X-Men 97 Season 2 Delivers Strong Action—and a Chance for Insomniac

Spoilers ahead for X-Men 97 season 2.

X-Men 97 is back, and for the most part, it proves to be a strong continuation of the season that came before it. The visuals are still striking, the voice work stays dependable, and the fight choreography is one of the series’ biggest strengths. Even Apocalypse—one of the franchise’s most iconic threats—lands far better this time around than in the original animated run, finally feeling like a danger that could justify action from multiple mutant teams.

That said, there’s a clear sticking point for many viewers: Emma Frost. While it’s easy to celebrate the show overall, fans of the White Queen are frustrated by how she’s being handled, even though X-Men 97 is usually good at matching the comics’ spirit. If Insomniac Games is planning to include Emma in its leaked Wolverine-focused Marvel title, it’ll have to overcome the series’ own missteps—because even in the usually comic-faithful X-Men 97, Emma still doesn’t feel like she’s getting the treatment she deserves.

At the moment, there’s no solid way to know which mutants Insomniac Games intends to feature beyond Wolverine and Jean Grey, since Wolverine is tied to a separate solo project releasing later this year. Still, comic readers have been wanting Emma’s adaptation to catch up with who she is on the page for a long time. Her appearances in the FOX-era films barely scratched the surface, with her character softened in the same way other mutants were, making the overall version feel watered down. Even though audiences expected her role in the show to be small, it’s still disappointing to see her treated like a generic antagonist rather than a character with depth and direction.

Emma has been a hero longer than she’s been a villain by this point in her broader history, so it would mean a lot for the show—or any future adaptation—to acknowledge that reality. If Insomniac wants to make Emma land in a way that satisfies longtime fans, it’s not just about including her. It’s about letting her evolve.

Marvel Rivals’ take on Emma has generally been received well, but not everyone is on board. Some players dislike her bulkier in-game proportions and base skin, pointing out that her look diverges noticeably from the comic version’s silhouette and fashion identity.

After the GTA 6 pre-order reveal, Insomniac Games is also drawing attention by addressing whether Marvel’s Wolverine will receive a physical disc edition.

X-Men 97’s Mistakes With Emma Frost Are Impossible to Ignore

Giving X-Men 97 the benefit of the doubt, one possible explanation is that the writers are positioning Emma as an unlikable presence first—setting up a redemption arc later that would eventually lead to her becoming the leader and headmistress of Xavier’s school. In the original animated series, she was only a minor character, and her use of sensuality as a weapon may have been a mismatch for a cartoon aimed at children. Even so, the newer version does capture a more adult tone, with scenes that show her confidence and distance: she comes home with two men for the night, shrugs off a conflict rather than jumping into it, and carries a lot of attitude.

The central problem, though, is that Emma shouldn’t be stuck in this position anymore. By this stage in the story, she should already be moving toward heroism. The show appears to be borrowing major plotlines from the X-Men comics and routing them to other characters, so it’s not as if there’s no precedent for her being more than a static villain. Naturally, that mismatch has irritated fans—especially those active in dedicated discussions around the character on social platforms and on the Emma Frost-focused subreddit.

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Looking at what’s being shown for X-Men 97 season 2, fans already know the heroes will be wearing the leather New X-Men outfits tied to Grant Morrison’s early-2000s run. That era is remembered for big creative swings, including concepts like secondary mutations, the character Cassandra Nova, and a standout academy story centered on rebellious students. Emma is also present throughout that run, with different facets of her personality revealed over successive issues. The same stretch also introduced the dynamic between Emma and Cyclops—an on-again, long-lasting relationship that some fans prefer over the Scott-and-Jean pairing.

Even if X-Men 97 is clearly leaning hard into Scott Summers and Jean Grey as a power couple, it doesn’t mean Emma has to remain frozen in place. At this point, she should be using her diamond skin to survive the genocide on Genosha, reacting in horror to the dead mutants surrounding her. Instead, the series appears to brush past that moment, leaving her framed as someone still focused on herself. Worse, she seems to have helped imprison the Stepford Cuckoos as part of a deal with X-Factor in episode 2—an outcome that comic readers find difficult to accept.

It’s true that Emma’s relationship with the girls ends in tragedy in the books, but the motivation is different than what the show implies. In the comics, she genuinely loves them and tries to mentor them, and when it doesn’t work, the failure pushes her toward growth and improvement. Keeping Emma selfish after Genosha feels like a major misread of her character, and it also undercuts one of the best redemption arcs the comics have to offer—taking away an avenue fans were hoping to see honored.

X-Men ’97 Season 2 opened with an impressive start to follow, and the first three episodes suggest the biggest hurdles are already being cleared.

It’s Up to Insomniac Games to Fix X-Men 97’s Mistakes and Do Emma Frost Justice

Within X-Men continuity, Emma Frost is expected to be fighting for and alongside other mutants by now. Yet in the show, she still behaves like the older version of herself. Unless writers deliver a major redemption arc soon—along with a new explanation for why Emma would abandon her former patterns—it’s hard not to view her as one of the series’ most noticeable flaws. With it also unclear whether the MCU will ever tackle Emma Frost, and with the new X-Men team’s debut still years away, Insomniac’s X-Men game may be the final real opportunity to see this mutant adapted in a different medium without the same limitations.

More specifically, the game’s storytelling needs to highlight Emma’s less-known side—something that people who haven’t read the comics likely won’t understand right away. That includes how deeply she cares about members of her own kind, the pressure she feels to maintain an image of perfection, and her ability to speak openly with characters she genuinely loves, like Scott Summers. Emma hasn’t been a shallow character for decades now, yet adaptations keep drifting back into versions that reduce her to something simpler than the comics. Insomniac Games can—and should—break that cycle by giving her standout moments of heroism and showing clear, concrete acts of kindness.

Quick scan: What fans are reacting to

• X-Men 97 season 2 is praised for animation quality, voice performances, and standout action.
• Apocalypse is described as being handled far better than in the original animated series.
• Despite overall praise, Emma Frost’s portrayal is called disappointing and not comic-accurate enough in spirit.
• Insomniac Games’ Wolverine project is noted as a potential last chance to adapt Emma properly in another medium.
• Marvel Rivals’ Emma is said to be well received, though some players dislike her model and base skin.
• Fans are pointed to being upset about Emma’s behavior, including how the show handles Genosha and a deal involving X-Factor in episode 2.