Editing Age of Apocalypse

{{short description|1995–96 Marvel comic book crossover}}
{{redirect-distinguish|X-Calibre|Xcalibur (disambiguation)}}
{{about|the 1995 Marvel Comics crossover event storyline from Earth-295|the limited series|Age of Apocalypse (limited series)}}
{{distinguish|Ages of Apocalypse}}
{{Infobox comics story arc
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption = Cover to ''X-Men Alpha''. Art by [[Joe Madureira]].{{FFDC|Xmenalpha.jpg|log=2021 February 17|date=March 2022}}
| publisher = [[Marvel Comics]]
| date =
| startmo =
| startyr = 1995
| endmo =
| endyr = 1996
| Crossover = y
| titles = {{plainlist|
* ''Age of Apocalypse: The Chosen''
* ''Amazing X-Men'' #1–4
* ''Astonishing X-Men'' #1–4
* ''Factor X'' #1–4
* ''Gambit & The X-Ternals'' #1–4
* ''Generation Next'' #1–4
* ''Weapon X'' #1–4
* ''X-Calibre'' #1–4
* ''X-Man'' #1–4 -1 53–54, ''Annual '96''
* ''X-Men: Alpha''
* ''X-Men Omega''
* ''X-Men: Chronicles'' #1–2
* ''X-Universe'' #1–2
}}
| main_char_team = [[Parallel universe (fiction)|Alternate universe]] [[X-Men]] and associates
| writers = {{plainlist|
* [[Scott Lobdell]]
* [[Mark Waid]]
* [[Fabian Nicieza]]
* [[John Francis Moore (comics)|John Francis Moore]]
* [[Larry Hama]]
* [[Warren Ellis]]
* [[Jeph Loeb]]
* [[Howard Mackie]]
* [[Terry Kavanagh]]}}
| artists =
| pencillers = {{plainlist|
* [[Roger Cruz]]
* [[Steve Epting]]
* [[Joe Madureira]]
* [[Andy Kubert]]
* [[Tony Daniel]]
* [[Salvador Larroca]]
* [[Chris Bachalo]]
* [[Adam Kubert]]
* Ken Lashley
* [[Steve Skroce]]
* [[Terry Dodson]]
* [[Ian Churchill]]
* [[Carlos Pacheco]]
* [[Joe Bennett (penciller)|Joe Bennett]]
* (plus assorted artists who did pin-ups)}}
| inkers =
| letterers =
| editors =
| colorists =
| TPB =
| ISBN =
| cat = X-Men
| sortkey = Age Of Apocalypse
| nonUS =
}}
"'''Age of Apocalypse'''" is a 1995 [[comic book]] [[Crossover (fiction)|crossover]] storyline mostly published in the [[X-Men]] franchise of books by [[Marvel Comics]]. The ''Age of Apocalypse'' briefly replaced the universe of [[Earth-616]] and had ramifications in the main Marvel Comics universe when the original timeline was restored. It was later [[retcon]]ned as having occurred in the [[Multiverse (Marvel Comics)#Alternate universes|alternate universe]] of Earth-295.

During the entirety of the ''Age of Apocalypse'' event the regularly published X-Men comics were replaced by new X-Men related mini series, focusing on various teams and individuals in the ''Age of Apocalypse'' world including ''[[Excalibur (comic book)|X-Calibre]]'', ''[[X-Force (comic book)|Gambit and the X-Ternals]]'', ''[[Generation X (comics)|Generation Next]]'', ''[[Uncanny X-Men|Astonishing X-Men]]'', ''[[X-Men: Legacy|Amazing X-Men]]'', ''[[Wolverine (comic book)|Weapon X]]'', ''[[X-Factor (comic book)|Factor X]]'', ''[[Cable (comic book)|X-Man]]'' and ''[[X-Men Unlimited|X-Universe]]''. The event was bookended by two one shots, ''X-Men Alpha'' and ''X-Men Omega''.

The storyline starts with [[Legion (Marvel Comics)|Legion]] (David Haller), a psychotic [[Mutant (Marvel Comics)|mutant]] who traveled back in time to kill [[Magneto (Marvel Comics)|Magneto]] before he can commit various crimes against humanity. Legion accidentally kills [[Professor X|Charles Xavier]], his father, leading to a major change in the timeline. The death of Professor Xavier leads [[Apocalypse (character)|Apocalypse]] to attack 10 years sooner than he did in the original timeline, taking control of Earth and altering everything that happened from that point forward. Apocalypse is opposed by several factions of mutant resistance, including a group led by Magneto. The group manages to send the mutant [[Bishop (Marvel Comics)|Bishop]] back in time to prevent the murder of Professor Xavier, undoing the entire timeline.

In 2005, Marvel published an ''Age of Apocalypse'' one-shot and miniseries to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the fan favorite event. The book looks at what happened after the end of the original story, revealing that the timeline became in fact an alternate earth, designated "Earth-295". The "Dark Angel Saga" in 2011 revisited the alternate reality once more, leading to an ''Age of Apocalypse'' ongoing series launched in 2012 that ran for 14 issues. The world was also featured as part of Marvel's 2015 ''[[Secret Wars (2015 comic book)|Secret Wars]]''. In May 2025, it was announced that another event titled, ''Age of Apocalypse'' would launch in November written by [[Jeph Loeb]]. 

==Storyline==
{{Main|Legion Quest}}

[[Legion (Marvel Comics)|Legion]] (David Haller), a psychotic [[Mutant (Marvel Comics)|mutant]] on [[Earth]] and son of [[Professor X|Charles Xavier]], travels back in time with the intention of killing [[Magneto (Marvel Comics)|Magneto]] (Erik Lehnsherr). However, Legion travels to a time when Magneto and Xavier are still friends while in [[Israel]]. As Xavier dies trying to protect Magneto, Legion vanishes, and a new timeline is created. The only person aware of how history has changed is [[Bishop (Marvel Comics)|Lucas Bishop]], a time traveling mutant who followed Legion.

Because of Xavier's sacrifice, Magneto comes to believe in his late friend's dream of a peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants. [[Apocalypse (character)|Apocalypse]] (En Sabah Nur), an immortal mutant villain, was monitoring the fight. He chooses this moment as the perfect time to begin his world conquest, which did not happen in the [[Earth-616|mainstream Marvel universe]] for another ten years.

Magneto assembles the X-Men just as Apocalypse begins his war. Despite the X-Men's resistance, Apocalypse conquers all of North America and eventually mutants are considered the ruling class. Apocalypse initiates a genocidal campaign called "cullings," killing millions of humans. To further ensure that no one is left to challenge him or undo the circumstances that led to his reign, he has everyone with telepathic or chronal abilities hunted down. Meanwhile, the changes in the timeline result in a destructive crystallization wave created by the [[M'Kraan Crystal]].

===''X-Men: Alpha''===
''X-Men: Alpha'' was published in January 1995 and launched the "Age of Apocalypse" crossover story. It briefly shows readers how many popular X-Men characters have changed in this new world. Bishop is reunited with Magneto while retaining fragmented memories of the true timeline. Magneto assigns his X-Men and their allies various missions. Some are to gather the forces needed to change history while others will continue resisting Apocalypse. The story continues in eight interlocking miniseries, each focusing on a different team of X-Men or other mutant forces. Each miniseries temporarily replaced one of the monthly X-Men titles being published at the time.

===''X-Calibre''===
X-Calibre is a team built around [[Nightcrawler (character)|Nightcrawler]] (Kurt Wagner), who is sent by Magneto to locate [[Destiny (Irene Adler)|Destiny]] (Irene Adler), a mutant capable of seeing into the future, so that she can verify Bishop's story. Nightcrawler must travel to [[Savage Land#Age of Apocalypse|Avalon]], a secret refuge where mutants and humans live together in peace. Along his journey, he encounters [[Thunderbird (John Proudstar)|John Proudstar]] (Thunderbird), the monk [[Juggernaut (character)|Cain]], the pirate [[Callisto (comics)|Callisto]], and his mother [[Mystique (character)|Mystique]] (Raven Darkholme). The chief antagonists for Nightcrawler's journey consist of the Pale Riders, a trio of Apocalypse's servants made up of [[Danielle Moonstar|Moonstar]] (Danielle Moonstar), [[Emma Steed|Damask]] (Emma Steed), [[Deadpool|Dead Man Wade]] (Wade Wilson) and the [[Shadow King]] (Amahl Farouk). Nightcrawler's team consists of Mystique, [[Switchback (comics)|Switchback]], and later Damask, who joins Nightcrawler after realizing the beauty Avalon has to offer. The ''X-Calibre'' series gets its name from an [[in-joke]] between Nightcrawler and his mother, Mystique, because of the caliber of bullets she uses, simply stamped with an ''X''. This title replaced ''[[Excalibur (comics)|Excalibur]]''.

===''Gambit and the X-Ternals''===
[[Gambit (Marvel Comics)|Gambit]] (Remy LeBeau)'s X-Ternals consist of [[Sunspot (Marvel Comics)|Sunspot]] (Roberto de Costa), [[Jubilee (character)|Jubilee]] (Jubilation Lee), [[Strong Guy]] (Guido Carosella) and [[Lila Cheney]]. They are sent deep into space using Lila's teleportation to retrieve a shard of the M'Kraan Crystal, essential to the verification of Bishop's alternate reality. The X-Ternals are pursued by [[Rictor]], a henchman of Apocalypse desperate to earn his master's praise by killing Gambit. Upon reaching [[Shi'ar]] space, the X-ternals fight the [[Imperial Guard (Marvel Comics)|Imperial Guard]] to retrieve the crystal shard. Upon their return to Earth, Strong Guy betrays the team, not only stealing the Crystal, but also kidnapping Magneto's son [[Magnus Lehnsherr|Charles]]. This title replaced ''[[X-Force (comics)|X-Force]]''.

===''Generation Next''===
Generation Next consists of a young group of mutant students trained by the husband and wife team of [[Colossus (character)|Colossus]] (Piotr "Peter" Rasputin) and [[Kitty Pryde|Shadowcat]] (Katherine Pryde-Rasputin). They consist of [[Chamber (character)|Chamber]] (Jonothan Starsmore), [[Husk (comics)|Husk]] (Paige Guthrie), [[Mondo (comics)|Mondo]], Vincente Cimetta, and [[Skin (Marvel Comics)|Skin]] (Angelo Espinoza). They are sent by Magneto into the Seattle Core to rescue Colossus' sister, [[Magik|Illyana Rasputin]], who is the last surviving transdimensional teleporter. Illyana Rasputin is a slave of the [[Sugar Man (Marvel Comics)|Sugar Man]], one of Apocalypse's prefects and ruler of the Seattle Core. Mondo finds Illyana Rasputin and hides her inside of his body, intending to smuggle her out at shift change. When Mondo is found out, the ensuing fight finds the Sugar Man killing Mondo with a blast from his tongue, exposing the rest of Generation Next. While fighting a near hopeless battle, Generation Next is left for dead by Colossus, who sacrifices them to save his sister. This title replaced ''[[Generation X (comics)|Generation X]]''.

===''Astonishing X-Men''===
The [[Astonishing X-Men#1995 series|Astonishing X-Men]] are led by [[Rogue (Marvel Comics)|Rogue]] (Anna Marie Lehnsherr, Magneto's wife) and consist of [[Sabretooth (character)|Sabretooth]] (Victor Creed), [[Blink (character)|Blink]] (Clarice Ferguson), [[Wild Child (comics)|Wild Child]] (Kyle Gibney), [[Kevin Sydney|Morph]] (Kevin Sydney) and [[Sunfire (comics)|Sunfire]] (Shiro Yoshida). They are sent by Magneto to stop the cullings, which are being undertaken by [[Holocaust (Marvel Comics)|Holocaust]], Apocalypse's son and one of his horsemen. While helping with the evacuation and protection of humans, Sabretooth asks Blink to teleport him to Holocaust's location, which she reluctantly does. Sabretooth and Holocaust fight a vicious duel but Sabretooth is defeated and seemingly killed, horrifying Blink. The team then fights Holocaust and his Infinites, destroying his factory. However, Holocaust manages to escape and the team returns to Xavier's mansion, where Rogue learns that both her son and her husband have been captured. Sabretooth is revealed by [[Iceman (Marvel Comics)|Iceman]] to have survived the battle, to Blink's delight. This title replaced ''[[The Uncanny X-Men]]''.

===''Amazing X-Men''===
The Amazing X-Men consist of team leader [[Quicksilver (Marvel Comics)|Quicksilver]] (Pietro Lehnsherr) and [[Storm (Marvel Comics)|Storm]] (Ororo Munroe), [[Dazzler (Marvel Comics)|Dazzler]] (Alison Blaire), [[Banshee (character)|Banshee]] (Sean Cassidy), [[Iceman (Marvel Comics)|Iceman]] (Robert "Bobby" Drake), and [[Exodus (comics)|Exodus]] (Paris Bennet). The team is sent to [[Maine]] to aid in the evacuation of humanity to [[Europe]]. During this mission, the team fights Apocalypse's [[Brotherhood of Mutants|Brotherhood of Chaos]], as well as the [[Horsemen of Apocalypse|Horseman]] [[Abyss (comics)|Abyss]], who is defeated by Quicksilver. During their absence from the [[Xavier Mansion]], Magneto and Bishop are attacked by Apocalypse himself, who captures them both. Fulfilling their mission, Quicksilver splits up his team to help the other X-Men: sending Iceman to rendezvous with [[Rogue (Marvel Comics)|Rogue]]'s team (the Astonishing X-Men) and Dazzler and Exodus to find Magneto's son, Charles. Finally, Quicksilver, Storm, and Banshee go to rescue Bishop, who is in the hands of the Madri, Apocalypse's priests. This title replaced ''[[X-Men: Legacy|X-Men]]''.

===''Weapon X''===
[[Alternative versions of Wolverine#Age of Apocalypse|Weapon X]] (Logan) and his lover [[Jean Grey]] are depicted in this series carrying out missions for the Human High Council. Jean and Weapon X drift apart, as the Human High Council intends to launch a nuclear strike on the U.S. as Jean is appalled by the loss of life it would cause. After Weapon X concludes a battle with [[Donald Pierce]], Jean leaves to help evacuate the U.S., bidding a tearful farewell to Logan. Weapon X is then sent to recruit [[Gateway (character)|Gateway]], whose teleportation ability is necessary to bring the fleet to America. As the fleet leaves, Weapon X decides to join them, if only to find Jean somewhere in America before the bombs are dropped. This title temporarily replaced ''[[Wolverine (comic book)|Wolverine]]''.

===''Factor X''===
Factor X consists of the Elite Mutant Force (EMF), who serve Apocalypse. They are split into five sibling groups: Cyclops and [[Havok (comics)|Havok]] (Scott Summers and Alex Summers), [[Emplate]] and the Twins (Marius, Nicole, and Claudette St. Croix), [[Cannonball (Marvel Comics)|Cannonball]] and Amazon (Sam and Elizabeth Guthrie), the Bedlam Brothers ([[Bedlam (comics)|Jesse]] and Terrence Aaronson), and [[Aurora (comics)|Aurora]] and [[Northstar (character)|Northstar]] (Jean-Marie and Jean-Paul Beaubier). The EMF is tasked with maintaining control of Apocalypse's breeding pens, where people are imprisoned, tortured, and experimented on by [[Dark Beast (Marvel Comics)|Beast]], also a member of the EMF. Havok, jealous of his brother's leadership role, discovers that Cyclops is a traitor who has been helping people escape the pens; and in one such escape attempt, both Aurora and Northstar are injured. Havok then exposes Cyclops and attempts to kill him, but Cyclops escapes with the aid of Jean Grey, who has arrived to evacuate as many people as she can before the Human High Council's nuclear strike. The Bedlam Brothers also choose to side with Cyclops, and they successfully defeat both Amazon and Cannonball. Cyclops and Jean defeat Havok, and as they lead the freed prisoners out of the pens, Havok is determined to kill his brother. This title replaced ''[[X-Factor (comics)|X-Factor]]''.

===''X-Man''===
The protagonist of ''X-Man'' is [[Nate Grey]], a mutant born of Cyclops' and Jean Grey's [[DNA]], and the most powerful telekinetic in the world. He lives under the guidance of his father figure [[Forge (character)|Forge]], who leads a group of outcasts consisting of [[Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde)|Mastermind]], [[Toad (Marvel Comics)|Toad]], [[Sunder (comics)|Brute]], and [[Sauron (comics)|Sauron]], who attack trains and factories of Apocalypse while masquerading as a theatre troupe. This title replaced ''[[Cable (comic book)|Cable]]''.

===''X-Men: Omega''===
''X-Men: Omega'' was published in June 1995 and concluded the "Age of Apocalypse" crossover story.

==Characters and affiliations==

===Mutant heroes===
The only then-existing major mutant character missing in the original Age of Apocalypse is [[Betsy Braddock#Age of Apocalypse|Psylocke]]. When the "Age of Apocalypse" storyline was revisited a decade later, she appeared in ''[[Age of Apocalypse (limited series)|X-Men: Age of Apocalypse]]'' #4 in Asian form. Her origin remains unknown. There has been no explanation of what she was doing during the original Age of Apocalypse, other than the fact that she had some kind of past connection with Weapon X.

{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
! style="width:15%;"| Team
! style="width:15%;"| Leader
! style="width:30%;"| Members
! style="width:40%;"| Notes
|- valign="top"
| Generation Next 
| [[Colossus (character)|Colossus]] (deceased), [[Kitty Pryde|Shadowcat]] (deceased)
| [[Chamber (character)|Chamber]] (deceased), Xorn (AoA version of [[Husk (comics)|Husk]], deceased), Know-It-All (AoA version of [[M (Marvel Comics)#Age of Apocalypse|M]]) (status unknown), Mondo (deceased), [[Skin (Marvel Comics)|Skin]] (deceased), Vincente Cimetta (deceased)
|
|- valign="top"
| The Outcasts 
| [[Forge (character)|Forge]] (deceased)
| Brute (The Age of Apocalypse version of [[Sunder (comics)|Sunder]], deceased), [[Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde)|Mastermind]] (deceased), Soaron (The AoA version of [[Sauron (comics)|Sauron]], deceased), Sonique (The AoA version of [[Siryn]]), [[Toad (Marvel Comics)|Toad]] (deceased), X-Man ([[Nate Grey]], [[Missing in action|MIA]])
| X-Man is the "son" of Jean Grey and Scott Summers, created from their DNA by Mister Sinister, and as such is a "spiritual twin" of [[Cable (character)|Cable]].
|- valign="top"
| X-Calibre 
| [[Nightcrawler (character)|Nightcrawler]]
| [[Emma Steed|Damask]] (The AoA version of the Black Queen of [[London]]'s [[Hellfire Club (comics)|Hellfire Club]]) (MIA), [[Mystique (character)|Mystique]] (deceased), [[Switchback (comics)|Switchback]] (MIA)
| Following the fall of Apocalypse the team disbanded. The current whereabouts of Damask and Switchback are unknown.
|- valign="top"
| [[X-Men]]
| [[Magneto (Marvel Comics)|Magneto]] (deceased), [[Jean Grey]]
|<ref>''Uncanny X-Force'' #11 to 14 (Dark Angel Saga)</ref>
* '''''Current Members:''''' [[Nightcrawler (character)|Nightcrawler]], [[Sabretooth (character)|Sabretooth]]
* '''''Former members:''''' [[Rogue (Marvel Comics)|Rogue]] (deceased), [[Silver Samurai]] (deceased), [[Sunfire (comics)|Sunfire]] (deceased), [[Wild Child (comics)|Wild Child]] (deceased), [[MODOK]] (Charles Xavier's clone connected to Cerebro) (destroyed), [[Banshee (character)|Banshee]] (deceased), [[Barnell Bohusk|Beak]], [[Blink (character)|Blink]], [[Colossus (character)|Colossus]] (deceased), [[Dazzler (Marvel Comics)|Dazzler]] (status unknown), [[Exodus (comics)|Exodus]] (MIA), [[Gambit (Marvel Comics)|Gambit]] (deceased), Kirika (a.k.a. [[X-23]], deceased), [[Iceman (Marvel Comics)|Iceman]] (defected/deceased), [[Jubilee (character)|Jubilee]] (status unknown), [[Kevin Sydney|Morph]] (MIA), [[Quicksilver (Marvel Comics)|Quicksilver]] (deceased), [[Scarlet Witch]] (deceased), [[Kitty Pryde|Shadowcat]] (deceased), [[Storm (Marvel Comics)|Storm]] (defected), Weapon X ([[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]] in normal continuity) (defected), [[Wolfsbane (character)|Wolfsbane]] (status unknown), Xorn (The AoA version of [[Husk (comics)|Husk]], deceased)
* '''''Allies:''''' [[Bishop (Marvel Comics)|Bishop]] (deceased), Charles Lehnsherr (infant son of Magneto and Rogue) (deceased), Nanny (Charles' robotic babysitter – destroyed), [[Magik|Illyana Rasputin]] (status unknown)
| Led out of [[Wundagore]] Mountain until the complex was destroyed by [[Holocaust (Marvel Comics)|Nemesis]]. Later moved to the ruined Xavier mansion, which never became a school in this universe. After the fall of Apocalypse, Magneto moved his X-Men to Washington, D.C., where they took up residence in the newly constructed Xavier Institute. More recently they are now based in Atlantis.
|- valign="top"
| X-Ternals
| Gambit (deceased)
| [[Lila Cheney]] (status unknown), [[Jubilee (character)|Jubilee]] (status unknown), [[Strong Guy]] (deceased), [[Sunspot (Marvel Comics)|Sunspot]] (considered deceased by his teammates)
|Following the fall of Apocalypse the team disbanded. The current whereabouts of Lila Cheney and Jubilee are unknown.
|- valign="top"
| New Mutants
|
| [[Barnell Bohusk|Beak]] (status unknown), [[X-23|Kirika]] (deceased), [[Xorn]] (deceased), [[Silver Samurai]] (deceased), [[Wolfsbane (character)|Wolfsbane]] (status unknown), [[Betsy Braddock|Psylocke]] (status unknown)
| Mutants that joined Magneto's cause after the fall of Apocalypse.
|}

===Other anti-Apocalypse forces===
Besides the X-Men and its many offshoots, the Human High Council remains as the only other power opposing Apocalypse. Unlike the X-Men, however, the Human High Council considers the extermination of mutants as a viable option. [[Bolivar Trask|Bolivar]] and Moira Trask, as well as Brian Braddock, are the major proponents for a mutant holocaust. Secretly, the Human High Council supports the Human Underground Resistance.

''X-Universe'' also reveals the fate of several non-mutants individuals.  [[Spider-Man|Peter Parker]] was executed because he was a potential contact for [[Gwen Stacy]]. [[Black Panther (character)|T'Challa]] and [[Namor]] perished when Apocalypse attacked [[Wakanda]] and [[Atlantis (Marvel Comics)|Atlantis]]. [[Punisher|Frank Castle]] went missing following a mutant raid on a Buddhist temple where he had sought peace after the death of his family. [[Mister Fantastic|Reed Richards]] and [[Human Torch|Johnny Storm]] sacrificed themselves in the evacuation of [[Manhattan]].

{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
! style="width:20%;"| Team
! style="width:40%;"| Members
! style="width:40%;"| Notes
|- valign="top"
| Human High Council
| Brian Braddock ([[Captain Britain]]) (deceased), [[Emma Frost]], [[Moira MacTaggert|Moira Trask]] (deceased), [[Thunderbolt Ross]] (status unknown), [[Bolivar Trask]], [[Mariko Yashida]] (status unknown)
|
|- valign="top"
| Human High Council agents
| Clint Barton ([[Hawkeye (Clint Barton)|Hawkeye]]), Donald Blake ([[Thor (Marvel Comics)|Thor]], deceased), Carol Danvers ([[Carol Danvers|Ms. Marvel]], deceased), [[Gateway (comics)|Gateway]], Ben Grimm ([[Thing (comics)|Thing]], deceased), [[Gwen Stacy]], Tony Stark ([[Iron Man]]), Susan Storm ([[Invisible Woman]]) (deceased), Victor von Doom ([[Doctor Doom]]) (deceased)
|
|- valign="top"
| Sentinels
| 
| Programmed to protect humans above anything else, for which they are capable of not attacking mutants if it aids in the accomplishment of their Prime Directive.
|- valign="top"
| The Underground
| [[Valerie Cooper]]
| An underground resistance group that aids refugees escape from North America to Europe.
|- valign="top"
| rowspan="3" |
| [[Henry Peter Gyrich]]
| A human supremacist [[suicide attack|suicide bomber]] that threatens the nightclub Heaven.
|- valign="top"
| [[Robert Kelly (character)|Robert Kelly]]
| An activist of mutant-human peaceful coexistence, for which Apocalypse imprisoned him. Rescued by Magneto, Nightcrawler, and Rogue. Later brokered a non-aggression treaty between the Human High Council and Apocalypse.
|- valign="top"
| [[Robbie Robertson (character)|Joseph Robertson]] (deceased)
| Maintains the clandestine newspaper, the ''[[Daily Bugle]]'', with the purpose of informing humans of the news kept in secret by Apocalypse's regime.
|- valign="top"
| rowspan="6" | Deceased Mentions
| Frank Castle
| Killed in action.
|- valign="top"
| Peter Parker
| Deceased human boyfriend of Gwen Stacy who never became Spider-Man.
|- valign="top"
| Reed Richards
| Died in the evacuation of Manhattan Island.
|- valign="top"
| Johnny Storm
| Died in the evacuation of Manhattan Island.
|- valign="top"
| T'Challa
| Died after Wakanda was attacked by Apocalypse's Horsemen.
|- valign="top" 
| Namor
| Died after Atlantis was attacked by Apocalypse's Horsemen.
|}

===Apocalypse's agents===
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
! style="width:20%;"| Team
! style="width:40%;"| Members
! style="width:40%;"| Notes
|- valign="top"
| The Brotherhood of Chaos ([[Brotherhood of Mutants]])
| [[Arclight (comics)|Arclight]] (deceased), [[Box (comics)|Box]] ([[Madison Jeffries]]) (deceased), [[Copycat (Marvel Comics)|Copycat]] (deceased), [[Spyne]] (deceased), [[Yeti (comics)|Yeti]] (deceased)
| Arclight, Spyne and Yeti were mentioned to have been killed by Iceman, their deaths however were not shown on panel.
|- valign="top"
| Inhuman Strike Force
| [[Black Bolt]] (deceased), [[Crystal (character)|Crystal]] (deceased), [[Gorgon (Inhuman)|Gorgon]] (deceased), [[Karnak (comics)|Karnak]] (deceased), [[Lockjaw (character)|Lockjaw]] (deceased), [[Medusa (comics)|Medusa]] (deceased), [[Rhino (character)|Rhino]] (deceased), [[Triton (comics)|Triton]] (deceased)
| [[Maximus (comics)|Death]]'s personal army. They are the genetically altered clones of the Inhuman royal family with the exception of Rhino.
|- valign="top"
| Bounty Hunters
| [[Domino (character)|Domino]] (deceased), [[Caliban (Marvel Comics)|Caliban]] (deceased), [[Grizzly (comics)|Grizzly]] (deceased)
| Hunters in the service of Apocalypse. Their prime objective was to find and bring dead or alive the mutant known as Nate Grey.
|- valign="top"
| Elite Mutant Force
| Amazon (Lizzie Guthrie) (deceased), [[Aurora (comics)|Aurora]] (deceased), [[Dark Beast (Marvel Comics)|Beast]] (MIA), the Bedlam brothers [[Bedlam (comics)|Jesse]] (MIA) and Terrence Aaronson (King Bedlam in normal continuity) (MIA), [[Cannonball (Marvel Comics)|Cannonball]] (deceased), [[Cyclops (Marvel Comics)|Cyclops]], [[Emplate]] (deceased), [[Havok (character)|Havok]] (deceased), the [[M-Twins|Monets]] (status unknown), [[Northstar (character)|Northstar]] (deceased)
| Mister Sinister's EMF is composed of mutant siblings belonging to powerful bloodlines, except for Beast, who serves as Sinister's leading scientist.
|- valign="top"
| Enslavers of Seattle Core
| Quietus (deceased), [[Sugar Man (Marvel Comics)|Sugar Man]], Rastus (deceased)
|The core was a slave camp that generated electricity across North America. 
|- valign="top"
| [[Horsemen of Apocalypse]]
| [[Abyss (comics)|Abyss]] (deceased), [[Holocaust (Marvel Comics)|Holocaust/Nemesis]] (deceased), [[Mister Sinister]] (deceased), [[Mikhail Rasputin|Prelate Rasputin]] (brother of Colossus) (deceased)
* ''Former members'': [[Bastion (comics)|Bastion]] (deceased), [[Candra (comics)|Candra]] (deceased), Death I (deceased), [[Maximus (comics)|Death II]] (deceased), [[Gideon (comics)|Gideon]] (deceased), [[War (Marvel Comics character)|War]] (deceased)
| Sabretooth served as the Horsemen's leading Hound
|- valign="top"
| The Infinites
| Created by Sinister and Beast from the genetic material of captured mutants and humans either deemed unworthy of living or executed for opposing Apocalypse. In the end to ensure his survival, Apocalypse made possible for the Infinites to gain the ability to self-replicate themselves. 
| Infinites were led by officers holding ranks such as Prelate or Mudir and were employed to carry out Cullings, massacres of human communities throughout North America.
|- valign="top"
| Mecha-Mutates
| Groomed specifically for assaults on the human rebels' mutant-nullification grids, they are actually regular human traitors who traded their humanity for the privilege of serving the Dark Lord Apocalypse.
| Hatchet-9, several unnamed members
|- valign="top"
| Fedayeen
| Mudir [[Rictor]] (deceased) leader of the Kurbaj Squadron
| The Fedayeen are the police of the Age of Apocalypse. Unlike the Infinites, they are not generally further mutated.
|- valign="top"
| The Madri
| Duplicates of [[Jamie Madrox]] (deceased)
| Experimented on by both Beast and Sinister, his powers have mutated out of his control. Now, the Madri, form the wicked clergy of Apocalypse, worshipping him as a god and serving as his inquisitors.
|- valign="top"
| [[Marauders (comics)|Marauders]]
| [[Arcade (Marvel Comics)|Arcade]] (deceased), Dirigible ([[Kingpin (character)|Kingpin]], deceased), [[Owl (Marvel Comics)|Owl]] (deceased), [[Norman Osborn|Red]] (deceased) 
| Human terrorists that have betrayed mankind.
|- valign="top"
| The Pale Riders
| [[Emma Steed|Damask]] (defected), [[Deadpool|Dead Man Wade]] (deceased), [[Danielle Moonstar]] (deceased)
| A trio of assassins serving Apocalypse.
|- valign="top"
| Altered Humans (Age of Apocalypse versions of the [[Reavers (comics)|Reavers]])
| Clegg (AoA version of [[Roughouse]], destroyed), Dead-Eye (destroyed), Mangle (destroyed), [[Donald Pierce]] (destroyed), Slocum (AoA version of [[Bloodscream]], destroyed), Vultura (AoA version of [[Dragoness (comics)|Dragoness]], destroyed)
| Humans enhanced by Apocalypse's techno-organic virus.
|- valign="top"
| Stryfe Force
| 
| [[Mikhail Rasputin]]'s personal army. Formed by the best of his Upscale Program which is a program to augment the normal humans with cybernetics implants. They are activated by a silent signal.
|- valign="top"
| [[Hellions (Marvel Comics)|Hellions]]
| [[Catseye (comics)|Catseye]], [[Jetstream (comics)|Jetstream]], [[Roulette (Marvel Comics)|Roulette]], [[Tarot (comics)|Tarot]], [[Beef (comics)|Beef]], [[Bevatron (comics)|Bevatron]]
| A team of young mutants who were trained to become Apocalypse's agents. 
|- valign="top"
| [[Hounds (comics)|Hounds]]
| [[Sabretooth (character)|Sabretooth]] (defected), [[Wild Child (character)|Wild Child]] (defected), [[Caliban (Marvel Comics)|Caliban]] (deceased), [[Crule (comics)|Wolverine]] (not the same as Wolverine/Logan in normal continuity, deceased)
| Mutants used to hunt down and imprison mutants and humans in concentration camps or simply to kill their targets. Sabretooth was used as the leading Hound to the Horsemen until his defection. Wild Child was too ferocious that he was kept a prisoner until Sabretooth rescued him. Caliban was used as the prime hound to the Bounty Hunters and Wolverine was a mutant altered by the Beast who served Holocaust as his leading hunter after the defection of Sabretooth.
|- valign="top"
| rowspan="9" |
| [[Absorbing Man]] and [[Diablo (Marvel Comics)|Diablo]] 
| Two [[Prison warden|wardens]] in Apocalypse's prisoner camps in [[Mexico]].
|- valign="top"
| [[Hulk|Bruce Banner / The Thing]]
| A scientist of the Human High Council, secretly "bought" by Mikhail Rasputin, who supplies him with mutants for experiments in which Banner seeks to mutate himself.
|- valign="top"
| [[Magma (comics)|Magma]] (deceased)
| An assassin sent by Apocalypse to eliminate the Human High Council.
|- valign="top"
| [[Daredevil (Marvel Comics character)|Keeper Murdock]]
| Mikhail Rasputin's personal [[Prison warden|warden]]. Responsible for watching over [[Empath (comics)|Empath]], Mikhail's prisoner.
|- valign="top"
| Rex (MIA)
| Apocalypse's [[majordomo]]. He appears to be currently at large and wanted by the X-Men for the part he played in the empire of Apocalypse.
|- valign="top"
| [[Shadow King]] (MIA)
| Apocalypse's leading telepath.
|- valign="top"
| [[Strong Guy]] (deceased)
| Implanted with a bomb and forced to serve Apocalypse. Betrays the X-Ternals.
|- valign="top"
| [[Sebastian Shaw (character)|Sebastian Shaw]]
| He appears to be currently at large and wanted by the X-Men for the part he played in the empire of Apocalypse.
|- valign="top"
| Balrog-Class Meta-Cyborg
| Created by Sinister in his genetic processing tanks. They appear to be giant land-based cybernetic [[squid]]s or [[octopus]]es.
|}

===Neutrals===
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
! style="width:20%;"| Group
! style="width:40%;"| Members
! style="width:40%;"| Notes
|- valign="top"
| [[Savage Land|Avalon]]
| Cain ([[Juggernaut (character)|Juggernaut]]) (deceased), [[Destiny (Irene Adler)|Destiny]] (status unknown), [[Cypher (Marvel Comics)|Douglas Ramsey]] (deceased), [[Stinger (Marvel Comics)|Wendy]] (deceased)
| A haven for humans and mutants, housed in a secret area of the hidden prehistoric land known as [[Savage Land]].
|- valign="top"
| [[Brood (comics)|The Brood]]
| [[Misty Knight]] (deceased), [[Corsair (character)|Christopher Summers]] (deceased), [[Colleen Wing]] (deceased) 
| Humans transformed into Brood following the escape of Christopher Summers (who had been infected by a Brood Queen).
|- valign="top"
| [[Hellfire Club (comics)|Heaven]]
| [[Warren Worthington III|Angel]] (deceased), [[Karma (character)|Karma]] (deceased), Scarlett MacKenzie (presumed deceased)
| A nightclub run by Angel and its employees.
|- valign="top"
|
| [[Fatale (Marvel Comics)|Artemis]] (deceased), [[Avalanche (character)|Avalanche]], [[Blob (Marvel Comics)|Blob]] (deceased), Newt (deceased), [[Phantazia]] (status unknown), [[Polaris (Marvel Comics)|Polaris]] (status unknown), [[Pyro (Marvel Comics)|Pyro]] (deceased) 
| Prisoners in Mister Sinister's breeding pens.
|- valign="top"
| Scavengers 
| [[Cobra (Marvel Comics)|Cobra]] (deceased), [[Mister Hyde (Marvel Comics)|Mister Hyde]] (deceased)
| Cannibalistic mutates who plague graveyards and attack anyone, regardless of their allegiance.
|- valign="top"
| [[Morlocks (comics)|Morlocks]] 
| [[Feral (character)|Feral]], [[Leech (character)|Leech]], [[Marrow (character)|Marrow]], [[Skids (character)|Skids]], Danna Moonstar, [[Thornn]]
| Survivors of Mister Sinister's experiments.
|- valign="top"
| rowspan="8" |
| [[Bullseye (Marvel Comics)|Bullseye]]
| One of the many human prisoners aboard Mikhail Rasputin's ships.
|- valign="top"
| [[Callisto (comics)|Callisto]] (deceased)
| Leader of a band of pirates.
|- valign="top"
| [[Peter Corbeau]]
| A scientist and astronomer captured by Apocalypse and forced to serve as his librarian.
|- valign="top"
| Newell ([[Stingray (comics)|Stingray]])
| Captain of the submarine Excalibur that transports refugees to Avalon.
|- valign="top"
| John Proudstar ([[Thunderbird (John Proudstar)|Thunderbird]]) (deceased)
| Leader of Ghost Dance, an anti-Apocalypse cult and the first stage in the Infernal Gallop to Avalon.
|- valign="top"
| Rossovich ([[Omega Red]]) (deceased)
| An [[information broker]].
|- valign="top"
| Calvin Rankin ([[Mimic (comics)|Mimic]]) (deceased)
| A victim of Sugar Man's plague experiment.
|- valign="top"
| [[Tiger Shark (Marvel Comics)|Tiger Shark]]
| A secret creation of Dark Beast that is kept in his laboratory.
|}

===Timeline escapees===
Some characters escaped the Age of Apocalypse into the Earth-616 continuity. These include Dark Beast, Nate Grey (the Age of Apocalypse version of Cable), Blink, Holocaust and Sugar Man.

* Nate Grey allied himself with the X-Men a few times and once with Spider-Man. He later "died" by disseminating into every life form on the Earth, but has since returned to the living.
* Blink escaped into the multiverse and ended up leading the reality-hopping team of heroes known as the Exiles. Her counterpart on Earth-616 was thought to have died during the "[[Phalanx Covenant]]" storyline, but brought back from the dead by Selene during the "[[Necrosha]]" event.
* [[William Stryker|Prophet]] was taken at Jean Grey's request to the Earth-616 at the end of the crossover that would close the Age of Apocalypse timeline from the timestream.

===Former timeline escapees===
* Holocaust remained at large in the main Marvel Universe until he joined the [[Exiles (Marvel Comics)|Exiles]] and was killed by another universe's evil version of [[Hyperion (comics)|Hyperion]].<ref>''Exiles'' #62</ref>
* Sabretooth survived through the same means as Blink and joined a team of reality-hopping super beings known as [[Weapon X (Exiles)|Weapon X]]. During one mission, he opted to stay behind on to raise [[Franklin Richards (Fantastic Four)#Exiles|David Richards]]. Eventually, he was brought back into action and joined the Exiles. He has since returned to the Age of Apocalypse.
* Hatchet-9, the only surviving Mecha-Mutate officer of Assault-Regiment Delta, a regiment of traitor humans who traded limbs and more for the power and privilege of serving the High Lord Apocalypse.
* Rastus, a heavily two-headed mutated creation of Sugar Man and one of many wardens of Seattles' Core, was also revealed to have escaped to Earth-616. He joined Sugar Man and lived in the catacombs underneath the island nation of Genosha until he was accidentally discovered by the Dark Beast. He was eventually killed by Callisto.<ref>''Excalibur'' (vol. 3) #10</ref>
* Wild Child left this timeline when a time-traveler, Quentin Quire, saved him from the [[Friends of Humanity]] and then used Wild Child to replace the latter's counterpart, who had recently died.<ref>''Exiles: Days of Then and Now'' #1</ref> Wild Child was later returned to the Age of Apocalypse and subsequently killed in battle.
* Nightcrawler decided to stay on Earth-616 after the events of the Dark Angel Saga. He joined the [[X-Force]] team so he could search for Iceman, Blob, Dark Beast and Sugar Man. He then tracked and killed his former teammates Iceman and Blob. During the X-Termination crossover, Nightcrawler apparently gave his own life to close the Age of Apocalypse timeline from the Timestream.
* [[Blob (Marvel Comics)|Blob]] left the Age of Apocalypse due to the events put in motion by [[Warren Worthington III|Archangel]]. He later joined Daken's Brotherhood with the apparent goal of exacting revenge on X-Force. He was killed by the AoA Nightcrawler, who teleported a shark inside his body.
* [[Iceman (Marvel Comics)|Iceman]] was revealed to have defected from the X-Men and was working for Weapon Omega. He also left the Age of Apocalypse through the same means as Blob and was tracked down by Wolverine, Deadpool, and the AoA Nightcrawler. During the fight, Nightcrawler teleported to a factory and fought Iceman, defeating him without either man using their powers. Once Iceman was defeated, Nightcrawler threw his body into an incinerator.
* [[Dark Beast (Marvel Comics)|Beast]] was sent twenty years into Earth-616's past. This allowed for several [[retroactive continuity|retcons]] which were used to explain that he (now known as Dark Beast) was responsible for the creation of the Morlocks and also why Mister Sinister initiated the "[[Mutant Massacre]]", as he recognized his stolen handiwork and ordered it exterminated as a debasement of his art. He later came under the employment of [[Norman Osborn]]'s [[Dark X-Men]], with the responsibility of keeping [[Beast (comics)|his counterpart]] and Charles Xavier captive while Osborn carried out his plan. He then returned to the Age of Apocalypse timeline and helped Weapon Omega on his quest to control America, but at the end Weapon Omega was defeated and Dark Beast was taken back to Earth-616. He was thought to be deceased, after apparently dying in a bomb explosion after progressively suffering from fatal health problems due to experimenting on himself. During the 2017 "[[Secret Empire (2017 comic)|Secret Empire]]" storyline, Dark Beast turns up alive and healthy but is eventually killed by Magik.
*[[Sugar Man (Marvel Comics)|Sugar Man]] was also sent twenty years into Earth-616's past, and it was through him the [[David Moreau|Genegineer]] received the advanced genetic research to allow the small nation of [[Genosha]] to become powerful by enslaving mutants. He remained at large in the main Marvel Universe and only a few knew about his existence. Sugar Man returned to the Age of Apocalypse timeline after being released from [[Captain America|Steve Rogers]]' custody by Dark Beast, and was believed to remain there at the end of the crossover that would close the Age of Apocalypse timeline. But it was revealed that he had returned to the main reality before the event and was thought to be deceased at the hands of Magneto, only to reappear alive and planning to send six hundred mutant embryos to the future. He was later killed by a mysterious assailant who was hunting down the former Age of Apocalypse residents.

==Prequels==
Before the tenth anniversary, the Age of Apocalypse was considered a dead reality that no longer existed—a fact that was frequently mentioned by timeline escapees, such as Sugar Man and Blink. However, there were quite a few prequels written that took place before its destruction.

''By the Light'' told the story of Blink transporting the X-Men to the moon where they faced Apocalypse's new horseman of Death, Maximus the Mad. ''Sinister Bloodlines'' followed the return of a Brood-infected Christopher Summers (Corsair) to Earth and his reunion, after escaping the experimentations of Sinister and Dark Beast, with Scott and Alex.

''Blink'' was a four issue miniseries intended to reintroduce the Age of Apocalypse version of Blink as a teaser to the ''Exiles'' ongoing series. This story takes place prior to the "Age of Apocalypse" main events, but is largely set in the [[Negative Zone]]. Blink becomes lost in the Negative Zone after attempting to incite [[Blastaar]] towards war with Apocalypse and instead joins a rebellion against Blastaar alongside her lover, who turns out to be a de-evolved version of [[Annihilus]]. The last four pages of the final issue show Blink during the destruction of the Age of Apocalypse and becoming unhinged from time.

''X-Man'', during its run, occasionally re-visited the Age of Apocalypse, both through time travel and flashbacks. ''X-Man'' #-1 shows Mister Sinister releasing Nate from his growth vat as a child to check on his progress. In the 1996 ''X-Man'' Annual, Sugar Man uses a variation on a time machine powered by Nate's psionic force to return to the early years of Apocalypse's rule where he hopes to take control himself. Nate follows and meets up with Forge, Magneto, Morph, and Mastermind, and is surprised to discover that Forge knew that he would be there because an older Nate Grey had time traveled and told Forge about his memories of this event. On the orders of this older Nate Grey, Forge forces the younger Nate to re-power the machine and return himself and Sugar Man to Earth-616. This leads to a rift between Forge and Magneto, who believed they should have allowed Nate to stay so that he could help them fight Apocalypse. Later, in ''X-Man'' #53 and #54, Nate, Jean Grey, and Cyclops run across a temporal rift that brings an infinite processing plant to Earth-616.

==Age of Apocalypse 10th Anniversary==
{{Main|Age of Apocalypse (limited series)}}
In 2005, Marvel published an ''Age of Apocalypse'' one-shot and miniseries to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the fan favorite event.

The one-shot features stories set before the events depicted in the original "Age of Apocalypse" event, similar in focus to the ''Tales from the Age of Apocalypse'' issues. The one-shot contains the story of how Colossus and Shadowcat left the X-Men to train Generation Next; how Sabretooth met Wild Child; the first appearance of the Silver Samurai; and how the world survived the Human High Council's nuclear attack.

The limited series, which takes place after the nuclear attack in ''X-Men: Omega'', introduced several characters who were not in the original storyline. Long time characters [[Cloak and Dagger (characters)|Cloak and Dagger]], Psylocke, and the Morlocks (including Feral, Leech, Marrow, Skids, and Thornn), who were survivors of Mister Sinister's experiments, are introduced. Newer characters Beak, [[Icarus (comics)|Icarus]], and X-23 are seen along with an alternate version of Xorn. Jean Grey is also revealed to have saved everyone from the nuclear attack by tapping into the [[Phoenix Force]]-level powers, and is resurrected by Sinister.

==Dark Angel Saga==
In 2011, the Age of Apocalypse was featured in a storyline in the ongoing series ''[[Uncanny X-Force]]'' 11–18 by [[Rick Remender]].

Seeking a [[Celestial (comics)|Celestial]] 'Life Seed' to save [[Archangel (comics)|Angel]] (Warren Worthington) from becoming the new Apocalypse, The Uncanny X-Force, under the guidance of [[Dark Beast (Marvel Comics)|Dark Beast]], journey to the Age of Apocalypse. [[X-Force]] arrives ten years after the X-Men had defeated [[Mister Sinister]], yet it seems the X-Men still face enormous challenges in this harsh setting. The world, which during the previous appearance had seemed to be on the road to recovery, has once again fallen on hard times, similar to when Apocalypse was ruling, with Sentinels now roaming the streets. As they follow Dark Beast to one of his labs, they are unknowingly followed by [[Wild Child (character)|Wild Child]] and [[Sabretooth (character)|Sabretooth]] (Earth-295). Dark Beast finds the life seed but before he could hand it over to the X-Force members, [[Nightcrawler (character)|Nightcrawler]] teleports in and swipes the seed away, figuring that Dark Beast was up to some evil plot after decades of absence. After a brief quarrel which ended with the life seed destroyed by [[Sunfire (comics)|Sunfire]], [[Betsy Braddock#Age of Apocalypse|Psylocke]] recognizes Sabretooth from her time on the [[Exiles (comics)|Exiles]] and convinces [[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]] (Earth-616) that this version of Sabretooth isn't a bad guy, which ends their battle. With the life seed destroyed, Dark Beast sneaks over to the portal back to the 616 Marvel Universe and walks in, leaving X-Force stranded in the Age of Apocalypse world. Nightcrawler's team, realizing that the sentinels are descending on their position, evacuates along with X-Force, taking them to the X-Men's new base in Atlantis.<ref>''Uncanny X-Force'' #11</ref>

It was soon revealed that a new "Heir of Apocalypse" has risen and that's the reason why the world as fallen once again into a Dark Age that resulted on the apparent extinction of the human race. Using a version of [[MODOK]], they discover the body of the slain Celestial which apparently still contains life seeds. However, as X-Force also learn that the only way to return to the main reality is to seek the help of [[Gateway (character)|Gateway]] who in turn is kept prisoner in the mysterious floating city known as The Sky, the Sentinels soon arrives at Atlantis forcing the group to abandon the complex. As [[Fantomex]] leads a small team to the place where the Celestial is, the rest of the team invades The Sky to retrieve Gateway, however they are confronted by the Black Legion, a group of psychotic and merciless killers under the service of the Heir of Apocalypse, consisting of Blob, [[Manphibian]], [[Doctor Octopus|Demon-Ock]] (a demonic creature with mechanical tentacles), Beta-Red (a female counterpart of Omega Red), Grimm Chamber (a Thing/Chamber hybrid), Iron Ghost (a [[Ghost Rider]]/[[Iron Man]] hybrid), Orange Hulk (a solar-powered Hulk), White Cloak (a Cloak/Dagger hybrid), Zombie Sentry (an undead version of [[Sentry (Robert Reynolds)|Sentry]]) and Venomcap ([[Captain America]] bonded with a [[Symbiote (comics)|symbiote]]). During the fight, X-Force and the Earth-295 X-Men run into the long thought deceased ''[[Weapon X]]'' (Logan/Wolverine Earth-295). He appears using Apocalypse armor and reveals himself to be the Heir of Apocalypse.<ref>''Uncanny X-Force'' #12</ref>

Meanwhile, unaware of the problems Wolverine and his team are facing in the fortress, Fantomex and his small crew dive into the heart of the deceased Celestial in order to get the life seed they need to free Warren. After battling some drones, they manage to find only one seed and flee with it, losing Gambit in the battle, while, back in the fortress, Wolverine and his crew try to battle Weapon X and the Black Legion. However, Weapon X proves too powerful, since he had been augmented by the Celestial technology, when the cosmic entities came to judge planet Earth, and while he had ascended in form and power, his mind had become so twisted to the point of creating genetic-powerful warriors to kill Charles Lehnsherr, the infant son of Magneto and Rogue. Weapon X easily manages to swat them all and take Jean Grey so he could transform her into Death, a horseman of Apocalypse. To perform the ritual he approaches [[Storm (Marvel Comics)|Storm]] who was enslaved and transform into a blind seer made of living stone. After taking out the Black Legion and freeing Gateway, Wolverine ask Gateway to open a portal to bring forth Fantomex team. Using Fantomex, they manage to free Jean and open a gateway to their world. Wolverine wants Jean to come too but she refuses and forces them through the gateway with her powers. As X-Force returns to their world, they are greeted by Dark Beast, the [[Horsemen of Apocalypse]], and Archangel, now wearing Apocalypse's armor.<ref>''Uncanny X-Force'' #13</ref>

After a long fight, Fantomex retreats and gets Gateway to teleport the AOA X-Men to help X-Force, together they defeat Archangel, the AoA X-Men decide to go back to their timeline while Nightcrawler decides to stay in this timeline and vows to kill, Dark Beast, Iceman, Sugar Man, and any other villain that escaped the AOA timeline to this one.<ref>''Uncanny X-Force'' #19</ref>

==Age of Apocalypse ongoing series==
{{Infobox comic book title
| image = Age of Apocalypse ongoing.jpg
| caption = Cover of Age of Apocalypse #1 (May, 2012). Art by [[Humberto Ramos]].
| schedule = Monthly
| format = [[Ongoing series]]
| genre = [[Superhero]]
| publisher = [[Marvel Comics]]
| date = May [[2012 in comics|2012]] – June [[2013 in comics|2013]]
| issues = 14
| main_char_team = X-Terminated
| writers = [[David Lapham]]
| artists = 
| pencillers = 
| inkers = 
| colorists = 
| letterer =
| creative_team_month = 
| creative_team_year = 
| creators = [[David Lapham]]
}}

===Publishing history===
In the ''Marvel Point One'' one-shot, a new team of anti-mutant humans calling themselves the X-Terminated, pledged to combat the rule of the ascended Weapon X and his minions, after X-Force's attempt to stop the genocidal successor of Apocalypse. The group consisted of remaining members of the human race in the Age of Apocalypse who have been pushed to the edge of extinction by mutants. Members of that team were Prophet ([[William Stryker]]), Goodnight ([[Donald Pierce]]), Deadeye (Zora Risman), Fiend (Francesca Trask), and Horror Show ([[Graydon Creed]]).

===Plot summary===
As Jean Grey and Sabretooth returned from Earth-616, they meet the human coalition. It is also revealed that Jean had ordered much to Magneto's horror, the creation of clones of the [[Scarlet Witch]], so they could use the spell Jean saw previously on Wolverine's mind that [[Decimation (comics)|de-powered 99% of mutantkind]]. However Weapon X and his Black Legion attack the last human city where Weapon X himself slays both Magneto and Rogue, leaving Jean Grey and Sabretooth the last two X-Men alive (Sunfire had given his life to stop Archangel's plans on Earth-616, and Nightcrawler decided to stay on that reality to hunt down Dark Beast, Blob, Iceman and Sugar Man). Jean telepathically nudges clones of the [[Scarlet Witch]] to recreate the Decimation and remove all mutants' powers across the globe. However, this was only successful within a radius of 12 feet, so Jean Grey and Sabretooth are both left de-powered while Weapon X and his forces remained powered. The human coalition distracts Weapon X with a bomb long enough for the group to escape as the city explodes behind them.<ref>''Uncanny X-Force'' #19.1</ref>

As the human coalition (X-Terminated Team, now including Jean Grey) continues to fight the forces of Weapon X, now renamed Weapon Omega, they find Harper Simmons, a human journalist from Earth-616 who was forced to come to the Age of Apocalypse while investigating the prison break of Sugar Man by Dark Beast on Earth-616. He creates a pamphlet that incites human and mutant riots against Weapon Omega, who is now bringing back deceased mutants like Emplate, Scott Summers and Alex Summers using energies siphoned from the celestial life seed. Harper Simons joins with the X-Terminated. Others who work with the X-Terminated are Doctor Moreau and Bolivar Trask.<ref>''Age of Apocalypse'' #1</ref>

After discovering the resurrected Penance, he ordered his servants Azazel, Cyclops and Colossus to bring her into the fold. She initially refused and undid Colossus' brainwashing causing him to abandon Weapon Omega and serve Penance. A fight broke out but Azazel agreed to leave. He returned with Weapon Omega who demanded that Penance kneel before him which she did. Unbeknownst to Weapon Omega however Penance was also making deals with the Human Resistance.<ref>''Age of Apocalypse'' #4</ref>

It has since been revealed that when the Celestials had come to Earth, they tried to resurrect Apocalypse by rewrite his genetic code to form a new body. After a small team of X-Men went investigate the ship they discovered that Apocalypse was already in the form of a child which Weapon X effectively kills despite Jean's pleas. With the death of the child, Weapon X took on the role of the Evolutionary Caretaker in an effort to spare his world from the Celestials wrath. Thus, he restarted the campaigns of extermination perpetrated by Apocalypse against the human race after being corrupted by the Seed.<ref>''Age of Apocalypse'' #5</ref>

The X-Terminated later travel to Latveria so they could get the information they need to defeat Weapon Omega, as Doom had apparently managed to create a device capable of storing the Death Seed's powers which they aptly referred to as the "Apocalypse Force" from its host body and empowering it within a new user, however they are approached by the Queen, actually Doom's wife and former member of the Human High Council, Emma Frost, who had her telepathic powers returned to her and was now in league with Weapon Omega. The X-Terminated eventually gained the information they needed by killing Doom and removed the intel literally from his head.

With the information they gained, the X-Terminated build the device, however, Weapon Omega after being alerted that Jean Grey was hiding out in the city, resolved to hunt his wife down himself, and vowed that if her humanity could not be cured, he would kill her himself. Jean Grey was ultimately responsible for removing the power of the Death Seed within her former lover and were absorbed by Jean as the next host. Thanks to her history with the Phoenix Force, though, Jean was strong enough to reject the power of the Death Seed and displaced it. After everything died down, Weapon Omega emerged from the rubble as Logan once again, his mind now clear of the corrupting force of the Death Seed. Unknown to him or Jean, however, the energies of the seed had in fact been contained by Bolivar Trask in a giant machine under the Nevada Desert.

===="X-Termination"====
In March 2013, the ''[[X-Treme X-Men]]'', ''Age of Apocalypse'', and ''[[Astonishing X-Men]]'' titles were part of the "X-Termination" crossover event, which focused on the AoA [[Nightcrawler (character)|Nightcrawler]]'s trip home. ''Age of Apocalypse'' #14, the final issue of the series,<ref>{{cite web|first=Hugh |last=Armitage |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/comics/news/a452308/age-of-apocalypse-x-treme-x-men-canceled-by-marvel.html |title='Age of Apocalypse', 'X-Treme X-Men' canceled by Marvel – Comics News |publisher=Digital Spy |date=2013-01-19 |access-date=2013-02-13}}</ref> will be Part 3 of the event.

==''What If''==
=== Synopsis for "What If... The Age of Apocalypse Had Not Ended?"===
An alternate AoA reality was presented when Magneto, giving up on Bishop's mission in the final moments, rescued his family from the nuclear explosions alongside some of his allies. Magneto, Rogue, Sunfire, Quicksilver, and Weapon X found themselves working with the last remaining human heroes (including Tony Stark, Invisible Woman and Gwen Stacy, the latter of which formed a romance with Quicksilver) to deal with a new threat: the coming of [[Galactus]].
 
As there was no Fantastic Four, it fell to the survivors to work against Galactus and his herald, the [[Silver Surfer]]. As the heroes sprung into action, Night-Thrasher ended up using advanced technology to empower himself with amazing psychic powers. Together, they were able to do the impossible and claim victory. After Weapon X used his adamantium claws to kill the Silver Surfer, the collective psychic potential of humanity was focused against Galactus, eventually killing him.<ref name="What If...? #81">''What If...?'' #81</ref>

==''Secret Wars'' (2015)==
The Age of Apocalypse is featured as one of the many domains of Battleworld in ''[[Secret Wars (2015 comic book)|Secret Wars]]''. It has its differences from the only
original storyline, with two of the main ones being the inclusion of [[Douglas Ramsay|Cypher]] as a prominent character and Magneto marrying Marvel Girl aka Emma Frost instead of Rogue.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Morse |first1=Ben |date=19 March 2015 |title=Secret Wars Correspondence: ''Age of Apocalypse'' |url=http://marvel.com/news/comics/24283/secret_wars_correspondence_age_of_apocalypse |access-date=10 August 2015 |website=Marvel.com}}</ref> The Age of Apocalypse's location on Battleworld is known as the Domain of Apocalypse, the most ruthless domain of all.<ref>{{cite web|title=Secret Wars (2015)|url=http://marvel.com/comics/events/323/secret_wars_2015|website=Marvel.com|access-date=10 August 2015}}</ref>

==X-Men Disassembled==
During a battle with Nate Grey, Legion tries to send him back to his universe, however, things don't go as Legion planned and instead he ended banishing not only X-Man, but [[Armor (Marvel Comics character)|Armor]], [[Pixie (X-Men)|Pixie]], [[Glob Herman]], [[Rockslide (character)|Rockslide]] and himself to the Age of Apocalypse universe that exists on Legion's mindscape.<ref>''Uncanny X.Men'' (2018) #6</ref>

==Collected editions==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Title
!Material Collected
!Publication Date
!ISBN
|-
|''X-Men: Legionquest''
|''[[Uncanny X-Men]]'' #319–321; ''[[X-Men: Legacy|X-Men]]'' Vol. 2 #38–41
|rowspan="2"|March 1996
|{{ISBNT|0785101799}}
|-
|''X-Men: Dawn of the Age of Apocalypse''
|''[[Cable (comic book)|Cable]]'' #20; ''X-Men: Alpha''; ''Age of Apocalypse: The Chosen''
|{{ISBNT|0785101802}}
|-
|''Astonishing X-Men''
|''[[Astonishing X-Men]]'' #1–4
|rowspan="5"|August 1995
|{{ISBNT|0785101276}}
|-
|''Factor X''
|''[[Factor X]]'' #1–4
|{{ISBNT|0785101284}}
|-
|''Generation Next''
|''[[Generation Next (comics)|Generation Next]]'' #1–4
|{{ISBNT|0785101306}}
|-
|''X-Calibre''
|''[[X-Calibre]]'' #1–4
|{{ISBNT|0785101322}}
|-
|''X-Man''
|''[[X-Man]]'' #1–4
|{{ISBNT|0785101330}}
|-
|''Amazing X-Men''
|''[[Amazing X-Men]]'' #1–4
|rowspan="3"|September 1995
|{{ISBNT|0785101268}}
|-
|''Gambit and the X-Ternals''
|''Gambit and the X-Ternals'' #1–4
|{{ISBNT|0785101292}}
|-
|''Weapon X''
|''[[Weapon X]]'' #1–4
|{{ISBNT|0785101314}}
|-
|''[[X-Men]]: [[Twilight]] of the Age of Apocalypse''
|''X-Universe'' #1–2; ''X-Men: Omega''
|March 1996
|{{ISBNT|0785101810}}
|-
|''X-Men: Age of Apocalypse Prelude''
|''[[X-Factor]]'' #108–109; ''Uncanny X-Men'' #319–321; ''X-Men'' Vol. 2 #38–41; ''Cable'' #20; ''X-Men: Age of Apocalypse Ashcan Edition''
|June 2011
|{{ISBNT|0785155082}}
|-
|''X-Men: The Complete Age of Apocalypse Epic Book 1''
|''X-Men Chronicles'' #1–2, ''Tales from The Age of Apocalypse: By the Light'', ''X-Man #-1'', ''X-Man Annual '96'', ''Tales from The Age of Apocalypse: Sinister Bloodlines, Blink'' #1–4
|May 2006
|{{ISBNT|0785117148}}
|-
|''X-Men: The Complete Age of Apocalypse Epic Book 2''
|''X-Men: Alpha, Age of Apocalypse: The Chosen'', ''Generation Next'' #1, ''Astonishing X-Men'' Vol. 1 #1, ''X-Calibre'' #1, ''Gambit and the X-Ternals'' #1–2, ''Weapon X'' Vol. 1 #1–2, ''Amazing X-Men'' #1–2, ''Factor X'' #1–2, and ''X-Man'' #1
|August 2006
|{{ISBNT|0785118748}}
|-
|''X-Men: The Complete Age of Apocalypse Epic Book 3''
|''X-Calibre'' #2–3, ''Astonishing X-Men'' Vol. 1  #2–4, ''Generation Next'' #2–3, ''X-Man'' #2–3, ''Factor X'' #3, ''Amazing X-Men'' #3, ''Weapon X'' Vol. 1 #3, ''Gambit & the X-Ternals'' #3 and ''X-Universe'' #1
|April 2006
|{{ISBNT|0785120513}}
|-
|''X-Men: The Complete Age of Apocalypse Epic Book 4''
|''Generation Next'' #4, ''X-Calibre'' #4, ''X-Man'' #4 and #53–54, ''Factor X'' #4, ''Gambit And The X-Ternals'' #4, ''Amazing X-Men'' #4, ''Weapon X'' Vol. 1 #4, ''X-Universe'' #2, ''X-Men: Omega'', ''Blink'' #4, ''X-Men: Prime'' (Only the last 3 Pgs. of Blink #4.)
|November 2006
|{{ISBNT|0785120521}}
|-
|''X-Men: The Age of Apocalypse Omnibus''
|''Uncanny X-Men'' #320–321, ''X-Men'' Vol. 2 #40–41, ''Cable'' #20, ''X-Men Alpha'', ''Amazing X-Men'' #1–4, ''Astonishing X-Men'' Vol. 1 #1–4, ''Factor X'' #1–4, ''Gambit And The X-Ternals'' #1–4, ''Generation Next'' #1–4, ''Weapon X'' Vol. 1 #1–4, ''X-Calibre'' #1–4, ''X-Man'' #1–4, ''X-Men Omega'', ''Age of Apocalypse: The Chosen and X-Men Ashcan'' #2
|March 2012
|{{ISBNT|0785159827}}
|-
|''X-Men: The Age of Apocalypse Companion Omnibus''
|''X-Men Chronicles'' #1-2, ''Tales from The Age of Apocalypse'' #1-2, ''X-Man'' #-1, #53-54, ''Blink'' #1-4, ''X-Universe'' #1-2, ''Exiles'' (2001) #60-61, ''Age of Apocalypse One-Shot'', ''Age of Apocalypse'' (2005) #1-6, ''What If? X-Men Age of Apocalypse'', material from ''Hulk: Broken Worlds'' #2, ''X-Man'' Annual '96, ''X-Men Prime'', ''X-Men: Endangered Species'', ''Exiles: Days of Then and Now''
|March 2014
|{{ISBNT|0785185143}}
|-
|''X-Men: The New Age of Apocalypse''
|''X-Men: Age of Apocalypse'' #1–6
|July 2005
|{{ISBNT|0785115838}}
|-
|''Exiles Vol. 10: Age of Apocalypse''
|''Exiles'' #59–61, ''AoA Handbook''
|August 2005
|{{ISBNT|0785116745}}
|-
|''Uncanny X-Force Vol. 3 The Dark Angel Saga Book 1''
|''Uncanny X-Force'' #8–13
|June 2012
|{{ISBNT|078514661X}}
|-
|''Uncanny X-Force Vol. 4 The Dark Angel Saga Book 2''
|''Uncanny X-Force'' #14–18
|August 29, 2012
|{{ISBNT|078515888X}}
|-
|''Age of Apocalypse Vol. 1: The X-Terminated''
|''Age of Apocalypse'' #1–6, ''Uncanny X-Force'' #19.1
|October 2012
|{{ISBNT|0785163026}}
|-
|''Age of Apocalypse Vol. 2: Weapon Omega''
|''Age of Apocalypse'' #7–12
|May 2013
|{{ISBNT|0785163042}}
|-
|''[[X-Men]]: [[X-Termination]]'' 
|''Age of Apocalypse'' #13–14, ''X-Treme X-Men'' Vol. 2 #12–13, ''X-Termination'' #1–2, ''Astonishing X-Men'' Vol. 3 #60–61
|August 2013
|{{ISBNT|0785184430}}
|-
|''Age of Apocalypse: Warzones!''
|''Age of Apocalypse'' Secret Wars #1–5
|November 2015
|{{ISBNT|0785198628}}
|-
|X-Men - Age of Apocalypse: Dawn
|''X-Men Chronicles #1-2, Tales From the Age of Apocalypse #1-2, X-Man #-1, Blink #1-4; material from X-Men: Age of Apocalypse one-shot, X-Man Annual '96''
|January 1, 2016
|{{ISBNT|0785193502}}
|-
|X-Men - Age of Apocalypse Vol. 1: Alpha                                
|''Uncanny X-Men (1963) #320-321, X-Men (1991) #40-41, Cable (1993) #20, X-Men Alpha, Generation Next #1, Astonishing X-Men (1995) #1, Gambit and the X-Ternals #1, Weapon X (1995) #1, Factor X #1, X-Man #1, X-Calibre #1, Amazing X-Men (1995) #1''
|January 1, 2015
|{{ISBNT|0785193642}}
|-
|X-Men - Age of Apocalypse Vol. 2: Reign
|''Astonishing X-Men (1995) #2-3, Amazing X-Men (1995) #2-3, Gambit and the X-Ternals #2, Generation Next #2, Weapon X (1995) #2, X-Calibre #2-3, Factor X #2-3, X-Man #2-3, X-Universe #1, material from X-Men: Year of the Mutants Collectors Preview''
|January 1, 2015
|{{ISBNT|0785193650}}
|-
|X-Men - Age of Apocalypse Vol. 3: Omega 
|''Weapon X (1995) #3-4, Generation Next #3-4, Gambit and the X-Ternals #3-4, Astonishing X-Men (1995) #4, X-Man #4, X-Calibre #4, Factor X #4, Amazing X-Men (1995) #4, X-Universe #2, X-Men Omega, Age of Apocalypse: The Chosen''
|January 12, 2016
|{{ISBNT|0785193790}}
|}

==In other media==
===Television===
* In ''[[X-Men: The Animated Series]]'', there is an episode, "One Man's Worth" (1995), where the story line was directly inspired the ''Age of Apocalypse'' event.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marvel.com/articles/tv-shows/the-making-of-x-men-the-animated-series|title = The Making of 'X-Men: The Animated Series'}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/animation-cartoons/20971782/x-men-the-animated-series-best-episodes-creator-interviews|title = X-Men: The Animated Series creators pick their favorite episodes| website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |date = 9 November 2020}}</ref>
* ''[[Wolverine and the X-Men (TV series)|Wolverine and the X-Men]]'' was originally supposed to be the ''Age of Apocalypse'' as an alternate future timeline before the series was cancelled.

===Film===
* In ''[[Deadpool & Wolverine]]'', [[Wade Wilson (film character)|Deadpool]] travels to an ''Age of Apocalypse'' timeline to recruit its version of [[Logan (film character)|Wolverine]], but is brutally attacked by the latter.

===Video Games===
* The 2001 [[Game Boy Advance]] video game ''[[X-Men: Reign of Apocalypse]]'' is based loosely on the ''Age of Apocalypse'' storyline. In this version, the X-Men (consisting of [[Cyclops (Marvel Comics)|Cyclops]], [[Storm (Marvel Comics)|Storm]], [[Rogue (Marvel Comics)|Rogue]], and [[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]]) accidentally travels to an alternate universe where [[Apocalypse (character)|Apocalypse]] has taken over the world and most of the X-Men have turned into his henchmen. It is later revealed that Apocalypse plans to travel to the regular timeline and take it over as well. In the end, the X-Men defeats Apocalypse and returns to their timeline.
* ''[[X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse]]'' is heavily influenced by the ''Age of Apocalypse'' storyline, including several characters and concepts from the storyline.
* ''[[Marvel: Avengers Alliance]]'' featured a special operations titled Apocalypse based on the ''Age of Apocalypse'' storyline.
* ''[[Marvel Future Fight]]'' features a level based on the Age of Apocalypse event, as well as alternate costumes for [[Magneto (Marvel Comics)|Magneto]], Wolverine, Apocalypse, [[Beast (Marvel Comics)|Beast]], Rogue and Cyclops based on their Age of Apocalypse incarnations. 
*''[[Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order]]'' features an alternate costume for Colossus based on his ''Age of Apocalypse'' incarnation.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://uncannyxmen.net/story-arc/x-title-crossovers/age-of-apocalypse UncannyXmen.Net's look at the Age of Apocalypse]
* [http://www.me.mtu.edu/~pipik/aoa_faq.html Age of Apocalypse summary]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070627173305/http://aoa.confusticated.com/ It Only Hurts When I Sing: The Age of Apocalypse Resource Center]
* [http://marvel.wikia.com/Age_of_Apocalypse Age of Apocalypse at Marvel Wikia] <!-- Also, http://ithurts.iscrappy.com/frames.html is a direct link, without going through the title page. The site is down, but leaving it here in hopes it may come back online, as when it was working it was one of the best, if not THE best, sites for Age of Apocalypse information. -->

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[[Category:1995 comics debuts]]
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