History Fridge / XMenApocalypse

* The ''Franchise/StarWars'' reference becomes funnier when you look at Jean. Lightsaber aside, she does have the power set of a Jedi Knight, such as [[JediMindTricks mind tricks]] and telekinesis.

* There are several catalysts for [[spoiler:Storm's HeelFaceTurn in the final battle. Her confidence in the side she chose is shaken when she sees Apocalypse abandon Warren as useless. She realizes that he ''doesn't'' truly care for any of them, and is just using them for their powers. Mystique sacrificing herself in an effort to save Quicksilver is the final straw. However, it's ''not'' the fact that the X-Men stand by and die for each other. It's the fact that ''Mystique''--the woman she calls her hero, and whom she wishes she could be like--is standing against him.]]

* When Ororo brings Apocalypse to her home, the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "Who Mourns for Adonais?" is playing on the TV. The episode itself discusses the concept of [[OutgrownSuchSillySuperstitions humans having outgrown the need to worship gods]], and ultimately a god-like figure is rejected in favor of rational humanism. It also calls back to the last movie where Hank was watching ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' as he recorded "all three networks, plus PBS."

* By [[spoiler:freeing Logan from the Weapon X program and restoring his humanity along with a few remaining memories]], Jean in a sense "repays" Logan for the favor that he (or rather his original timeline self) did for her, namely [[spoiler:inadvertently undoing the events that led to her death]]. He also throws a quick glance at Kurt before running off, most likely as the briefest of shout outs to their friendship from the comics, but is also provides a reason why he would be so drawn to Nightcrawler given their contrasting personalities.

** Professor X and Apocalypse are obvious {{Foil}}s in the story, and someone who takes the time to compare them thoroughly will realize that on a fundamental level, Xavier actually isn't all that different from a cult leader. Because he's a very benevolent and sympathetic character, he is never labelled with that term and he avoids the negative connotations that come with it. But based on the way Charles recruits and manages the X-Men, it's clear that he wants to be ''adored'' and ''obeyed'' (albeit as a paternal figure, not as a god), and he converts the members of his team to his philosophy. Because he DesperatelyCravesAffection, he's both incredibly unselfish and selfish at the same time--the Professor gives all of his love to his followers, and in return, he hopes they will do the same and remain devoted to him for life. (Even Havok, who assimilates into human society after UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar and was unconnected to the school for 20 years, still carries UndyingLoyalty for his ex-mentor.) Apocalypse relies on his CultOfPersonality and MoreThanMindControl to convince mutants to join and fight for his cause. Xavier is the ultimate MagneticHero of the franchise, and even when it isn't his intention to form a paramilitary group ("Charles wants students, not soldiers"), his [[TheCharmer charm]] is so captivating that young mutants like Cyclops, Quicksilver and Nightcrawler are willing to risk their lives for him, a virtual stranger. Professor X even shares some of Apocalypse's arrogance and [[ErmineCapeEffect vanity]]--Charles is an AgentPeacock whose overconfidence is (or perhaps was in the AlternateTimeline) his FatalFlaw--and their egos crave reverence from a surrogate family that they've mentored personally. It's quite ironic that the BigGood of the film series functions in a similar fashion to the BigBad of this movie; the crucial difference between them is that Xavier is a NiceGuy with the ideals of TheHero who understands ThePowerOfLove and how to harness it. Because MachiavelliWasWrong in this universe, Professor X is a ''more successful cult leader'' than a self-proclaimed god.

* Although the story frames [[spoiler:Jean's mastery of the Phoenix as ThePowerOfLove overcoming her fears]], it's also a variation of "the point between rage and serenity" lesson that Charles had taught to Erik in ''First Class''. This time, it's Xavier himself who is Jean's serenity, as he's the comforting parental figure in her life (just as Erik's mother was to her son). [[spoiler:In addition to the "rage" of Jean's inner "fire,"]] she taps into her own rage when [[spoiler:the Professor is on the edge of death. His telepathic CareBearStare allows her to focus the Phoenix Force properly, and when she lashes out at Apocalypse, she's ''furious''.]]

%% This isn't Troper Tales or a forum. Refrain from first person entries, speculation, and "replying" to entries. RepairDontRespond is in effect here as much as any other page.

* In the comics and animated series, Apocalypse is often depicted as a [[LargeAndInCharge giant]], anywhere from seven to fifteen feet tall. In his silver-screen debut, however, he's played by the 5'9" Creator/OscarIsaac. As a result, instead of towering over foes and allies alike, Apocalypse is actually diminutive (and at best, just average) in comparison to the other mutants. In the same vein as NotWearingTights, ComicBookMoviesDontUseCodenames, and MovieSuperheroesWearBlack, Apocalypse's height is more realistic in live action than in the more campy, over-the-top world of animation and comics. The body he uses throughout the film belonged to a mutant in Egypt during the BCE time period, [[http://www.newhistorian.com/pharaohs-heights-confirm-royal-incest/3749/ whose male inhabitants at one point stood only 5'3" (1.61 m) tall on average]], compared to the 1980s, [[https://ourworldindata.org/human-height/ where the average male height in developed countries bottomed out at around 5'9" (1.76 m) and was as high as 6'0" (1.8 m) in some areas]].

--->'''Kinberg''': It's a guy who takes a bunch of kids, trains them in a Danger Room in his basement, plus they wear costumes, and go around the world stopping evil and justice. Instead of shying away from that idea, we wanted to explore and embrace how radical the X-Men are.

* The younger Egyptian man in the beginning of the film who became Apocalypse's host. There was no indication that the man had willingly offered himself as the host. He might have been in a similar situation as Xavier, captured and wanted due to his HealingFactor.

** It had already been established in the [[Fridge/XMenDaysOfFuturePast Fridge Brilliance subpage of [=DoFP=]]] that his attitude in the previous two films reflected America's general outlook in 1962 and 1973, and this trend continues in 1983. TheEighties in the USA was an era of excess and materialism (both were regarded as not just acceptable, but ''desirable''), so Xavier's vanity is at its peak, and we get to see much more of his lavish estate and everything he owns within its boundaries. The combination of his smug demeanour, dressing like he had just stepped off the set of ''Series/MiamiVice'', and driving around in a gorgeous, well-maintained vintage car announces to everyone that "[[TheBeautifulElite I'm beautiful, I'm rich]], and I love it."

** Xavier's and Jean Grey's shared telepathy leads them to develop a profound surrogate father-daughter relationship, which parallels the closeness between Leto and his twin sister Ghanima, who struggle with being pre-born because they fear being possessed by the ego-memories of their ancestors. After Leto attains godhood, he marries his sister[[note]]but they never consummate the marriage[[/note]] to evoke the pharaonic traditions of Ancient Egypt, so his blood-soaked "divine" reign of terror is not that different from En Sabah Nur's in the prologue, and Leto is betrayed by his followers.

** Leto tells Stilgar, "A good ruler doesn't need to be a prophet, not even god-like. A good ruler has to be sensitive to the ones he rules," which describes Charles' leadership style perfectly. Xavier is a man who is InTouchWithHisFeminineSide and wields authority in a manner which is both firm (his friends and students readily obey him) and delicate (he employs his empathy to determine what kind of nurturing works best on an individual). It's analogous to Leto's unique skill of being able to access the genetic memories of both his female and male ancestors.

* There are several catalysts for Storm's HeelFaceTurn in the final battle. Her confidence in the side she chose is shaken when she sees Apocalypse abandon Warren as useless. She realizes that he ''doesn't'' truly care for any of them, and is just using them for their powers. Mystique sacrificing herself in an effort to save Quicksilver is the final straw. However, it's ''not'' the fact that the X-Men stand by and die for each other. It's the fact that ''Mystique''--the woman she calls her hero, and whom she wishes she could be like--is standing against him.

** Creator/JamesMcAvoy himself had observed that his character wishes to be idolized in the June 2016 issue of ''F***'' magazine:

* Apoclypse's declaration "You can fire your arrows from the tower of Babel, but you can never strike God!" shows that he is not all-powerful, as he would have everyone (including himself) believe. In the Bible, God specifically created different languages and scattered the humans across the Earth because he knew that if they finished the tower's construction, they would be capable of reaching the heavens and doing whatever they put their minds to. With all the mutants (including Storm and Eric, who Apocolypse drew to his side) working together, they are quite capable of killing him and saving the rest of humanity.

* By [[spoiler:freeing Logan from the Weapon X program and restoring his humanity along with a few remaining memories]], Jean in a sense "repays" Logan for the favor that he (or rather his original timeline self) did for her, namely [[spoiler:inadvertently undoing the events that led to her death]].
** He also throws a quick glance at Kurt before running off, most likely as the briefest of shout outs to their friendship from the comics, but is also provides a reason why he would be so drawn to Nightcrawler given their contrasting personalities.

** It had already been established in the [[Fridge/XMenDaysOfFuturePast Fridge Brilliance subpage of [=DoFP=]]] that his attitude in the previous two films reflected America's general outlook in 1962 and 1973, and this trend continues in 1983. TheEighties in the USA was an era of excess and materialism (both were regarded as not just acceptable, but ''desirable''), so Xavier's vanity is at its peak, and we get to see much more of his lavish estate and everything he owns within its boundaries.

* Xavier as an AllegoricalCharacter throughout the First Class trilogy:

* There are strong {{Actor Allusion}}s to Creator/JamesMcAvoy's role as Leto Atreides II in ''Series/ChildrenOfDune'' throughout ''Apocalypse'', and some themes in the former overlap with the latter. During the OpeningMonologue, there are sand dunes that bring to mind the deserts of Arrakis, and it's only after Professor X finishes speaking that we learn that the scene is set in AncientEgypt. Leto in the mini-series is a 17-year-old (9 years old in [[Literature/ChildrenOfDune the book]], which coincidentally is the age that Charles' PsychicPowers first manifested) who is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnm5wdGMevU conflicted about his destiny]] as the Kwisatz Haderach son and heir of Muad'Dib ("...born with extraordinary abilities, and yet still, they are children, stumbling in the dark, searching for guidance"). Leto is cursed with the gift of prescience ("A gift can often be a curse"), and he's tormented by the knowledge that humanity is doomed unless he makes a terrible choice ("Give them the power of prophecy, and they may live in fear of the future"). By the end of ''Children of Dune'', he gains god-like powers and metamorphoses into a grotesque God Emperor, and the [[Literature/GodEmperorOfDune next novel]] shows that he becomes a brutal tyrant for 3500 years ("Give them the greatest gift of all, powers beyond imagination, and they may think they are meant to rule the world"). Xavier's and Jean Grey's shared telepathy leads them to develop a profound surrogate father-daughter relationship, which parallels the closeness between Leto and his twin sister Ghanima, who struggle with being pre-born because they fear being possessed by the ego-memories of their ancestors. After Leto attains godhood, he marries his sister[[note]]but they never consummate the marriage[[/note]] to evoke the pharaonic traditions of Ancient Egypt, so his blood-soaked "divine" reign of terror is not that different from En Sabah Nur's in the prologue, and Leto is betrayed by his followers. There is a direct ShoutOut to ''Children of Dune'' when Charles is abducted, [[spoiler:forced on to a slab and mentally assaulted in order to destroy his mind]], which is exactly what happens to Leto. Although Xavier's transformation into Professor X isn't nearly as drastic as the human-sandworm hybrid that Leto becomes, the former does, to paraphrase what Leto says, survive the crucible and arise from his own ashes in its changed form. Leto tells Stilgar, "A good ruler doesn't need to be a prophet, not even god-like. A good ruler has to be sensitive to the ones he rules," which describes Charles' leadership style perfectly. Xavier is a man who is InTouchWithHisFeminineSide and wields authority in a manner which is both firm (his friends and students readily obey him) and delicate (he employs his empathy to determine what kind of nurturing works best on an individual). It's analogous to Leto's unique skill of being able to access the genetic memories of both his female and male ancestors.

* There are several catalysts for Storm's HeelFaceTurn in the final battle. Her confidence in the side she chose is shaken when she sees Apocalypse abandon Warren as useless. She realizes that he ''doesn't'' truly care for any of them, and is just using them for their powers. Mystique sacrificing herself in an effort to save Quicksilver is the final straw. However it's ''not'' the fact that the X-Men stand by and die for each other. It's the fact that ''Mystique''--the woman she calls her hero, and whom she wishes she could be like--is standing against him.

* Apocalypse and Charles as foils:
** Professor X and Apocalypse are obvious {{Foil}}s in the story, and someone who takes the time to compare them thoroughly will realize that on a fundamental level, Xavier actually isn't all that different from a cult leader. Because he's a very benevolent and sympathetic character, he is never labelled with that term and he avoids the negative connotations that come with it. But based on the way Charles recruits and manages the X-Men, it's clear that he wants to be ''adored'' and ''obeyed'' (albeit as a paternal figure, not as a god), and he converts the members of his team to his philosophy. Because he DesperatelyCravesAffection, he's both incredibly unselfish and selfish at the same time--the Professor gives all of his love to his followers, and in return, he hopes they will do the same and remain devoted to him for life. (Even Havok, who assimilates into human society after UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar and was unconnected to the school for 20 years, still carries UndyingLoyalty for his ex-mentor.) Apocalypse relies on his CultOfPersonality and MoreThanMindControl to convince mutants to join and fight for his cause. Xavier is the ultimate MagneticHero of the franchise, and even when it isn't his intention to form a paramilitary group ("Charles wants students, not soldiers"), his [[TheCharmer charm]] is so captivating that young mutants like Cyclops, Quicksilver and Nightcrawler are willing to risk their lives for him, a virtual stranger. Professor X even shares some of Apocalypse's arrogance and [[ErmineCapeEffect vanity]]--Charles is an AgentPeacock whose overconfidence is (or perhaps was in the AlternateTimeline) his FatalFlaw--and their egos crave reverence from a surrogate family that they've mentored personally. It's quite ironic that the BigGood of the film series functions in a similar fashion to the BigBad of this movie; the crucial difference between them is that Xavier is a NiceGuy with the ideals of TheHero who understands ThePowerOfLove and how to harness it. Because MachiavelliWasWrong in this universe, Professor X is a ''more successful cult leader'' than a self-proclaimed god. Creator/JamesMcAvoy himself had observed that his character wishes to be idolized in the June 2016 issue of ''F***'' magazine: