This article contains spoilers for FCBD X-Men #1.
The First Horsemen of Apocalypse are set to return in the upcoming X-Men event "X of Swords." Jonathan Hickman's X-Men relaunch has seen the entire mutant race gather on the living island of Krakoa. It has also subtly rewritten the island's history, revealing it was not - as previously hinted - created as a result of nuclear experiments.
According to Powers of X #4, in ancient times there was a living land called Okkara, which was split apart by a mystic blade called the Twilight Sword. A horde of monstrous beings emerged from some sort of Hell dimension and was only driven back by Apocalypse and his First Horsemen. The so-called first mutant sacrificed these Horsemen to save the world, but he's been working to reopen the portal and rescue them from the prison they have lived in for millennia. The process has already begun, with Krakoa and Arakko - the two halves of Okkara - reuniting in X-Men #2.
This week's FCBD X-Men #1 confirms the First Horsemen will indeed be returning as part of the upcoming "X of Swords" event. The issue features a short story in which the Omniversal Majestrix Saturnyne attempts to use the magic of Otherworld to see the future. It's the perfect way of teasing an event, because it allows Hickman to present ideas with no context at all, and it will no doubt generate intense speculation among fans. The prophecies take the context of a tarot reading, and Saturnyne produces the following:
- Judgment: Finality, an irrevocable change with no going back.
- The Four of Wands: In which the First Horsemen of Apocalypse unite for a mysterious ceremony.
- The Hanged Man: Apocalypse leads an unusual team of mutants, but one or more must make a sacrifice.
- The Eight of Cups: Disillusionment and abandonment, with an enigmatic context.
- And, of course, the Ten of Swords: Which speaks of betrayal, but is accompanied by an image of ten mutants wielding swords. Only half are identifiable; Apocalypse himself, Magik with her Soulsword, Wolverine and his Muramasa blade, Psylocke with her psychic sword, and Cable with his new Spaceknight blade.
The most interesting of these, of course, is the promised return of Apocalypse's First Horsemen. Powers of X #4 teased that Apocalypse has long wanted them back, with a so-called "Sinister Secret" hinting at their impending return.
"For years, this fittest-of-all mutant has routinely surrounded himself with a particular-numbered entourage. These hangers-on stick around for a while until they are eventually replaced with newer, more exciting members. What most people don't know is that if the original members returned, these pretenders would be dropped so fast their heads would spin."
Precious little is known about the First Horsemen to date. Still, Apocalypse has always valued power above almost anything else, so it's reasonable to assume they will be easily the most dangerous Horsemen to date. FCBD X-Men #1 doesn't offer any clues as to the ceremony of blood they will be performing, but it's possible this will be what kicks off the "X of Swords" event.