Apocalypse

History

Origin

En Sabah Nur was born nearly five thousand years ago in Egypt as a member of a tribe in Akkaba. Even as an infant, he inspired fear. Ugly and malformed, he was abandoned by the tribe to die in the harsh desert sun. However, out of the desert the Sandstormers, a roving band of feared nomadic raiders slaughter the population. Their leader, Baal, found the child crying and he recognized the potential power in the child. He named him En Sabah Nur, literally meaning "The First One", and raised him as his own son. As En Sabah Nur grew, he surpassed the other tribesmen in intelligence and strength. Everyone in the tribe except for Baal hated and feared him for his inhuman looks and great abilities. Nur did not understand their fear, but hardened his heart against it. Moreover, he believed in the principle that Baal and the tribe lived by, that only the fittest, the toughest, most ruthless and pitiless, tested by hardship, would and should, survive. On the day of his tribal rite of passage into manhood, the seventeen-year-old En Sabah Nur killed three armed warriors of the tribe using only his bare hands.

At this time Egypt was ruled by Pharaoh Rama-Tut. On the day of En Sabah Nur's rite of passage, Baal explained to him that Rama-Tut was no god, as most believed, but a man, who had arrived in a strange vessel. Years ago the tribe had stumbled upon the time-traveler's crashed ship, taken the injured man back to their camp, and nursed the injured and temporarily blinded man back to health. One night he wandered away, taking with him objects the tribesmen had brought from his vessel. Weeks later, his sight restored, Rama-Tut returned, wielding weapons of devastating power and leading the Egyptian army. He massacred the tribe and enslaved the survivors. Although he tortured them, no one revealed the time ship's location.

In actuality, Rama-Tut was a time traveler from the far future who would later become known as Kang the Conqueror. Kang knew that Apocalypse, one of the most powerful mutants who ever lived, and the one who was destined to rule the world, had been born in ancient Egypt. Hence, Rama-Tut had gone back in time to find Apocalypse as a child, raise him, and thereby become the master of the most powerful being on the planet.

On the day of his rite of passage, Baal brought the young Nur to a sacred cave whose entrance became blocked by a cave-in, trapping them underground. After a week of wandering without food or water, they found the remnants of Rama-Tut's time ship within an underground Egyptian tomb. Baal told Nur that he believed him to be a conqueror whose coming was foretold in ancient prophecies, and that Nur was destined to overthrow Rama-Tut. Then Baal died from lack of nourishment, and Nur, whose mutant physiology kept him alive, vowed to take vengeance on Rama-Tut and claim his destiny. Four weeks later he finally made his way back to the surface, but was quickly enslaved.

While a slave, he kept his disfigured lips constantly covered, and Nephri, sister of Rama-Tut's warlord Ozymandias, became attracted to the mysterious slave. Eventually he had a vision of the Egyptian death god Seth, who urged him to become a conqueror. En Sabah Nur was thrown into a pit of snakes, but survived when his superhuman powers activated. He revealed his face to Nephri, who rejected him for his appearance.

At a time when many time-traveling super-heroes, including the Fantastic Four, the West Coast Avengers, and Dr. Strange arrived in Rama-Tut's Egypt, the Pharaoh finally came face to face with En Sabah Nur. Rama-Tut offered to make him his heir if he would swear his loyalty, and then tried to kill him when Nur refused. En Sabah Nur was then shot by the Pharaoh with the same weapon he used to de-power the Fantastic Four. En Sabah Nur was again left to die, but survived with the sudden emergence of his mutant immortality and mass shifting. With his powers flaring, Nur defeated Ozymandias and Rama-Tut himself, who finally escaped back into the future, eventually to take on the identity of Kang. The Fantastic Four went back to their era, thinking the explosion a booby trap. Apocalypse used his abilities to turn Ozymandias into a sand-like being, who would record Apocalypse's accomplishments throughout time. Years later, he revisited Nephri, now an ancient Egyptian Queen, and he mocked her dying beauty, as he was still as he had been years before. He walked away, leaving Egypt.

From then on Apocalypse plotted the conquest of the planet through bringing about wars and conflict, in which the strong would defeat and destroy the weak. Over the centuries he was worshiped by many civilizations under a variety of names. In this Universe, it is important to note, these beings also exist as separate entities. Apocalypse was most likely confused for them. It is probably at this time that Nur began to have progeny that faithfully followed him as the Clan Akkaba. Offspring of Apocalypse received a portion of his power, those closest related having near identical abilities. Mutants, he was certain, would one day rule the world, with him as their leader, and so he waited. Most of what Apocalypse did during these centuries is as yet unknown.

The Celestial Ship

Centuries later, En Sabah Nur discovered a starship created by the alien Celestials in Mongolia. Apocalypse struck down Saul, immortal guardian of the ship and entered. Unable to understand the technology inside he left again, searching the world for a key to the mysteries inside. He found this key when the time-traveler known simply as the Traveler killed him. The Traveler's techno-organic blood was mixed with Apocalypse' own blood and Ozymandias returned Apocalypse to the Ship. Inside Apocalypse used his new techno-organic body to link to the Ship and make contact with it. He was transformed and enhanced by Celestial technology, becoming one of the most powerful beings who will ever live.

During the Crusades in the 12th century, Apocalypse arranged for the warrior Bennet du Paris to activate his latent mutant powers for the first time. Renaming him Exodus, Apocalypse made him his servant but later cast him into a deathlike trance when Exodus rebelled against him.

In 1459, Apocalypse led an army to fight Vlad the Impaler, and personally bested him in single combat.

Mister Sinister

In 1859, Apocalypse awoke from centuries of hibernation in an underground chamber in London of Victorian England. It was here that he first met Dr. Nathaniel Essex, who believed that through selective breeding of humans, he could bring about the rapid evolution of superhuman mutants. Apocalypse offered to transform Essex into a long-lived superhuman being himself to give him the time to further his research, but at a cost: his servitude. Essex accepted, and Apocalypse transformed him into Mister Sinister. However, the Askani, a clan of rebels against Apocalypse two thousand years in the future, transported Scott Summers and Jean Grey to 1859 to prevent Apocalypse from assassinating Britain's Queen and Prime Minister. Apocalypse, temporarily weakened by a virus with which Sinister had infected him, went back to waiting for the proper moment to reemerge.

Although Apocalypse was awoken in 1897 to deal once more with Dracula, almost a century later, when the world became populated with a new race of superhuman mutants. Apocalypse first reappeared as the employer of the Alliance of Evil, a team of mutants who battled the original X-Factor.

The Four Horsemen

Subsequently, Apocalypse began recruiting his Horsemen. Apocalypse rescued Angel from death and manipulated him into serving him as the Horseman named Death. Worthington's wings had been amputated, but Apocalypse used his advanced genetic engineering techniques to give him new wings with razor-sharp metal-like feathers. Eventually, however, Worthington forsook Apocalypse and returned to X-Factor, and then to the X-Men. Later, Apocalypse infected the infant son of Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor, Nathan Summers, with a techno-organic virus, having recognized that if this child grew up he would be powerful enough to defeat him and also capable of holding his essence. The Askani once again stepped in and brought the child to their own time period, two thousand years in an alternate future.

The Twelve

To secure a new host body, Apocalypse sought to siphon the awesome energies of The Twelve, mutants of incredible power that were destined to alter the course of history. This time it was Wolverine who fell into the warlord's grasp. The feral X-Man fought his teammates ferociously as the Horseman Death, but broke free from Apocalypse's control. However, Wolverine and his fellow Horsemen had served their purpose. Taking advantage of the distraction afforded by their actions, Apocalypse collected the mutants he required to carry out his plan: Cyclops, Phoenix, Polaris, Bishop, Sunfire, the Living Monolith, Mikhail Rasputin, Cable, Professor X, Storm, Iceman, and Magneto. The Twelve's energy would be siphoned into the Monolith and then from him into X-man, and as the power went into him Nur would possess the boy a time-tossed teenager possessed of vast telepathic and telekinetic power. As his teammates fell around him, a powerless Cyclops shoved X-Man out of the draining circuit, merging with Apocalypse to create a new evil entity. But the telepathic Phoenix, Summers' wife, Jean Grey, detected her husband's psyche inside the composite being and prevented the X-Men from destroying it. Cyclops was presumed dead by most of his teammates; only Cable and Jean refused to believe he had perished. Investigating rumors and hearsay, they helped him reassert his mind over Apocalypse. With Jean's help, Cable exorcised the warlord and seemingly shattered his essence.

Decimation

However, after the event known as the M-Day, Apocalypse resurrected, much to the shock of an archaeologist. Looking at the new world, Apocalypse saw a need to act as the savior of the mutant race for once rather than just claim it. With the aid of Ozymandias, Apocalypse started by bringing to Earth the recently depowered Gazer, then pitting him against the archaeologist in a fight to the death to become the Horsemen War. After Gazer's victory (with the assistance of Ozymandias), Apocalypse approached the newly-legless Sunfire, offering him a slot as the Horseman Famine. Apocalypse then sent his Horseman Pestilence to a military installation to ingest every disease possible.

With three horsemen, Apocalypse went to the Xavier Institute, where he offered salvation which he claimed was truly meant for the first time to the X-Men and 198 mutants seeking shelter. Many mutants, such as Mammomax, Skids, Peeper, Arclight, and Scalphunter, accepted this offer, even though in the case of some it was to counter the affects of Famine. The X-Men, however, went after Famine, who Rogue thought looked familiar. And while War fought against the only manned Sentinel left after Famine's starving effect, Apocalypse waited for the final candidate, Death, who wound up being Gambit.

Apocalypse wished to decimate the human population, and let the survivors fight for the right to be under his rule. He was defeated by the X-Men with assistance from Sentinel Squad O*N*E, the New Avengers and Ozymandias's betrayal. He fled, only to find himself in front of the Celestials, eager to collect upon their deal. As it turns out the Celestials had merely lent him their ship in exchange for a debt of pain from the mutant. He tried to die so he wouldn't have to face them, but was resurrected and taken away.

The Final Horsemen and Uncanny X-Force

Recently, Ozymandias and Clan Akkaba have once again resurrected Apocalypse, but this time in the form of a child. In this form, Apocalypse seemed to have no memory of his past or his previous disregard for life. Ozymandias and the Celestial Ship took to tutoring and indoctrinating the child Apocalypse. To protect this young En Sabah Nur, The Final Horsemen, mutants collected over centuries, were activated. War, Pestilence, Famine, Death battled X-Force on the Blue Area of the Moon and nearly defeated them. However, due largely to Fantomex's illusions, the team apparently killed the Horsemen and Ozymandias. When they discovered the young Apocalypse, the team fought over what to do with him. The issue was rendered moot when Fantomex shot the boy in the head.

Powers & Abilities

Superhuman Strength

Apocalypse possesses superhuman strength that he can further increase by drawing upon outside energy sources; Apocalypse has shown to be strong enough to physically restrain the Hulk while the Hulk was in an enraged state. Hence, Apocalypse is capable of lifting far in excess of 100 tons.

Superhuman Stamina

Apocalypse's body produces practically no fatigue toxins during physical activity. He can exert himself at peak capacity indefinitely.

Invulnerability

Apocalypse is highly resistant to injury. With the Celestial modifications, this resistance to harm was amplified, making him virtually impervious to harm, although it is now possible (after his original body was destroyed) to cause him injury that would not be immediately regenerated by his power.

Flight

Apocalypse can enable himself to fly, by either transforming his arms into wings, jets, or through telekinetic use.

Teleportation

Apocalypse can teleport himself and others around vast distances across the planet and has shown the ability to teleport an entire fortress with him while leaving those within behind.

Bio-Molecular Alteration

Apocalypse has total control over the molecular structure of his body and can alter it at will. This means that matter manipulation has no effect on him, and can adapt his molecular structure to any adversity.

Malleable Form

Apocalypse's entire body can be reshaped at will. He can alter his appearance, allow his body to become extremely malleable, maintain his full dexterity, and elongate his body or limbs.

Size Alteration

Apocalypse is able to change his size at will; he can increase or decrease the size of his body by taking on additional mass or ridding of it from a presumably extra-dimensional source.

Physical Superhuman Powers

Through this ability to alter his form, Apocalypse can give himself virtually any physical superhuman power, as he can transform his arms and fists into various melee weapons.

Transmutation

Apocalypse possesses transmutation abilities, as his descendants have already proven capable of.

Energy Generation

Ability to generate energy for a number of effects.

Energy Absorption

ability to absorb energy and mass to augment the levels of both his strength and power to unlimited potentials.

Superhuman Speed

by infusing his body with energy he is able to speed up his reflexes and reaction time in which to seemingly move at super speeds. It is this ability that allows him to counteract others with super-speed powers themselves.

Force-Fields

ability to create nearly impenetrable force fields

Energy Projection

ability to project massive energy blasts of destructive force. Apocalypse can also expel energy from his body, and control it's directions.

Telekinesis

Apocalypse possesses telekinetic abilities enabling him to levitate oneself or that of others by sheer force of will and manipulate living beings, inanimate objects and to some extent energy psionically. He can “lift” far in excess of 100+ tons of weight and can enable himself to “fly” at great speed.

Telepathy

Apocalypse possesses vast psionic powers.[citation needed]

Virtual Immortality

Apocalypse's original body was immortal, even before being modified by the Celestial ship, he had lived for thousands of years. Apocalypse can enter a coma-like state of suspended animation during which he may recover from any wounds with the assistance of his Celestial technology. The down side of his altering by the Celestials and his enhancement was that the techno-organic virus needed to allow this to happen ravaged his body requiring him to find new ones over the years.

Retarded Aging

His molecular rearrangement ability has allowed him to constantly renew his cells, thus he’s unable to age.

Blood of Apocalypse

As recently revealed, Apocalypse's techno-organic blood has many unique properties. With only a drop of his blood into a vat of organs, blood, etc. the virus can rewrite the genetic code of the material within to form a new body for Apocalypse.

Technology Interface

Apocalypse is able to directly interface with various technologies he has at his disposal.

Abilities

Apocalypse is a genius, a level of which humanity cannot comprehend and has knowledge of certain areas of biology, primarily genetic engineering and mutation, and technology that are far in advance of contemporary science and technology. This was not merely a result of his exposure to alien technology, as he was able to make significant new advances beyond the alien materials to which he was exposed.

Weakness

Gallery

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