X-amining Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1

"With Great Power..."

October 1996

In a Nutshell

The Avengers & Fantastic Four sacrifice themselves to defeat Onslaught!

Script: Mark Waid

Plot: Scott Lobdell & Mark Waid 
Pencils: Adam Kubert & Joe Bennet
Inks: Dan Green
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Steve Buccelato

Enhancement: Team Bucce
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot

Uatu the Watcher watches as the heroes of Earth make their last stand against Onslaught. Though the X-Men rescue Professor Xavier from the clutches of Onslaught, they are quickly overwhelmed, until they are joined by the Avengers, Fantastic Four, Doctor Doom, and Hulk. As Onslaught, determined to wipe out man and mutant alike, creates a second sun in the skies above the planet, the heroes work together to disrupt his force field. Meanwhile, the captive Franklin Richards & Nate Grey work to escape & cutoff Onslaught from their power. After the heroes manage to breach Onslaught's shields, Hulk asks Jean Grey to turn off the Bruce Banner part of his mind; completely savage, he attacks Onslaught, destroying his armor & seemingly killing him. But Onslaught survives, now as a being of pure psionic energy. Thor, seeking to contain the energy in a vessel that can then be destroyed, flies into the energy. Onslaught remains, but Mister Fantastic realizes the energy diminished. One by one, the various heroes enter Onslaught, each disappearing & taking a bit of his energy with them, save for the X-Men, whose mutant nature would risk empowering the mutant Onslaught. Once all the heroes have entered Onslaught, the X-Men strike, killing him just as Franklin & Nate emerge, safe and sound. Franklin looks for his parents, but finds only the weary X-Men, left behind to suffer the blame for the loss of Earth's greatest heroes, and mourn their loss. 

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-Men (vol. 2) #55

"Invasion"

August 1996

In a Nutshell

The combined might of the Avengers, Fantastic Four & X-Men face off against Onslaught's Sentinels!

Story: Mark Waid
Pencils: Andy Kubert
Inks: Dan Panosian
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Joe Rosas

Separations: Malibu
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot

As Onslaught's Sentinels descend on Manhattan, the X-Men & Avengers gather with the Fantastic Four on the rooftop of Four Freedoms Plaza, watching as chaos engulfs the city. Joined by Rogue, Gambit & Joseph, Captain America leads the heroes off to help the city and rescue Franklin Richards. Meanwhile, Onslaught tries to harness the captive Franklin's powers. Elsewhere, the Blackbird races back to New York, carrying Cyclops, Phoenix, Archangel & Psylocke, as well as the information from the Xavier Protocols which will hopefully help defeat Onslaught. At Four Freedoms Plaza, Reed Richards, Hank Pym and Iron Man attempt to come up with a way to counter Onslaught's powers. As the heroes continue their fights against the Sentinels, a massive citadel suddenly appears in Central Park, the result of Onslaught manipulating Franklin's powers. From atop the citadel, he declares the day marks the ultimate ascendance of the mutant race, then triggers a massive electro-magnetic pulse which sends the Blackbird crashing and leaves the heroes at Onslaught's mercy. Elsewhere, Ozymandias finds himself carving a statute of Onslaught, not as he is, but as he will be, while standing atop the ashes of the world. 

X-amining X-Men (vol. 2) #54

"Inquiring Minds"

July 1996

In a Nutshell

The identity of Onslaught is revealed! 

Story: Mark Waid
Pencils: Andy Kubert
Inks: Dan Panosian
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Joe Rosas

Separations: Malibu
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot

Cyclops is consoling Cannonball, upset over the lecture he received from Professor X, when Gambit & Bishop, leading a charge of X-Men, announce that Juggernaut is somewhere on the mansion grounds. As Cyclops splits the group into search parties, Jean enters the psychically-shield Z'Nox chamber beneath the mansion with Juggernaut in order to dig into his mind and learn Onslaught's secret undisturbed. When she seals the room, Cyclops feels his telepathic rapport with Jean end, prompting him to seek out Xavier. As the rest of the X-Men continue the search, the real Beast breaks out of the prison where Dark Beast had been holding him, only to be confronted by two shadowy figures. At the mansion, Cyclops informs Xavier about Jean, and he promises to search for her. When Cyclops tells him about Juggernaut, Professor X tells Cyclops to lower the mansion's defenses in order to lure Juggernaut to his target, Xavier, at which point the X-Men can defeat him as they so often have before. As Jean works to open Juggernaut's mind, Xavier begins to search telepathically for Jean, but is distracted by his frustration over his many recent failures, until he finally expresses all his pent-up anger in a burst of rage. Below, Jean is able to pull Onslaught's identity from Juggernaut's mind; horrified, she tells him Onslaught is inside the mansion, and he needs to run as far away as possible. Juggernaut does so, but as soon as he emerges from the chamber, he is mentally snared by Onslaught, who leads him to Xavier's study, where a waiting Onslaught rips the gem of Cyttorak from Juggernaut, removing his powers, before revealing himself as none other than Charles Xavier. 

X-amining X-Men (vol. 2) #53

"False Fronts"

June 1996

In a Nutshell

Onslaught reveals himself to Jean Grey

Writer: Mark Waid
Pencils: Andy Kubert
Inkers: Cam Smith & John Dell
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Digital Chameleon
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot

Jean Grey is shopping in Salem Center. Entering a dressing room to try on a dress, she is pulled onto the Astral Plane by Onslaught. Meanwhile, an imprisoned Beast accidentally breaks the apparatus delivering him food & water, but in doing so, reveals a possible escape route. On the Astral Plane, Onslaught confronts Jean with the duplicity & hypocrisy of humans, showing her the thoughts of the clerks at the clothing store then taking her Graydon Creed's campaign headquarters. Jean is nonplussed, saying that she buoys herself up by being surrounded by honest friends. In Colorado, Juggernaut emerges from the shadows threatening Archangel & Psylocke. Frightened, he tries to tell them crucial information, but discovers his mind is blocked from speaking it. He proceeds to march off towards the X-Mansion, convinced only Xavier can help him. Back on the Astral Plane, Onslaught brings Jean to the mind of Xavier, revealing his one-time romantic love for Jean, a secret she never knew. Onslaught ponders the possible consequences of Xavier keeping his emotions locked away so tightly. In South Carolina, Joseph wanders into a county fair. Elsewhere, Onslaught asks Jean to join him. She refuses, attacking him and asking who he really is. He says that he is a god, then sends her crashing back into the dressing room, his final words echoing in her mind - "know my name" - as she looks in the mirror and sees the word "Onslaught" telepathically etched onto her forehead. 

X-amining X-Men (vol. 2) #52

"Collector's Item"
May 1996

In a Nutshell
Gambit, Bishop and (Dark) Beast stop the mutant train but are captured by Mister Sinister. 

Writer: Mark Waid
Pencils: Andy Kubert
Inks: Cam Smith
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Marie Javins

Enhancements: Malibu
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot

Trying to stop a runaway commuter train filled with passengers infected by a virus mutating their genetics, Gambit charges up the train with kinetic energy, then advises Bishop to absorb that energy and re-channel it; the resulting kinetic backlash brings the train to a stop. However, the X-Men, including Beast, are knocked out by Mister Sinister. Meanwhile, Rogue rents an apartment in South Carolina, hoping to start a new life away from the X-Men. Back at the site of the train incident, local investigators have their evidence confiscated by the mysterious Bastion. In Sinister's lab, Beast awakens to find himself restrained. Sinister tells the captive X-Men the effects of the virus are temporary, then turns his attention to Bishop, who, hailing from the future, isn't part of Sinister's vast collection of mutant DNA. As he proceeds to examine Bishop's memories, Beast (who is actually Dark Beast in disguise) becomes terrified that Sinister will discover him. However, Gambit is able to escape and free sBishop & Beast, and in the ensuing fight, Sinister is chased away as his work on the virus is destroyed. The X-Men emerge from Sinister's lab, which Gambit recognizes as being outside St. Louis, prompting Dark Beast to suspect Gambit & Sinister shares some secrets, a revelation he plans to keep to himself until it proves useful. 

X-amining X-Men (vol. 2) #50

"Full Court Press"
March 1996

In a Nutshell
Cyclops, Storm, Iceman & Wolverine are captured by Post, herald of Onslaught!

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Pencils: Andy Kubert
Inker: Cam Smith
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Joe Rosas
Separations: Electric Crayon
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot
Waking up in a strange location with no memory of how they got there, Cyclops, Storm, Iceman & Wolverine are shocked by the apparent damage they've sustained: Cyclops is missing his visor, while Iceman is missing a sizeable chunk of his chest. Back at the X-Mansion, Xavier awakens to find Gateway on the verge of teleporting him away. Quick action from Bishop & Phoenix knock out Gateway. Meanwhile, Wolverine senses the presence of a cloaked figure, and is able to force a mutant named Post to reveal himself. He briefly battles the X-Men, stating that Onslaught is impressed, before re-cloaking himself. At the X-Mansion, Xavier & Jean attempt to telepathically interrogate a revived Gateway, but are unable to do so, and the assembled X-Men are probed by a violent psionic entity. As the missing X-Men continue their fight with Post, Beast reasons they were captured specifically because their powers are not psionic in nature. Just then, Cyclops & Wolverine are able to pierce Post's armor, completing Onslaught's test and sending the four captive X-Men back home.After they arrive, the psionic entity addresses Gateway, telling him that while he thought these beings would serve as the last line of defense against the coming danger, he was wrong. Their victory today was minimal at best: Post was the weakest of Onslaught's emissaries, and his coming will be the X-Men's devastation!