X–Men Explorer v.02
Onslaught

Onslaught

Onslaught

Created by Mark Waid & Andy Kubert
First Appearance
X-Man #15 (1996)
Appearances
50
Primary Team
Debut Era
1990s

A psionic entity born from the combined consciousness of Professor X and Magneto, created when Xavier mindwiped Magneto. Onslaught represents the darkest potential of both men (Xavier's repressed rage fused with Magneto's ruthlessness). The Onslaught event was a line-wide crossover that temporarily removed the Avengers and Fantastic Four from the Marvel Universe.

Appearances Over Time

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Series

Most Appearances By Series

The Uncanny X-Men (1981) 8 issues

Issues #333 – #384

8 of 405 issues (2%)

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X-Men (1991) 6 issues

Issues #53 – #56

6 of 118 issues (5%)

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Avengers & X-Men: Axis (2014) 4 issues

Issues #1 – #5

4 of 9 issues (44%)

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Onslaught Unleashed (2011) 4 issues

Issues #1 – #4

4 of 4 issues (100%)

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Weapon X-Men (2024) 4 issues

Issues #1 – #4

4 of 4 issues (100%)

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X-Men Unlimited (1993) 3 issues

Issues #12 – #14

3 of 50 issues (6%)

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X-Factor (1986) 3 issues

Issues #125 – #131

3 of 150 issues (2%)

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X-Man (1995) 3 issues

Issues #15 – #19

3 of 76 issues (4%)

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Cable (1993) 3 issues

Issues #33 – #72

3 of 108 issues (3%)

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Excalibur (1988) 2 issues

Issues #100 – #99

2 of 126 issues (2%)

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Events

Event Participation

First Appearance

X-Man #15

1996

First Appearance

X-Man #15

May 1996

Fan Sentiment

Onslaught remains one of the most ambitious yet polarizing crossover events of the '90s, with its psychic amalgam concept generating more mixed reactions than outright praise. The storyline is frequently cited as overstuffed and convoluted, particularly its finale, though the setup and early tension between Xavier and Magneto's merger earn respect. The 2021 Onslaught Revelation one-shot and X-Men '97's adaptation attempts show Marvel recognizing both the character's iconic status and the need to streamline what the original event made unnecessarily complicated.

Real Name

Onslaught

Created By

Mark Waid & Andy Kubert