Appearing in "Traitor to the Cause"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Magneto (Erik Magnus Lensherr) (Photo)
- Juggernaut (Cain Marko) (Only in recap)
- Post (Tremain) (Only in recap)
- Havok (Alex Summers) (Mentioned)
- Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner) (Mentioned)
- Banshee (Sean Cassidy) (Mentioned)
- Cable (Nathan Summers) (Mentioned)
- Mister Sinister (Nathaniel Essex) (Referenced)
- Gene Nation (Mentioned)
- Acolytes (Mentioned)
- Exodus (Bennet du Paris) (Mentioned)
- Emplate (St. Croix) (Mentioned)
- X-Cutioner (Carl Denti) (Mentioned)
- Friends of Humanity (Mentioned)
- Graydon Creed (Mentioned)
- Odin (Invoked)
- Apocalypse (En Sabah Nur) (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth
- Asgard (Mentioned in narration)
- Age of Apocalypse (Mentioned)
Items:
- X-Uniforms
- Cyclops' Visor
- Fantastic Four Uniforms
- Captain America's Uniform and Shield
- Iron Man Armor Model YT1
- Crimson Cosmos Armor (Only in recap)
- Legacy Virus (Mentioned)
Vehicles:
- Quinjet (Mentioned)
Synopsis for "Traitor to the Cause"
At the Xavier Institute, Professor X reflects on his past friendship with Erik Lensherr and becomes disillusioned, throwing an old photo of them into the fireplace. He is telepathically calling the X-Men and tells them that there are more pressing concerns than the search for Juggernaut whom both Gambit and Bishop had fought earlier. Remy protests, but Jean Grey knows the real reason for his behavior: Professor X is Onslaught.
Jean uses her telepathy to probe Xavier for weaknesses while he addresses the X-Men, admitting his mistake in believing they could change the world. He expresses despair at the ongoing conflict between mutants and humans, concluding that they must take control to solve these problems. The X-Men are stunned by his declaration as he sounds more like Magneto.
Jean realizes Xavier's madness when she sees the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak on Xavier's desk - and Juggernaut is trapped inside the gem. She cries out to act, but Onslaught, now fully revealed, takes control, claiming Xavier created him to do what Xavier could not. Onslaught demonstrates his power by manipulating the X-Men’s minds and abilities.
In New York, Franklin Richards talks to "li'l Charlie," a manifestation of Onslaught, who tries to manipulate him. His parents think he has an invisble friend.
Back at the Xavier Institute, the X-Men attempt to delete critical data from Cerebro but are attacked by Onslaught. Onslaught manipulates Cannonball, leading to a conflict where Bishop realizes Onslaught used his memories of the Age of Apocalypse to make a plan for taking over this world. The X-Men are overpowered by Onslaught. When Dark Beast pledges his loyalty to Onslaught, he reveals that he knew about Dark Beast posing as Beast from the first second he stepped foot into the mansion.
The X-Men regroup and seemingly defeat Onslaught, but it is a trick. Onslaught wants to to pursue a different plan and, thus, he leaves together with Dark Beast.
At the Avengers mansion, the superhero group is informed about Onslaught and a connection to Charles Xavier by the young mutant Nate Grey. They decide to head to Westchester to investigate.
In a classified Sentinel factory, a Sentinel activates, ominously uttering "Onslaught."
| Onslaught Phase One | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onslaught: X-Men #1 | Uncanny X-Men #335 | X-Man #18 | Cable #34 | Avengers #401 | Fantastic Four #415 | X-Men (Vol. 2) #55 | ||||
| Onslaught Event | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Phase 2 | Impact 1 | Impact 2 | |||||||