WARNING: The following contains spoilers for X-Men #12 by Jonathan Hickman, Leinil Francis Yu, Sunny Gho, & VC's Clayton Cowles, and X of Swords: Creation by Jonathan Hickman, Tini Howard, Pepe Larraz, Marte Gracia, and VC's Cowles, on sale now.
Apocalypse has been trying to work with the X-Men and the rest of Krakoa since the mutant nation was born. Despite their fierce rivalry, this ancient mutant warlord put aside all of his past hatred and rivalries to work with the mutants who so often ruined his schemes.
X-Men just revealed the true reason why Apocalypse is working with the X-Men, and X of Swords shows why he really needs to rally an army of mutants.
Since the formation of Krakoa, multiple old enemies of the X-Men have found themselves working with the mutant heroes. While some have bristled against the Quiet Council and been acting on their own motivations (such as Sebastian Shaw and Omega Red), Apocalypse has more or less embraced the mutant nation. He's endured himself to members of the community, forged an alliance with King Jamie Braddock of Otherworld, and killed four of his fellow Externals to power the External Gate to Otherworld. X-Men #12 explores the true reasons why Apocalypse has gone to all this trouble though -- to rally an army he can bring to try and rescue the mutants of Arakko.
Once a single land-mass, Okkara was home to ancient mutants. But when it was attacked and split in two, half of it -- Arakko -- ended up in the dimension known as Amenth while Krakoa remained on Earth. Led by Genesis -- Bride of Apocalypse -- and their Horsemen, the mutants on that island found themselves at war with the native demonic forces of the realm (led by their mysterious god, Annihilation) as well as their own number in the form of the renegade White Sword. War raged there for centuries, and the mutants did their best to construct defenses.
But eventually, the mutants were betrayed by Isca, who brought Genesis to Annihilation and defeat. Now being slaughtered, the mutants successfully sent Summoner -- son of War and grandchild of Apocalypse -- to warn the mutants of Krakoa and call for aid.
However, X of Swords revealed that the Summoner was really a traitor. In reality, the ancient mutants had turned on Apocalypse, and they want to hurt him and retake Krakoa by force.
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Still, the Summoner successfully used Apocalypse's history against him and convinced the ancient mutant that the time is right to rally the armies of Krakoa. This desire to not just save mutants but be reunited with his family makes for a motivated Apocalypse, which explains why he's agreed to abide by the laws of Krakoa and even help serve them. Despite his designs for the island and their armies, Apocalypse has seemingly made himself an actual part of the nation and their mutant population, finding roles within the government and even forming bonds with certain heroes, like Rictor.
He even sacrificed his life at one point, allowing Rogue to drain him in Excalibur for a necessary part of their plans for the Otherworld. With the mystical dimension being the clearest path to reach Arakko, this explains Apocalypse's deep interest in the realm and its magical properties.
While Apocalypse marshaled mutant forces to defend Arakko, the force he put together will now have to fight the long-lost mutants they thought they would have to save. Still, the fact that Apocalypse was able to put Krakoa on the warpath, almost single-handedly, shows just how much of an X-Men leader this one-time villain has become.
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