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Warning, the below contain light spoilers for “X-Men Apocalypse.” The plot is discussed in relationship to the previous X-Men movies and comic books.

In the recent superhero movie, “X-Men: Apocalypse,” family bonds play an essential but subtle role. Ostensibly the third of a trilogy, but really the sixth in a complicated series, the film has a lot of character history to handle. Primarily, each film focuses on the relationship between Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto, and “Apocalypse” captures much of the flair of the previous two movies in the series.

The relationship between Xavier and Magneto in the recent film is strongly grounded by the story described in “X-Men: First Class.” Xavier is a young idealist who is trying to bring together those with a rare genetic trait, and Magneto is a Holocaust survivor with a fear of tyrannical governments and the willingness of communities to oppress minorities. They are perfect foils, representing polarized aspects of a dispute that can be traced to Friedrich Nietzsche or, to a lesser extent, Ayn Rand, over the relationship between the gifted and society as a whole.

In “First Class,” we are given Raven Darkhölme/Mystique as the bridge linking both sides of the argument. She lacks the idealism of Xavier but also the utter lack of faith in humanity of Magneto. She is a true chameleon, just like her power, and she can both fit in and be out of place in any situation. The struggle between the ideas of Xavier and Magneto manifest within her own inner conflict; she must choose a side by the end of the movie. By “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” her relationship with the Xavier and the Magneto factions is the central aspect of the series, and her choices are the turning point to the whole future.

Family Bonds

The bond between Xavier, Magneto, and Mystique is that of a surrogate family. Each are out of place, seemingly alone in the world though it is hinted that Xavier did have a family. However, Xavier’s family never makes a true appearance, and his relationship with them is as empty as the massive mansion they leave for him to inherit. Though there are many opportunities, at no time do Xavier, Magneto, or Mystique truly attempt to harm one another, and they go out of their way to ensure the protection of one another even when attempting to thwart their plans.

Ever progressing forward, the theme of “Apocalypse” is family. Each of these three have split, with Xavier trying to start a school to fill the void in his life and Magneto attempting to start a family under a new identity. Mystique’s actions following the “Days of Future Past” are unknown, and she is temporarily displaced from the central figure of the series to focus primarily on Magneto.

Magneto’s attempt to start a family is important. His motivation from the beginning was over the tragic loss of his family at the hands of the Nazis, and tragedy is a central aspect of his life. It was inevitable for Magneto to be exposed, for the hatred of humanity to appear, and for his new family to be killed. In the comic, his relationship with his children Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Polaris inform most of the X-Men-related events, and much of the Marvel Comics in general, since the 90s. To think there could ever be a fairy tale ending for Magneto is to ignore every aspect of his character. His essence demanded tragedy, and his new movie family obliged.

With the new family out of the way, Magneto is free to rampage against humanity once more, morally justified and empowered by the god-like Apocalypse. Strangely, few people are seen to be killed directly by Magneto beyond the first few deaths, sanitizing his hatred and adding more credence to his cause; humans can never be trusted, and the strong deserve to rule. He is free to wage war and destroy cities without the audience ever needing to condemn him as a monster. Any blame can easily be placed at the foot of Apocalypse, which is key to the movie’s theme.

As Apocalypse rampages across the world, neither Xavier or Mystique directly act against him. Instead, Mystique is only concerned with rescuing the stray mutant from direct oppression, as is in the case of Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler. This is a telling choice for the film; in the comic, Mystique is Nightcrawler’s mother, yet there is no hint or mention of said relationship within “Apocalypse.” The bond between the two exists, but it is not explained. Mystique takes Nightcrawler to see Xavier and enroll him in Xavier’s school for mutants. In one movement, two thirds of the original family is united because of familial dedication, though existing only on a subconscious level.

Death of the Family

Coincidentally, Apocalypse’s awakening has caused a problem that requires Xavier to investigate. This prompts an attack on the school, which leads Alex Summers/Havok to use his powers that causes a massive chain reaction. Xavier is kidnapped by Apocalypse (re-uniting him with Magneto) while the school is destroyed. At the same time, Peter Maximoff/Quicksilver arrives at the school seeking information from Xavier regarding his father Magneto, rescuing all of the students except for Havok.

A short reunion between Xavier and Mystique embracing the wholesome, idealistic aspects of mutant/human relations is soon destroyed. Conflict is necessary for drama, and the tearing of family bonds fully represents conflict. To emphasize this point, we are introduced to Scott Summers/Cyclops, Havok’s brother, only to experience the loss of the other. The two have had a complicated relationship within the comics, often coming to conflict with each other, and the movie thwarts any possible tension by obliterating the one and replacing him with the other.

Magneto’s new family is dead, the Summers brothers are no more, and the children of two of the main characters are left unable to form a bond with their parent. Xavier’s kidnapping by Apocalypse seems unable to phase Magneto, who looks dispassionately upon the idea that Xavier would be destroyed to empower Apocalypse. By the mid-point of the movie, all family bonds have been obliterated.

In a sub-plot of the movie, the young mutants Cyclops, Nightcrawler, and Jean Grey must rescue others, including Quicksilver and Mystique, before they can take on Apocalypse. The three young mutants seemingly replace the old trinity of Xavier, Magneto, and Mystique, with Cyclops experiencing the loss of Magneto, Nightcrawler’s displaced identity matching Mystique’s, and Grey paralleling her mentor and psychic counterpart Xavier. With the ability of the new trinity to work together, the movie quickly brings all of the characters together once again.

The True Conflict

As the plot approaches its climax, mutants fight against mutants, except for Magneto. As Magneto takes on the world, Mystique and Quicksilver try to reason with him. Mystique appeals to their bond, and Quicksilver has a moment when he might reveal his familial relationship. However, he holds back. Either the film was afraid of the possible melodrama that could result, or the relationship is superfluous to the plot. There was no bond between Quicksilver and Magneto, nor was there tension that could justify the emotions of an “Empire Strikes Back” type of reveal. Family is more than blood, and the only relationship that existed at that moment was between Magneto and Mystique.

But the history was not enough to persuade Magneto. Instead, it was the willingness of Mystique to risk her life battling with Apocalypse and his forces combined with the potential loss of Xavier that drags Magneto back to the moment. He changes sides, not in defense of humanity but in defense of his family.

Building up to this moment, it would seem inevitable that the movie would end with Xavier, Magneto, and Mystique combining their powers to defend Apocalypse. The family bond that brought them to this point has the emotional resonance to conquer all. Yet it does not. Xavier is beaten in the psychic realm; Mystique is thoroughly handled in the physical; and Magneto’s powers seem unable to slow Apocalypse.

Instead, it is the fateful appearance of the Phoenix Force that obliterates Apocalypse in a way no other force can. Taken as a trilogy of “First Class,” “Days of Future Past,” and “Apocalypse,” there is no justification for the family structure to be abandoned and this unexplained power winning out. However, the first trilogy required this ending.

In the first trilogy, Xavier and Magneto constantly battled, with Mystique being only a secondary consideration. Grey, however, was a central figure, and the second movie (“X2”) ends with her seeming to sacrifice herself to save others. However, she reappears in the third movie (“X-Men: Last Stand”) in both the Phoenix and Dark Phoenix aspect, an overwhelming force that could be used to destroy humanity.

Throughout “Last Stand,” Xavier and Magneto wage a psychological and philosophical dispute over Grey, with Magneto winning out and Xavier seemingly destroyed by her power. In the end, Magneto is injected with a medication that strips him of his powers, and Wolverine, one of Grey’s movie love interests, is able to risk everything to get close and kill her. In the end, these three powers are all defeated in some manner.

In “Apocalypse,” Grey rescues Wolverine, known as Weapon X, during the subplot, and she even gives him a parting gift that restores a portion of his humanity. The foreshadowing of a future that may or may not take place is verified by her embracing of the Phoenix Force in the end to destroy Apocalypse. One god-like being is destroyed, but another has been unleashed. Although the conflict of the family does not win, the ending returns to the previous conflict where the inevitable conclusion is the complete destruction of the family.

However, “Days of Future Past” provides a future where both Xavier and Magneto work together, and the end of “Last Stand” hints at both the return of Xavier to life and the restoration of Magneto’s abilities. Neither future is guaranteed, as history has been repeatedly rewritten throughout the series, but it is still possible that there could be a reconciliation with all three of the original trinity.

Ultimately, the movie, as with the whole series, is a discussion on the nature and role of family. There are few conclusions that can be drawn from the series except that the strongest family bonds are those you create, and they can transcend any struggle.