Who Is En Sabah Nur? The ‘X-Men ‘97’ Villain, Explained
Following up on the events of X-Men: The Animated Series (1992), X-Men ‘97 (2024) has been an exciting return for the animated takes on Marvel’s mutant heroes and villains. Season 1 was largely focused on Magneto, Mr. Sinister, and Bastion, who came to serve as the face of the Sentinel programs. Season 2 is taking things even further, with a time-bending adventure across the past and future against the immortal mutant, Apocalypse.
One of the X-Men’s most powerful villains, En Sabah Nur was born over 5,000 years ago and quickly became a breakout villain of the ‘90s. It’s little wonder the character was heavily featured in the original animated show as a result, although his popularity waned somewhat in the 21st century. However, the character experienced a real resurgence in the modern era that is being capitalized by the animated revival—and here’s everything you need to know about Apocalypse ahead of X-Men ‘97’s return.
Who Is En Sabah Nur in Marvel’s X-Men?
Introduced in the 1986’s X-Factor from the shadows—and initially intended to be the Owl, a minor Daredevil villain who was briefly referenced in Daredevil (2015)—Apocalypse is quickly established as a new enemy for the original X-Men roster. An incredibly powerful mutant, his efforts to dominate the world and live by a strict “Survival of the Fittest” mind pitted him against the X-Men several times over the years. Along the way, he would corrupt heroes and villains alike into his Four Horsemen, with many notable X-Men (including Angel, Wolverine, and Gambit) all serving in that role at one time or another.
In later comics, his immortal status as an ancient “External” opened up a wider history for the character. It also meant that he could live on for centuries beyond the present day, letting him become one of the biggest villains for the time-traveling Cable. After being defeated, killed, and resurrected several times over the years, Apocalypse actually aligned himself with the X-Men during the wide-line relaunch dubbed “The Krakoa Age,” gaining a level of complexity and depth that he’d never been afforded before. The character’s broad power set and imposing goals make him ideal for adaptations looking to raise the stakes, explaining his place in shows like X-Men Evolution (2000) or films like X-Men: Apocalypse (2016). It’s also consistent with the Apocalypse of the X-Men ‘97 universe.
Apocalypse Was A Major Threat in X-Men ‘92– And Is Coming Back For X-Men ‘97
A faithful adaptation of the spirit of the X-Men comics of the era, while also remixing plenty of older stories with a new cast, X-Men: The Animated Series boasted many of the franchise’s biggest villains of the era—although it did so fairly broadly, meaning many characters were somewhat simplified. This includes Apocalypse, who was introduced in the show’s ninth episode as a villain seeking to use the deception of a “cure” for mutation that turns unwitting mutants into his servants.
Apocalypse appeared in several other big storylines across the five-season-long show, often serving as a major threat to the world but without the kind of complexity that more recent comic stories attempted. He was largely absent from the first season of the revival, save for a post-credits cameo, which implies that he intends to resurrect Gambit as his Horseman of Death. The trailer for X-Men ‘97 features Apocalypse at different points in his life, suggesting the X-Men scattered through time will have to confront different iterations of the character if they want any hope of stopping him.
How Apocalypse’s Comics History Could Inform His Animated Future
What’s interesting about the Apocalypse seen in the show is how it could allow for a more complex portrait of the character. The young En Sabah Nur seen in the trailer, leading a revolt in ancient Egypt, seems to be directly pulling from Rise of Apocalypse. Written by Terry Kavanagh and with pencils by Adam Pollina, the story revealed how En Sabah Nur was found in the desert, turned against the pharaoh Rama-Tut after he lost his family, and embraced his role as one of the first mutants.
The inclusion of Rama-Tut in the trailer indicates the comic will tackle that story, albeit with new touches like the time-displaced X-Men playing a role in his life. In the Krakoan Age storylines, Apocalypse was revealed to have had a wife and children—powerful in their own right—who were able to return from another dimension and battle the X-Men. It’s possible that the new version of Apocalypse pulls from that concept, introducing newer shades to the character. There’s also the possibility that the series, given a bit more leeway in the streaming era, kills him off once and for all or even sets the stage for the show to tackle a Krakoa adaptation. With Apocalypse, anything is possible—and the future for the X-Men universe couldn’t be more exciting.
