X-Men '97 Season 2, Episode 4 Delivers The Show's Most Shocking Death Yet

Contains spoilers for "X-Men '97" Season 2, Episode 4 — "Rise of Apocalypse – Part II"

"X-Men '97" has already proven that the most devastating deaths in "Game of Thrones" have nothing on it. However, in the fourth episode of Season 2 — the second part of "Rise of Apocalypse" — the animated series may have already topped Gambit's tragic passing from the first season. In this episode, Professor Charles Xavier's greatest frenemy, Magneto, finally meets his maker.

With the X-Men scattered across the timeline, each group works to stop Apocalypse in their own way. In Ancient Egypt, the team led by Professor X and Magneto attempt to stop the mutant En Sabah Nur from becoming Apocalypse. Unfortunately, their plan fails, as it's En Sabah Nur's destiny to become the maniacal tyrant.

With Apocalypse born, the supervillain tries to destroy the city, but Magneto uses his powers to save the innocent people from their impending doom. The Master of Magnetism is heavily weakened and exhausted after this event, which makes him easy pickings for Apocalypse to finish off in the desert. What's most heartbreaking about this moment is that Professor Xavier is left helpless — only being able to look on and weep as Apocalypse murders Magneto.

In the comic book world, deaths are about as permanent as any trend — they're here today and undone tomorrow. Morph famously "dies" in the first season of "X-Men: The Animated Series" then returns later in the show. While the circumstances surrounding Morph's presumed death are different to Magneto's — who looks about as dead as roadkill in "Rise of Apocalypse — Part II" — the nature of this story suggests this might be undone down the road.

In "X-Men '97," the Children of the Atom were spread across the timeline in an attempt to stop Apocalypse. With all the time-travel jumps taking place, there's nothing stopping them from going back to the moment before Magneto's death and changing it. After all, the entire premise of "Days of Future Past" involves Bishop going back in time to stop an event from happening. While his future doesn't change — and what's becoming clear in the story is that fate can't be changed — certain events are averted.

At the same time, maybe it's best that Magneto doesn't come back. While he's teetered between villain and hero many times before, his redemption arc is complete after he's prepared to sacrifice himself for a city and its inhabitants to survive. In terms of character development, where else can Magneto's story go?