History Main / HorsemenOfTheApocalypse

* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/SuperJail'''s latest (2014) season featured bizarre stories from tabloids suddenly becoming real. The episode ends with the arrival of the Four Horsemen and stops there; luckily for the prison, the show has NegativeContinuity.

** The Famine Devil shows up while posing as a high school girl, reviving and [[MakeMyMonsterGrow enlarging]] a critically-wounded devil [[spoiler:before partnering with the Eternity Devil to try to starve Denji to death]]. Besides the eyes, she's distinguished by her earrings that look like scales. Asa suspects she's connected to [[TheGhost the Justice Devil]].

* In ''Film/{{Elf}}'', the four rangers of Central Park show up to arrest SantaClaus, [[DisproportionateRetribution for putting them on the Naughty list]]. The way they are depicted make them seem like they actually are the four horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Most adaptations will replace Conquest with [[ThePlague Pestilence]], or a similar apocalyptic agent like [[Literature/GoodOmens Pollution]], [[FinalSolution Genocide]], [[NukeEm Nuclear Holocaust]] or {{Overpopulation|Crisis}}. In the Bible, Pestilence and Death are often understood as being the same being, and in some translations Death is named as Pestilence. Famine is also occasionally overlapped with the concept of Pestilence in some depictions, as a WalkingWasteland.

** The Famine Devil shows up while posing as a high school girl, reviving and [[MakeMyMonsterGrow enlarging]] a critically-wounded devil. Besides the eyes, she's distinguished by her earrings that look like scales. Asa suspects she's connected to [[TheGhost the Justice Devil]].

** The third devil with the eyes shows up suddenly while posing as a high school girl, reviving and [[MakeMyMonsterGrow enlarging]] a critically-wounded devil. She wears earrings like scales, suggesting the Hunger Devil, but Asa suspects she's [[TheGhost the Justice Devil]]--which aren't mutually exclusive, given the vague way the biblical figure describes the third rider. [[spoiler:She's revealed to be Famine after all.]]

** The third devil with the eyes shows up suddenly while posing as a high school girl, reviving and [[MakeMyMonsterGrow enlarging]] a critically-wounded devil. She wears earrings like scales, suggesting the Hunger Devil, but Asa suspects she's [[TheGhost the Justice Devil]]--which aren't mutually exclusive, given the vague way the biblical figure describes the third rider.

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'':

* ''Manga/ChainsawMan'': Makima mentions a battle against the Four Horseman as being what [[spoiler:reduced the Chainsaw Devil to his [[SealedEvilInATeddyBear weakened form]] known as Pochita]]. In a world where people's fear power devils based on their names, the ones named after the horsemen would naturally be in a league above the rest. They can be identified by a common {{Exotic Eye Design|s}}, [[spoiler:specifically concentric rings on their irises]]. And despite being called "Horse'''men'''", [[SheIsTheKing some or all of them are female]].

** Part 2 introduces the War Devil, [[SomeCallMeTim later called "Yoru"]], who wants the Chainsaw Devil to [[spoiler:throw up the Nuclear Weapons Devil he ate to bring back the threat of nuclear war]]. She initially appears in an avian form [[spoiler:due to still be weakened from the prior battle with the Chainsaw Devil where she was partially eaten]] before making a contract with the dying Asa Mikata and [[SharingABody fixing her body while also taking it over]]. Her power is [[SpontaneousWeaponCreation to make incredibly powerful weapons]] out of anything or [[HumanResources anyone]] if she thinks it "belongs" to her, with the weapons growing more powerful the greater the emotional attachment she had to them. The first we see them make is a sword out of the head and spine of [[spoiler:Asa's teacher Mr. Tanaka who lusted after her]] and then a literal hand grenade after chopping off the appendage of their foe and grabbing it.
** The third devil with the distinct eye designs shows up suddenly while posing as a high school girl, displaying some ability to revive and [[MakeMyMonsterGrow enlarge]] a critically-wounded devil. She wears earrings like scales, suggesting the Hunger Devil, but Asa suspects she's [[TheGhost the Justice Devil]]--which aren't mutually exclusive, given the way the vague way the biblical figure describes it.

** Part 2 introduces the War Devil, [[SomeCallHimTim who later calls herself "Yoru"]], who wants the Chainsaw Devil to [[spoiler:throw up the Nuclear Weapons Devil he ate to bring back the threat of nuclear war]]. She initially appears in an avian form [[spoiler:due to still be weakened from the prior battle with the Chainsaw Devil where she was partially eaten]] before making a contract with the dying Asa Mikata and [[SharingABody fixing her body while also taking it over]]. Her power is [[SpontaneousWeaponCreation to make incredibly powerful weapons]] out of anything or [[HumanResources anyone]] if she thinks it "belongs" to her, with the weapons growing more powerful the greater the emotional attachment she had to them. The first we see them make is a sword out of the head and spine of [[spoiler:Asa's teacher Mr. Tanaka who lusted after her]] and then a literal hand grenade after chopping off the appendage of their foe and grabbing it.
** The third devil with the distinct eye designs shows up suddenly while posing as a high school girl, displaying some ability to revive and [[MakeMyMonsterGrow enlarge]] a recently deceased devil. She wears earrings like scales, suggesting the Hunger Devil, but Asa suspects she's [[TheGhost the Justice Devil]]--which aren't mutually exclusive, given the way the vague way the biblical figure describes it.

* ''Manga/ChainsawMan'': Makima mentions a battle against the Four Horseman as being what [[spoiler:reduced the Chainsaw Devil to his [[SealedEvilInATeddyBear weakened form]] known as Pochita]]. In a world where people's fear power devils based on their names, the ones named after the horsemen would naturally be in a league above the rest. They can be identified by a common {{Exotic Eye Design|s}}, [[spoiler:specifically concentric rings on their irises]].

** Part 2 introduces the War Devil, who wants the Chainsaw Devil to [[spoiler:throw up the Nuclear Weapons Devil he ate to bring back the threat of nuclear war]]. They initially appear in an avian form [[spoiler:due to still be weakened from the prior battle with the Chainsaw Devil where they were partially eaten]] before making a contract with the dying Asa Mikata and [[SharingABody fixing her body while also taking it over]]. Their power is [[SpontaneousWeaponCreation to make incredibly powerful weapons]] out of anything or [[HumanResources anyone]] if they think it "belongs" to them, with the weapons growing more powerful the greater the emotional attachment they had to them. The first we see them make is a sword out of the head and spine of [[spoiler:Asa's teacher Mr. Tanaka who implicitly lusted after her]] and then a literal hand grenade after chopping off the appendage of their foe and grabbing it.

* They turned up in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'', when an order of monks accidentally loses a Book Sealed With Seven Seals. Centuries later, the book is purchased by Janine, and she breaks the seals, thinking the book harmless reading material, and so prematurely released the Four Horsemen. The Ghostbusters are called in as a desperate last resort as the Horsemen begin ushering in the Apocalypse. Not surprisingly, they find that their traps and proton packs are virtually useless, but they eventually do manage to contain the horsemen long enough to reapply the broken seals and return things to normal.
** [[spoiler: You know the caption underneath the picture? Well, that's what Peter Venkman called them.]]

* ''Manga/TheSevenDeadlySins'' has a sequel series titled ''Manga/FourKnightsOfTheApocalypse'' featuring four children who are prophesied to destroy the world. Tristan is Pestilence, Lancelot is War, Gawain is Famine, and Percival is Death.

* ''Manga/ChainsawMan'': Makima mentions a battle against the Four Horseman as being what [[spoiler:reduced the Chainsaw Devil to his [[SealedEvilInATeddyBear weakened form]] known as Pochita]]. In a world where people's fear power devils based on their names, the ones named after the horsemen would naturally be in a league above the rest.

** Part 2 introduces the War Devil, who wants the Chainsaw Devil to [[spoiler:throw up the Nuclear Weapons Devil he ate to bring back the threat of nuclear war]]. They initially appear in an avian form [[spoiler:due to still be weakened from the prior battle with the Chainsaw Devil where they were partially eaten]] before making a contract with the dying Asa Mikata and [[SharingABody fixing her body while also taking it over]]. Their power is [[SpontaneousWeaponCreation to make incredibly powerful weapons]] [[HumanResources out of human body parts]] if they think it "belongs" to them. The first we see them make is a sword out of the head and spine of [[spoiler:Asa's teacher Mr. Tanaka who implicitly lusted after her]] and then a literal hand grenade after chopping off the appendage of their foe and grabbing it.

* A certain [[https://i.imgur.com/UYu1GuG.png "Did you know" sentence]] from {{Wiki/Wikipedia}} on 23 December 2020 definitely had this in mind.

** Death is a Troll operating in Europe, mainly around Brussels, Paris, and Bern. His presence is usually accompanied by Metahumans dying with no identifiable cause, beyond a faint signature in astral space around the body. Appropriately enough, he wields a SinisterScythe, controls powerful toxic and [[NuclearNasty nuclear spirits]], and focuses on damaging offensive spells, such as an indiscriminate version of the Slaughter (metatype) spell, [[AcidAttack Toxic Wave]], and [[MakeThemRot Death Touch]].

* If you KickTheDog thoroughly enough in the RTS ''LordsOfTheRealmIII'', you may just end up recruiting four mysterious knights who are ridiculously overpowered... And if you go the other way around and end up as a pious, honorable, chivalrous lord to end all lords, you instead get Micheal, Raphael, Gabriel and Uriel.[[note]]Note that the horsemen and archangels only appear after about two hours has passed in a single game. They're absurdly powerful for the purpose of breaking the stalemate and getting the game over with (likely in favor of the slightly stronger player).[[/note]]

* ''Claymation Comedy of Horrors'' featured the Horsemen on sabbatical: Pestilence, War, Famine, and... Bad Dentures.

* ''Manga/TheSevenDeadlySins'' has a sequel series titled Manga/FourKnightsOfTheApocalypse featuring the four children of the Sins, who are prophesied to destroy the world.

* A version of the group appears in the ''[[Literature/TheCrewOfTheCopperColoredCupids Copper-Colored Cupids]]'' story ''[[https://thecrewofthecoppercoloredcupids.wordpress.com/2022/01/01/the-end-of-the-homeworld/ The End of the Homeworld]]''. They are initially trapped in a scroll until Conquest makes a deal with Gorbazaglaz for a way to destroy the Cupid Homeworld, and summons them by breaking the seal on the scroll. The original line-up is Death, War, Famine and Pestilence — with Death calling the other three his "brothers", although that could simply be him being [[PurpleProse dramatic]]. Death appears as the classic hooded skeleton, Famine is a [[RatMen humanoid rat]], War a BeastMan with a HairTriggerTemper, and Famine a [[HumanoidAbomination bald old man wearing a stained hospital gown, his skin covered with mold and lichen]]. However, Pestilence gets taken out by Juliet and [[ImmortalBreaker Sneernobiel]]. When Pythe casts a reverse spell to bind them again and save the day, the magic, being designed for ''four'' Horsemen, makes up the numbers by grabbing [[spoiler: Conquest-932]] to be the new Fourth Horseman — thus banishing him with them.

** Part 2 introduces the War Devil, who wants the Chainsaw Devil to [[spoiler:throw up the Nuclear Weapons Devil he ate to bring back the threat of nuclear war]]. They initially appear in an avian form [[spoiler:due to still be weakened from the prior battle with the Chainsaw Devil where they were partially eaten]] before making a contract with the dying Asa Mikata and [[SharingABody fixing her body while also taking it over]]. Their power is [[SpontaneousWeaponCreation to make incredibly powerful weapons]] [[HumanResources out of human body parts]] if they think it "belongs" to them. The first we see them make is a sword [[spoiler:out of Asa's teacher Mr. Tanaka who implicitly lusted after her]] and then a literal hand grenade after chopping off the appendage of their foe and grabbing it.

** [[spoiler:Makima herself]] is most likely Conquest, though this implication is somewhat LostInTranslation. [[spoiler:She's called the Devil of "control" in English, but "shihai (支配)" can also mean "conquest", and is how the Biblical figure's name is traditionally translated into Japanese.]] They're also implied to be plotting the other Horsemen's downfall, stating death, war, and hunger as things [[spoiler:the Chainsaw Devil should erase]].
** Part 2 introduces the War Devil, who wants the Chainsaw Devil to [[spoiler:throw up the Nuclear Weapons Devil he ate to bring back the threat of nuclear war]]. Their power is [[SpontaneousWeaponCreation to make incredibly powerful weapons]] [[HumanResources out of human body parts]]. The first we see them make is a sword.

* ''Literature/DarknessFalls'': The second book introduces the Four Horsemen as agents of good -- or at least neutrality. They are revealed as guardians against a world ending threat, only to end up walking weapons for said threat, who inevitably uses them to wreak havoc upon the human world

* ''Literature/GoodOmens'', which is about the end of days, naturally features the Four Horsepersons of the Apocalypse (that term will be explained below), who have traded in their horses for motorcycles. The novel also has a GoodCounterpart group of preteens called "the Them" who are the best friends of Adam, the novel's Anti-Christ. [[spoiler: one of the most [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome awesome moments]] in the book is when the Them face off against their Horseperson counterparts using nothing but crude facsimiles of the sigils mentioned in Revelations...and ''win''.]]

* They are portrayed on the cover of Music/{{WASP}}'s album ''Babylon''.

* [[WarGod War]] -- [[{{BFS}} Sword]] - [[RedIsViolent Red]]

Most adaptations will replace Conquest with [[ThePlague Pestilence]], or a similar apocalyptic agent like [[Literature/GoodOmens Pollution]], [[FinalSolution Genocide]], [[NukeEm Nuclear Holocaust]] or [[OverpopulationCrisis Overpopulation]]. In the Bible, Pestilence and Death are often understood as being the same being, and in some translations Death is named as Pestilence. Famine is also occasionally overlapped with the concept of Pestilence in some depictions, as a WalkingWasteland.

Compare DestroyerDeity. For Death when he's a solo act, see TheGrimReaper (or DontFearTheReaper for the more benign version.) See also FourIsDeath.

** [[spoiler:Makima herself]] is most likely Conquest, though this implication is somewhat LostInTranslation. [[spoiler:She's called the Devil of "control" in English, but "shihai (支配)" can also mean "conquest", and is how the Biblical figure's name is traditionally translated into Japanese.]]

** Part 2 introduces the War Devil, who wants the Chainsaw Devil to [[spoiler:throw up the Nuclear Weapons Devil he to bring back the threat of nuclear war]]. Their power is [[SpontaneousWeaponCreation to make incredibly powerful weapons]] [[HumanResources out of human body parts]].