Mutant superhero Storm lost her powers in X-Men ’97 Season 1, Episode 2, “Mutant Liberation Begins” – so does she get them back? And how do Marvel’s X-Men comics handle Storm’s power loss and recovery?
Related: X-Men ’97 Continues Marvel’s Proud Tradition of Creepy, Age-Inappropriate Crushes
Does Storm Get Her Powers Back in X-Men ’97?
Yes, Storm’s powers return in X-Men ’97 Season 1, Episode 6, “Lifedeath – Part 2.” Apparently, the effects of the X-Cutioner’s Neutralizer rifle weren’t as permanent as Beast’s diagnosis in “Mutant Liberation Begins” made out. This isn’t the only surprising aspect of Storm’s recovery, either. While X-Men ’97 Season 1 initially positioned Forge as the key to getting Storm back to her lightning-bolt-slinging best, in the end, she essentially heals herself.
True, Forge does help: he performs the exorcism that frees Storm from the demonic Adversary’s control. And when the Adversary comes calling again, Storm facing up to the beastie is what ultimately reinstates her weather-bending mutant gifts. How? It turns out Storm’s self-doubt (not the Neutralizer rifle’s radiation) was blocking her powers. Once she’s conquered these inner fears, her mutant abilities return – seemingly even stronger than before!
Storm also gets a snazzy new costume, inspired by her original look in Marvel’s X-Men comics. It’s unclear exactly how Storm manifests this black ensemble; she appears to conjure it up from her civilian clothes and pure lightning. That said, given the Adversary’s involvement in proceedings, ambient supernatural energies could explain Storm’s sartorial switcheroo. Alternatively, Storm’s everyday wear may made of unstable molecules (like the X-Men’s costumes in the comics), making it more malleable than ordinary garments.
Related: X-Men ’97: How the Adversary Connects to Forge
Does Storm Get Her Powers Back in the X-Men Comics?
Of course, few fans really expected the creative team behind X-Men ’97 would keep a fan-favorite character like Storm grounded for long. It wouldn’t just be bad for business – it’d clash with established comic book canon, as well. While Storm spent a considerable stretch sans powers in the 80s, she made a full recovery before the decade wrapped. And unlike in X-Men ’97, Forge played a central role in Storm’s rehabilitation.
Related: X-Men ’97: Is Motendo’s X-Men Video Game Based On a Real Game?
After the Adversary banished Forge and Storm to an alternate dimension, the former cobbled together a power-restoring device from his cybernetic leg. Forge’s gizmo did the trick, permanently reversing the Neutralizer’s effects. With her powers now reinstated, Storm charged up a portal that she and Forge used to return home. The duo then reunited with Storm’s teammates to take down the Adversary, which they did despite the current X-Men roster temporarily dying (seriously!).
Obviously, former X-Men ’97 head writer Beau DeMayo and his writers’ room had to streamline this storyline considerably to make it fit Season 1’s 10-episode run.
X-Men ’97 is now streaming on Disney+, with new episodes dropping Wednesdays.
The above article was updated on 4/25/2024 by Leon Miller to update information about X-Men ’97.
