Onslaught (comics)

Onslaught is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He initially appeared in the X-Men comics in the 1990s. He was responsible for the Onslaught Saga crossover, which began in Onslaught: X-Men and ended in Onslaught: Marvel Universe and led directly into the Heroes Reborn event.

The nature of Onslaught's powers was at first unclear, but he managed to defeat or intimidate the most powerful figures in the X-Men books, including Juggernaut. The X-Men fought an inconclusive battle with his "herald", Post. After this, it became clearer that his powers were mental in nature, and Onslaught proposed a psychic "marriage" to Jean Grey, who turned him down.

Onslaught was ultimately revealed to be Professor X's repressed subconscious under the influence of the darker aspects of Magneto's mind, which he had directly contacted and "shut off" the last time the X-Men fought Magneto.

It took the combined powers of the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, The Incredible Hulk and Doctor Doom to defeat Onslaught, but all of the non-mutant heroes present were apparently killed in the process, save for the Hulk, who was somehow split physically between Bruce Banner and the Hulk, with Banner apparently dying alongside the heroes. The only mutant to be "killed" was the Scarlet Witch who was apparently able to sacrifice herself due to her reality altering powers. It was later revealed that Franklin Richards had placed those who had "died" in a pocket universe, from which they eventually returned.

Contents

1 Comic information 2 Powers and abilities 3 Origin 4 Character history 5 Comic appearances 6 External Links

Comic information

First appearance: X-Man #15 (actually, it can be argued that he first appeared in the special comic X-Men Prime which welcomed the X-characters back from the Age of Apocalypse) Last appearance: Onslaught: Marvel Universe Aliases: Charles Xavier, Magneto, That Which Shall Survive

Powers and abilities

Onslaught has shown a wide variety of abilities including super strength, energy projection, the ability to stun any desired team when combat begins, and mental manipulation. Though unrevealed, his source of power is probably telepathic in nature.

In addition to this, Onslaught has shown the ability to manipulate electromagnetic fields as extensively, if not more so, than one of his progenitors Magneto. Using these powers, he is able to control electricty, magnetism, gravity, heat, light, and other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Using the powers of X-Man and Franklin Richards, Onslaught became unstoppable. There was literally nothing he could not do. He is thought to be superior even to Apocalypse in terms of power at his peak.

Origin

Onslaught was created in X-Men #25, with his origins beginning in Uncanny X-Men #322. During the Fatal Attractions story arc, Magneto ripped the adamantium from Wolverine's skeleton after Wolverine tried killing him, causing Professor X to shut down Magneto's mind. During this exchange, a portion of Magneto was transferred into Professor X, which lingered in him and caused his repressed anger at humanity's intolerance to be released.

When Professor X was trying to scan the mind of Nate Grey (aka X-Man), the psychic teen ripped Xavier's astral form out of his body, something that had never been done before. He had done this instinctively, sensing the evil that would become Onslaught. However, it was actually he who freed Onslaught and helped Xavier subconsciously create a body for this psionic entity to reside in.

Character history

After manifesting into a physical being, Onslaught set out to acquire the means to his plans. He first acquired X-Man from Mr. Sinister, who had earlier stolen him from the protection of the X-Force. Onslaught then gained control of Franklin Richards, the reality-changing son of Fantastic Four members Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman. He went on to create his citadel in New York City from where he imprisoned X-Man and Franklin to harness their immense powers. He ultimately shed his armor to become a being of pure psionic energy. Only after numerous Marvel heroes sacrificed their lives was Onslaught able to be defeated, and his ultimate destruction led to the creation of an alternate Heroes Reborn universe.

Comic appearances

The Onslaught story arc took place over numerous Marvel issues and was reprinted in a 6 volume trade paperback.

1. Uncanny X-Men #322
2. X-Men Special Issue: The Road to Onslaught
3. X-Men #53
4. Uncanny X-Men #334
5. X-Men #54
6. Cable #34
7. Avengers #401
8. Fantastic Four #415
9. X-Man #18
10. X-Men #55
11. Uncanny X-Men #335
12. Fantastic Four #416
13. Uncanny X-Men #336
14. Cable #35
15. X-Man #19
16. X-Men #56
17. Excalibur #100
18. Generation X #18
19. Incredible Hulk #444
20. Wolverine #104
21. X-Factor #125
22. X-Force #57
23. Amazing Spider-Man #415
24. Avengers #402
25. Green Goblin #12
26. X-Men Unlimited #12
27. Incredible Hulk #445
28. Iron-Man #332
29. Punisher #11
30. Spider-Man #72
31. Wolverine #105
32. X-Factor #126
33. X-Force #58
34. Onslaught: Marvel Universe Special
35. Uncanny X-Men #337
36. X-Men #57
37. Onslaught Epilogue: The Path to Redemption
38. Excalibur #101

External Links

1. Detailed description of Onslaught [1] (http://www.uncannyxmen.net/db/time/showquestion.asp?faq=10&fldAuto=63)

1. Description of Xavier's gradual transformation into Onslaught [2] (http://www.uncannyxmen.net/db/article/showquestion.asp?faq=4&fldAuto=217)