Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
The Wild Sentinel/Master Mold in X-Men '97 Season 1, Episode 5, "Remember It"

X-Men ā€™97: Who Launched the Sentinel Attack on Genosha?

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for X-Men ā€™97 Season 1, Episode 5, ā€œRemember It,ā€ and Episode 6, ā€œLifedeath ā€“ Part 2.ā€œ

Recommended Videos

The Sentinelsā€™ attack on Genosha is one of X-Men ā€™97ā€˜s most shocking developments ā€“ so, who sent them? And was it the same person as in Marvelā€™s X-Men comics?

Related: X-Men ā€™97: Is Magneto Dead?

Who Is Behind the Genosha Massacre in X-Men ā€™97?

The X-Menā€™s long-time adversary Mister Sinister sent the Sentinels to attack Genosha. We donā€™t learn this up front, though, as the finale of X-Men ā€™97 Season 1, Episode 5, ā€œRemember It,ā€ focuses solely on the massacre itself. Not even a brief cameo by Cable ā€“ who, as a time traveler, already knows all the details ā€“ sheds any light on the person responsible. Instead, we have to wait until the final scene of Episode 6, ā€œLifedeath ā€“ Part 2,ā€ for the revelation that Sinister masterminded the whole affair. Here, we discover that Sinister took control of Master Mold and his killer robot ā€œoffspringā€ using a DNA sample belonging to their creator, Bolivar Trask.

Related: X-Men ā€™97: Is Gambit Dead?

Why did Sinister do it? Short answer: because heā€™s a supervillain (his name is Sinister, after all). Long answer: because heā€™s bent on starting a war between humanity and mutants. Framing humans for an attack that laid waste to Genosha and killed many of its inhabitants ā€“ not to mention high-profile X-Men Magneto and Gambit ā€“ is certainly a good way of escalating tensions between the two groups. That said, itā€™s unclear whether a full-scale conflict will break out between humanity and mutantkind in X-Men ā€™97 Season 1ā€™s four remaining episodes. Weā€™ll just have to wait and see!

Who Is Behind the Genosha Massacre in the Comics?

X-Men ā€™97 Season 1ā€™s Genosha massacre is based on a similar sequence in New X-Men #115 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. Yet there are many differences between the comic book and cartoon versions of the tragedy ā€“ including the culpritā€™s identity. Whereas Mister Sinister orchestrated the Sentinel attack in X-Men ā€™97, in New X-Menā€˜s ā€œE is for Extinctionā€ story arc, Cassandra Nova is to blame. Essentially Professor Xā€™s evil twin, Nova sent the Sentinels to Genosha as part of a wider scheme to exact revenge on her brother.

Related: X-Men ā€™97: What Does Magneto Say in German?

She didnā€™t involve Bolivar Trask, either ā€“ for the simple reason that he was dead at the time. Instead, Nova sourced Trask family DNA from Bolivarā€™s cousin, Donald. Whatā€™s more, her high-profile victims werenā€™t the same as Sinisterā€™s. While Novaā€™s assault on Genosha did seemingly kill Magneto (spoilers: he survived), Gambit wasnā€™t on the island when it all went down. Even so, the Genosha massacre in ā€œE is for Extinctionā€ is seemingly far worse in the comics. Over 16 million mutants died at Novaā€™s hands, compared to the thousands killed by Sinister.

X-Men ā€™97 is now streaming on Disney+, with new episodes dropping Wednesdays.


The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Leon Miller
Leon Miller
Contributing Writer
Leon is a freelance contributor at The Escapist, covering movies, TV, video games, and comics. Active in the industry since 2016, Leon's previous by-lines include articles for Polygon, Popverse, Screen Rant, CBR, Dexerto, Cultured Vultures, PanelxPanel, Taste of Cinema, and more.