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Personality: -
Personal Interests: -
History: Born 5000 years ago in Egypt, Apocalypse
was one of the oldest mutants in the world, an immortal who saw almost
the whole of human history unfold. Born with apparent deformities
on his face, he was abandoned by his tribe, but saved from death by
Baal, leader of the Sandstormers, a group of bandits. Baal somehow
recognized that the child had powerful potential, and raised him as
his own son. Named En Sabah Nur, the boy grew up to be stronger and
smarter than his tribesmen and came to embrace Baal's notion of survival
of the fittest. Ultimately, Nur usurped the throne of Egypt and then
attempted to conquer the rest of the world, leading his armies as
far as China. In Asia he encountered a space ship that had crash landed
into a mountain years before, a vessel created by the god-like Celestials.
While investigating the ship, Nur first encountered the time-travelling
X Man Cable, who sent the ship into space, taking En Sabah Nur with
it.
The ship did not return to Earth for a thousand years, but Nur survived,
his mutant powers giving him virtual immortality. During this time
he had explored and mastered the technology of the vessel, using it
to transform himself into Apocalypse. On his arrival, he immediately
resumed his conquests, building an army and using his new abilities
to crush all opposition. Apocalypse was at the height of his powers
on his return from space, and it seems that he would have successfully
conquered the world had he not been opposed by the race of super-humans
known as the Knights of Adrastraea, who fought him for several hundred
years. Finally, the Knights defeated Apocalypse in a suicidal attack
on his citadel in which they were all but wiped out. Apocalypse was
severely injured by Cawdyr, the King of the Adrastraeans, and while
he survived, he never again reached the same level of power.
Following his regeneration, Apocalypse had some profound influences
on many cultures over the centuries, and was worshipped by many as
a god, with different names attached to him in each locale. Over the
course of the centuries, Apocalypse has picked those individuals he
deemed "strong" and has tested them and rewarded the survivors
with power. One such example was the Crusader Bennet du Paris, who
became Exodus, and the 19th century English surgeon Dr. Nathaniel
Essex, who became Mister Sinister.
In the present day, Apocalypse first came into contact with the X-Men
when he employed the Alliance of Evil to abduct a mutant boy, who
died during Apocalypse's experiments. He then recruited The Four Horsemen,
one of whom was the Angel, Warren Worthington III. Angel’s wings
had been amputated following a battle with the Marauders, and Apocalypse
offered to help him. Apocalypse used his advanced technology to brainwash
Angel and replace his lost wings with techno-organic shape-shifting
wings, complete with paralysing feather blades.
However, Apocalypse is probably most noted for infecting Nathan Christopher
Summers with the techno-organic virus that caused him to be sent to
the future to become Cable. The reason for doing this was because
he knew that the Summers baby was actually Sinister's bid for an ultimate
weapon to be used against his former master. Though Cable survived,
the virus ensured that Summers would never be able to access his full
power and threaten Apocalypse.
Interestingly enough, though Apocalypse has opposed the X-Teams time
and again, he once helped the X-Men save Xavier's life by removing
a techno-virus that Stryfe had shot into the Professor.
As an apparent immortal, Apocalypse is veryhard to kill. He has been
seen to "die" at least twice, but always seems to return,
thanks to his physiology and various healing chambers he has built
across the globe. However, his longevity appeared to have taken its
toll when Apocalypse rounded up the legendary Twelve, the most powerful
mutants on Earth, and hooked them into a Celestial machine that would
transfer his essence into the younger and stronger body of Nate Grey.
Fortunately, the Twelve broke free and stopped the transfer, but it
cost the life of Cyclops, who took Grey's place. Cyclops was absorbed
by Apocalypse, who also seemed to gain control over space and time.
The remaining members of the twelve defeated Apocalypse – apparently
destroying him and Cyclops together.
Recently, more of Apocalypse’s story was revealed to Carrie
Conway, the British super-hero Spitfire. The Knights of Adrastraea
may have been destroyed, but anticipating this they had implanted
‘sleeper DNA’ into humans – a manipulation of the
human genetic code which would, when activated, grant the superhuman
abilities of the Knights to the humans. This ‘sleeper DNA’
would remain inactive – being passed down through the generations,
and would emerge only when Apocalypse returned. The Elder, last surviving
Adrastraean, has claimed that many super-humans including possibly
some members of the X-Men, owed their powers to the Knights ‘sleeper
DNA’ and emerged to confront Apocalypse over the years. If this
story is indeed true, the fact that Spitfire and other ‘heirs’
to the Adrastraeans have gained their powers may indicate that Apocalypse
has indeed returned, although there is as yet no other evidence to
support this. |
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