X-Men '97 picks up several months after the events of X-Men and sees the X-Men questioning their future after an increase of sympathy towards mutants after the attempt on Xavier's life, with Cyclops and Storm wanting to continue on Xavier's dream and others such as Jean Grey wanting to create new lives for themselves, while Magneto is moved by the growing mutant sympathy and wants to follow in Xavier's footsteps as the team's leader.