After weeks of subtle teases, NetEase Games officially unveiled Apocalypse in the Marvel Rivals Season 9 announcement trailer this Tuesday. However, the first mutant’s reign appears to be short-lived; the trailer concludes with a mysterious assailant running him through with a blade. While this cliffhanger is clearly designed to launch a season-long “whodunnit” investigation, the community seems convinced they’ve already unmasked the culprit.
<div class="display-card video large no-badge">
<div class="w-adsninja-video-player">
<div class="an-ignore">
<div class="adsninja-video-player emaki-video-player emaki-video-player-da83faee067a820f" id="emaki-video-player-da83faee067a820f">
<script>
window.valstream = window.valstream || {};
window.valstream.queue = window.valstream.queue || [];
window.valstream.queue.push(function(){
const fallbackContent = `<button class="prem-player-close">x</button><video class="adsninja-video-player" id='emaki_video-da83faee067a820f' poster="https://static0.polygonimages.com/wordpress/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/season-9-trailer-keyart-cropped.jpg?fit=crop&w=1024&h=576" controls><source src="https://video.polygonimages.com/2026/07/the-mystery-of-thebes-marvel-rivals-season-9-trailer-marvel-rivals-marvel-rivals-1080p-1783530538.mp4" type="video/mp4">Your browser does not support the video tag.</video>`;
const fallbackToNativePlayer = function(){
const container = document.getElementById('emaki-video-player-da83faee067a820f');
if(!container) return;
container.innerHTML = fallbackContent;
};
if(!window.an || typeof window.an.monetizeVideo !== 'function'){
fallbackToNativePlayer();
} else {
window.an.monetizeVideo('.emaki-video-player-da83faee067a820f', JSON.parse(`{"name":"Instream-InContent","groupName":"content"}`), JSON.parse(`{"trackingId":"in-content","playlist":[{"title":"The Mystery of Thebes | Marvel Rivals Season 9 Trailer","url":"https://video.polygonimages.com/2026/07/the-mystery-of-thebes-marvel-rivals-season-9-trailer-marvel-rivals-marvel-rivals-1080p-1783530538.mp4","thumbnailLink":"https://static0.polygonimages.com/wordpress/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/season-9-trailer-keyart-cropped.jpg?fit=crop&w=1024&h=576"}]}`)).catch(fallbackToNativePlayer);
}
});
</script>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>The trailer’s primary monologue provides the strongest hint. Apocalypse speaks at length about his philosophy of "survival of the fittest," describing his campaign to overthrow gods and usurp their divinity. Since his demise happens just as he approaches this god-like ascension, the attacker is almost certainly an entity with a vendetta against the divine. While the trailer flashes imagery of The Hood, <strong><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/marvelrivals/comments/1uquona/killing_gods_like_bast_khonshu_and_apocalypse/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">fans are widely pointing to a far more fitting candidate</a>: Gorr the God Butcher.</strong></p>
<h2 id="who-is-gorr-the-god-butcher">Who is Gorr the God Butcher?</h2>
<p>Introduced in 2013 by the creative duo of Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic, Gorr is the literal embodiment of his title. Driven by an intense hatred for deities, he has spent eons systematically slaughtering them—a journey that often brings him into direct conflict with Thor. Casual Marvel fans will likely recognize the character from his cinematic appearance in 2022's <em>Thor: Love and Thunder</em>, portrayed by Christian Bale.</p>
<div class="w-rich w-twitter" id="2074611201213080010" style="min-height:797px;"></div>
<p>The primary weapon in Gorr's arsenal is All-Black the Necrosword, and eagle-eyed viewers have noted that the blade that pierces Apocalypse bears a striking resemblance to this legendary weapon. Intriguingly, All-Black has historical ties to Knull, the progenitor of the symbiotes, who served as a major antagonist during the game's third season. This connection suggests a deeper narrative thread connecting the seasons.</p>
<div class="w-rich w-twitter" id="2074706666193617391" style="min-height:675px;"></div>
<p>Gorr as the culprit also aligns perfectly with current leaks regarding Season 10. Reports suggest that both Gorr and Nightcrawler are slated to join the roster as playable heroes shortly after the current season concludes. Utilizing this murder mystery as a narrative bridge makes sense, even if the community cracked the case ahead of schedule. Expect further breadcrumbs regarding Gorr to appear in gallery cards throughout the season, mirroring the marketing strategy used for Apocalypse in Season 8.</p>
<p>In the immediate future, players can look forward to the chaotic, vampiric gameplay of Jubilee when <em>Marvel Rivals</em> Season 9 launches on July 10.</p>
<aside class="display-card article article-card small no-badge active-content" data-nosnippet>
<img width="440" height="248" loading="lazy" alt="X-Men Apocalypse" src="https://static0.polygonimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/1-x-men-apocalypse.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=124&dpr=2">
<span class="article-card-label"><label>Related</label></span>
<div class="w-display-card-content regular article-block">
<h5 class="display-card-title">X-Men ‘97 Season 2 assembles the scariest villain team-up in Marvel history</h5>
<p class="display-card-excerpt">Who are the new Horsemen of Apocalypse? You really don't want to know...</p>
</div>
</aside>Source: Polygon
