The Rise of Apocalypse (Part 1)
The X-Men team in the past has found the vessel who will become Apocalypse, En Sabah Nur. Magneto is trying to ensure the first mutant never becomes the greatest villain the X-Men will ever face. However, En Sabah Nur is trying to lead an uprising against a pharaoh who seems to be using futuristic, and almost alien, technology.
Warning: Spoilers Below
The Future Team Makes It Home
The group of X-Men sent into the future to prevent Apocalypse's rise finally returns to 1997 alongside Forge. Their arrival at Professor Xavier's mansion quickly reveals that the rest of the team has not returned. Cyclops wants to launch an immediate rescue mission, but Forge reminds him that without knowing exactly where Professor X, Magneto, Beast, Rogue, and Nightcrawler are in history, there's little they can do except wait for Bishop to locate them.
A Journey to Ancient Egypt
Five thousand years earlier, the missing X-Men find themselves in ancient Egypt, where they encounter En Sabah Nur, the mutant destined to become Apocalypse. Knowing the devastation he will one day unleash, Professor Xavier hopes to keep history from repeating itself. Magneto, however, believes Nur's future can be changed by steering him toward a different destiny.
Courtesy: Walt Disney Studios
At the same time, the tyrannical Pharaoh Rama-Tut rules through advanced technology that clearly doesn't belong in this era. Determined to free his people, En Sabah Nur prepares to challenge the pharaoh's reign. Magneto sees an opportunity to use Nur's conflict with Rama-Tut to secure the technology needed for a trip back to 1997, while Xavier questions whether manipulating the future Apocalypse is worth the risk.
Revolution Begins
Nur launches a full-scale assault on Rama-Tut's forces. Although the pharaoh's robotic army initially overwhelms the rebels, Nur quickly demonstrates why he will one day become one of the most powerful mutants in history. After defeating the machines, he captures the slavemaster, Logos; instead of executing him immediately, despite Baal, a man Nur views as family, urging him to take the slavemaster's life.
Courtesy: Walt Disney Studios
Meanwhile, the X-Men salvage pieces of Rama-Tut's technology in hopes of constructing a working time machine. Their first attempt fails, making it clear they need a deeper understanding of the futuristic equipment. Magneto believes Logos may have the answers, and the team is determined to prevent Nur from resorting to murder.
Destiny Takes Shape
As Nur struggles to extract information from Logos, he nearly kills his prisoner before Magneto intervenes. Xavier attempts to search Logos' mind through telepathy but instead encounters a mysterious presence directing him toward the Sphinx. There, he discovers the vessel that will one day become Apocalypse's iconic ship. Realizing Logos doesn't possess the knowledge they need, the X-Men are forced to rethink their strategy.
Courtesy: Walt Disney Studios
Back at their temporary base, Baal uncovers the team's attempt to build a time machine and informs Nur. Moments later, Nur executes Logos just as the Sandstormers launch an attack against the X-Men. The battle shifts in the heroes' favor when one of the attackers is revealed to be Bishop in disguise, who uses his abilities to turn the tide.
Victory is short-lived. A blinking device hidden within Logos' eye transmits the group's location to Rama-Tut. Declaring himself "the Conqueror," the pharaoh embraces his Kang identity before unleashing a devastating assault that engulfs the mutants in a massive explosion.
Final Thoughts
With a dramatic "To Be Continued" ending, the first half of The Rise of Apocalypse sets the stage for an explosive conclusion. While it's safe to assume the X-Men and En Sabah Nur survive, the bigger question is how Xavier and Magneto's actions will influence the creation of one of their greatest enemies.
Rama-Tut is also shaping up to be a compelling antagonist. As a longtime Kang fan, I hope future episodes continue exploring this version of the character, especially after the mixed reception of Kang's recent live-action appearances.
Article Written By: Jeremy Brown for Stelmach Brown Media 2026
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