Entertainment
Star Sightings: Olivia Rodrigo Wears a 'Saturday Night Live' Jacket, Emily Ratajkowski Shops in New York City
Here’s a look at what celebrities have been up to as of late!
Olivia Rodrigo poses in the ROOTS limited-edition Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary bomber jacket after hosting the show in New York City.
Alicia Keys appeared on American Idol wearing KSUBI’s Barrel Jacket in black.
Chase Infiniti attended the 2026 Met Gala celebrating Costume Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in the DELPHINE Florence Gown in Citron.
Jennifer Lawrence enjoyed a stroll in New York City while carrying CYKLAR’s Perfume Oil in Modern Patchouli.
Nikki Glaser attended Netflix Is A Joke Festival Presents: Night of Too Many Stars in Los Angeles, California, where she carried the Hazel Bow Bag from Charles & Keith.
Doja Cat, Tate McRae, Simone Ashley, Lisa, and Alexa Chung attended the 2026 Met Gala celebrating Costume Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City wearing Stringys. The brand also launched their first-ever bra.
Kylie Jenner stepped out in Los Angeles, California wearing Helsa’s Beckette Knit Capris.
Nina Dobrev walked her dog in New York City while wearing the Seeley Double Breasted Longline Coat by ASTR The Label.
Becky G celebrated the release of her single “EPA” in West Hollywood, California while wearing Outcast’s Niko Shorts in Black Stripe.
Lily Collins filmed Emily in Paris in Mykonos, Greece while wearing high-waisted floral shorts from Maje.
Shay Mitchell posed on Instagram in a pair of Alana Stiletto Pumps from JUSTFAB.
Miranda Kerr, Karlie Kloss, Ciara, Lindsey Vonn, and more attended the 2026 Met Gala celebrating Costume Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City after getting facials by celebrity aesthetician Mimi Luzon.
Doechii snapped a selfie for Instagram wearing the KSUBI Low Rider Exposed Swept Mini.
Justin Bieber stepped out in Los Angeles, California sporting a custom Jennifer Meyer necklace created around his SKYLRK logo.
Bella Hadid vacationed in Saint-Tropez, France in OTRA’s Esme sunglasses in Olive to Gold / Olive.
Eva Longoria posed for a picture on Instagram in the Kinley Earrings in gold by Petal & Pup.
Lindsay Hubbard celebrated the premiere of In The City in New York City while wearing the Natalie Rolt Julietta Dress.
Selena Gomez attended the premiere of Marty, Life Is Short at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood in Los Angeles, California wearing feathered diamond earrings and a round, brilliant cut diamond ring from Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry. The singer also enjoyed a stroll in London, England while wearing the AGOLDE Dame Short in Convert.
Suki Waterhouse snapped a selfie for Instagram in the DUCIE Holly Long Hair Jacket.
Megan Thee Stallion showcased her Hot Girl Summer Swimwear by Megan Thee Stallion collection during Miami Swim Week in Miami, Florida while wearing Outcast’s Celine Mini Dress in red.
Emily Ratajkowski shopped at the gimaguas pop-up in New York City.
Tina Fey attended a press day for The Four Seasons in Los Angeles, California wearing the INEZ Lola Heels and again to the premiere of the television show.
Emily Blunt, Sarah Pidgeon, Grace Gummer, Sarah Paulson, Luke Evans, and more attended the 2026 Met Gala celebrating Costume Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City after getting their skin prepped by celeb facialist Lord Gavin McLeod-Valentine and Skin Lab lead facialist Desireé Delia using The Method by Augustinus Bader.
Katie Couric hosted a live conversation with Cameron Rogers at the Reinventing Relationships event at City Winery in New York City, where they discussed generational healing, family dynamics, and the importance of open conversations around mental health.
Heidi Montag appeared on the Coming in Hot podcast to discuss her comeback as a pop artist with her album, “Superficial”, her marriage to Spencer Pratt, and losing their Pacific Palisades, California home in the Palisades Fire.
Jamie Lynn Sigler shared her love for CYKLAR’s Vanilla Verve Body Oil with New York Magazine.
Terry and Heather Dubrow celebrated the college graduations of their twins, Max and Nick Dubrow, at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California.
Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power partnered with PAIGE to kick off Summer Fridays season by offering shoppers a complimentary Avaline Wine every Friday from May 22 through Sept. 2.
Hudson Williams starred in a BVLGARI jewelry campaign wearing the SIMKHAI Gibson Leather Shirt Jacket.
Gia Giudice hosted the social takeover of NBCUniversal’s 2026 Upfront presentation at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Jesse Solomon appeared on the Summer House reunion wearing ALDO’s Axwell Loafers.
Amanda Frances announced the relaunch of the Vibe Membership with a lower price point and added value.
Holly Humberstone participated in Free People’s FP Sessions performance and interview series wearing the brand’s Clarise Mini Dress, Viola Over-the-Knee Socks, Aurora Flats, In This Groove Mini Slip, Frye for FP Campus Boots, Feeling Again Lariat Necklace, It’s Romantic Brami, In Full Swing Shorts, and Cecily Clogs.
Jimmy Butler attended the 2026 Met Gala celebrating Costume Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in a custom ALO outfit.
Lux Pascal attended the 2026 Met Gala celebrating Costume Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in a custom Cult Gaia look.
Maude Apatow attended the 2026 Met Gala celebrating Costume Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in the Brilliant Earth Perfect 4-Prong Diamond Stud Earrings and Brilliant Earth Diamond Rings and HUE’s Opaque Sheer to Waist Tights.
Jennie stepped out in New York City in Black Suede Studio’s Easy 50 Mule and again in the Reformation Amelia Thong Wedge.
Deacon Phillippe strolled in New York City in ATM’s Slub Jersey Long Sleeve Destroyed Wash Tee.
Mika Abdalla posted on Instagram wearing the Skye Top in Espresso by Atelier Solana.
Sandra Vergara attended the Vulture Reality Masterminds Celebration at The Lawn Club in New York City wearing The Transformer in Crystal/Black by ROCKNOT.
Allie Eklund appeared as one of the newest cast members in the Season 3 trailer of McBee Dynasty at NBCUniversal’s Upfront presentation at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Ella Bright appeared on Off Campus in Simone Pérèle’s Karma Sheer Demi in black and Intrigue Sheer Demi in black.
Melinda Melrose attended the Dolce&Gabbana beauty pop-up in New York City after being appointed as the brand’s Global Makeup Expert.
Kim Gravel appeared on the LegendsNLeaders podcast to discuss her live selling playbook.
Miranda McKeon hosted a Fill Your Tank community hike and farm-to-table lunch in New York.
Brittny and Jenson Button attended the Dior Cruise 2027 Show at Los Angeles County Museum of Art in Los Angeles, California.
Cassidy Montalvo attended the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada with Amazon Prime Video.
Aimee Smale celebrated the release of her Pretty Busy podcast.
Kai Stone appeared on Getting Real with RED podcast.
Violet Witchel celebrated the launch of her Dense Bean Salad at BIGFACE Coffee in Miami, Florida.
Paige Lindgren promoted her debut cookbook, Sync & Savor, in New York City and Los Angeles, California.
Avantika Vandanapu attended the screening and conversation for Not Suitable For Work at 92NY in New York City.
Kacey Musgraves teamed up with Lee® to launch Kacey Lee, a 100-piece collaboration for Walmart with men’s and women’s denim bottoms and tops, sleepwear, swimwear, accessories, and pet items.
Shelton Wilder showcased listings in Brentwood, California, Malibu, California, and Beverly Hills, California.
Kat Velasco released her single “Shutting Down Midtown”.
Madison Woolley attended the Carla Zampatti show during Australian Fashion Week in Australia.
Jordan Chiles celebrated her birthday with a ’90s theme in Los Angeles, California.
Susan Holmes-McKagan celebrated the release of her paperback book, The Velvet Rose, at Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood, California.
GIRLSET attended 5th Annual Gold Gala at The Music Center in Los Angeles, California wearing the Manhattan Chain Link Statement Bracelet, Juliette Pave Bangle, Margaux Pave Ring, Plaza Ring, Nairobi Chain Bracelet, Camille Statement Drop Earrings, Knockout Collar, and Signature Midi Knockout Studs by Dean Davidson and the Golden Whirlwind Ring by Kaimanna by Samara.
Nick Arrojo hosted salon services including haircuts, color, and blowouts at the ARROJO pop-up in Los Angeles, California to celebrate three new additions to the ARROJO product collection.
Olivia Ponton attended the premiere of Amarga Navidad during the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France.
Michael Dupouy celebrated the release of his book, All Gone at the GUESS JEANS Melrose Flagship in West Hollywood, California, where guests enjoyed a book signing, custom denim experiences, and more.
Preslee Faith attended the Pink Palm Puff VIP pop-up event in Miami, Florida to celebrate the brand’s new store opening.
Katie Austin celebrated her sixth year as a SI Swimsuit model by appearing on Good Day New York, the Tamron Hall Show, and TODAY in New York City.
Shoshanna Raven celebrated her wedding to Christian Martin in Puerto Rico.
TJ Palma appeared on Harry Jowsey’s podcast, Boyfriend Material.
Glenn Adamson released ACHILLE, Assouline’s latest title, to celebrate the bespoke creations of the eponymous Italian architect, artist, and designer.
Lindye Galloway celebrated her 14-piece apparel capsule and 8-piece eyewear collaboration with Z SUPPLY at Common Thread in Costa Mesa, California.
RIXO co-founders Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey hosted a RIXO gifting suite at The Honeyman Agency in Beverly Hills, California. The brand also launched its May collection, Golden Haze, featuring new shapes, ’70s, vintage references, gemstone colorways, lightweight cottons, and fluid chiffons.
Lily Easton celebrated the opening of the With Jéan pop-up in West Hollywood, California.
Chase DeMoor is preparing for the Fame Fighting vs. Misfits boxing event in Leverkusen, Germany on June 6.
Jamie Milne welcomed her second baby with husband Brandon.
Sophie Saint teased new music, set to be released in June.
Levi’s® celebrated the debut of the Levi’s® Bungalow in Venice, California, where guests enjoyed music, food, and the spirit of summer.
Nick Fouquet and Jacques Marie Mage celebrated the launch of their eight-piece limited-edition collaboration featuring two JMM eyewear styles and one Nick Fouquet signature hat in two colorways with a private party at JMM Galleries in Venice, California.
Everist hosted a breakfast event at Ardor at The EDITION in West Hollywood, California to celebrate the launch of the brand’s EverBoost Multi-Peptide Scalp Serum.
Charles & Keith hosted a preview event in Los Angeles, California to present its summer collection alongside branded moments and more.
Hammitt hosted an intimate presentation for the Summer ’26 collection at Virginia Robinson Gardens in Beverly Hills, California, where guests enjoyed sips, light bites, music, fashion, and more.
Hourglass hosted an immersive event at The Grove in Los Angeles, California to celebrate the launch of the Phantom Blur Balm, where guests enjoyed personalized lip wardrobe consultations with Hourglass Lip Stylists, access to the Ambient Lighting Edit: Charms palettes, and more.
CHANEL hosted a private preview of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures’ landmark exhibition, Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon, in Los Angeles, California, to highlight the enduring connection between the actress and CHANEL No.5.
Quince hosted a preview for its furniture collection at Sunset Tower in Los Angeles, California, where guests shopped for home essentials including linen bedding, cashmere throws, and candles, as they enjoyed bites from Leora, Alfred Coffee, and Fleur et Sel.
G&B Digital Management and College of Influence selected five winners of their inaugural College Creator Micro-Grant ’26.
elysewalker Southampton announced that it will be a permanent store location open year-round in Southampton, New York.
BTS The City Arirang teamed up with Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada to debut the “Our Love Song” combo, which includes the K-Town Chicken Sandwich and Strawberry Cheesecake Classic Shake, available through May 31.
SASHA THERESE launched a new limited-run collection filled with hardware-led sexy minimalism designs with built-in belt detailing, buckle accents, and draped accessories.
SEV Laser conducted a survey with Gen Z and Millennial women, where they found that 1 in 3 have cancelled summer plans because they didn’t feel beauty ready, with over 40% saying it happens more than once a month, highlighting what the brand is calling the Spontaneity Gap. To reduce time spent on routine grooming and upkeep, SEV Laser suggests aesthetic treatments like their laser hair removal, which saves 50 days of shaving and waxing over ten years.
Levain teamed up with Sweet Rose Creamery to bring back cookies à la mode, alongside new offerings like mini-ice cream sandwiches and affogatos.
NassifMD, founded by Paul Nassif, launched The Instant Peptide Lift Face Mask and The Instant Peptide Lift Undereye Patches.
OMI introduced two targeted additions to its Hair Growth Peptides™ collection, HARMONIZE and REVITALIZE, peptide-powered formulas designed to address specific causes of thinning and shedding.
Lee launched the Tee Shop, a curated selection of crew necks, logo styles, relaxed silhouettes, pocket tees, and statement graphics across men’s and women’s styles.
Melissa teamed up with GANNI to launch the Melissa/GANNI collaboration featuring the Thong Kitten Heel and Flip Flop Swim.
Prequel launched the Lip Visor SPF 30 in 4 new tinted shades, including Blush, Nude, Mahogany, and Berry.
Assouline launched Football: The Impossible Collection, Football Roots: The Spirit of the Game, and Basquiat: The World of Jean-Michel.
PatPat launched a new Star Wars-inspired collection to celebrate the theatrical release of The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Augustinus Bader launched The Overnight Restorative Cream with the brand’s Advanced TFC8® technology to work in sync with the skin’s circadian rhythm and peak regeneration hours for a complexion that appears firmer, smoother, and revitalized.
ONE/SIZE launched the Oil Sucker Liquid Blotting Paper Spray, which delivers the oil-absorbing power of a blotting paper without the pressing or patting.
Tower 28 launched the ShineOn Plumping Lip Jelly in five shades, powered by VibePlump™, Volulip™, tortula oil, arnica, and hyaluronic filling spheres for a fuller and smoother look without stinging or irritation.
Néccessaire launched The Hand Wash and The Hand Lotion Santal to combat dryness and stripping with niacinamide, vitamin B5, and essential minerals.
KSUBI launched its pre-fall ’26 collection, Higher Than Heaven.
Kosas launched the Impressionist Multistick in 7 nature-inspired shades to provide a flushed-from-within effect for blush and lip color.
Le Monde Gourmand launched the Tomate Bébé Eau de Parfum and Tomate Bébé Candle in collaboration with Jon & Vinny’s, featuring tomato leaf, garden basil, and green pepper with sparkling citrus and warm woods.
Thierry Lasry teamed up with Faena Hotels to launch a limited-edition sunglasses collection, which reinterprets two of Lasry’s signature styles, including CLANDESTY and SOCIETY.
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Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 30, 2026
Today’s Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you’re always in a good mood.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
To grin.
Mashable Top Stories
Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter S.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
SMILE
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
Entertainment
The One Time Batman Ruined Frasier’s Life
By Robert Scucci
| Published
Here’s a rhetorical question for you: Who’s the best Batman? That’s right, Michael Keaton. I’ll bet you’re wondering what an article about Frasier has to do with Batman, which forces me to direct your attention to the Season 9 episode, “Wheels of Fortune,” in which we learn that Frasier’s ex-wife Lilith has a disgraced half-brother, Blaine Sternin, portrayed by the best Batman himself. Most conflicts in Frasier come down to an epic battle of the wits, and our favorite titular gasbag certainly meets his match here.
Normally, Frasier and Niles spend their days looking down their noses at everybody else through a lens of self-righteous, tongue-in-cheek pomposity, including their retired cop dad Marty, Frasier’s radio producer Roz Doyle, sports shock jock Bulldog, and just about anybody else who crosses their paths. In “Wheels of Fortune,” however, Frasier comes to intellectual and spiritual blows with Blaine Sternin, a con artist of the highest order who’s working yet another scheme that Frasier sees through immediately while everybody else falls for it hook, line, and sinker.
It’s Michael Keaton at his scummiest, and he’s truly in his element, making for one of the more entertaining episodes this late in the series’ run.
Charm Is The Viscous Grease With Which He Lubricates His Flim-Flam Machine!
Up to this point in Frasier’s run, we’ve never even heard of Blaine Sternin, and rightfully so. Frasier’s divorce from Lilith before the events of the series has him living on the other side of the country, only seeing his son Frederick during holidays or school breaks. Once Frasier realizes that a run-in with Blaine is imminent, however, we quickly learn why he’s avoided any form of contact with the man for the sake of his own mental health and personal finances.
The episode kicks off with Frasier wrapping up his call-in show at KACL when Roz steps into the booth to let him know that Blaine, who he hasn’t heard from in years, is looking for him. Frasier immediately assumes that his ex-half-brother-in-law is back to his usual tricks, the most egregious involving Blaine stealing his antique salt server years ago. All signs suggest that Blaine wants to reconcile with Frasier, but Frasier wants no part of it because he assumes the worst is about to happen.
Back at his apartment, Frasier warns Niles, Marty, and Daphne about Blaine just before hearing a knock at the door. It’s Blaine, but now he’s confined to a wheelchair and supposedly a Born-Again Christian. He quotes scripture, encourages everybody to say grace before dinner, and reveals his true intentions: he’s starting a career as a preacher and will be speaking in town the following day. He also alludes to being $1,000 short on the room deposit needed to make that happen, though he assures Frasier he’s not asking for a handout.
Frasier, neither impressed nor willing to believe that Blaine is actually paraplegic, remains on high alert while the rest of the group slowly warms up to him. He’s right to be wary because the last time he fell for Blaine’s tricks, he lost a significant amount of money on “Kelp Futures.”
As you would expect, Frasier gets humbled in the worst possible way when he tips Blaine out of his wheelchair during the event before receiving confirmation from the doctor that Blaine is actually crippled. Publicly humiliated, Frasier makes a sizable donation to save face, only to later learn that Blaine was faking the whole thing after all. It’s one of those rare instances where Frasier becomes so obsessive in sizing somebody up that he comes off as irrational and absurd, only to be completely vindicated in the end because you never mess with Batman.
This Isn’t The Only Batman To Frasier Pipeline
“Wheels of Fortune” is a top-tier Frasier episode that would never have landed nearly as well without Keaton’s legendary performance. Going back to his stand-up days, when he made esoteric jokes about Bazooka Joe comics, Keaton has always carried this wry smile and borderline sleazy energy without ever feeling outright sleazy. Something about his smirk always suggests he’s up to something, and he fully leans into that energy in “Wheels of Fortune.”
But the Batman-to-Frasier pipeline doesn’t stop there. In the 2005 sports dramedy Game 6, Keaton’s Nicky Rogan has an extramarital affair with one of his investors, Joanna Bourne, portrayed by Bebe Neuwirth, who of course portrays Lilith in Frasier. In other words, Lilith and her half-brother Blaine are romantically involved in this context, which would absolutely make Frasier’s blood boil if he ever walked in on them getting down to business. Fortunately for the world-weary psychiatrist, these two fictional worlds will never collide because if they did, I don’t think the man would ever recover from it.
Frasier is streaming on Paramount+.
Entertainment
All The Comics You Need To Read Before X-Men ‘97 Season 2
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
It seems that Disney has finally figured out the secret to getting fans to care about Marvel again: throw in the X-Men, baby! Hype for Avengers: Doomsday didn’t reach its zenith until the trailer, which brought back Cyclops, Magneto, and Professor X from the 20th Century Fox films. Before that, a third Deadpool movie seemed pretty “meh” until the reveal that he’d be fighting alongside Wolverine, everyone’s favorite canucklehead. Meanwhile, fans who couldn’t remember the last time they watched anything on Disney+ flocked to the streamer to watch X-Men ‘97, arguably the best thing this franchise has given us in at least a decade.
Now, the trailer for X-Men ‘97 Season 2 show just dropped, and you don’t need Cerebro to detect fan excitement all around the world. One reason to be excited is that the second season, like the first, is going to incorporate some of the most important storylines from the X-Men comics. By reading (or re-reading) those comics, you can get a solid idea of what will be happening in Season 2, which premieres on July 1, and be better able to appreciate every little Easter egg. Based on the trailer, which comics should you thumb through before the new season hits? Keep reading, true believer, and I’ll tell you!
Adventures Of Cyclops And Phoenix
In the ‘90s X-Men comics, Cyclops and Jean Grey finally got married. The miniseries Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix revealed that, not too long after they got hitched, these newlyweds were transported to an Apocalypse-ruled far future by Rachel Summers, their daughter from a different alternate future (it’s complicated). There, they are reunited with Nathan Summers, Cyclops’ son from a previous relationship, who grows up to be Cable, the time-traveling hero. Cyclops and Jean Grey spend 12 years raising Nathan and training him in his powers, but they are eventually brought back to their present day, where no time has actually passed.
Why should you re-read this comic before X-Men ‘97 Season 2? Cyclops and Jean Grey were transported into the future at the end of Season 1, and the new trailer shows them walking through a field of corpses in a world ruled by Apocalypse. It looks like the show will be doing its own homage to Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix, and it’s a pretty solid bet we’ll see young Nathan Summers in Season 2. That will also give us some important background information and character-building for Cable, who (thanks to his time-travel abilities) remains one of the show’s most important characters.
The Twelve
“The Twelve” (sometimes written as “Apocalypse: The Twelve”) was a crossover comic event in which a weakened Apocalypse hatched a crazy plan to achieve supreme power. He captured 12 very specific mutants with the intent of basically stealing their powers and becoming omnipotent. However, his battered body couldn’t withstand all this extra juice, so he had a backup plan: to give it all to Nate Gray (an alternate universe Cable) and then put his own mind in the young man’s body. Our heroes stop the villain, but he goes on to rewrite reality in a later arc, and he’s only stopped when the X-Men defeat him in both the past and the present.
Why read this crossover before X-Men ‘97 Season 2? The trailer shows an interesting cave etching where several X-Men are seemingly looking up at a mysterious floating figure. This implies we may be getting a version of “The Twelve” storyline where Apocalypse is hoping to steal some very specific powers, putting them into a new body along with his own mind. This is the story where Wolverine gets his adamantium back, which would build on the hero’s story from Season 1. Plus, the overarching plot of Season 2, where X-Men fight Apocalypse in the past and the present, is reminiscent of what happened in “Ages of Apocalypse,” a comic story that happened soon after “The Twelve.”
Bonus Reading
So, based on the trailer for X-Men ‘97 Season 2, those are the big comic storylines we can expect to be adapted for the show. With that said, there’s some bonus reading that you may want to do. For example, you should consider reading “Blood of Apocalypse,” a story in which the titular villain transforms Gambit into one of his Horsemen. The end of Season 1 highly implied that Apocalypse intended to bring the ragin’ Cajun back to life, and the Season 2 trailer further implies that there’s a resurrection in the cards for Gambit. By reading this comic, you may get a better idea of how the hero’s return will be handled in the show.
Additionally, you should consider reading Grant Morrison’s New X-Men run for several reasons, including the fact that it’s the best run in the entire history of the comics (I said what I said!). Additionally, the trailer gave us glimpses of Quentin Quire and maybe Xorn, two characters introduced to the franchise by Morrison. The trailer also briefly showed Emma Frost, who first joins the team in New X-Men. Finally, the show has already adapted one major storyline from Morrison’s run (namely, the brutal attack on Genosha), and it wouldn’t be surprising if we get other arcs. As a bonus, this comic also introduces Cassandra Nova, who was the Big Bad of Deadpool & Wolverine.
Bust Out Those Longboxes, Boys
Obviously, you don’t have to read these classic comics to enjoy the show. One of the best things about X-Men ‘97 is that it is remarkably accessible to new fans of the franchise. However, Season 1 was filled with amazing homages and Easter eggs from the comics, and noticing them is a great way to enhance your appreciation for the best show Marvel ever made. Now, you have a chance to brush up on some classic comic reading and maybe get a better idea of what to expect from Season 2.
Of course, the show never does a straight adaptation of comic events, and it’s also rewarding to see how the writers have modified classic storylines and woven them into something new. If nothing else, the imminent arrival of X-Men ‘97 Season 2 gives you a chance to read New X-Men, the most important comic in the history of the franchise. In the immortal words of Bob Belcher, “I don’t want to oversell it. But if changes you forever.”
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