of X-Men: The Animated Series from the 1990s, Marvel Studios Animation’s X-Men ’97 marked the return of nostalgic X-Men heroes such as Rogue, Wolverine, Cyclops, Magneto and Gambit. Halfway through the series, X-Men ’97 episode 5 adapted Marvel Comics’ haunting E is for Extinction storyline, which saw the mutant nation of Genosha attacked by giant Sentinel robots, leading to many casualties, including several iconic members of the X-Men team.

The Sentinels’ attack on Genosha during Magneto and Rogue’s inauguration gala marked the end for many mutants, but the deaths of X-Men leader Magneto and fan-favorite hero Gambit came as a huge shock. Gambit’s demise, in particular, was hugely emotional, but the life of this powerful X-Men hero has now been celebrated in stunning fan art shared by Stimograph.

This vibrant art showcases Gambit’s full power, particularly in his final moments in X-Men ’97 episode 5. Gambit used his ability to generate kinetic energy to supercharge and destroy the Sentinel attacking Genosha, sacrificing his own life to save the nation.

How Can Gambit Return After His X-Men ’97 Death?

It’s difficult to imagine Marvel Studios Animation keeping Gambit and Magneto dead permanently after the events of X-Men ’97 episode 5, and there are several ways that these powerful mutants can return. X-Men: The Animated Series and X-Men ’97 often put focus on time-traveling heroes, such as Bishop and Cable, so it’s very possible that past versions of Magneto and Gambit could simply walk through a portal into the present day. Cable’s cameo appearance in X-Men ’97 episode 5 suggests time travel could be key to reviving these lost heroes, but could also hint at a different turn of events.

Cable appeared to Madelyne Pryor, his biological mother, in the moments before the Sentinels’ attack on Genosha, presumably attempting to warn her of the coming events. This means that Cable could travel back in time to an earlier point and warn Pryor, allowing the events of X-Men ’97 episode 5 to be completely rewritten. However, this could pose a danger to the timeline of X-Men ’97, especially after the Watcher’s brief cameo in X-Men ’97 episode 5 hinted at the coming attack on Genosha potentially being an Absolute Point, so Cable changing these events could lead to even more devastation.

Of course, time travel doesn’t need to be involved at all, as the remaining members of the X-Men could find a way to reverse the deaths of Magneto and Gambit in the main timeline of X-Men ’97. All hope seems lost at the end of episode 5, especially since Rogue declared that she couldn’t feel Gambit, and her skin-to-skin contact with him had no effect whatsoever. However, this may not be the end of the road, as the upcoming second half of X-Men ’97 could introduce a way to reverse these heroes’ deaths and bring them back into the action.