Abandoned as an infant due to his gray and blue skin, Apocalypse was found and raised by a deadly band of raiders, who gave him the name “En Sabah Nur”. Growing up as a fierce warrior, he adopted the philosophy that only the strongest survive, while the weak are destined to perish. Eventually, En Sabah Nur took the name “Apocalypse” and became a conqueror, waging war against the pharaoh Rama-Tut.

At some point during his ancient conquests, Apocalypse found his way to the living island of Okkara — the predecessor of Krakoa, which the X-Men have called home since 2019. He even had a wife, Genesis, with whom he had four children: the original Horsemen of Apocalypse. However, once Okkara was torn asunder by invaders from the hellish dimension of Amenth, Apocalypse stayed behind on Earth while his family departed to hold back the Amenthi forces. Genesis left her husband with a single request: to act as the judge of mutantkind, guiding them until they became strong enough to defeat Amenth once and for all.