History ComicBook / Onslaught

* SpoilerCover: ''X-Men'' volume 2, #54 features the reveal of Onslaught as Professor X and a cover with a silhouette on Onslaught. A variant holograph cover also features Charles's head front-and-center in the silhouette.

* ArcWelding: The opening of ''Onslaught: X-Men'' does this to the traitor tape that was a part of Bishop's backstory, revealing that Jean sent it after Onslaught attacked X-Men--and hence that the X-traitor was none other than Professor X himself (debunking Bishop's theory the traitor was Gambit), not that he was the first to die (and while he didn't die, either, Jean believed it was Juggernaut). The story also had Onslaught use an element from the early comics ([[TeacherStudentRomance Professor Xavier having the hots for Jean]]) to try to lure Jean to his side. Additionally, Onslaught's existence is traced back to Xavier mindwiping Magneto in retaliation for ripping out Wolverine's adamantium in ''ComicBook/FatalAttractions''.

* CostumeCopycat: Shortly before Onslaught finally made his move, Beast's ''ComicBook/AgeOfApocalypse'' counterpart, the Dark Beast, captured and impersonated him to hide from Mr. Sinister and any further reprisals by him.[[note]]After ''[=AoA=]'' ended and Dark Beast ended up in the main Marvel Universe, it was revealed that Dark Beast, who was a protege of that reality's Sinister, had, as part of a StableTimeLoop, experimented on the Morlocks. Earth-616!Sinister recognized his own theories in use and the events of ''Mutant Massacre'' were revealed to be Sinister getting rid of unauthorized use of his work.[[/note]]

* ArcWelding: The opening of ''Onslaught: X-Men'' does this to the traitor tape that was a part of Bishop's backstory, revealing that Jean sent it after Onslaught attacked X-Men--and hence that the X-traitor was none other than Professor X himself (debunking Bishop's theory the traitor was Gambit), not that he was the first to die (and while he didn't die, either, Jean believed it was Juggernaut). The story also had Onslaught use an element from the early comics ([[TeacherStudentRomance Professor Xavier having the hots for Jean]]) to try to lure Jean to his side. Additionally, Onslaught's existence is traced back to Xavier mindwiping Magneto in retaliation for ripping out Wolverine's Adamantium in ''ComicBook/FatalAttractions''.

* EnemyWithin[=/=]EnemyWithout: Xavier's evil side had already manifested in physical form once before in the ''X-Men vs ComicBook/{{Micronauts}}'' series.

** Separating Xavier from Onslaught. Instead of destroying him, it freed Onslaught from any sense of Xavier's morality and influence.

The X-Men suffer several attacks by minions of the seemingly omnipotent entity known only as "Onslaught", who appears to know them well. He is also the one behind the recent stealing of the [[MechaMooks Sentinel]] fleet from a government base. When Gambit and Jean Grey go undercover to learn more about an unrelated GovernmentConspiracy, they are exposed but get an unexpected help from Onslaught. Later he tries to bring Jean over his side by showing her [[TeacherStudentRomance the dark long-repressed thoughts of her mentor]] [[ComicBook/ProfessorX Charles Xavier]]. She refuses. Juggernaut, who was [[TheWorfEffect attacked by Onslaught as well]], comes to the X-Mansion and asks Jean to look for its true identity [[MindReading inside his head]]. She does and finds out that Onslaught is none other than Professor X.

** The existence of Onslaught himself given he was created when [[ComicBook/FatalAttractions Xavier lashes out at Magneto over the latter's ripping out of Wolverine's adamantium.]]

* WouldHurtAChild: Apocalypse's idea to end the crisis (and rid himself of a potential rival) was to kill Franklin Richards. Needless to say both Cable and [[MamaBear the Invisible Woman]] put an end to that plan.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Separating Xavier from Onslaught. Instead of destroying him, it freed Onslaught from any sense of Xavier's morality and influence.

* CostumeCopycat: Shortly before Onslaught finally made his move, Beast's ''ComicBook/AgeOfApocalypse'' counterpart, the Dark Beast, captured and impersonated him to hide from Mr. Sinister and any further reprisals by him.[[note]]After ''[=AoA=]'' ended and Dark Beast ended up in the main Marvel Universe, it was revealed that Dark Beast, who was a protege of that reality's Sinister, had, as part of a StableTimeLoop, experimented on the Morlocks. Earth-616!Sinister recognized his own theories in use and the events of ''Mutant Massacre'' were revealed to inister getting rid of unauthorized use of his work.[[/note]]

** When Onslaught invades Four Freedoms Plaza in search of Franklin Richards, the boy ([[spoiler: actually Lyja in disguise]]) is seen watching his "favorite video," which appears to be an episode of ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers''.

* RedSkiesCrossover: ''Wolverine'' # 103 was labeled as tie-in but had no connection whatsover.

** The titles displaying the Crossover's logo were generally separated into two types, with directly affected titles branded "Onslaught: Phase (1, 2, or 3, depending on the month)" while the more Red Sky types were billed as "Onslaught: Impact (1, 2, 3)". Most of the "Impact" issues featured the heroes (e.g. SpiderMan) facing Onslaught-controlled Sentinels. Interestingly enough, there was an issue of ''Comicbook/ThePunisher'' that had criminals hiding out inside the remains of a destroyed Sentinel.

* RedHerring: The aforementioned "ArcWelding", "OnceMoreWithClarity", and "PlotArchaeology" ultimately made Gambit's role in the X-Traitor subplot this, as again ''Onslaught: X-Men'' opened with the reveal the garbled tape Jean made about the X-Traitor was really about Xavier himself and she'd believed Juggernaut died, debunking Bishop's brief that the Witness, an older Remy, was the traitor and started the massacre of the X-Men with Xavier.

* ArcWelding: The opening of ''Onslaught: X-Men'' does this to the traitor tape that was a part of Bishop's backstory, revealing that Jean sent it after Onslaught attacked X-Men--and hence that the X-traitor was none other than Professor X himself, not that he was the first to die (and debunking Bishop's theory it was Gambit and while he didn't die, either, Jean believed it was Juggernaut). The story also had Onslaught use an element from the early comics ([[TeacherStudentRomance Professor Xavier having the hots for Jean]]) to try to lure Jean to his side. Additionally, Onslaught's existence is traced back to Xavier mindwiping Magneto in retaliation for ripping out Wolverine's Adamantium in ''ComicBook/FatalAttractions''.

* ArcWelding: The opening of ''Onslaught: X-Men'' does this to the traitor tape that was a part of Bishop's backstory, revealing that Jean sent it after Onslaught attacked X-Men--and hence that the X-traitor was none other than Professor X himself, not that he was the first to die (while he didn't die, either, Jean believed it was Juggernaut). The story also had Onslaught use an element from the early comics ([[TeacherStudentRomance Professor Xavier having the hots for Jean]]) to try to lure Jean to his side. Additionally, Onslaught's existence is traced back to Xavier mindwiping Magneto in retaliation for ripping out Wolverine's Adamantium in ''ComicBook/FatalAttractions''.

* MentalFusion: Onslaught is mostly Xavier with some Magneto. ''[=AXIS=]'' adds a heap of Red Skull to the mix.

The X-Men suffer several attacks by minions of the seemingly omnipotent entity known only as "Onslaught", who appears to know them well. He is also the one behind the recent stealing of the [[MechaMooks Sentinel]] fleet from a government base. When Gambit and Jean Grey go undercover to learn more about an unrelated GovernmentConspiracy, they are exposed but get an unexpected help from Onslaught. Later he tries to bring Jean over his side by showing her [[TeacherStudentRomance the dark long-repressed thoughts of her mentor Charles Xavier]]. She refuses. Juggernaut, who was [[TheWorfEffect attacked by Onslaught as well]], comes to the X-Mansion and asks Jean to look for its true identity [[MindReading inside his head]]. She does and finds out that Onslaught is none other than Professor X.

* OmnicidalManiac: See above.