Warning: The following article contains spoilers for X-Men ’97 Season 1, Episode 5, “Remember It.”
Before Magneto’s apparent death in X-Men ’97 Season 1, Episode 5, “Remember It,” he utters a phrase in German – without subtitles. So, what does Magneto say in German before he dies?
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What Magneto Says in German in X-Men ’97, Explained
Magneto’s final words in X-Men ’97 Season 1’s fifth installment are “Habe keine angst.” In English, this translates as “Don’t be afraid.” It’s a heartbreaking sentiment, given who it’s directed at. Magneto goes out protecting one of the Morlocks, Leech, who expresses his unwavering faith in the Master of Magnetism’s ability to keep Genosha’s mutant inhabitants safe earlier in “Remember It.” Sadly, not even Magneto’s best efforts – nor those of the other X-Men present – are enough to keep countless mutants from dying.
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Magneto’s not the only team member who takes a dirt nap in X-Men ’97 Season 1, Episode 5, either. Fan-favorite character Gambit also gives his life fighting off the Sentinels’ attack, destroying the killer robots’ leader. However, his final words are in English – and lend Episode 5 its title. “The name is Gambit,” the roguish Cajun declares. “Remember it.” Another major casualty is Jean Grey’s clone, Madelyne Pryor, who fought alongside the X-Men while she still believed she was the real Jean. So, all told, “Remember It” is a devastating half-hour of TV for Marvel’s Children of the Atom.
Why Does Magneto Speak in German in X-Men ’97?
That’s Magneto’s German dialogue covered – but why does the reformed supervillain speak in the language in the first place? It’s simple: because he’s German! This isn’t explicitly stated in X-Men ’97‘s precursor, X-Men: The Animated Series, however, it’s strongly implied. Notably, flashbacks to Magneto’s wartorn childhood in that show’s first season hint that (like in Marvel’s X-Men comics) he’s a Holocaust survivor. And thanks to “Remember It,” Magneto’s German ancestry is now confirmed.
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This isn’t the first time X-Men adaptations have referenced Magneto’s harrowing Holocaust backstory. 2000’s X-Men opens with Magneto as a teenager discovering his mutant abilities at the gates of Auschwitz concentration camp. Subsequent entries built on this scene – particularly 2011’s X-Men: First Class. First Class chronicles Magneto’s cruel tutelage under Sebastian Shaw at the camp, as well as his quest for revenge decades later. Many of these scenes see the Master of Magnetism speaking his mother tongue as he confronts his one-time captors.
X-Men ’97 is now streaming on Disney+, with new episodes dropping Wednesdays.
