X-Men: 10 Most Powerful Horsemen Of Apocalypse, Ranked

Summary Hulk became one of Apocalypse's Horsemen, proving his power but eventually turning on Apocalypse to save his friends.

Spider-Man was transformed into the Horseman of Pestilence, showcasing a dark and terrifying alternate universe version.

Magneto's powerful role as a Horseman in X-Men: Apocalypse proves his ability to turn the tide and demonstrates his strength.

The Horsemen of the Apocalypse of the Marvel Universe are based on the Biblical apocalyptic beings, War, Famine, Death, and Pestilence led by the evil mutant Apocalypse.

Believing himself to be the first mutant and leader of their future, he sought the most powerful of mutants and either convinced them to join him or forced them to, and with these four in tow, he had the power to run rampant over the Marvel Universe and the X-Men. And throughout the various incarnation of the team, some of Marvel's greatest heroes have been chosen, and upgraded.

14 The Hulk

Incredible Hulk #456 by Peter David, Adam Kubert, Joe Kubert, Mark Farmer, Digital Chameleon, and John Workman

While not a mutant, Apocalypse once recruited Bruce Banner into the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and Hulk served as War. This was a case where Apocalypse used his bargaining power to gain his powerful pawn.

Related Marvel Reveals the FIRST HULK Based on a Real 4000-Year-Old Legend Marvel Comics reveals that Bruce Banner is far from the first version of the Hulk, and that the original is actually inspired by a real-world legend.

There was shrapnel lodged in Hulk's brain, and it took away the intelligence he had developed before that accident. Apocalypse offered to remove the shrapnel if he served as War. Hulk is already one of the most powerful Avengers in Marvel Comics, making him a powerful Horsemen as well. However, he ranks below others because removing the shrapnel helped to revert his brain, and he turned on Apocalypse to save his friends.

The Hulk

13 Spider-Man

Cable & Deadpool #15 by Fabian Nicieza, Patrick Zircher, M3th, Gotham, Cory Petit

Spider-Man is one of the greatest heroes in the Marvel Universe, which is likely why writers enjoy giving him terrible fates in alternate universes. On Earth-5701, Peter Parker was captured by Apocalypse early in his career and was transformed into the Horseman of Pestilence. He had all the powers of the regular Spider-Man, along with several additional limbs and a hunger for human bone marrow. Thankfully, this version of Peter was quickly defeated by Deadpool, Cannonball, and Siryn. Despite his brief appearance, this is one of the scariest versions of Spider-Man.

Spider-Man Spider-Man is the name given to several individuals who have employed a spider-moniker throughout Marvel Comics. Typically gaining their powers through a bite from a radioactive spider, the different Spider-Man heroes employ super-strength, agility, and intellect while utilizing webbing to swing and tangle up their foes. The most notable of these Spider-Men is Peter Parker, who remains one of the most popular superheroes throughout the world.

12 Magneto

X-Men Apocalypse (2016)

The Horsemen of the Apocalypse came to the big screen in one movie, but it was the critically disappointing X-Men: Apocalypse. One big problem is that Horsemen were uninspired. There were heavy hitters like Storm, Angel, and Psylocke, but they offered little a threat. However, there was one powerhouse on the team in Magneto.

Magneto had the power to turn the tide and proved once again that he was one of the most powerful mutants in the X-Men movie universe. However, once he saw Mystique and regained his senses, he turned on Apocalypse and allowed the X-Men to take the victory, making him a temporary Horseman.

Magneto The oldest and best-known adversary of the X-Men, Magneto has been a part of Marvel Comics since the mutant team was introduced. Bearing powers over magnetic fields, he views mutants as superior to normal humans, and aims to build a world where humans are dominant. The only thing stopping him is Professor X and his team of heroes.

11 Gambit

X-Men #185 by Peter Milligan, Salvador Larroca, Jason Keith, and Cory Petit.

Close

Gambit has had some truly terrible ideas over the years, but willingly becoming Apocalypse's Horseman of Death to keep an eye on him was one of his worst. Unsurprisingly, Gambit quickly lost his mind to Apocalypse's influence and became one of his Horsemen for real. It was only by fleeing to Mister Sinister that Gambit was able to be purged of Apocalypse's influence, but of course, Mister Sinister didn't do this for free. The X-Men aren't known for their brilliant ideas, and willingly becoming the servant of a genocidal tyrant is up there with awful ideas by X-Men members.

10 Sunfire

X-Men #183 by Peter Milligan, Salvador Larroca, Aron Lusen, and Cory Petit

Sunfire worked with the team when the All-New X-Men first formed. However, Sunfire was from Japan, and that took him from the X-Men, as he fought for his country above all else. He lost his legs battling Lady Deathstrike, and Apocalypse offered him his legs back if he swore his allegiance and became Famine.

Sunfire was one of Marvel's most powerful fire-based heroes, but he also gained the ability to make people believe they were starving, leaving them unable to defend themselves. He couldn't save himself either, as Mister Sinister had to rescue him from Apocalypse's control.

9 Ichisumi

Uncanny X-Force #1 by Rick Remender, Jerome Opena, Dean White, and Cory Petit

Ichisumi had mutant powers that made her very dangerous. Her body was host to a swarm of beetles, which she could then send out to attack, disfigure, or kill her enemies. However, they retain all the memories of the people they kill and maim and deliver those memories to Ichisumi, tormenting her.

Related Dwayne Johnson Becomes Iconic X-Men Villain In Dark MCU Art Amid Casting Rumors Following recent casting rumors, Dwayne Johnson has been imagined as one of the X-Men's most powerful villains ahead of the team's MCU debut.

Apocalypse made her Pestilence, a final Horsemen of the Apocalypse following his death. She followed the new Apocalypse, Archangel, and even had children with the former X-Men member. She also survived this storyline, which is more than her fellow Final Horsemen could say.

8 Sentry

Uncanny Avengers #9 by Rick Remender, Daniel Acuna, and Chris Eliopoulos

If Sentry was ranked by his actual powers, he would top the list. In Marvel Comics, Sentry was one of Marvel's most overpowered superheroes, and he might be the only person who can defeat Hulk in a fair fight.

However, as a Horseman of Apocalypse, he is a step below. He worked with Daken, Grim Reaper, and Banshee as the Four Horsemen of Death, serving under the twin children of Archangel and Ichisumi. His biggest weakness was his mental instability and his reluctance to keep following any master.

7 Thunderbird

Exiles #1 by Judd Winick, Mike McKone, Mark McKenna, Jung Choi, and Paul Tutrone

In Marvel's Earth-616, Thunderbird was part of the All-New X-Men as the only hero from America. However, he died on their first mission once they established themselves. The Earth-1100 version, however, lived. In that world, Apocalypse experimented on him and turned him into War.

He had the same superhuman strength, durability, and a regenerative healing factor. He also had a similar trait to Hulk, where he got stronger as he grew angrier. His power was immense as he pierced Galactus's armor with just one punch.

6 Deadpool

X-Calibre #1 by Warren Ellis, Ken Lashley, Phil Moy, Bud LaRosa, Tom Wegrzyn, Joe Rosas, Digital Chameleon, Richard Starkings, and Comicraft.

Close

While everyone knows Deadpool as the fun-loving wisecracking Merc with the Mouth, this isn't how he is in every universe. On Earth-295, Deadpool willingly joined Apocalypse's Pale Riders, a subset of his Horsemen of Apocalypse. This Deadpool variant was absolutely obsessed with feeling pain, and happily joined Apocalypse's army so that he could both feel and inflict pain on others. This would lead to a brutal confrontation between Nightcrawler and Wade, where Nightcrawler was able to bypass Wade's healing factor by simply grabbing Wade's head and teleporting away with it.

5 Colossus

Extraordinary X-Men #12 by Jeff Lemire, Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba, Edgar Delgado, Dono Sanchez-Almara, and Joe Caramagna

In Marvel Comics, Colossus is one of the most peaceful mutants alive. However, if pushed, he is also one of the deadliest and easily the strongest mutants on the X-Men's team. He was also a Horseman of Apocalypse as War.

Related X-Men's Apocalypse Saves Krakoa In A Bloody Homage To The Nation's Founding The mighty Apocalypse has returned to Earth, not only to fight for mutantkind, but to save the dying Krakoa with an version of the nation's Crucible.

This happened when Colossus and his team of X-Men ended up stranded in the future, and ended up brainwashed by Apocalypse. He became one of his Horsemen, even when he returned to the present time. Colossus was also powerful enough to demand his free will back after the X-Men captured Apocalypse.

4 Daken

Uncanny Avengers #9 by Rick Remender, Daniel Acuna, and Chris Eliopoulos

Daken joined up as one of the four Horsemen of Death when The Apocalypse Twins took over after Archangel's death. They brought Daken back from the dead to have him serve as one of their soldiers.

Daken was already powerful, as it took his own father Wolverine to kill him. When he came back, he gained the Death Seeds powers, which allowed his claws the ability to kill even those with healing powers while also speeding up his own healing powers, making him almost unstoppable.

3 Psylocke

Uncanny X-Force #15 by Nick Remender, Jerome Opena, Dean White, and Cory Petit.

When Archangel took over Apocalypse's role and began assembling his own Horsemen of Apocalypse, he chose his lover Psylocke as the new Horseman of Death. With her powers Psylocke made an incredible Horseman of Death, but thankfully, her transformation would not last long. Fantomex attempts to get through to Psylocke, and while it seems like Fantomex ultimately fails, it's revealed that this was all just a trick to draw her attention. While Psylocke was distracted, Jean Grey was able to enter her mind and contain the Death persona.

2 Wolverine

Wolverine #145 by Erik Larsen, Leinil Francis Yu, Dexter Vines, Marie Javins, and Comicraft

Close

Wolverine shares an argument for the label of the most powerful Horsemen of Apocalypse ever. Wolverine became a Horsemen by choice, unlike many others who had to take deals based on previous trauma. He knew it was either him or Sabretooth, and he didn't want his enemy to gain the powers.

This deal also helped Wolverine because Apocalypse gave him his adamantium skeleton back after many years without it. Apocalypse then gave Wolverine his Death powers and had one of his most powerful Horsemen. In the Age of Apocalypse storyline, Wolverine helped kill Apocalypse and then was one of the rare people who took his place, becoming a more powerful, eviler version of the overlord.

Wolverine The human mutant Wolverine (a.k.a. Logan) was born James Howlett, blessed with a superhuman healing factor, senses, and physiology. Subjecting himself to experimentation to augment his skeleton and claws with adamantium, Logan is as deadly as he is reckless, impulsive, and short-tempered. Making him the X-Men's wildest and deadliest member, and one of Marvel Comics' biggest stars.

1 Archangel

X-Factor #14 by Louise Simonson, Walter Simonson, Bob Wiacek, Petra Scotese, and Joe Rosen

While Wolverine might have been the easy choice as the most powerful, that honor instead goes to Warren Worthington III, the man formerly known as Angel. In his Marvel Comics storyline, Angel lost his wings when attacked by the Hellions, and he fell into a depression. When one of his employees bombed the helicopter he was on, everyone thought he had died. However, Apocalypse saved him and offered him a deal.

He gave Angel metal wings to replace the ones he lost, and now named Archangel, he could shoot these wings like a blade and kill enemies without a thought. The onetime pretty boy hero was now a dangerous antihero who had no problem serving as Death and killing anyone he needed. Archangel even replaced Apocalypse after his former master's death and took Ishimuri as his consort. His terrifying lack of morals makes him the most dangerous and powerful Horsemen of Apocalypse ever.

NEXT: The 10 Best Versions Of The X-Men, According To Ranker