Apocalypse’s Seven Deadliest Horsemen, Ranked By Power

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Over the years, Apocalypse has chosen several individuals – both mutants and humans – to serve as his Horsemen. Some of these powerful allies could potentially cause global destruction. Apocalypse has consistently posed a threat not just to mutants, but to the entire world, and at one point, he actually succeeded in dominating it, leading to the timeline known as the Age of Apocalypse. This wasn’t his only attempt, though. Throughout his various plans, different people have been chosen as Horsemen, and while some didn’t last long in the role, others possessed incredible power.

Here’s a look at the most formidable Horsemen – those representing Death, War, Famine, and Pestilence – who have ever served Apocalypse.

7) Polaris (Pestilence)

As a huge comic book and movie fan, I’ve always found Lorna Dane, aka Magneto’s daughter, fascinating. She’s almost an Omega-level mutant – those are the super-powerful ones – but never quite makes it. Magneto is Omega-level, which explains a lot about her potential, and she’s definitely shown she can be just as powerful as him, capable of some seriously destructive things. It was heartbreaking when she lost her powers because of what Wanda did, but it led to an even scarier transformation. She became Pestilence, one of the Horsemen, and her abilities became exponentially more dangerous. She basically built a bio-weapon – a suit combined with incredibly deadly viruses from the WHO – that could unleash a plague capable of wiping out the entire human race. Talk about a high-stakes villain!

6) Thunderbolt (War)

Thunderbird isn’t a well-known figure, especially when considering his connection to the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. He was part of the original All-New X-Men team, alongside popular mutants like Storm and Wolverine, but tragically died very early in their adventures. However, his story didn’t end there. On another Earth, Apocalypse resurrected him and transformed him into the embodiment of War – a fitting role, given Thunderbird’s incredible strength and fighting ability, even rivaling the Hulk. He later joined the Exiles, but ultimately sacrificed himself in a final, powerful act – punching a hole through Galactus, demonstrating the full extent of his power.

5) Hulk (War)

Apocalypse’s Horsemen aren’t limited to mutants, as demonstrated when he chose the Hulk to be War. Apocalypse prioritized immense power over mutant status, and the Hulk is arguably the strongest being there is. The arrangement began when a piece of debris lodged in Hulk’s brain, and Apocalypse offered to remove it in exchange for his service. As War, Hulk easily defeated the Absorbing Man and Juggernaut, wielding the power of the Celestials. However, when Hulk accidentally injured Rick Jones, Apocalypse lost control, and the Hulk escaped.

4) Gambit (Death)

It’s surprising, but when Apocalypse turned Gambit into one of his Horsemen, he became incredibly powerful – arguably one of the strongest warriors Apocalypse ever controlled. Gambit actually volunteered, hoping to disrupt Apocalypse’s plans from within. However, he quickly discovered it was much harder to break free from Apocalypse’s control than he’d anticipated. While under Apocalypse’s influence, Gambit harmed several friends and gained dangerous new abilities, including turning objects into poison, trapping people in playing cards, and controlling their actions. What set Gambit apart from other Horsemen was his ability to eventually break Apocalypse’s control all on his own.

3) Ichisumi (Pestilence)

Ichisumi was a powerful, ancient being and one of Apocalypse’s Horsemen, known as Pestilence. Her powers first emerged in 1893, fueled by intense jealousy. She could unleash destructive projectiles from her mouth, and either consume or horribly disfigure her victims. Disturbingly, she also absorbed the memories of those she attacked. Awakened by the Clan Akkaba alongside the other Final Horsemen, Ichisumi is one of the few who survived, but her current location remains a mystery.

2) Wolverine (Death)

Wolverine once served as one of Apocalypse’s Horsemen, initially as the Horseman of War. However, his most powerful form came earlier, when he was the Horseman of Death. This transformation happened after Magneto removed Wolverine’s adamantium skeleton, weakening his healing ability and making him more animalistic. Apocalypse then replaced him with a Skrull, restored his adamantium skeleton, and turned him into the Horseman of Death, presenting him with the alternative of serving alongside Sabretooth. As Death, Wolverine battled the Hulk and even attacked the X-Men, until Kitty Pryde and Jubilee were able to free him from Apocalypse’s control.

1) Archangel (Death)

Angel is well-known for being an X-Men member who joined Apocalypse as one of his Horsemen. He experienced significant hardship, including a near-fatal encounter with the Morlocks and the amputation of his wings due to infection. Believed to have died by suicide after a plane crash, Angel was actually saved by Apocalypse. Apocalypse offered him a chance to regain wings – but as Archangel, the Horseman of Death. These new wings could fire metal fragments, and Angel became more aggressive, even willing to kill. He ultimately proved himself the strongest of Apocalypse’s Horsemen in a competition.

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2026-01-26 00:11