SkunkyArt | WTFBOOOMSH — DBX: DIO vs Apocalypse

Both Dio Brando and En Sabah Nur were originally humans who lived long before the common age where the heroes of the story (Stardust Crusaders and X-Men) live, and were bred into their lust for power and views on humanity due to their abusive parents.

They were taken in by a certain powerful family (Joestars and Sandstormers), however, a certain young man (Jonathan Joestar and Nathaniel Richards) saw the horrible plans they were going to commit and tried to stop them in contrasting ways.

They were originally human, however they casted this aside after becoming monsters that were rejected and feared by society (Vampires and Mutants respectively). They are commonly referred to as the first of these, however there was one before them with extremely potent abilities (Kars and Selene Gallio) who would be defeated later on after their supposed "deaths".

After they gained their abilities, they gained many followers and were worshipped as "gods", and in time they viewed themselves as this and planned to conquer the world in any means necessary. In reality, they are actually the result of experiments from higher, ancient alien beings (Magellanic Cloud and Celestials respectively) who caused the birth of the ancient powers that many heroes in the story would gain which gave them "superpowers" of sorts (Stands and X-Gene).

Eventually, they rejected their old names and took on a single word name that has divine, more deeper meanings (DIO and Apocalypse). They also have a close relation to Egypt and often reside here.

In time, they succeeded and gained ultimate power after absorbing the power of a certain amount of beings (The Souls of 36 Sinners and "The Twelve").

Eventually, when they were on the brink of death, they swapped bodies with another, younger vessel in which they would use when they resurfaced in the common era.

They were "locked away" for hundreds of years before finally resurfacing to the common era and continued their plans to "cleanse humanity" and serve over them as their ruler/god.

They are also commonly fighting with an edgier anti-hero (Cable and Jotaro Kujo) who has an association with time, which was ironically caused by DIO/Apocalypse.

They also have alternate timeline counterparts they are often ossociated with (Ultimate Apocalypse and Diego Brando), and they also have a right-hand man who were also powerful villains to the heroes (Mr. Sinister and Enrico Pucci).