I do not have a subscription to CNN but from I can piece together, there have been multiple serious brain injuries stemming from X2. Another site below has some detailed information.

X2 has been SBNO since mid-July for evaluation.

I have been on X2 twice & found it to be a great ride but did have to take a break after 2 trip. I want to believe that pre-existing conditions contributed to the injuries but there are some facts that are concerning,

"As detailed by CNN, two women suffered life-threatening brain hemorrhages within days of riding the coaster, both requiring emergency neurosurgery to alleviate pressure within the skull. Medical teams treating the riders likened the mechanical impact to the violent rotational dynamics typically observed in high-speed vehicular collisions."

Read more at:
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/global-trends/why-six-flags-magic-mountains-x2-rollercoaster-faces-a-safety-audit-over-brain-hemorrhage-concern/articleshow/133569687.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/27/us/six-flags-rollercoaster-brain-injury-invs

Yeah, there's a lot of speculation going on... It's been closed since July 12th after two incidents, and one of those two sounds like they aren't going to make it.

And now a lawsuit is about to begin for the wrongful death of this poor young man back in 2022:

Yahoo News

College grad reportedly dies in Six Flags roller coaster...

Christopher Hawley, a recent San Diego State University graduate, reportedly collapsed after riding X2 in 2022, and his family now alleges the attraction was dangerously rough.

There's definitely a pattern... and it sure sounds like some covering up by Six Flags.

This ride is done.

https://archive.is/f8nZo

In the span of less than a week this July, surgeons at a Southern California hospital raced to save the lives of two women suffering from alarmingly similar brain hemorrhages.

The severe injuries were the kind doctors encounter in patients after high-speed collisions or other violent accidents that cause the brain to twist and slam inside one’s skull.

Neither woman, however, had been involved in a crash, fall or other such incident.

Instead, they had ridden an extreme roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain, known as X2, which draws thrill-seekers from around the world with its rotating seats, near-vertical drops and unpredictable movements. It has long been the park’s marquee attraction — promoted as a “[rite] of passage for the ultimate daredevil.”

25-year-old Los Angeles resident Naomi Greer-Wilkinson boarded X2 during a day at the park with her twin brother and younger sister. Just like Guillen, she lost consciousness shortly after riding the roller coaster and was rushed to the hospital for emergency brain surgery, according to her family.

Greer-Wilkinson’s parents told CNN they were informed by doctors their daughter had suffered a severe traumatic brain injury and they should prepare for the worst.

“Naomi should have never ever in a million years even had the option to get on that ride,” said her mother, Artemis Greer.

Whoever made the decision to keep X2 operational last month has “a lot to answer for,” said Greer-Wilkinson’s father, Joshua Wilkinson. “It’s got to stop.”

Greer remains in critical condition in a coma, hooked up to a ventilator and feeding tube that are keeping her alive. “This is the hardest thing a human being could go through,” her mother said of watching her daughter – whom she described as “wise for her age,” hilarious and kind.

“This is cruel,” she added.

A representative from Six Flags offered the family food from McDonald’s when Greer-Wilkinson first arrived in the emergency room, according to her mother. But they haven’t heard anything since.

Yeah I think it's time for the park to pull the plug and build something else there. Even if they get the green light to open it, I feel like the ride has too bad of a reputation now. Remember with Son of Beast, the park got the green light to reopen it, but Greg Scheid said no way after test riding it and the park didn't want anymore bad press from the ride.

6 minutes ago, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

Yeah I think it's time for the park to pull the plug and build something else there. Even if they get the green light to open it, I feel like the ride has too bad of a reputation now. Remember with Son of Beast, the park got the green light to reopen it, but Greg Scheid said no way after test riding it and the park didn't want anymore bad press from the ride.

I agree. It's also been around a lot longer than most problematic rides. I just look at Holiday World for example and how they were pretty quick to toss out Giraffica.

42 minutes ago, DiamondbackFan said:

This ride is done.

https://archive.is/f8nZo

What a slap in the face. Food from McDonald's as a "we're sorry". Just goes to show how uncaring corporations are to people.

^^ I can see the decision to shut SoB a bit easier due to not being an enjoyable ride.

X2 was a pretty good ride.

X2 may be a good ride but I agree that it's probably time to pull the plug. It's a dead coaster model with a bad reputation and an has had increasingly variable uptime. Hopefully the park can find something good to replace it quickly enough while keeping Ninja and Viper open a little while longer. I've been hearing that there are a few Intamin coasters for sale, so maybe one of those?

This would be a great opportunity to start a rebuild of the entrance plaza as well in case that's something Magic Mountain is wanting to do.

I just rode it for the very first time this past June. I thought it was fine for the most part, it was quite rough going through the final twist up into the break run. I did feel ill throughout the rest of the day though. I thought it was heat. Makes me wonder though

I rode X2 for the first time in April of 2022 and I found it extremely rough and unenjoyable. Like great concept and great layout but oh man was it rough - like I'm talking SLC roughness beating my head and body. I only rode it once that day because the line was long and I was enjoying the other coasters at the park alot more.

My second ride on X2 was in November 2025 and I got a night ride on it. This ride was a lot better than the first one - I wouldn't describe it as smooth but definitely no headbanging and nothing that made me think it would hurt anyone. I actually really enjoyed the coaster this time.

So having said that, from what I can tell X2 delivers a different ride experience. Maybe this is a difference on how long it's been between maintenance, perhaps it is determined by which train they are using, or perhaps it's temperature related? No clue why it seems to run good for some folks and beat the crap out of other people. One thing is for sure, saying it's not a good ride is a lie but not acknowledging that it sometimes is extremely intense and painfully rough is also not a fair assessment.

I love coasters, I volunteer with a coaster club, and I proudly have nearly 500 credits I've traveled across the USA and parts of Europe riding coasters. I say all of that because I don't want my enthusiasm for these rides or love of their history questioned when I make this statement but I personally would retire X2. Don't get me wrong my last ride on it was incredible! There's nothing else like it on this continent but there's a pattern here after many years of incidents - some minor and some alot more major and sadly fatal. Even if the cause is "pre-existing conditions" you can't have people ride a coaster that they'd need a brain scan to establish if it's safe for them to ride. Like even if the average rider is fine, if someone with an undiagnosed brain abnormality were to ride then it could have devastating effects and that isn't the riders fault. Best case scenario X2 just isn't safe for people with brain abnormalities but worst case scenario it actually isn't safe for anyone. Regardless I personally wouldn't reopen the ride out of precaution. I do not know what six flags will decide but my guess is the threat of legal action, paying out multiple victims and their families, and the bad press will be enough to shut this ride down.

Let's face it, while nobody who loves coasters wants X2 to close, I think we can all recognize it's had a solid run for the past 24 seasons and while it's not the oldest steel coaster by any means, its had a lifespan comparable to some other legendary coasters (Big Bad Wolf at BGW closed after 25 seasons, King Cobra at Kings Island lasted 17 seasons, Kingda Ka operated for around 19 seasons I believe).

It will be a sad day if X2 doesn't reopen but safety is #1 in my book and I have great sympathy for the victims and their families because there's not much worse than a life altering injury or death at an amusement park - a place designed to bring happiness and joy to our lives

3 hours ago, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

X2 may be a good ride but I agree that it's probably time to pull the plug. It's a dead coaster model with a bad reputation and an has had increasingly variable uptime. Hopefully the park can find something good to replace it quickly enough while keeping Ninja and Viper open a little while longer. I've been hearing that there are a few Intamin coasters for sale, so maybe one of those?

This would be a great opportunity to start a rebuild of the entrance plaza as well in case that's something Magic Mountain is wanting to do.

If X2 goes, I fear that plot will sit empty for awhile like Vortex. They're building a thrill glider for next year.

I could see that plot being used sooner than Vortex's plot, especially if Six Flags wants to prop up Magic Mountain even more. It may all depend on how much they have to pay during/after these all of these lawsuits. If the park does wait to add a new ride to that area then I hope they fit the new ride better with the layout of the paths. The current location has a great presence at the entrance to the parking lot, but is so far from everything else. I don't know that the park needs to have the most coasters out of any other park while they work to fix the longstanding issues it's had for years.

26 minutes ago, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

I could see that plot being used sooner than Vortex's plot, especially if Six Flags wants to prop up Magic Mountain even more. It may all depend on how much they have to pay during/after these all of these lawsuits. If the park does wait to add a new ride to that area then I hope they fit the new ride better with the layout of the paths. The current location has a great presence at the entrance to the parking lot, but is so far from everything else. I don't know that the park needs to have the most coasters out of any other park while they work to fix the longstanding issues it's had for years.

Maybe the planned coaster for The Vortex spot will be transferred to Magic Mountain.