Official Response to Major X-Men ’97 Villain Theory Sends Shockwaves

The villain who sent the Wild Sentinels to Genosha and killed X-Men ’97’s heroes may not be the most obvious choice (and that might be good).

Cassandra Nova with Magneto and ROgue mourning Gambit

Warning: This post contains SPOILERS for X-Men ’97 episode 5

In the aftermath of X-Men ’97‘s stunning episode 5, in which both Magneto and Gambit were seemingly killed off, rumors of a huge Marvel villain appearance have hit the Internet. Now though, the head director of the incredible X-Men: The Animated Series revival show has debunked one of the biggest theories on who was behind the attack on Genosha.

Speaking to Inverse, X-Men ’97 head director Jake Castorena responded to the theory that Cassandra Nova will be revealed as the mastermind of the mutant terrorist attack that left several prominent mutants and Morlocks dead. And it sounds very much like Nova is off the table:

“I wouldn’t get my hopes up for Cassandra Nova being a huge villain in our show. But what I will say is, I don’t think people will be disappointed with our choices.”

The interesting point there, other than the change to Marvel lore – given that Cassandra Nova was behind the Wild Sentinel attack in the E Is For Extinction storyline that X-Men ’97 episode 5 drew heavily from – is that Castorena is setting up something bigger. The hints from the midseason X-Men ’97 trailer point to the return of Mr Sinister, and the brief cameo by Cable in episode 5 suggests Apocalypse as another compelling option. But for now, fans of Cassandra Nova will have to make do with her upcoming appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine.

What X-Men ’97’s Genosha Tragedy May Be Setting Up

Could There Be An Apocalypse War Coming?

Mr. Sinister fighting the X-Men in X-Men '97

So if it’s not Cassandra Nova, who was behind the Wild Sentinel attack on Genosha that left Magneto and Gambit dead? The smart money is on either Mr Sinister, after his presence was already felt in X-Men ’97‘s earlier episodes, or on Apocalypse, thanks to that link to Cable. The time-traveling hero has been a major presence in X-Men ’97, with the reveal of his love-triangle origin and his links to Apocaylpse in the comics and in X-Men: The Animated Series point to the irresistible potential of the iconic villain’s return.

While Sinister’s creation of the techno-organic virus removed Apocalypse from the formula, Cable’s storyline in The Animated Series sees him return to the past to stop the virus being eradicated for humanity and mutantkind’s sake. Adding that to Cable’s breathless warning in X-Men ’97 episode 5 of “he’s coming” to his mother feels very much linked to Apocalypse. If ’97 chooses to continue the Sinister storyline and link the two villains together once more, X-Men ’97 may be about to see a war between two of the X-Men’s greatest ever villains.

Former showrunner and head writer Beau DeMayo promised in the wake of episode 5’s release that what was coming in the final episodes was even bigger than the Genosha tragedy, and Apocalypse’s return after his defeat back in season 4 would fit that bill. A three-way war between mutants (with humanity in tow), Apocalypse, and Sinister would be “bigger” in every conceivable way.And if the price of that is not seeing Cassandra Nova, then it’s a reasonable one to pay.

Related Posts

Taylor Swift’s Graceful Defeat at Grammy 2025: How She Stole the Show Without Winning a Single Award.

Introduction The 67th Annual Grammy Awards, held on February 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, was a night of high anticipation for Taylor Swift fans….

10 MINUTES AGO: Chilling New Footage From Scene Of Fiery Lamborghini Crash That Killed Portugal & Liverpool Soccer Star Diogo Jota Released

Scene of Diogo Jota’s fatal accident (Photo via AP) Additional footage from the scene of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota’s fatal accident has surfaced online following his death…

🌟 Janice Dean’s Unbreakable 20-Year Battle with Multiple Sclerosis Shines Bright on Fox News, Turning Fear into Hope for All 😊💪 ‘I’m living proof hope wins every time.’

The airwaves of Fox News continue to brighten with the presence of Janice Dean, the network’s senior meteorologist and a beacon of resilience. For two decades, Dean…

Taylor Swift’s 2023: A Year of Unstoppable Success, Romance, and Jet-Setting Glamour.

The year 2023 was nothing short of monumental for Taylor Swift, a global superstar whose influence transcends music and spills into culture, fashion, and even environmental debates….

Elon Musk Adds $19 Billion to Wealth, Surpasses Twice Bill Gates’ Value

At 12:00 PM +07 on Friday, July 4, 2025, the financial world is still reeling from a remarkable surge in wealth that catapulted Tesla CEO Elon Musk…

Henry Cavill Drops a 6-Word Bombshell: What Hidden Meaning Lies Behind Superman 2025’s Striking New Vibe and Transformation? 💪😲 Could his cryptic words hint at a deeper change for the Man of Steel’s future?

the entertainment and comic book worlds buzzed with anticipation and debate following the release of the latest teaser for James Gunn’s Superman film, set to premiere on…