- Primary Subject: Nightcrawler in X-Men '97
- Key Update: Nightcrawler voice actor Adrian Hough teased that Kurt Wagner is set for an incredible, rewarding character arc unfolding in the ancient past throughout X-Men '97 Season 2.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: July 7, 2026
- Quick Answer: Nightcrawler plays a major role in Season 2, navigating 3000 BC Ancient Egypt alongside the X-Men while confronting a young En Sabah Nur.
Nightcrawler may not have made his X-Men '97 debut until Episode 5, but the fan-favorite mutant is set for a much bigger role in Season 2.
After first appearing during the devastating Genosha massacre, Kurt Wagner has become one of the X-Men stranded in the distant past, where he encounters En Sabah Nur–long before the ancient mutant transforms into the Apocalypse destined to threaten the world.
With En Sabah Nur turning against the X-Men alongside Rama-Tut (Kang the Conqueror) and launching a devastating attack on the team, what role will Nightcrawler play in X-Men '97 Season 2?
What’s Next for Nightcrawler in X-Men ‘97 Season 2?
Nightcrawler appeared alongside the rest of the X-Men in 3000 BC Ancient Egypt in X-Men '97 Season 2, Episode 1, "Days of Future Past."
In the episode, Adrian Hough reprises his role as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler while also voicing the newly introduced Strong Guy. Of the two characters, Hough teased that Nightcrawler will undergo an incredible journey before the season comes to an end.
"I think by the end [he has]... incredible [character growth]. In the old series, we only ever see him sort of morose and sad, but hopeful, and, you know, proselytizing to Wolverine in the chapel, and then finding out that Mystique is his mother, and [he starts to bond] with Rogue. But I think it comes to fruition in this season," Hough told The Direct. "That's all I'll say."
Hough went on to describe Nightcrawler as one of the X-Men's most soulful members.
"Very caring, and he's approached being part of the X-Men—he's embraced it wholly... I think he's very adaptable," he continued. "He does teleport, he's got his skills, he's got his sword fighting. He's super passionate about protecting the X-Men and his friends and his half-sister Rogue, and ready to fight the bad guys."
However, like the other X-Men brought to the past, Nightcrawler has also endured a great deal to reach this point, setting the stage for what Hough suggests will be a rewarding character arc in Season 2.
Will Nightcrawler Return in X-Men '97 Season 3?
Following the success of X-Men '97 Season 1, which earned widespread critical acclaim and multiple award nominations, Marvel Animation quickly renewed the series for a third and fourth season.
With the core X-Men expected to continue their journey, fans are naturally wondering whether Nightcrawler will also return.
The answer appears to be yes. As one of the franchise's most beloved mutants, Nightcrawler is expected to remain a key part of the series, with Adrian Hough hinting that Kurt Wagner's character development is far from over.
"Well, I have to say, every time I get a new script, I have this moment of, 'Oh, wow, that's where we're going,' you know. 'Oh, oh my God, okay,' but I'm just gonna say it again, just hold on to your hats, because every time I come in, there's like a new version of his journey, let's say, and, you know, it's fantastic," Hough teased.
The actor said Nightcrawler remains one of his favorite characters to portray because each new storyline continues to surprise him.
Despite voicing the fan-favorite mutant for more than 30 years—dating back to the original X-Men: The Animated Series in the 1990s—Hough said he's still discovering new layers to Kurt's personality.
"I've been thinking a lot more about how he deals with his personal trauma and sadness, for, you know, lack of a better way of expressing it, and you know how he almost... he bounces away, like he pushes away from the suffering that he's had," he explained.
Hough added that Nightcrawler's teleportation ability has also shaped the way he thinks about the character. He imagines Kurt briefly passing through an underworld-like realm, a "darkest place imaginable," before instantly reappearing elsewhere.
"So, he's having to contend with all these forces and energies and thought forms, and so I think that informs me a little bit," Hough said. "When I saw the teleportation animation, though, I squealed... And I think it subconsciously affected the way I thought about him, for sure."
With two more seasons already in development, Nightcrawler's journey appears to be only just beginning.
X-Men '97 Season 2 Episode 4 will premiere on Wednesday, July 8, while the first three episodes are available to stream on Disney+.
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