X-Men ’97 fans have been counting down the days, and the wait for episode 8 is getting shorter. With episode 7 leaving the team stranded in the Savage Land, the next chapter promises to bring one of the show’s most ominous titles yet to life.
Season two has already delivered a Rise of Apocalypse arc, a Danger Room nightmare, and a detour into the Savage Land, so expectations are high heading into the back half of the season. Every episode this year has built toward bigger stakes, and the title of episode 8 alone has fan forums buzzing with theories, especially around Gambit.
When Does X-Men ’97 Episode 8 Release?
Episode 8, titled The Dead Man’s Hand, premieres on Disney+ on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. The official synopsis teases that the X-Men will confront a ghost from their past, and the episode was directed by Meredith Layne.
New episodes have consistently dropped at midnight Pacific time, which works out to 3 a.m. Eastern and 8 a.m. British Summer Time for viewers in the UK. Anyone outside those zones should double-check a time zone converter to know exactly when the episode lands where they are.
Episode 8 is the penultimate chapter of the season. Season two runs nine episodes total, one shorter than the first season’s ten-episode run in 2024, and the finale, titled Survival of the Fittest, closes things out the following Wednesday on August 12, 2026. That makes The Dead Man’s Hand the direct setup for the season’s final stretch.
The full episode title list leaked in late June, and episode 8’s name immediately became the most discussed of the batch. With episodes 3 and 4 already leaning hard into Apocalypse and his Horsemen, fans are speculating this ghost from the past could tie back to Gambit or another fan-favorite whose fate has felt unresolved all season.
The good news for anyone worried about the story running out of room is that season three has already been greenlit, with more seasons reportedly in development. That means The Dead Man’s Hand doesn’t need to wrap every loose thread on its own.
X-Men ’97 season 2 episode 9, Survival of the Fittest, closes out the season on Disney+ on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.