As X-Men ’97 Season 1 comes to a close, the team finds themselves scattered across space and time, with some members transported to Ancient Egypt in 3,000 B.C. There, they encounter En Sabah Nur, who is revealed to be the original mutant and one of the X-Men’s most formidable enemies, Apocalypse. The origins of Apocalypse date back thousands of years, when he was abandoned as an infant due to his pale skin and strange facial features. He was given the name “En Sabah Nur” by his adoptive tribe, the Sandstormers, and was later renamed Apocalypse as his powers grew and he became an unfeeling, ruthless villain who seeks to conquer and destroy.
As Apocalypse’s powers grew, he became an indescribable tyrant whose mutant powers granted him unchecked strength and immortality. This journey into Apocalypse’s past is depicted in the 1990s comic miniseries, The Rise of Apocalypse, which shows how his tribe was later slaughtered by the Pharaoh Rama-Tut, who also happens to be the alter ego of the time-traveling villain, Kang the Conqueror.
In the animated X-Men saga, Apocalypse has been a recurring villain since the first season of X-Men: The Animated Series. He seeks to subjugate both human and mutant races and has used special regeneration chambers to grant him an extended lifespan, requiring him to undergo periods of hibernation for 100 years.
‘X-Men ‘97’ Magneto (Via IMDB)
In X-Men ’97, Apocalypse is back in the fold, with one group of X-Men finding themselves in Ancient Egypt in 3,000 B.C., where they save a masked man who is attacked by royal soldiers. The mask is removed, revealing En Sabah Nur’s familiar markings, foreshadowing his transformation into Apocalypse.
Meanwhile, Jean Grey and Cyclops have been thrust into the far future of 3960 A.D., where they meet the Clan Askani and young Nathan Summers, the future Cable. This episode is an homage to the comic miniseries, The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix. Storm, Morph, and Wolverine remain missing after the events of the finale, leaving their fates unknown until Season 2.
The season 1 finale’s epilogue depicts Apocalypse examining the ruins of Genosha, discovering one of Gambit’s playing cards, and smiling, “So much pain, my children. So much…death.” This suggests that Apocalypse will return as the big bad for Season 2 and likely beyond. As the X-Men go on their journey across time and space, they are likely to unravel the mystery of En Sabah Nur’s transformation into one of their greatest enemies, Apocalypse. The X-Men’s quest for peaceful coexistence in a world that hates and fears them is far from over.
