**Major X-Men: Apocalypse spoiler ahead...don’t say we didn’t warn you!**
X-Men: Apocalypse may have the most characters we’ve ever seen in a standalone X-Men movie, but there’s one who we won’t meet until the post-credits scene: Mister Sinister. Courtesy of Bleeding Cool, here’s the play-by-play of Mister Sinister’s introduction:
“We see a besuited man walking through the remains of the Weapon X clean-up programme, removing the blood, bodies and bullets. And retrieving vials of Wolverine’s blood labelled Weapon X. And placing them into his briefcase which contains other vials of differing colours. Slamming shut, it is labelled ESSEX CORP.”
Nathaniel Essex, aka Mister Sinister, is a genius scientist obsessed with the Summers genetic line. Mister Sinister is responsible for the birth of Nathan Summers (aka Cable). He created a clone of Jean Grey (aka Madelyne Pryor) to breed with Scott Summers (aka Cyclops). Apocalypse and Sinister are allies at first, but it's later revealed Mister Sinister actually created Cable to make a mutant powerful enough to destroy him.
Using his celestial technology, Apocalypse aided Essex’s transformation into Mr. Sinister. The human mutate has a variety of powers, including telepathy, telekinesis, teleportation, shapeshifting and molecular regeneration.
Simon Kinberg recently spoke to Collider about how the Apocalypse after-credits scene will tie into the whole X-Men franchise, and it’s definitely a tease for what’s to come in Hugh Jackman’s final run with the claws in Wolverine 3 .
“It’s a nod toward potentially a lot of different movies. I mean certainly the Wolverine movie is related to what happens at the end of it, but there’s also another character that’s introduced, at least in name, in the tag and he could show up in any host of different X-Men films. Maybe a Gambit movie, maybe another X-Men movie.”
We’re going to witness the Weapon X version of Wolverine straight from Marvel Comics Presents. Hugh Jackman has been captured by Stryker in the Weapon X facility, and according to Bleeding Cool’s Rich Johnston, he’s going to be sporting his traditional get up; helmet, wires and all. The Weapon X storyline, combined with this intriguing post-credits scene also hints at something bigger: X-23.
Also known as Laura Kinney, X-23 is a clone created using a partial genetic sample of Weapon X’s DNA. Mister Sinister didn't create her, but this could explain how Dr. Martin Sutter get's ahold of Weapon X's DNA. If Kinberg's statements are true, we'll be seeing Sinister's appearance in Wolverine 3. It may be a stretch, but considering Jackman's on his way out, it'd also be a great time for X-23's official introduction into the franchise. Someone has to take the reins as the new Wolverine.
Like Kinberg said, there’s a place for Mister Sinister in nearly all upcoming X-Men films including Gambit, New Mutants, X-Force, and the next X-Men movie. Wolverine 3 is next in the X-Men lineup after Apocalypse hits theaters May 27.
