X-amining X-Men (vol. 2) #56

"Invasion"

September 1996

In a Nutshell

Joseph meets Xavier & Dr. Doom joins the fray as the heroes prepare for their final assault on Onslaught! 

Plot: Scott Lobdell

Script: Mark Waid
Pencils: Andy Kubert
Inks: Art Thibert
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Joe Rosas

Enhancements: Malibu
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot

Atop Four Freedoms Plaza, Joseph tells Captain America of he and Rogue's recent encounter with a Sentinel, and how they were saved by Doctor Doom. Cap then proceeds downstairs to continue planning for the assault on Onslaught, while Joseph is greeted by Professor Xavier. The two commiserate on the roles they played in the creation of Onslaught. Xavier tries assuage Joseph's fears of becoming like Magneto, then sends him down to join the others. Meanwhile, in his Citadel, Onslaught reads the mind of the captive Nate Grey to learn more about Nate's home reality; he becomes enraged upon seeing how even in a mutant-dominated world, mutants cast off their domination, then absorbs Nate's power for himself. Back at Four Freedoms Plaza, Professor Xavier disables the tracking on his hover chair and sets out alone. Jean senses his departure during Captain America's briefing, and warns Cyclops that Xavier intends to face Onslaught himself. Cyclops tells her to telepathically rally the X-Men: Xavier won't have to face Onslaught alone. Meanwhile, Xavier arrives outside Onslaught's citadel. Onslaught leaps down to confront him, and Xavier insists that humanity's destruction is not mutantkind's gain. To his surprise, Onslaught agrees, then declares that no one, neither human nor mutant, will survive Onslaught!

X-amining X-Man #19

"Shades of Grey"

September 1996

In a Nutshell

Onslaught captures Nate Grey

Writer: Terry Kavanagh
Penciler: Steve Skroce
Inker: Bud LaRosa
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Mike Thomas

Enhancements: Malibu
Editor: Jate Gardner

Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

Mister Sinister tells the captive Nate Grey how he instructed Threnody to get close to Nate, and used her neuro-locks to map Nate's brain, giving him control over his abilities. Meanwhile, Threnody is in New York, a captive of Marauders Scalphunter & Arclight. Elsewhere, Onslaught compels the captive Franklin Richards to call out to Nate for help. Back at Sinister's lair, Nate hears the cry, faintly, and Sinister urges him to ignore it. In New York, Threnody is able to capture a rat, and absorbs the energy released when she snaps its neck. Elsewhere, Nate realizes that Sinister's control over his power was temporary, and turns on Sinister. In New York, the escaped Threnody runs from the Marauders, who are attacked from behind by a hulking, shadowy figure. At Sinister's lair, Nate is distracted by the opening of a portal, through which he can see Franklin, asking for help. Nate reaches out as Sinister cries out that it's a trap; as Franklin's hand becomes Onslaught's, he tells Sinister that it was indeed a trap, then disappears with Nate in tow. 

X-amining Cable #35

"It is Always Darkest..."

September 1996

In a Nutshell

Cable & Apocalypse team-up to take down Onslaught! 

Writer: Jeph Loeb

Penciler: Ian Churchill

Inkers: Scott Hanna & Art Thibert

Letterer: RS & Comicraft

Colorist: Mike Thomas

Enhancements: Malibu

Editor: Mark Powers

Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

In the midst of the psionic storm created by Onslaught, Cable & Invisible Woman are met by Apocalypse, who proposes they join forces against Onslaught & rescue Franklin Richards, thereby cutting off Onslaught from his reality-warping powers. Though Cable reacts to this proposal violently, he ultimately relents when Invisible Woman agrees, saying she'll do what is necessary to save her son. Cable & Apocalypse enter the Astral plane as a way to get inside Onslaught's citadel, but are forced to leave the non-telepathic Invisible Woman behind. Inside the citadel, the pair is attacked by psychic manifestations of Post, Hulk, and Magneto. During the fight, Apocalypse takes advantage of Onslaught's split attention to try and kill Franklin, but he is stopped by Invisible Woman, whom Cable helped smuggle onto the Astral plane. Ultimately, Onslaught proves too powerful for all three, and they retreat back to the physical world, forced to leave Franklin behind. Apocalypse scoffs at the heroes for allowing their feelings to stop them from doing what was necessary, but inside the citadel, Franklin's resistance has become emboldened by the actions of Cable and his mother. 

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #336

"A Voice as Deep as Thunder"

September 1996

In a Nutshell

Professor X is freed as Onslaught evolves! 

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Penciler: Joe Madureira
Inkers: Tim Townsend with Dell, V. Russell, and Milgrom
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colors: Steve Buccellato
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

Inside Onslaught, Franklin Richards tries to wake up the prone form of Professor X. Outside, as the Watcher & Apocalypse watch from afar, the combined Avengers, X-Men & Fantastic Four work to help those affected by Onslaught's EM pulse. At Four Freedoms Plaza, Bishop & Giant-Man tend to the heroes felled by the blast while Mister Fantastic continues gathering data on Onslaught. At his citadel, Onslaught begins to evolve, and Professor X wakes up, telling Franklin he needs to fight Onslaught no matter what. But the newly-transformed Onslaught appears and disappears with Franklin. Outside, Joseph attacks Onslaught, and is quickly joined by a contingent of heroes. When Onslaught reveals the form of the trapped Xavier, existing on both the physical & astral planes at the same time, the heroes combine their powers to crack Onslaught's armor, creating an opening which allows Thor to pull Xavier free. However, rather than end Onslaught, he declares that he is at last free, and triggers a psionic maelstrom to swirl around his citadel, causing further damage. Nearby, the Watcher & Apocalypse agree that Onslaught has become a greater threat than ever. When Apocalypse asks what's to be done, the Watcher tells Apocalypse he already knows the answer, and shows him an image of Cable.