X-Men: Apocalypse is almost here.
The Children of the Atom come face to face with one of their most powerful and relentless enemies from comics. This sequel serves as a rebirth for several beloved heroes plus new mutants join the film franchise. Good guys from comics are on the dark side in the film.
If you a devoted X-Fan or need a refresher, here’s what you need to know to be ready to experience the rise of Apocalypse as the mutants go into the ’80’s.
Who is Apocalypse?
En Sabah Nur (aka The First One) emerged in ancient Egypt, raised by a tribe who believed “only the strong survive” and is always joined by Four Horsemen executing his agenda. In the film, the powerful mutant awakens from hibernation in the 80’s to destroy and remake the world with him leading the survivors.
Professor Charles Xavier and Mystique/Raven Darkholme.
Professor X teaches the next generation of mutants to build a peaceful world where mutant and human can coexist. Raven grew up with Charles but the shapeshifter took a more dangerous path following Magneto. When Apocalypse attacks and seizes Xavier, Raven returns to the school and steps up to train the Professor’s students for an impossible battle.
Magneto
The Master of Magnetism was once Xavier’s friend and ally but will never trust the human race after the the pain he suffered at the hands of the Nazis. Another family tragedy leads Erik to become one of Apocalypse’s Horseman.
Cyclops and Jean Grey
The boy with the optic blasts and the telepathic/telekinetic girl get a new start after the reality changing events of Days of Future Past. Will Scott Summers grow up to be Xavier’s second in command? Will Jean be able to control her mind control powers and visions or is she destined to the become the deadly Phoenix with the power to consume stars?
Storm
The weather controlling mutant is a fan-favorite X-Men leader but when we see young Ororo she is sporting her Mohawk hair, dangerous attitude and has become a Horseman. Can Storm find her path back to the X-Men?
Beast
Hank McCoy is Xavier’s first recruit and the genius behind the Blackbird and Cerebro. What happens when he’s reunited with Mystique?
Havok
Alex Summers returns but is he the Scott’s brother like in the comics? In comics both young men with energy powers are among The Twelve, a dozen omega level mutants (including Jean, Storm, Magneto, Xavier) who together can defeat Apocalypse. Will The Twelve unite to defeat En Sabah Nur in the film?
Psylocke
Elizabeth Braddock is a telepath/telekinetic mutant who merged with the dead body of a ninja. Psylocke become a master of martial arts armed with real swords and a psychic katana. In the film Psylocke is a Horseman. Elizabeth became possessed and fought for villains but always returned to the X-Men – will she in the film?
Archangel
In the comics Warren Worthington was born with feather wings, became an original X-Man but lost his wings in battle. The distraught Angel accepted Apocalypse’s offer to become his Archangel of Death and he was reborn with wings made of metal poison blades. In the film, Archangel is fighting Nightcrawler in an undergound mutant fight club before joining En Sabah Nur.
Nightcrawler
Born looking like a demon, but deeply religious and gentle, Kurt Wagner is a teleporter. In the comic books, Mystique is his mother. In the trailer Kurt recognizes Raven but are they related?
Peter Maximoff/Quicksilver
The scene-stealer from Days of Future Past returns. The speedster joins the Xavier school and prepares to confront his father, Magneto.
Jubilee
Jubilation Lee is a “mall rat” orphan with the power to generate fireworks.
Moira MacTaggert
The CIA agent who helped Charles form the X-Men returns with secret files on the rise of Apocalypse. Will she remember her past with the mutants in the First Class film?
Logan
As we saw in the final trailer, the mutant who becomess the Wolverine will make an appearance in the film. A young William Stryker (the military scientist behind the Weapon X program that turned Logan into Wolverine) is back in this film. It looks like the young X-Men may battle in the Weapon X facility. What will the young mutants encounter with Logan mean for future films?
X-Men: Apocalypse opens Friday.
By Editor