What Does The Ending Of X-Men: Apocalypse Really Mean?

The Post-Credits Scene Teases The Next Big Bad

Since The Wolverine, X-Men has pulled a Marvel started using their post-credits scenes to directly set up the directly upcoming movies; that stand-alone had Logan recruited by Professor X and Magneto, while Days Of Future Past showed a young En Sabah Nur building pyramids. Apocalypse's takes us back to Alkali Lake, where a group of mysterious suits walk through the carnage left by Wolverine to the Weapon X containment room, where they find some vials of Logan's blood and place in a case with other samples, labelled "Essex Corp."

It's an unshowy scene that aims to do two things; set up the idea of genetic meddling/cloning (which may allow for a recasting of key characters, such as Wolverine) and, more importantly, introduce the concept of Mister Sinister. Nathaniel Essex (see the name connection) is the biggest X-Men villain to not yet be used on screen, so for him to be lined up next makes an awful lot of sense, and his propensity for scheming alongside immense power will be a nice palette-cleanser after Apocalypse.

Bryan Singer has stated that the scene is setting up the plots of Wolverine 3 and, potentially, Gambit, which suggests Sinister won't be just a standalone villain, but an overarching threat (a good thing given that Magneto is no longer the main baddie of the franchise). There's comic-based potential for him to reach further than just those movies though; he has strong links to Cyclops, Jean and Cable, which means he could be tied into the future of the main X-Men and, excitingly, Deadpool.

Have you seen X-Men: Apocalypse? What did you think of its ending? Join the discussion down in the comments.