X-Men ’97: Why Is Bishop Around in 1997?

The last time we saw Bishop in X-Men: The Animated Series, the time-traveling mutant was back in 2055 where he belongs. So, why is Bishop chilling out in 1997 in the Disney+ continuation series X-Men ’97?

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Why Bishop Is Around In 1997 in X-Men ’97, Explained

X-Men ’97 hasn’t yet explained what brought Bishop to 1997. While X-Men: The Animated Series established Bishop’s M.O. of changing events in the past to course correct his future, X-Men ’97‘s first three episodes don’t shed any light on the exact nature of his mission this time around. We don’t even know when he arrived, although Marvel’s X-Men ’97 tie-in comic indicates it was at least nine months before Season 1, Episode 1, “To Me, My X-Men.” In the comic, Bishop is present at the X-Mansion when Jean (or rather, Madelyne Pryor) learns she’s pregnant with baby Nathan, who is born in Episode 2, “Mutant Liberation Begins.”

Related: X-Men ’97: What’s the Deal With Rogue & Magneto?

X-Men ’97 is even clearer about why Bishop hasn’t returned to his own time yet: he can’t, The tie-in comic and Episode 3, “Fire Made Flesh,” both confirm that Bishop’s timeband is busted. Notably, Beast describes the device as suffering a “malfunction” in the comic. Could this be what sent Bishop to 1997, rather than an unspecified mission? It’s unclear for now – and largely irrelevant, as Bishop has finally returned to 2055. He departs (with Nathan in tow) in “Fire Made Flesh,” after Beast fixes his time travel device. So, whatever his original purpose was in visiting 1997, Bishop leaves with a new objective: playing babysitter.

Is Bishop From the Same Future As Cable?

If Bishop and Nathan both wind up in 2055, does that mean Bishop and another of the X-Men’s time-traveling allies, Cable, are from the same future? After all, Nathan will eventually grow up to become Cable. The short answer is: yes and no. While Bishop does indeed take li’l Nate to his time, X-Men: The Animated Series previously established the adult Cable as hailing from 3999.

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So, what gives? Chalk it up to the X-franchise’s usual chronal chicanery. As Bishop observes in “Fire Made Flesh,” the timeline that X-Men: The Animated Series and X-Men ’97 share is constantly in flux. So, Cable’s exploits in 3999 aren’t necessarily set in stone. Bishop’s actions could have erased them. Alternatively, Cable could have traveled even further into the future after he arrived in 2055 – a very real possibility, given the hardware at his disposal.

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