X-Men ’97 Season 2: Every Horseman of Apocalypse, Explained

The first three episodes of X-Men ’97 Season 2 have established the X-Men’s major mission across timelines: to stop Apocalypse from destroying the world. The ancient mutant tyrant enforced a brutal survival-of-the-fittest philosophy during his rule. No symbol represents this ideology of the Apocalypse better than his Horsemen.

The title is drawn from the Four Horsemen in the biblical Book of Revelation. These mutants, namely War, Pestilence, Death, and Famine, are recruited by Apocalypse. He empowers them and sends them out to clear the way for his reign like his henchmen. Over decades of X-Men comics and cartoons, many different characters have carried the Horsemen mantle. For instance, Apocalypse had turned Archangel, Wolverine, and Gambit into his Horsemen.

In X-Men ’97 Season 2’s premiere, titled Days of Past Future, four Horsemen are introduced who are not the ones longtime fans of the original ’90s series will remember. This lineup is the Final Horsemen, a specific group first created for 2010’s Uncanny X-Force comic by Rick Remender and Jerome Opena. Below is a breakdown of each Horseman making their animated debut in Season 2.

Decimus Furius (War)

A still of Decimus Furius, aka Horseman of War, from X-Men ’97 Season 2 | Credits: Disney+

In the comics, the Final Horsemen were warriors who were picked from across history. They were supposed to keep Apocalypse’s mission alive even if he were destroyed. Decimus Furius was an orphan in ancient Rome whose mutant powers surfaced when he was about to die in the streets.

He transformed into a horned giant with an unstoppable urge to kill. He became a gladiator and was later worshipped as the mythic Minotaur. As the Horsemen of War, he is a physically dominant enforcer who wields a four-bladed axe.

In X-Men ’97, he is among the Horsemen that Ozymandias leads on Apocalypse’s orders. Their mission is to capture Cyclops and Jean Grey’s son, Nathan. While the four Horsemen manage to subdue this family, Nathan realizes his full potential while being captive. The trio, along with Storm and the returning X-Men, manages to defeat the Horsemen.

Ichisumi (Pestilence)

A still of Ichisumi, aka Horseman of Pestilence, from X-Men ’97 Season 2 | Credits: Disney+

Ichisumi hails from 19th-century Japan. She had a samurai father who constantly saw her as a disappointment. This built an inferiority complex within her. She worked as a geisha and viewed other beautiful women with jealousy. It is this suppressed anger that eventually leads to her mutant power surfacing.

Her mutant power manifests as swarms of deadly beetles that erupt from her mouth. She used her power to murder hundreds of women before Apocalypse picked her as the sole woman among his Final Horsemen. Her comic arc involves getting defeated by Fantomex of Uncanny X-Force and becoming Archangel’s lover.

Sanjar Javeed (Death)

A still of Sanjar Javeed, aka Horseman of Death, from X-Men ’97 Season 2 | Credits: Disney+

During his X-Men ’97 appearance, Sanjar Javeed causes Scott and Jean to immediately fall sick from a disease. His mutant power allows him to spread terminal diseases to anyone nearby. He is the illegitimate son of the historical Persian emperor Shapur II. Once he becomes the Horsemen of Death, he fights with a blade and metal rings that transmit sickness, making him one of Apocalypse’s most feared Horsemen.

He once transmitted every terminal disease known to the human race to Wolverine, so as to surpass his healing powers and kill him. Interestingly, Sanjar turns over a new leaf and later aids the X-Men in one of their missions. He even uses his powers to boost people’s immune systems and takes the name of Life.

Jeb Lee (Famine)

A still of Jeb Lee, aka Horseman of Famine, from X-Men ’97 Season 2 | Credits: Disney+

Jeb Lee’s origin traces back to the American Civil War. He served as a Confederate spy disguised within the Union Army ranks. His mutant powers surfaced after his family was murdered by neighbors who believed he had betrayed the Confederacy. He produces a living sound that acts like a bio-auditory cancer, devouring the flesh of anyone who hears it.

As the Horsemen of Famine, he’s one of Apocalypse’s most gruesomely effective Horsemen. He marches in, playing his band drum that produces a fatal sound that can easily kill humans. He can also produce the sound without using the drum. In the comics, Wolverine cuts off both his hands so as not to produce the sound.

What do you think of these Final Horsemen of the Apocalypse? Let us know in the comments below!

The first three episodes of X-Men ’97 are now available for streaming on Disney+.