Season 2 of X-Men ‘97 pivots to the existential threat of Apocalypse, the inaugural mutant whose immense power and ageless nature have allowed him to disrupt the Marvel timeline for eons. Beyond his raw strength and mastery over Celestial technology, the true terror of Apocalypse lies in his loyal lieutenants. Regardless of the era, he habitually recruits a quartet of formidable mutants to serve as his Horsemen, typically utilizing a brutal combination of psychological conditioning and physical augmentation to bend them to his will.
<p>The latest season is no exception. The premiere introduces an enigmatic squad of Horsemen that may prove unfamiliar even to seasoned X-Men devotees. Below, we break down these new recruits, while providing a historical primer on the past pawns of Apocalypse—and those who might be forced into his service in the chapters ahead.</p>
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<h2 id="who-are-apocalypse-rsquo-s-horsemen-in-the-far-future">Who are the Horsemen in the far future?</h2>
<p><em>X-Men ‘97</em> kicks off in the year 3969 AD, as our heroes join a resistance faction fighting against the tyranny of Apocalypse. They are pitted against the “Final Horsemen,” a group vastly different from the versions seen in the original <em><a href="https://www.polygon.com/animation-cartoons/20971782/x-men-the-animated-series-best-episodes-creator-interviews/" target="_blank">X-Men: The Animated Series</a></em>. These antagonists were first introduced in the 2011 <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ARKCRVS?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback" target="_blank">Uncanny X-Force: The Apocalypse Solution</a></em> storyline.</p>
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<img src="https://static0.polygonimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/final-horsemen-x-men.jpg" alt="The Final Horsemen of the Apocalypse">
<small class="body-img-caption">Image: Marvel Comics</small>
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<p>These entities were gathered from disparate points in history to serve as a final line of defense for their master. In the comics, their mandate is to resurrect Apocalypse in a new host body and protect his younger self from X-Force. The roster includes:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Ichisumi (Pestilence):</strong> A courtesan from 19th-century Japan with the ability to manifest and command swarms of insects.</li>
<li><strong>Decimus Furius (War):</strong> A Roman gladiator whose mutation manifests as a minotaur-like physique, granting him terrifying strength and durability.</li>
<li><strong>Jeb Lee (Famine):</strong> A former Confederate spy who utilizes sonic warfare through his drums, capable of flaying skin from bone with lethal soundwaves.</li>
<li><strong>Sanjar Javeed (Death):</strong> A Persian nobleman who carries the gift of accelerated decay and disease with a single touch.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="who-were-the-horsemen-in-x-men-the-animated-series">Who were the original Horsemen from the 90s series?</h2>
<p>The original animated series featured the classic Horsemen of Apocalypse, drawing inspiration from their 1987 <em>X-Factor</em> comic debut:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Plague (Pestilence):</strong> A Morlock capable of spreading debilitating illnesses.</li>
<li><strong>Abraham Kieros (War):</strong> A battle-hardened soldier who creates localized explosions via concussive claps.</li>
<li><strong>Autumn Rolfson (Famine):</strong> A mutant with the capacity to induce rapid organic decomposition.</li>
<li><strong>Angel (Death):</strong> The fallen X-Man, brainwashed and surgically altered with lethal, metallic wings.</li>
</ul>
<p>Viewers can expect echoes of this classic lineup to surface throughout the 1990s-set sequences of <em>X-Men ‘97</em>.</p>
<h2 id="what-other-mutants-might-join-apocalypse-rsquo-s-horsemen">Which mutants could be next in line for recruitment?</h2>
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<img src="https://static0.polygonimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/mv5byzm0nme3yzetmwuxni00yze5lthln2itmjm0nji1zjkyzgyyxkeyxkfqcgdeqxz3zxnszxk-_v1_.jpg" alt="Gambit in X-Men 97">
<small class="body-img-caption">Image: Marvel Studios</small>
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<p>Apocalypse’s fixation on power inevitably draws him toward the X-Men's strongest ranks. Wolverine has previously served as his avatar of Death, a potential path to restoring his adamantium frame following Magneto's brutal actions in season 1. Similarly, Gambit has held the mantle of Death in the source material; given that season 1’s closing moments featured Apocalypse haunting the ruins of Genosha while clutching a discarded playing card, a return for the Cajun is highly probable. Furthermore, Polaris—Magneto’s daughter—has a history as Pestilence and has already surfaced in promotional <a href="https://www.polygon.com/x-men-97-season-2-release-schedule-and-episode-titles-revealed/" target="_blank">trailers</a>.</p>
<p>Regardless of his chosen recruits, the X-Men face a monumental task in thwarting his grand design across the fabric of space and time.</p>Source: Polygon
