Horsemen of Apocalypse
This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. (February 2019) |
Horsemen of Apocalypse | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | X-Factor #15 (April 1987) |
Created by | Louise Simonson Walt Simonson |
In-story information | |
Member(s) | Death: Death (1st incarnation) Death (11th c. incarnation) Angel Caliban Wolverine Professor X Gambit Psylocke Sanjar Javeed Storm Banshee Daken Grim Reaper Sentry Famine: Ahab Sunfire Jeb Lee Pestilence: Pestilence (1st incarnation) Pestilence (11th century incarnation) Plague Caliban Polaris Ichisumi War: War (1st incarnation) War (11th century incarnation) War (19th century incarnation) Apocalypse: En Sabah Nur |
The Horsemen of Apocalypse are a team of supervillain characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Led by Apocalypse, they are loosely based on the Biblical Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse from the Book of Revelation, though its members vary throughout the canon.
Members of the Horsemen of Apocalypse appeared in 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse.
Publication history
The Horsemen of Apocalypse are first mentioned in X-Factor #10 (Nov. 1986), and make their full appearance in X-Factor #15 (April 1987) where they were created by writer Louise Simonson and artist Walt Simonson.
The first comic-book characters of this name were an unrelated team of aliens from the race known as the Axi-Tun that attacked Earth in ancient and modern times. They appeared in Giant Size Fantastic Four #3 (Nov. 1974).
Fictional biography
The group consists of four individuals (usually
Before Apocalypse assembled his first modern incarnation (according to date of real world publication) of Horsemen, it was revealed that there were other, lesser known groups of Horsemen.
First incarnation
The original Four Horsemen were all Apocalypse's biological children, whose names reflected their mutant abilities. Thousands of years ago, they resided on a sentient island called Okkara where mutants have created an advanced society. War possesses pyrokinesis, Famine possesses hydrokinesis, Pestilence infects people with diseases, and Death possesses the death stare and can sense a spark of life in anyone. To celebrate their births, their maternal aunt, Isca the Unbeaten forged the Scarab, a sword in four parts. Eventually Okkara was attacked by an enemy wielding the Twilight Sword which divided the sentient island into two creatures, Krakoa and Arakko, and Apocalypse and his first horsemen fought the invaders. To stop the onslaught, Arakko and the strongest mutants of the land, including Apocalypse's wife Genesis and the Four Horsemen, went beyond the breach and sealed it from the other side.[1]
11th century incarnation
Having special fondness for the originals, Apocalypse assembled a new incarnation of the Horsemen during the 11th century and sent them to kill a pagan named Folkbern Logan in medieval London. To fill the role of Pestilence, Apocalypse recruited Phantom Bats of the Twelve Minds, a mutant that greatly resembles Orb with his arms replaced by wings which allowed him to fly and can perform the Red Stare that emits red bats that immolate anything it touches. For the role of Famine, Apocalypse had chosen a Native American female who rides an undead flying bear. For the role of War, Apocalypse had recruited a mutant that resembled a mummy and rode a skinless winged horse with bat-like wings. For the role of Death, Apocalypse recruited a mutant who seemed to possess a gas-like body which allowed him to fly and wears a robe and cloak that covers his entire body like the Grim Reaper. Thor comes to Folkbern's aid and kills the Horsemen of Apocalypse single-handedly.[2]
15th century incarnation
In
First modern incarnation
Fall of Mutants
In the 20th century, Apocalypse recruits Plague, a member of the Morlocks, during the "
The Four Horsemen were forced to battle one another for leadership and Death emerges victorious. In their first battle against X-Factor, the Horsemen were nearly defeated until Death appeared, shocking his former comrades. While X-Factor is strapped down, the Four Horsemen are sent out by Apocalypse to destroy New York City. Meanwhile, Caliban confronts Apocalypse and asks for power to avenge his fellow Morlocks.
X-Factor frees themselves and take on the Four Horsemen; Pestilence is accidentally slain by Power Pack in the battle and Archangel comes back to his senses after assuming he killed his former comrade Iceman. Apocalypse retreats with his remaining Horsemen and the newly recruited and powerful Caliban.
X-Cutioner's Song
While Apocalypse heals from his recent defeat on the moon, Mister Sinister disguises himself as Apocalypse and orders the Horsemen War, Famine, and Caliban, who was transformed by Apocalypse and replaced Angel as Death, to capture Jean Grey and Cyclops. The X-Men later defeat the Horsemen when they discover their hideout.
Hulk
After a battle with the X-Men in their mansion, Hulk is taken by Apocalypse and becomes the new incarnation of War, being supplied with weaponry and a helmet that shields Hulk from his father's abusive and severely distracting spirit. Apocalypse set Hulk against the Juggernaut to test the latter's strength. Hulk was able to stop and overcome the Juggernaut, after being empowered by energy from Franklin Richards' "Heroes Reborn" pocket universe. He likewise overloaded the Absorbing Man, but came to his senses after he had injured his friend Rick Jones.
Second incarnation
The Twelve
During "
When Death captured
. The rest of the Horsemen are teleported to another dimension by Mikhail.Third incarnation
Blood of Apocalypse
Following the as Death.
Gazer was saved from death and forced to battle an archaeologist for the mantle of War, which he won with the aid of Apocalypse's
The Final Horsemen
When the Clan Akkaba finally resurrects En Sabah Nur, albeit in the form of a child, it is revealed that centuries ago Apocalypse had created the self-proclaimed "Final Horsemen". This cadre of Horsemen had been assembled one by one through time by Apocalypse and Ozymandias and would only be awoken when all other approaches had failed. They comprise the following members:
- Decimus Furius - Collected during the 3rd Century, he is the son of a philosopher that was originally alive in Rome during the 200s. When his father committed suicide and his mother died shortly after, he was left homeless, without any money. While slowly starving to death in an alley, he transformed into his mutant self, the mythological Minotaur. When he was seen, the human civilians attempted to kill him. He slaughtered dozens before being brought down. Eventually, after being imprisoned for years, he was offered freedom, providing he was able to defeat all others in the arena. With his axe, he slaughtered all who opposed him. He was then worshipped as the Dark God Minotaur. He was found by Apocalypse and Ozymandias and he was appointed as War. Along with immense strength and durability, War's axe seems to psionically infect all it touches with a berserker rage and a cold thirst for destruction. His hide seems to have a resemblance to that of stone that makes him look like a statue when not moving. Decimus was later killed by the Apocalypse Twins.[6]
- Sanjar Javeed - Collected during the 4th Century, he is the bastard son and servant of the once king of Persia Shapur II. When the King could not let out that he had this son, Sanjar turned to thievery to get the attention of his father. However, this was when Sanjar's powers developed. He gained an ailment aura that could transmit a spectrum of terminal diseases depending on what variety of metal he touches. He began to poison the entire kingdom by spreading diseases through the stolen treasures. On his deathbed King Shapur named his son "The Seraph of Death". Soon Sanjar was collected by Apocalypse as his horseman, Death. Sanjar was killed by Deathlok while X-Force tried to stop Archangel from destroying the human race. He later cameos during Destiny of X.[7]
- Jeb Lee - Collected during the 19th Century, he is a Confederate spy that fought during the American Civil War. He marched behind enemy lines disguised as a Union drummer, gathering information. After the war, he returned home while mistakenly wearing his Union uniform. The Confederates believed him to be a traitor and burned his family alive in front of him. This stimulated his latent mutant powers, the ability to use percussive sound to create a bioauditory cancer, a "living sound" that feeds on the flesh of those who hear it. He was approached by Apocalypse and Ozymandias and appointed as Famine. Famine was later captured by X-Force and tortured by Deathlok for many hours while his host took control, revealing the location of Archangel to the team. Wolverine then cut off his hands, effectively removing his ability to use his powers. He later received artificial replacement hands,[8] but was killed by the Apocalypse Twins.[6]
- Ichisumi - Collected during the 19th Century, she's a Apocalypse Twins.[8]
- Psylocke - Chosen during the 21st Century by Archangel to replace Sanjar Javeed. Archangel used the Celestial tool known as the Death Seed to transform Betsy into the new Horseman of Death but her time as a Horseman lasts only for a very short time since she was freed from Archangel's control by the Jean Grey of Earth-295.
Fifth incarnation
The Four Horsemen of Death
As part of the
- Banshee - Resurrected by the use of a Death Seed, he was sent after Havok (the brother of his killer Vulcan).
- Daken - Resurrected by the use of a Death Seed, he was naturally sent after his father Wolverine.
- Grim Reaper - Resurrected by the use of a Death Seed, he targeted his brother Wonder Man.
- The Sentry - Resurrected by the use of a Death Seed and was sent after his killer Thor.[10]
Their goal is to destroy Earth and teleport all mutants to Planet X.[11] Although this plan succeeds, the Avengers Unity Squad are able to undo their victory by transferring their minds into the body of their past selves after the Horsemen's victory, providing Rogue with sufficient power to force the Celestial away while her teammates confront Daken, the Reaper and Banshee, while also resulting in Sentry's Horseman programming being broken. While Sentry takes the dead body of the Celestial Executioner into deep space somewhere far away from Earth, Daken and Grim Reaper get away while Banshee ends up in the X-Men's custody as Beast concludes that healing Banshee of the Death Seed energy that made him a Horseman of Death will take years as well as highly advanced technology.[12]
Sixth incarnation
Apocalypse Wars
When Cerebra detected the sudden appearance of six hundred new mutant signatures in Tokyo,
While several X-Men battled Colossus, Deadpool and the Venom Symbiote,
After defeating Deadpool and Venom, the X-Men tried to take Colossus down, but were no match for him. Only Magik, who had just arrived to rescue them, was able to knock Colossus out. Seeing Apocalypse as the only person capable of transforming Colossus back to normal, Storm took him with them back to the present, but he teleported Colossus away as soon as they arrived in X-Haven. Somewhere else, Colossus was found by Clan Akkaba and revealed to be the Horseman of War.[16]
Simultaneously in the present, there is a new group of Uncanny X-Men which is led by
Return of the first incarnation
Following the transformation of Krakoa into a sovereign nation-state for mutants, Apocalypse traveled to the island and eventually revealed to those present more of his past history with Krakoa. Later a mysterious island known as Arak Coral appeared off the southern coast of Krakoa and eventually both landmasses merged into one. With Arak Coral came also the High Summoner of Arakko, who was revealed to be the son of Apocalypse's first Horsemen of War making him the grandson of Apocalypse.[18] The Summoner pleads to Apocalypse to save them from their enemy and in his efforts to recover Arakko and his horsemen, Apocalypse calls a meeting with his fellows Externals inside the Eternal Caldera on the Arak Coral. Thanks to Rictor, Apocalypse murders Crule, Saul, Nicodemus and Candra. With the aid of Selene, Gideon, and Absalom, Apocalypse sacrificed their corpses to create the Krakoan side of the External Gate. With Excalibur planting the partner Gateway in Otherworld, Apocalypse successfully secured the large gate connecting Krakoa and Otherworld.
X of Swords
Later it is discovered that the first incarnation of the Horsemen are actually the biological children of Apocalypse and his wife Genesis, who was also sent with Arakko.[19] Following that, Apocalypse went to the Summoner and directed him to the portal to Otherworld where he could return to Arakko, while being accompanied by Unus and Banshee. However, what Apocalypse did not expected was that this was all an elaborated plan created by his own children so they could return and overthrow Krakoa with their fellow Arakki mutants and Daemon army. Apocalypse himself was soon attacked and critically injured by his daughter War, being forced to retreat back to Krakoa to heal their wounds and prepare for war between the two group. Apocalypse later acknowledges that he’s formed plenty of Horsemen groups in the past, all named after the four children who he lost when Arakko was severed from Earth, and he claims to have had a hand in adding their names to “the sacred texts of humankind”, or in other words, the Book of Revelation.[20]
Other versions
Age of Apocalypse
In the alternate reality known as the
After the fall of Apocalypse and the ascension of Weapon X as the heir of Apocalypse, a new cadre of Horsemen was chosen, however, the team was renamed as Ministers instead of Horsemen, with Azazel and the resurrected Emplate and the Summers brothers revealed to be among this group, Azazel as the Minister of Death,[21] Emplate as the Minister of Pestilence, Cyclops as the Minister of Famine and Havok as the Minister of War.[22] Each Minister has a special area of control and their own special troops.
Ages of Apocalypse
In one of the alternate realities created by Apocalypse during the "
Avengers/Alternate Age of Apocalypse
While waging war against Ultron in the near future, Kang accidentally breaks time itself in an attempt to gather an army from various time periods, to aid him in defeating Ultron. As a result of this, an alternate universe version of the "Age of Apocalypse" Apocalypse and his Horsemen ended up in the present day Avengers Tower. A battle ensues between the Avengers and the Horsemen (Spider-Man, Wolverine, Scarlet Witch and Red Hulk, who have been infected with the techno-virus and fused with their mounts). Due to the temporal chaos, the fight ends when the villains are teleported away back into the timestream.[23]
Cable & Deadpool
In
Exiles
One of the original members of the Exiles was Thunderbird of Earth-1100, who was transformed into Apocalypse's Horseman, War. As War, Thunderbird has lost his humanity and sense of taste but had enhanced senses. He managed to break through Apocalypse's mind control and rejoined his allies, the X-Men. When he went into battle-mode, he could even overpower the Hulk.
Horsemen of Salvation
A new cadre of Horsemen dubbed as the Horsemen of Salvation has since appeared on Earth Prime and appears to be an inversion of the Horsemen of Apocalypse. While Apocalypse's team has the Horsemen of Death, Famine, Pestilence and War, the Horsemen of Salvation has the Horsemen of Life, Bounty, Wellness and Peace. Likewise, in the same way as the Horsemen of Apocalypse are transformed into monstrous versions of themselves, the Horsemen of Salvation had drastic redesigns involving flowing robes and facial markings, however, these redesigns are later revealed to be psionic ones rather than physical. This team is led by Nate Grey[24] and is formed by:
- Horseman of Peace - Magneto;
- Horseman of Life - Warren Worthington III;
- Horseman of Bounty - Blob;
- Horseman of Wellness - Omega Red
The Horsemen are revealed to be under the mental control of Nate Grey, and when Psylocke was able to release Warren from Nate's control by using her psionic katana, Nate Grey brainwashed Storm into becoming his new Horseman of Life.[25]
House of M
When the Scarlet Witch altered reality and created the House of M, Apocalypse was brought back to life. He was a former enemy of Magneto, who became his subordinate, ruling North Africa. Magneto had sent him to kill Black Panther. He went to Wakanda, along with three of his Horsemen shown, Iceman, Angel, and Nightcrawler. Unlike the original continuity, none of the Horsemen were visibly altered or augmented in this reality.[26]
Last Horsemen of Apocalypse
During Moira MacTaggert's 9th life, it is revealed that after humanity united with the Sentinels to form the Man-Machine Ascendancy which created an extinction war across planet Earth, Apocalypse leads the last Mutant survivors and chose four of them to be his Last Horsemen which are:
- Wolverine as the Horseman of War, a pureblood mutant, whose mutant healing factor has allowed him to live for centuries.
- Xorn as the Horseman of Death, another pureblood mutant. He has a singularity in his head, which seems to have allowed him to live a longer than normal life, or it could have to do with Apocalypse's genetic modifications.
- North as the Horseman of Pestilence, a "Chimera" mutant which is a hybrid soldier highly effective grown by Mr. Sinister's Mutant breeding program from the X-genes of both Lorna Dane and Emma Frost. North wears a version of Magneto's costume that is green like Lorna's hair and possesses magnetic manipulation powers and telepathy.
- Cypheras the Horseman of Famine, a symbiotic mutant. It is the sentient mutant island living within the body of the former New Mutant. Cypher's mutant power allowed him to read, translate, and interpret any language or means of communication. He had a similar bonding with his fellow New Mutant Warlock, a mutant member of the techno-organic alien race called the Technarchy.
Marvel Mangaverse
In the
Mutant X
In the
Ultimate Marvel
In the
X-Men '92
In the final issue of X-Men '92 tying into the 2015 Secret Wars comic book event, Baron Robert Kelly (Baron of Westchester), Bastion, Exodus, and Mystique are revealed as Apocalypse's current Horsemen.[28]
What If...?
- In one alternate reality, Wolverine was turned into the Horseman of War (he was known as Death). He turned against Apocalypse and killed him, then began slaughtering Earth's criminals and villains. Eventually, he became the peaceful Brother Xavier.
- In the reality depicted in What If Legion Had Killed Xavier And Magneto?, the Horsemen of Apocalypse were Storm, Juggernaut, Namor, and Hulk.
In other media
Television
- The first modern incarnation of the Horsemen of Apocalypse appear in X-Men: The Animated Series, consisting of Autumn Rolfson / Famine, Plague / Pestilence, Abraham Kieros / War, and Archangel / Death. This version of the group were all brainwashed by Apocalypse's subordinate Mystique, who swayed them with the offer of a "mutant cure". Additionally, Fabian Cortez, a follower of Apocalypse, serves as an unofficial fifth Horseman.
- The Horsemen of Apocalypse appear in X-Men: Evolution, consisting of Professor X / Death, Magneto / War, Storm / Famine, and Mystique / Pestilence.
Film
- The original incarnation of the Horsemen of Apocalypse make a cameo appearance in the post-credits scene of X-Men: Days of Future Past.
- Two incarnations of the Horsemen of Apocalypse appear in X-Men: Apocalypse. The original incarnation consists of Pestilence (portrayed by Warren Scherer), who possesses sharpened, animal-like teeth and super-strength; Famine (portrayed by Rochelle Okoye), who possesses pyrokinesis; Death (portrayed by Monique Ganderton), who possesses telekinesis, mind-control, and shield generation; and War (portrayed by Fraser Aitcheson), who can disintegrate skin and muscle. In the present, Apocalypse recruits Storm, Psylocke, Archangel, and Magneto.[29]
Video games
- The Horsemen of Apocalypse appear in Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, with Cyber-Akuma / Death as a prominent member.
- The Horsemen of Apocalypse appear in Abyss, Mikhail Rasputin, Holocaust, and Archangel. Additionally, statues of the original Horsemen that get brought to life later in the game also appear.
- The Horsemen of Apocalypse appear in / Death.
- The Horsemen of Apocalypse appear in Marvel Contest of Champions, consisting of Psylocke, Gambit, Wolverine, and Archangel.
- The Horsemen of Apocalypse appear in Marvel Realm of Champions, consisting of Archangel / War, Psylocke / Plague, Magneto / Death, and Storm / Famine. This version of the group each rule over lands named after their Horsemen designation.
- The Horsemen of Apocalypse appear in Marvel Strike Force, consisting of Archangel / Death, Red Hulk / War, Morgan le Fay / Pestilence, and Rogue / Famine.
References
- ^ X-Men vol. 5 #13-14. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Uncanny Avengers #6. Marvel Comics.
- ^ X-Men: Apocalypse vs. Dracula #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Wolverine vol. 2 #145. Marvel Comics.
- ^ X-Men #182-187. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b Uncanny Avengers #7. Marvel Comics.
- ^ X-Men Before the Fall: Mutant First Strike (2023).
- ^ a b Uncanny Avengers #5. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Uncanny Avengers #9
- ^ Uncanny Avengers #10. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Uncanny Avengers #19
- ^ Uncanny Avengers #22. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Extraordinary X-Men #8. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Extraordinary X-Men #9. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Extraordinary X-Men #11. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Extraordinary X-Men #12. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Uncanny X-Men vol. 4 #9. Marvel Comics.
- ^ X-Men vol. 5 #12. Marvel Comics.
- ^ X of Swords - Creation #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ X-Men Red #17. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Age of Apocalypse #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Age of Apocalypse #2. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Avengers vol. 4 #3. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Uncanny X-Men vol. 5 #4. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Uncanny X-Men vol. 5 #9. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Black Panther vol. 4 #7. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Secret Wars #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ X-Men '92 #4. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Plumb, Ali. "Comic-Con 2015: X-Men Apocalypse Panel". Empire. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
External links
- Horsemen of Apocalypse at Marvel.com
- AoA Horsemen of Apocalypse at Marvel.com
- Horsemen of Apocalypse at Uncannyxmen.net
- Horsemen of Apocalypse on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki