During the age when the pharaoh Rama-Tut used some form of technology to conquer Egypt, a mutant grey-skinned infant was abandoned in the desert, only to be found by the warrior Baal's tribe of bandits. Baal recognized the child's potential, and named him En Sabah Nur, Egyptian for The First One. Under Baal's training, Nur grew up to be a powerful warrior who was unmatched in combat, described as having unnatural physical attributes. Word of Nur's power soon spread to the pharaoh, who saw Nur as a threat to his rule, and subsequently sent his army to kill the mutant. The bandits were massacred during the battle, and the trauma of seeing Baal murdered caused Nur's full powers to manifest, resulting in him killing all of the pharaoh's forces and taking the name Apocalypse. Apocalypse then discovered a small, pyramid-shaped vessel left by the pharaoh, which contained a device called the Eye of Ages. Entering the Eye, Apocalypse was given even more power, becoming a god-like pharaoh with an ethereal white glow. Apocalypse soon begin planning to use the Eye to turn all of the humans on Earth into mutants, but fearful of his powers, his formerly-loyal high priests seized an opportunity to seal him within the machine, entombing him in the Himalayas and locking the tomb behind three doors. Centuries later in the present, Apocalypse was able to telepathically contact the hypnotist Mesmero, and recruited him to unlock the tomb doors with the three esoteric keys and revive him. When the X-Men and Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants discover that Rogue, having been manipulated by Mesmero, has stolen all of their powers, they join forces in an attempt to stop Apocalypse's revival. However, Mesmero eventually succeeds in awakening Apocalypse by manipulating both Mystique and Rogue. Apocalypse subsequently merges with the futuristic technology in Rama-Tut's craft, becoming a blue cybernetic being, before once again attempting to use the Eye of Ages to turn every human on Earth into mutants. To this end, Apocalypse uncovers pyramids in Mexico, China, and Egypt designed to relay the Eye's mutating effects across the globe. Apocalypse later turns Magneto, Professor X, Storm, and Mystique into his Four Horsemen to defend the three pyramids and his base hidden under the Sphinx. The X-Men then gather their allies (including modified Sentinels under the command of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and engage in a final battle against Apocalypse and his Horsemen. In the end, Wolverine comes up with a plan that involves Rogue absorbing the powers of Leech. Once she has them, she uses them to shut off Apocalypse's mutant abilities and the Eye of Ages, trapping him in it long enough for Wolverine to damage the control system of the vessel, sending Apocalypse to a location from which he will never return to Earth.