Netflix is dropping some classic films and fan-favorite returning series to its lineup for November 2020. To kick things off, Netflix is releasing the highly-anticipated fourth season of The Crown on November 15. According to Netflix, Season 4 follows Queen Elizabeth (Olivia Colman), "as her family find themselves preoccupied with safeguarding the line of succession by securing an appropriate bride for Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor), who is still unmarried at 30. As the nation begins to feel the impact of divisive policies introduced by Britain's first female Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson), tensions arise between her and the Queen which only grow worse as Thatcher leads the country into the Falklands War, generating conflict within the Commonwealth." On the movie front, Netflix is dropping 2005's V for Vendetta starring Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman, as well as some brand new holiday specials, such as Alien Xmas on November 20, and Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square on November 22. Check out the slideshow gallery below for the highlights of Netflix's November offerings, followed by the full list (U.S. Netflix only): [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=netflix-spotlight-november-2020&captions=true"]

November 1

• M'entends-tu? / Can You Hear Me?: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
• 60 Days In: Season 5
• A Clockwork Orange
• Boyz n the Hood
• Casper
• Christmas Break-In
• Dawson's Creek: Seasons 1-6
• Easy A
• Elf Pets: A Fox Cub’s Christmas Tale
• Elf Pets: Santa’s Reindeer Rescue
• Elliot the Littlest Reindeer
• Forged in Fire: Season 6
• Jumping the Broom
• Knock Knock
• Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath: Seasons 1-3
• Little Monsters (1989)
• Mile 22
• Ocean's Eleven
• Paul Blart: Mall Cop
• Piercing
• Platoon
• School Daze
• Snowden
• The Garfield Show: Season 3
• The Impossible
• The Indian in the Cupboard
• The Next Karate Kid
• Wheels of Fortune
• Yes Man

November 2

• Prospect

November 3

• Felix Lobrecht: Hype -- NETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL
• Mother -- NETFLIX FILM

November 4

• A Christmas Catch
• Christmas With A Prince
• Love and Anarchy -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

November 5

• A New York Christmas Wedding
• Carmel: Who Killed Maria Marta? -- NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
• Midnight At The Magnolia
• Operation Christmas Drop -- NETFLIX FILM
• Paranormal -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

November 6

• Citation -- NETFLIX FILM
• Country Ever After -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
• La trinchera infinita / The Endless Trench -- NETFLIX FILM
• The Late Bloomer

November 9

• Undercover: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

November 10

• Dash & Lily -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
• Trash Truck -- NETFLIX FAMILY

November 11

• Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun -- NETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL
• The Liberator -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
• Nasce uma Rainha / A Queen Is Born -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
• What We Wanted -- NETFLIX FILM

November 12

• Fruitvale Station
• Graceful Friends
• Ludo -- NETFLIX FILM
• Prom Night

November 13

• American Horror Story: 1984
• Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey -- NETFLIX FILM
• The Life Ahead -- NETFLIX FILM
• The Minions of Midas -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

November 15

• A Very Country Christmas
• America's Next Top Model: Seasons 19 & 20
• Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
• The Crown: Season 4 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
• Hometown Holiday
• Survivor: Seasons 20 & 28
• V for Vendetta

November 16

• Loving
• Whose Streets?

November 17

• The Boss Baby: Back in Business: Season 4 -- NETFLIX FAMILY
• We Are the Champions -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

November 18

• El Sabor de las margaritas / Bitter Daisies: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
• Holiday Home Makeover with Mr. Christmas -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

November 19

• The Princess Switch: Switched Again -- NETFLIX FILM

November 20

• Alien Xmas -- NETFLIX FILM
• Flavorful Origins: Gansu Cuisine -- NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
• If Anything Happens I Love You -- NETFLIX FILM
• Voices of Fire -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

November 22

• Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square -- NETFLIX FILM
• Machete Kills

November 23

• Hard Kill
• Shawn Mendes: In Wonder -- NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

November 24

• Dragons: Rescue Riders: Huttsgalor Holiday -- NETFLIX FAMILY
• El Cuaderno de Tomy / Notes for My Son -- NETFLIX FILM
• Hillbilly Elegy -- NETFLIX FILM
• Wonderoos -- NETFLIX FAMILY

November 25

• The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two -- NETFLIX FILM
• Great Pretender: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ANIME

November 26

• Larry the Cable Guy: Remain Seated
• Mosul -- NETFLIX FILM

November 27

• A Go! Go! Cory Carson Christmas -- NETFLIX FAMILY
• The Call -- NETFLIX FILM
• Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker -- NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
• Don't Listen -- NETFLIX FILM
• Sugar Rush Christmas: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
• Überweihnachten / Over Christmas -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
• Virgin River: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
• La Belva / The Beast -- NETFLIX FILM

November 28

• The Uncanny Counter -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

November 29

• Wonderoos: Holiday Holiday! -- NETFLIX FAMILY

November 30

• The 2nd
• A Love So Beautiful -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
• Finding Agnes -- NETFLIX FILM
• RUST CREEK
• Spookley and the Christmas Kittens

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/22/netflixs-the-liberator-exclusive-official-trailer-2020"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.

Another DCEU veteran is joining the cast of Zack Snyder's Justice League. Fresh off the news that Jared Leto's Joker is being added to The Snyder Cut, Collider reports Joe Manganiello will be reprising the role of Deathstroke. As with Joker, it's unclear how extensively Deathstroke will factor into the plot. However, Collider's source confirms Manganiello is specifically taking part in the current round of reshoots and Snyder won't simply be reusing existing footage of the character from the theatrical cut. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=justice-league-snyder-cut-all-the-known-differences-from-the-theatrical-version&captions=true"] Manganiello's Deathstroke originally appeared in Justice League's post-credits sequence, where he was recruited by Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor to join the Injustice League. We previously speculated Snyder might be expanding on that scene by adding Leto's Joker to the mix, and this casting news may lend further credence to that theory. Prior to Justice League, Manganiello's Deathstroke also appeared in a quick test shoot for an unknown project. Deathstroke was expected to be the main villain of The Batman, back when that project was still slated to star Ben Affleck's version of the Dark Knight. However, with The Batman now becoming a full-fledged reboot starring Robert Pattinson, it's unclear where or even if Manganiello will play Deathstroke again. The Raid: Redemption's Gareth Evans is also rumored to be directing a solo Deathstroke movie. Here's what we think the Deathstroke movie needs to succeed. Deathstroke did recently star in his own animated movie. Check out the trailer for Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/17/deathstroke-knights-dragons-the-movie-exclusive-trailer"] Zack Snyder's Justice League is a four-part limited series exclusive to HBO Max, with a release date planned for some point in 2021. Snyder revealed the first trailer for his version of the movie at DC FanDome, while also teasing some of the new scenes will involve The Flash using time travel. How do you want to see Deathstroke utilized in The Snyder Cut? Let us know in the comments below. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Another DCEU veteran is joining the cast of Zack Snyder's Justice League. Fresh off the news that Jared Leto's Joker is being added to The Snyder Cut, Collider reports Joe Manganiello will be reprising the role of Deathstroke. As with Joker, it's unclear how extensively Deathstroke will factor into the plot. However, Collider's source confirms Manganiello is specifically taking part in the current round of reshoots and Snyder won't simply be reusing existing footage of the character from the theatrical cut. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=justice-league-snyder-cut-all-the-known-differences-from-the-theatrical-version&captions=true"] Manganiello's Deathstroke originally appeared in Justice League's post-credits sequence, where he was recruited by Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor to join the Injustice League. We previously speculated Snyder might be expanding on that scene by adding Leto's Joker to the mix, and this casting news may lend further credence to that theory. Prior to Justice League, Manganiello's Deathstroke also appeared in a quick test shoot for an unknown project. Deathstroke was expected to be the main villain of The Batman, back when that project was still slated to star Ben Affleck's version of the Dark Knight. However, with The Batman now becoming a full-fledged reboot starring Robert Pattinson, it's unclear where or even if Manganiello will play Deathstroke again. The Raid: Redemption's Gareth Evans is also rumored to be directing a solo Deathstroke movie. Here's what we think the Deathstroke movie needs to succeed. Deathstroke did recently star in his own animated movie. Check out the trailer for Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/17/deathstroke-knights-dragons-the-movie-exclusive-trailer"] Zack Snyder's Justice League is a four-part limited series exclusive to HBO Max, with a release date planned for some point in 2021. Snyder revealed the first trailer for his version of the movie at DC FanDome, while also teasing some of the new scenes will involve The Flash using time travel. How do you want to see Deathstroke utilized in The Snyder Cut? Let us know in the comments below. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

WARNING! Major SPOILERS ahead for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm! This article has been updated with Rudy Giuliani and Borat's responses. For more, read our spoiler-free review of Borat 2. Update 2, 10/23/20: Actor-producer Sacha Baron Cohen and his co-star Mara Bakalova appeared on Good Morning America on Friday where Cohen, this time not in character, refuted Rudy Giuliani's account of the now infamous scene in Borat 2. "“I would say that if the president’s lawyer found what he did there appropriate behavior then heaven knows what he’s doing with other female journalists in hotel rooms," Cohen said, before going on to explain how they built a hideaway for him to be able to monitor what transpired between Bakalova and Giuliani.

“I would say that if the president’s lawyer found what he did there appropriate behavior then heaven knows what he’s doing with other female journalists in hotel rooms.”@SachaBaronCohen weighs in on the Rudy Giuliani scene in #Borat2 that has made headlines. pic.twitter.com/RfeNJeWPdw

— Good Morning America (@GMA) October 23, 2020

Update 10/23/2020: Borat himself has now responded to Rudy Giuliani's rebuttal of the footage. Sacha Baron Cohen, in character as Borat Sagdiyev, appeared in a video on Twitter to 'defend America's mayor', which you can watch below:

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM BORAT SAGDIYEV pic.twitter.com/vM92Lam5vV

— Borat (@BoratSagdiyev) October 23, 2020

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and the current personal attorney of President Donald Trump, is now embroiled in a personal scandal after being caught in a compromising position in the new film Borat 2, which is being released on Amazon on October 23. Actress Maria Bakalova, in her feature film debut, plays Borat's daughter Tutar - an aspiring journalist who, in a pivotal scene near the end of the film, interviews Giuliani about the Trump Administration's COVID-19 response. Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen, in disguise, appears as Tutar's sound operator. Shot this past July, "Tutar" and Giuliani's interview takes place in a New York City hotel room. The interview begins with them exchanging pleasantries and they are seen making physical contact during the interview. Giuliani is flirtatious with Tutar and is seen coughing throughout the segment. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/20/borat-2-official-pregnancy-center-clip] After the interview, Tutar/Bakalova and Giuliani enter an adjacent bedroom that has a concealed camera in it. Shortly thereafter Giuliani is seen leaning back on the bed, undoing his trousers, reaching into his pants, and appearing to touch himself. It's then that Cohen's Borat, dressed in a bikini, reenters the scene and interrupts Giuliani, yelling, "She’s 15. She’s too old for you.” (Bakalova is not underage but her character Tutar is supposed to be 15 years-old.) Giuliani then flees the hotel room and is seen interacting with his team outside. At no point during this scene do we see Tutar/Bakalova make any sexual contact with Giuliani but she does remove his microphone in the bedroom. Rudy Giuliani took to Twitter on Wednesday to address his appearance in Borat 2, claiming at no point did he act "inappropriate" and alleging that the footage was manipulated. "The Borat video is a complete fabrication. I was tucking in my shirt after taking off the recording equipment," Giuliani wrote. "At no time before, during, or after the interview was I ever inappropriate. If Sacha Baron Cohen implies otherwise he is a stone-cold liar." Giuliani went on to claim that he's the victim of a political smear attack in "an effort to blunt my relentless exposure of the criminality and depravity of Joe Biden and his entire family."

(1) The Borat video is a complete fabrication. I was tucking in my shirt after taking off the recording equipment.

At no time before, during, or after the interview was I ever inappropriate. If Sacha Baron Cohen implies otherwise he is a stone-cold liar. — Rudy W. Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) October 21, 2020

The former New York City mayor called the NYPD after the faux interview but reportedly didn't immediately recognize the prankster as Cohen. As it was reported by the New York Post at the time, Giuliani made no mention of the sexual nature of how the scene ended, only relaying that Cohen interrupted the interview and that he thought he was being scammed. Giuliani did say at the time that he was a fan of the first Borat film. “This guy comes running in, wearing a crazy, what I would say was a pink transgender outfit ... I only later realized it must have been Sacha Baron Cohen. I thought about all the people he previously fooled and I felt good about myself because he didn’t get me,” Giuliani told the Post in July, adding, “I am a fan of some of his movies, ‘Borat’ in particular, because I’ve been to Kazakhstan. [Adopting a Borat accent, Guiliani repeats a famous line from the movie:] ‘She is my sister. She is number four prostitute in all of Kazakhstan.’ That was pretty funny.” As part of the movie's plot, Borat initially needs to gift his daughter Tutar to Vice President Mike Pence on behalf of the leader of Kazakhstan. When that fails he then tries to gift her to Giuliani. By the time the Giuliani scene arrives, though, Borat has had a change of heart and wants to stop the gifting even though it may cost him his life once he returns home to Kazakhstan. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/21/borat-subsequent-moviefilm-review"] Borat Subsequent Moviefilm debuts exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on October 23.

Welcome back to Game Scoop!, IGN's weekly video game talk show. This week your Omega Cops -- Daemon Hatfield, Tina Amini, Sam Claiborn, and Justin Davis -- are discussing the big advancements of this console generation, a "new" Fire Emblem, British retro gaming, and so much more. The music in this episode is from Super Castlevania IV and Symphony of the Night. Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service. Listen on: Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Stitcher   Find previous episodes here!

Welcome back to Game Scoop!, IGN's weekly video game talk show. This week your Omega Cops -- Daemon Hatfield, Tina Amini, Sam Claiborn, and Justin Davis -- are discussing the big advancements of this console generation, a "new" Fire Emblem, British retro gaming, and so much more. The music in this episode is from Super Castlevania IV and Symphony of the Night. Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service. Listen on: Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Stitcher   Find previous episodes here!

The latest issue of Marvel’s X-Men comic just changed everything we thought we know about longtime mutant villain Apocalypse. The powerhouse bad guy has enacted numerous evil plans over the years that all stem from his “survival of the fittest” mantra, and while he has often touted various philosophical reasons for why the weak must perish so the strong can survive, we now know the real reason that ideology means so much to him in the first place. Before we get into the big reveal, it’s important to know that the X-Men’s current status quo is quite different from what you may be used to. Currently, all mutants live together on the mutant island nation of Krakoa. This includes all villainous mutants, who were given a pardon by Charles Xavier, so now Apocalypse is not only an ally of the X-Men but he sits on their governing council and is a key player in the future of mutantkind. If you want to know more, this video recaps everything you need to know about the current state of the X-Men: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/09/marvels-x-men-now-have-a-bold-new-status-quo-ign-now"] Now, let’s dig into the big news about Apocalypse. Warning: beware of full spoilers for X-Men #13, the entire X of Swords event, and pretty much every X-Men comic from the past 40 years!

The New Origin of Apocalypse

The origin of Apocalypse has undergone major changes since writer Jonathan Hickman kicked off his X-Men run in 2019, and now the ongoing X of Swords crossover event by Hickman and Tini Howard puts Apocalypse front and center to reveal his true beginnings. Apocalypse was originally styled as a diabolical mutant from ancient Egypt who went on to become a tyrant bent on world domination, and all of that still stands, but this new era of X-Men fleshes him out with a richer and more nuanced backstory. As it turns out, back in ancient times Apocalypse was actually a defender of Earth who battled all sorts of monstrous foes to keep it safe. Fighting alongside him was a wife we never knew he had named Genesis, a powerful mutant with the ability to manipulate plant life. The couple had four children with incredible powers of their own, who went on to become the first iteration of Apocalypse’s Four Horsemen. Together, this family ruled over and defended the mutant island nation Okkara. [caption id="attachment_2429162" align="alignnone" width="720"] Apocalypse's wife and kids. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] Everything changed when Apocalypse and his family were drawn into a war to stop demons invading Earth from another dimension called Amenth. The demons’ leader Annihilation used a weapon called the Twilight Sword to strike Okkara in two, with the half named Arakko falling into the dark dimension and Krakoa remaining on the earthly realm. The two armies fought to a standstill and eventually met to parley, and the result was Annihilation offering to end the conflict in exchange for a show of strength from the mutants. Ultimately, Genesis stepped forward, volunteering herself and her children to travel into the dark dimension to stand guard on Arakko, sealing the breach behind them. Apocalypse said he wanted to join her, but she denied him, speaking the words that would go on to define one of Marvel’s greatest villains: “And yet, we both know you can’t, my love. You’re not strong enough.” [caption id="attachment_2429164" align="alignnone" width="604"] Harsh. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] Genesis charged Apocalypse with staying behind and using the time their sacrifice would buy to make the world strong enough to stand against their demonic enemies. “Judge them,” Genesis said. “So that they--that you--become what we need. See that only the fittest remain.” And with that, Apocalypse was left alone, sad, and traumatically motivated to toughen up the world by whatever means necessary.

A New Perspective on Apocalypse

With this revelation, we can look back on all of Apocalypse’s evil schemes in a new light. Obviously this is quite the big retcon, and some stories fit into this new context better than others, but ultimately what this fundamental change offers is an emotional reason for Apocalypse’s fanatical devotion to extreme Social Darwinism. Every plan he’s ever hatched while preaching that “survival of the fittest” mantra was done in tribute to his one true love and his lost family. And while Apocalypse clearly went way too far time and time again, we now know that he was secretly acting with the world’s best interest in mind. It was his personal mission to make the world strong enough to repel the demons when they inevitably invaded again. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=x-of-swords-every-comic-in-marvels-epic-x-men-crossover&captions=true"] This isn’t to say that Apocalypse is now retroactively redeemed and absolved of his countless sins. All that blood is still on his big blue hands, but now we have a greater understanding of why he would go to such great lengths to change the world. He was told he was weak, and everything he’s done since that moment was done in service of becoming strong--and making the world strong--so the loss of his loved ones wouldn’t be in vain. But given how he went about it, it’s clear that Apocalypse overcompensated for his own weakness by becoming a monster. In classic tragic villain fashion, he became a threat to the very world he had pledged to protect.

The Future of Apocalypse

This Apocalypse history lesson came in X-Men #13 by Hickman and artists Mahmud Asrar and Sunny Gho, which is the tenth chapter in the X of Swords crossover event. The event kicked off when, you guessed it, the breach in dimensions opened back up and the denizens of Arakko returned. Only, when Apocalypse was reunited with his children, they turned on him and tried to kill him. Apocalypse managed to escape with grievous wounds, leaving the X-Men to stand up to the invaders of Arakko. [caption id="attachment_2429168" align="alignnone" width="720"] That's one way to sort out daddy issues. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] Rather than engage in an all-out war, the controller of the nexus of reality Saturnyne staged a contest where the 10 best sword fighters from each side would duke it out to decide a winner. Kind of like a Mortal Kombat tournament. Apocalypse was one of the chosen combatants, but he wasn’t exactly in fighting shape after being attacked, so the X-Men’s healers set to work on fixing him. We saw Apocalypse in a rare state, shrieking in pain with tears streaming down his face. And it was in this vulnerable state that En Sabah Nur finally revealed his tragic backstory -- and why he must be strong. With Apocalypse recovered, he set out to reclaim his fearsome sword The Scarab from an ancient Egyptian pyramid, and now he’s poised to fight in the contest, so we’ll finally get to see if he’s strong enough. [caption id="attachment_2429169" align="alignnone" width="720"] Apocalypse has joined the fight. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] If you want to hop into this x-citing Marvel event, check out our guide on everything you need to know to read X of Swords. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joshua is a Senior Editor and Producer of Features at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Star Wars are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.

The latest issue of Marvel’s X-Men comic just changed everything we thought we know about longtime mutant villain Apocalypse. The powerhouse bad guy has enacted numerous evil plans over the years that all stem from his “survival of the fittest” mantra, and while he has often touted various philosophical reasons for why the weak must perish so the strong can survive, we now know the real reason that ideology means so much to him in the first place. Before we get into the big reveal, it’s important to know that the X-Men’s current status quo is quite different from what you may be used to. Currently, all mutants live together on the mutant island nation of Krakoa. This includes all villainous mutants, who were given a pardon by Charles Xavier, so now Apocalypse is not only an ally of the X-Men but he sits on their governing council and is a key player in the future of mutantkind. If you want to know more, this video recaps everything you need to know about the current state of the X-Men: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/09/marvels-x-men-now-have-a-bold-new-status-quo-ign-now"] Now, let’s dig into the big news about Apocalypse. Warning: beware of full spoilers for X-Men #13, the entire X of Swords event, and pretty much every X-Men comic from the past 40 years!

The New Origin of Apocalypse

The origin of Apocalypse has undergone major changes since writer Jonathan Hickman kicked off his X-Men run in 2019, and now the ongoing X of Swords crossover event by Hickman and Tini Howard puts Apocalypse front and center to reveal his true beginnings. Apocalypse was originally styled as a diabolical mutant from ancient Egypt who went on to become a tyrant bent on world domination, and all of that still stands, but this new era of X-Men fleshes him out with a richer and more nuanced backstory. As it turns out, back in ancient times Apocalypse was actually a defender of Earth who battled all sorts of monstrous foes to keep it safe. Fighting alongside him was a wife we never knew he had named Genesis, a powerful mutant with the ability to manipulate plant life. The couple had four children with incredible powers of their own, who went on to become the first iteration of Apocalypse’s Four Horsemen. Together, this family ruled over and defended the mutant island nation Okkara. [caption id="attachment_2429162" align="alignnone" width="720"] Apocalypse's wife and kids. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] Everything changed when Apocalypse and his family were drawn into a war to stop demons invading Earth from another dimension called Amenth. The demons’ leader Annihilation used a weapon called the Twilight Sword to strike Okkara in two, with the half named Arakko falling into the dark dimension and Krakoa remaining on the earthly realm. The two armies fought to a standstill and eventually met to parley, and the result was Annihilation offering to end the conflict in exchange for a show of strength from the mutants. Ultimately, Genesis stepped forward, volunteering herself and her children to travel into the dark dimension to stand guard on Arakko, sealing the breach behind them. Apocalypse said he wanted to join her, but she denied him, speaking the words that would go on to define one of Marvel’s greatest villains: “And yet, we both know you can’t, my love. You’re not strong enough.” [caption id="attachment_2429164" align="alignnone" width="604"] Harsh. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] Genesis charged Apocalypse with staying behind and using the time their sacrifice would buy to make the world strong enough to stand against their demonic enemies. “Judge them,” Genesis said. “So that they--that you--become what we need. See that only the fittest remain.” And with that, Apocalypse was left alone, sad, and traumatically motivated to toughen up the world by whatever means necessary.

A New Perspective on Apocalypse

With this revelation, we can look back on all of Apocalypse’s evil schemes in a new light. Obviously this is quite the big retcon, and some stories fit into this new context better than others, but ultimately what this fundamental change offers is an emotional reason for Apocalypse’s fanatical devotion to extreme Social Darwinism. Every plan he’s ever hatched while preaching that “survival of the fittest” mantra was done in tribute to his one true love and his lost family. And while Apocalypse clearly went way too far time and time again, we now know that he was secretly acting with the world’s best interest in mind. It was his personal mission to make the world strong enough to repel the demons when they inevitably invaded again. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=x-of-swords-every-comic-in-marvels-epic-x-men-crossover&captions=true"] This isn’t to say that Apocalypse is now retroactively redeemed and absolved of his countless sins. All that blood is still on his big blue hands, but now we have a greater understanding of why he would go to such great lengths to change the world. He was told he was weak, and everything he’s done since that moment was done in service of becoming strong--and making the world strong--so the loss of his loved ones wouldn’t be in vain. But given how he went about it, it’s clear that Apocalypse overcompensated for his own weakness by becoming a monster. In classic tragic villain fashion, he became a threat to the very world he had pledged to protect.

The Future of Apocalypse

This Apocalypse history lesson came in X-Men #13 by Hickman and artists Mahmud Asrar and Sunny Gho, which is the tenth chapter in the X of Swords crossover event. The event kicked off when, you guessed it, the breach in dimensions opened back up and the denizens of Arakko returned. Only, when Apocalypse was reunited with his children, they turned on him and tried to kill him. Apocalypse managed to escape with grievous wounds, leaving the X-Men to stand up to the invaders of Arakko. [caption id="attachment_2429168" align="alignnone" width="720"] That's one way to sort out daddy issues. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] Rather than engage in an all-out war, the controller of the nexus of reality Saturnyne staged a contest where the 10 best sword fighters from each side would duke it out to decide a winner. Kind of like a Mortal Kombat tournament. Apocalypse was one of the chosen combatants, but he wasn’t exactly in fighting shape after being attacked, so the X-Men’s healers set to work on fixing him. We saw Apocalypse in a rare state, shrieking in pain with tears streaming down his face. And it was in this vulnerable state that En Sabah Nur finally revealed his tragic backstory -- and why he must be strong. With Apocalypse recovered, he set out to reclaim his fearsome sword The Scarab from an ancient Egyptian pyramid, and now he’s poised to fight in the contest, so we’ll finally get to see if he’s strong enough. [caption id="attachment_2429169" align="alignnone" width="720"] Apocalypse has joined the fight. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] If you want to hop into this x-citing Marvel event, check out our guide on everything you need to know to read X of Swords. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joshua is a Senior Editor and Producer of Features at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Star Wars are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.

The Suicide Squad director James Gunn has just given fans a closer look at the DC movie's full roster. Gunn tweeted out the cover image to the December 2020 issue of Empire magazine, which features the entire ensemble cast gathered together: Gunn teases the new issue (which is due out on Thursday, October 29) will feature more new images from the film, along with some revealing interviews with various cast members. As revealed at DC FanDome in August, The Suicide Squad's cast includes Idris Elba as Bloodsport, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, John Cena as Peacemaker, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man, Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher II, Steve Agee as King Shark (mo-cap) and John Economos, Sean Gunn as Weasel (mo-cap), Flula Borg as Javelin, Nathan Fillion as TDK, Peter Capaldi as The Thinker, Pete Davidson as Blackguard, Alice Braga as Solsoria, Mayling Ng as Mongal and Michael Rooker as Savant. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-suicide-squad-whos-who-full-cast-and-character-reveals&captions=true"] Nearly all of those characters are showcased on the Empire cover. Strangely, Viola Davis' Amanda Waller is MIA, which could suggest Waller has a smaller role in The Suicide Squad than its predecessor. Or maybe Waller would just seem too normal amid a sea of flamboyantly dressed D-List supervillains. The Suicide Squad is currently scheduled to his theaters on August 6, 2021. But as with so many theatrical releases these days, it remains to be seen how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact that schedule. We've already seen Warner Bros. push back the release dates for Wonder Woman 1984 and The Batman multiple times. The Suicide Squad is also getting an HBO Max spinoff series focused on John Cena's Peacemaker. We'll have to see if Empire's cover story reveals anything new about that project. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/the-suicide-squad-behind-the-scenes-teaser-dc-fandome"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

The Suicide Squad director James Gunn has just given fans a closer look at the DC movie's full roster. Gunn tweeted out the cover image to the December 2020 issue of Empire magazine, which features the entire ensemble cast gathered together: Gunn teases the new issue (which is due out on Thursday, October 29) will feature more new images from the film, along with some revealing interviews with various cast members. As revealed at DC FanDome in August, The Suicide Squad's cast includes Idris Elba as Bloodsport, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, John Cena as Peacemaker, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man, Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher II, Steve Agee as King Shark (mo-cap) and John Economos, Sean Gunn as Weasel (mo-cap), Flula Borg as Javelin, Nathan Fillion as TDK, Peter Capaldi as The Thinker, Pete Davidson as Blackguard, Alice Braga as Solsoria, Mayling Ng as Mongal and Michael Rooker as Savant. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-suicide-squad-whos-who-full-cast-and-character-reveals&captions=true"] Nearly all of those characters are showcased on the Empire cover. Strangely, Viola Davis' Amanda Waller is MIA, which could suggest Waller has a smaller role in The Suicide Squad than its predecessor. Or maybe Waller would just seem too normal amid a sea of flamboyantly dressed D-List supervillains. The Suicide Squad is currently scheduled to his theaters on August 6, 2021. But as with so many theatrical releases these days, it remains to be seen how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact that schedule. We've already seen Warner Bros. push back the release dates for Wonder Woman 1984 and The Batman multiple times. The Suicide Squad is also getting an HBO Max spinoff series focused on John Cena's Peacemaker. We'll have to see if Empire's cover story reveals anything new about that project. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/the-suicide-squad-behind-the-scenes-teaser-dc-fandome"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.