There’s a lot of buzz about the now-inevitable addition of the X-Men mythos to the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. Taking on a lot of material that has already hit the screen, some of which remains beloved, carries a lot of risks. However, not everything in the oldX-Menmovies was great, and some characters didn’t get the treatment they deserve.
Marvel has had a mixed experience with villains. Pointless or boring antagonists used to be the most frequent complaint hurled at the franchise. Thanos stopped those concerns single-handedly, but, he also provides a near-impossible standard to top.Kang’s preparing for hisbig showcase, but who will be the big bad at the end of the next huge saga?
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Apocalypse is one of the mostpowerful antagonists in thehistory of theX-Menfranchise. He’s the first mutant, a nigh-godlike figure who believes the strong should destroy the weak. He’s a villain of such power and cruelty that his presence regularly turns enemies into allies. Where Charles Xavier wants mutants to live with mankind, and Magneto wants vengeance for his oppression and power for his brethren, Apocalypse wants to cull the weak and compel evolution by force. He’s as powerful and dangerous as Thanos, he’s deeply tied into the mutant corner of the Marvel universe, and he’s a deeply compelling antagonist fora future MCU project.
Apocalypse was introduced to the world of Marvel Comics in 1986, designed by Jackson Guice and written by Louise Simonson. He was devised for the then-newX-Factorseries, which didn’t have its own big villain yet. The idea of the original mutantas a villainous forcewas a solid choice, especially in how he interacted with the rest of the characters. He’s since become one of the go-to big bad guys for the franchise, routinely providing the threat that shapes entire storylines. The character’s backstory has changed a lot over the years.
As a child, he was orphaned due to his odd skin color, but he was discovered and raised by a nomadic tribe of scavengers led by a man named Baal. He was named En Sabah Nur, and he was raised by his new father’s code of social Darwinism. Thanks in part to Kang, En Sabah Nur discovered incredible alien technology within a cave. Along with the sudden awakening ofhis latent mutant powers, the newly renamed Apocalypse led a campaign of violence across the globe. He convinced countless innocents to suffer and die in warfare, picking out the strongest survivors as suitable candidates for his own forces. Apocalypse later entered a voluntary hibernation, intending to awaken in a world rich with mutants and take it over for himself.
Apocalypse appears frequently inX-Mencomics, but his presence outside of them is a bit less common. He appears in three animated series, but each showcase is more limited than the last.The 1992 cartoon hasseveral multi-episode events that center on the character. The show deals with Cable’s trip to the future and the techno-organic virus. It’s arguably the most complete depiction of the character outside the original comics. The early-2000sX-Men: Evolutionseries set up Apocalypse in the second season to be the overarching antagonist of the third and fourth. That show’s edgy presentation and dated art style gave En Sabah Nur a great showcase. Finally,Wolverine and the X-Menset up Apocalypse in the first season finale, only to get canceled before the season that would’ve centered the character. The character has only appeared in live-action once.
The great Oscar Isaac took on the role of Apocalypse in the 2016 20th Century Fox filmX-Men: Apocalypse. The film was poorly received, including the portrayal of Apocalypse. Oscar Isaac is one of the most beloved performers in the world at the moment, so it’s almost shocking to see something he did get savagely criticized.Even he has his problems with the film. It’s probably not the worstX-Menmovie, and it’s miles away from being the worst superhero movie. The film suffers from a distinct lack of anything special. The portrayal of Apocalypse suffers from several angles, including the fact that he’s utterly overshadowed by a much more compelling villain in Michael Fassbender’s Magneto. The character simply doesn’t have the godlike air of untouchability or the philosophical approach to violence. He could be replaced with any other big powerful comic book villain without issue. The character deserves a second chance.
When the MCU takes on its inevitable mutant saga, whether it’s in three years or twenty, Apocalypse is the perfect big villain to throw into the mix. He’s a compelling character, has a great design, and is a hugely interesting piece ofthe X-Men mythos. A good MCU film could bring Apocalypse to the screen with the presentation he deserves, and give fans a new all-powerful villain to add to the list.
