Apocalypse is the final boss of social Darwinism, and his return in X-Men '97 signals that the show is officially done playing around with Saturday morning tropes. If the first season was a crash course in mutant grief and political upheaval, the upcoming arcs featuring the "First Mutant" are set to be a masterclass in high-stakes philosophy and "survival of the fittest" turned into a literal nightmare.
TL;DR: Apocalypse is back to test the X-Men’s resolve, and X-Men '97 is leaning into its TV-14 rating with heavy themes of genocide, cult-like devotion, and existential dread. It’s a massive step up in intensity from the 90s original, making it a perfect pick for middle schoolers and teens who want a superhero story with actual teeth, though you might want to skip it for the younger set who isn't ready for the "Age of Apocalypse" gloom.
Apocalypse (En Sabah Nur) isn’t your standard bank-robbing villain or even a "world domination" guy in the traditional sense. He’s an immortal mutant from ancient Egypt who believes that peace makes the world weak. His whole deal is forcing conflict so that only the "strong" survive.
In X-Men '97, his return was teased at the end of the first season, and the upcoming episodes are expected to adapt some of the heaviest storylines from the comics. We’re likely looking at a version of the "Age of Apocalypse" or a deep dive into his Four Horsemen—which usually involves him brainwashing established heroes into becoming his personal agents of death. It’s psychological, it’s dark, and it’s a far cry from the campy villainy of most MCU movies.
If you grew up watching the X-Men: The Animated Series, you remember Apocalypse as the guy with the giant blue lips who shouted about being as far beyond mutants as mutants are beyond "the fly that crawls on the wall." He was scary, but the show was limited by 90s broadcast standards. No one actually died, and the violence was mostly laser beams hitting walls.
X-Men '97 has fundamentally changed the game. The show is TV-14, and it earns that rating through:
- Actual Stakes: Characters don't just "get captured"; they get hurt, they suffer from PTSD, and they die.
- Complex Grief: The show spends a lot of time on how the X-Men deal with loss. It’s not just action; it’s a prestige drama that happens to have capes.
- Philosophical Weight: Apocalypse’s return forces the characters to defend why they protect the weak. It’s a great entry point for talking to a kid about empathy vs. power.
For a full breakdown of where this sits in the landscape, check our best shows for kids list.
It’s not just the show—Apocalypse is having a moment in gaming too. The highly anticipated Season 9 of Marvel Rivals, titled "The Mystery of Thebes," is set to drop soon and looks to feature Apocalypse as a central figure.
From the trailers, it looks like Marvel Rivals is leaning into the ancient Egyptian aesthetic, likely introducing Apocalypse as a heavy-hitter tank or a boss-level character. If your kid is playing this, expect them to be obsessed with the "Thebes" lore and the specific mechanics of his power-set (which, in the comics, is basically "everything from molecular control to telepathy").
The biggest friction point with Apocalypse-centric stories is the Four Horsemen. In almost every iteration, Apocalypse takes a "good" character and turns them into a villain (War, Famine, Pestilence, or Death). This can be genuinely upsetting for younger viewers who have a favorite hero. If your kid is sensitive to "hero-turned-evil" tropes, be ready for some big feelings when a character like Archangel or even Wolverine gets the Apocalypse makeover.
If your kid is diving into the Apocalypse arcs, here are three ways to turn the "survival of the fittest" talk into something useful:
- The Definition of Strength: Apocalypse thinks strength is just physical power and the ability to crush others. Ask your kid: "What kind of strength do the X-Men have that Apocalypse doesn't even understand?" (Hint: It’s usually community, sacrifice, and empathy).
- The "Good vs. Necessary" Trap: Villains like Apocalypse always think they are the "heroes" of their own story because they are "preparing" the world for a bigger threat. It’s a great chance to talk about why the ends don't always justify the means.
- Brainwashing and Identity: When heroes become Horsemen, they lose themselves. Ask: "If someone changed how you thought or felt, would you still be you?" It’s a heavy question, but X-Men '97 is a heavy show.
Q: Is X-Men '97 okay for a 10-year-old? It’s on the edge. While many 10-year-olds can handle the action, the show deals with genocide, intense grief, and complex political metaphors. If they’ve seen the MCU movies, they’ll handle the violence, but they might need you to explain the heavier emotional beats.
Q: Do we need to watch the old 90s show first? You don’t have to, but it helps. X-Men '97 is a direct sequel. If you want the "lite" version of Apocalypse first, watch the "Beyond Good and Evil" four-part arc from the original series.
Q: Who are the Four Horsemen? They change depending on the story, but they are always four mutants Apocalypse "upgrades" and brainwashes. In the comics, the most famous "Death" was the X-Man Angel, who became the metal-winged Archangel.
Apocalypse is the ultimate test for the X-Men because he doesn't just want to kill them—he wants to prove their philosophy wrong. X-Men '97 is handling this with a level of maturity we rarely see in animation. It’s a "watch together" show for families with middle schoolers and up.
If your kid is obsessed with the X-Men lore, here’s where to go next:
- Check out our digital guide for middle school for more TV-14 picks that actually respect a kid's intelligence.
- If they want more strategy and team-building, see our best games for kids list.
- Find more shows with complex villains
