In a month’s time, audiences will be clamoring for seats to the latest movie in theX-Men franchise. Bryan Singer has gone on record calling Apocalypse a rebirth of the franchise with younger, newer characters. With plans to extend the X-Men cinematic universe with Gambit andDeadpool 2 in the works, it’s only logical that not everybody will stick around for future installments. Going out with a bang is the only way we foresee any of these superheroes exiting. For the fans, that means a smorgasbord of heroic acts followed by the untimely deaths of many of our mutant brethren.
To change the face of a franchise, you’re going to need a heavy-hitting supervillain with some serious mojo. That’s exactly what the X-Men will get in Apocalypse, the first being to be born with the mutant X-gene. In order to take down this big bad, a copious amount of blood will be shed. We’ve worked methodically, scouring the ins and outs of the X-Men universe, to figure out who will make their departure. Without further ado, here are the 11 Characters Most Likely To Die In X-Men: Apocalypse.
11. Beast
The X-Men’s renowned leader in biochemistry and genetics, Beast will transition from the sidekick character of the previous two installments to a voice of reason among the younger mutants in Apocalypse. While Xavier is tasked with preventing another catastrophe, Hank McCoy becomes more of a parental figure to the younger inhabitants of the X-Mansion. It’s this softer side of McCoy which could lead to his demise. The true threat to Beast’s future comes with his romantic entanglement with Mystique, which is said to be explored further in the film. If Jennifer Lawrence’s intentions of leaving the franchise are any indicator, these two love birds could check out together.
Nicholas Hoult has expressed interest in returning as Beast in the future, though his spike in popularity may prevent him from signing another multi-movie contract. All things considered, the blue-furried mutant is alive and well in the alternate time line at the end of Days of Future Past, but director Bryan Singer has said that nothing is set in stone for anyone. The door of opportunity is open for Beast to continue his story, but he could still be gone before the credits roll.
10. Psylocke
The first of Apocalypse’s Four Horseman to make the list, Psylocke will be the least familiar of the mutants fighting on the losing side of the war. As a newcomer, her telekinetic abilities and raw psionic energy will make her a force to be reckoned with under the mind-control of the new big bad supervillain. At some point, viewers can expect to see a change of heart for Psylocke as she attempts to free herself of Apocalypse’s grasp to join forces with the X-Men.
It’s inevitable that at least one of the Four Horseman will bite the big one. Given that three other Horsemen (Magneto, Storm and Angel) could also find themselves in the crosshairs of their captor, Psylocke’s chances could be worse. Whether she becomes a permanent fixture for future films will depend on whether she can avoid Fox Studios’ affinity for write-off characters. If the scantily clad telepath finds herself in the same boat as characters like Azazel or Banshee, it’s best not to get too attached.
9. Jubilee
If you grew up with the 90s animated X-Men series, this could be a hard pill to swallow. It makes sense that Jubilee would debut during the 80s backdrop of Apocalypse. Her bright yellow jacket clashing with her pink, oversized sunglasses and bright blue boots fit well into the fashionable aesthetics of the time. A product of mall rat culture, Jubilee will serve in part as a reminder of the time period, while providing the occasional moment of comic relief.
With so much new blood being introduced, not everyone is likely to stick around with promises of a better tomorrow. As history tells us, comedic timing may add to likability but it rarely indicates strong will. Jubilee will need a moment to shine among her fellow mutants if she wants to keep her room in Charles Xavier’s hideout for gifted teenagers. What says camaraderie more than a chance to save your friends during an earth threatening war against an Egyptian demigod? Audiences will certainly be taking her seriously after such an act of heroism.
Whether she makes it out unscathed is a whole other story.
8. Angel
It’s a timeless story. An angel loses his wings to an ancient, blue-lipped mutant, only to find himself on the dark side in a radical attempt to get them back. At least, that appears to be what’s happening in Apocalypse. The journey of Warren Worthington III will follow the X-Factor story line from Fall of the Mutants, retrofitting the high-flyer with razor-sharp wings made in Apocalypse’s image. As part of the Four Horsemen, Worthington becomes Death, and is so psychologically tormented by his lack of control that he questions his heroic capabilities.
Although Angel looks to follow the story from Fall of the Mutants, a bold exclamation point to his story would be to end it the same way as the Age of Apocalypse story line. Rebelling against his internal conflict, he could launch a suicide attack on Apocalypse’s citadel, sacrificing himself and using the wings given to him against their creator. With all the prophesying about the end of days, it would be a fitting conclusion to see an angelic beacon of hope rise above the darkness to help save the day. Too bad this scenario couldn’t have a happier resolution for the hero at hand.
7. Professor X
Bryan Singer has made it no big secret that the aftermath of Apocalypse will be detrimental to the future development of the X-Men. If a rebirth with fresh faces is truly a target, it’s possible there will be many characters making great strides to become a replacement for Xavier. Our favorite mutant professor lands himself in this position based solely on the magnitude of his death. To save human and mankind alike, no one should put it past Charles to sacrifice more than just his hairline to prevent the utter extinction of the world.
One impediment that could prove this prediction wrong is the future depicted at the end of Days of Future Past, which shows Xavier alive in the X-Mansion. Of course, the professor wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to hand over his leadership to a deserving candidate if he believed he or she would have a positive impact on the future. In Age of Apocalypse, Xavier is dead, having passed his duties onto Magneto. A similar fate may be in the cards when he’s forced to go head-to-head with powers that exceed anything he’s witnessed before.
6. Moira MacTaggert
Moira is the biggest question mark on this list. Coming off Days of Future Past, where she was a no show, the CIA agent hasn’t been seen since she helped Xavier prevent Sebastian Shaw from launching a nuclear war between the mutants and humankind. It’s highly unlikely that MacTaggert’s story line approaches the one in the Age of Apocalypse comics, where she aids in the development of the Sentinels to put an end to Apocalypse’s reign of terror. What is certain is that Moira has no way of adequately fighting off an attack from a skilled mutant, let along the first one known to existence.
Story-wise, Moira’s death wouldn’t come as a shock to anyone, but it could provide the proper motivation for other characters to retaliate. One possible character that would be devastated by the loss is Xavier, who shared a moment of intimacy with Moira at the end of First Class. It’s possible she is recruited by the professor to establish the School for Gifted Youngsters as she does in the comics. Either way, there could be plenty of opportunities for Charles to make something happen. Ultimately, his affection for her puts her in harm’s way and on this list.
5. Havok
Apocalypse will mark the first time Havok and Cyclops have shared the screen together. In the comics, Scott Summers is the older brother to Alex, though their ages are reversed in the film. With one being much older than the other, Cyclops will likely hone his abilities under the tutelage of his wiser sibling. In First Class, Havok struggled with directing his abilities toward his targets, an issue which Cyclops has known to possess himself. Expect some brother-to-brother bonding as Alex teaches Scott to bring his powers under control.
Tye Sheridan describes the younger version of Cyclops as a lost and angry teenager on a path to becoming the leader depicted in the earlier X-Men films. With so much bottled teenage angst lurking inside the laser-eyed youngster, an experienced mutant could be what keeps Scott in check. Havok’s death is just the kind of traumatic experience that could bring some much needed perspective to a teen in a downward spiral. The departure will be the proverbial passing of the torch for Cyclops as he works to fortify his relationships with the rest of the X-Men.
4. Magneto
With all the hoopla about the dire outcome awaiting audiences at the end of Apocalypse, we can assume at least one big death will happen. Michael Fassbender’s contract for the X-Men films is about to expire and Apocalypse will serve as Magneto’s last chance at a path to redemption. In the final trailer Erik makes mention of a family lost to him after the conclusion of Days of Future Past. It appears that with the death of his family, the metal-manipulating bad guy will relinquish himself to Apocalypse, which could seal his fate with The First One.
In Age of Apocalypse, Magneto takes control of the X-Men after Xavier’s death. As a member of the Four Horseman, it’s possible that Erik’s nothing-to-lose mentality could help him overcome the stigma he’s attached to the human world. There’s enough pull with audiences to warrant such a big sacrifice. With the mutant world being forced into submission by such an unstoppable force. there’s certainly enough motive for Erik to have a change of heart after witnessing an attempt at a global takeover.
It wouldn’t be irrational to see Magneto come full circle by the film’s conclusion, becoming the hero he never believed he could become.
3. William Stryker
Does everybody remember the strange ending to Days of Future Past where Wolverine is captured by William Stryker in the Potomac River, only he really turns out to be the shape-shifting Mystique? It’s probably best not to read too much into a twist ending that may have no impact on the Apocalypse story line, but this list isn’t exactly scientific.
According to Bryan Singer, Wolverine’s cameo in Apocalypse will have a significant impact on the direction of future X-Men films. With Stryker appearing in the film roughly ten years after the events of Days of Future Past, audiences could be looking at the beginnings of the Mutant X program. Wolverine reset the timeline in the last installment, leaving his future encounters with Stryker in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and X2 subject to change. So could the metal-clawed mutant put a nail in the colonel’s coffin early? A change that big would definitely have a ripple effect on the timeline, completely negating everything we’ve witnessed thus far. The butterfly effect is real. If the right moves are made, one death could set up whatever comes next.
2. Mystique
When Apocalypse comes roaring into theaters, it promises to pull no punches. Perhaps it wasn’t the intention of 20th Century Fox to make Jennifer Lawrence the face of a trilogy when they initially cast her as the sultry shapeshifter Mystique, but the face of a trilogy she became. With tons of roles being offered to the Academy Award winner, it’s no surprise that she has opted out of her contract and has publicly acknowledged that she will be walking away from the rest of the X-Men.
At first glance, the Apocalypse trailers hint at Mystique’s fate. Caught in a chokehold by the titular bad guy, she looks to be on his bad side. Of course, the trailer is likely pulling wool over our eyes, but you never know. Maybe Mystique and Apocalypse will start a mutant only knock-off of the Blue Man Group with Beast and Nightcrawler. One thing is certain. With Nightcrawler possibly being Mystique’s son in the film, the studio is planning for a future without Lawrence. If that’s the case, it would make sense to kill off Mystique rather than having her linger in limbo or recast for a third time. For once, Raven Darkholme may find herself in a situation she can’t shapeshift out of.
1. Apocalypse
Is this considered cheating? Look, we’re not saying the big bad supervillains are always doomed for the grave, but things aren’t looking good for this blue meanie if the former X-Men movies are any indication. Let’s count the number of villains that left us too soon. Senator Kelly becomes a puddle of water after receiving heavy radiation in X-Men. Colonel Stryker is washed up after the dam ruptures at his Alkali Lake compound in X2. And Sebastian Shaw receives a coin to the head courtesy of Magneto in First Class. Unless there are plans to keep Apocalypse for future
installments, it’s likely he will join this company in the near future.
A second indicator of Apocalypse’s short-lived arc is the career trajectory of Oscar Isaac. As the X-Wing pilot Poe Dameron in the new Star Wars trilogy, Isaac’s schedule will allow for less big screen productions, so signing on to any more long-term franchises probably isn’t the best career decision if he wants to add diversity to his resume. If the X-Men movies have taught us anything, it’s that death doesn’t mean anyone is gone for good. If the need for Apocalypse to return is compelling enough, we could witness his resurrection. For now, we predict a chaotic road to demise for En Sabah Nur.
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Do you think our guesses have any merit? Are we way off base? Let us know in the comments!
