Warning: The following article about Magneto and Wolverine contains spoilers for X-Men ’97 Season 1, Episode 10, “Tolerance Is Extinction – Part 3.”
X-Men ’97 Season 1’s penultimate episode, “Tolerance Is Extinction – Part 2,” ends by recreating a key moment from the comics: Magneto yanking out Wolverine’s adamantium. This is a big deal – and not just because of its obvious implications for poor Wolvie.
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See, Magneto’s brutal attack is pulled directly from “Fatal Attractions”: a 1993 X-Men comics storyline. In and of itself, this isn’t that remarkable. Like X-Men: The Animated Series before it, X-Men ’97 regularly recycles plot points from Marvel’s comic book canon. Season 1 has already borrowed heavily from the “Inferno,” “Lifedeath,” “E is for Extinction,” and “Operation: Zero Tolerance” story arcs, to name just a few. But what’s noteworthy here is that “Tolerance Is Extinction – Part 2” running back “Fatal Attractions” sets the stage for X-Men ’97 to adapt another narrative – one that shook the Children of the Atom to their collective core.
Indeed, the story X-Men ’97 is poised to adapt next is no less than the 90s X-Men comics’ biggest crossover: “Onslaught.”
What Is the X-Men Comics’ ‘Onslaught’ Crossover About?
“Onslaught” ran from April to December 1996. It pits the X-Men against (you guessed it) Onslaught: a supremely powerful mutant powerhouse who looks a bit like Magneto on steroids. There’s a reason for that: Onslaught is Magneto – kinda. He’s a psionic entity created from the fusion of the worst bits of Professor X and Magneto’s respective psyches. Onslaught is “born” when Xavier uses his telepathic powers to wipe Magneto’s brain after he mortally wounds Wolverine in “Fatal Attractions.” Nobody (not even Xavier) knows what’s up at the time, and Onslaught’s existence is initially a secret. Even when Onslaught finally steps into the spotlight, his true nature isn’t immediately apparent.
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There are clues, however. Notably, Onslaught follows a twisted version of Xavier’s dream of ending mutant oppression, warped by Magneto’s more radical bent and his own repressed negative emotions. Onslaught possesses a unique insight into Xavier’s innermost thoughts, as well (including his not-so-fatherly feelings for Jean Grey). Onslaught also demonstrates an intense dislike for the Juggernaut – Xavier’s abusive stepbrother, Cain Marko. Eventually, the X-Men put two and two together (with help from time-traveler Bishop) and unite with the Avengers and Fantastic Four to take down Onslaught. They win, but the Avengers and the FF are both temporarily banished to an alternate Earth! Everyone blames the X-Men (natch), increasing global anti-mutant sentiment.
How X-Men ’97 Sets Up Onslaught’s Arrival
That’s all suitably epic – but how does it fit with existing X-Men ’97 lore? Well, for starters, X-Men: The Animated Series Season 3 already confirmed that Xavier’s dark side can manifest itself as a separate entity. What’s more, Magneto’s cartoon counterpart is a mutant rights hardliner, just like in the comics. And by the time “Tolerance Is Extinction – Part 2” rolls around, his extremist ideology has all but consumed him. So, a psychic cocktail of these guys’ thoughts and feelings would be just as potent in an X-Men ’97 do-over of “Onslaught” as in the original crossover.
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Season 1’s finale, “Tolerance Is Extinction – Part 3,” even serves up a scenario in which Xavier and Magneto could’ve unwittingly spawned Onslaught. Immediately after Magneto performs unsanctioned surgery on Wolverine, Xavier invades his mind. Granted, Xavier doesn’t leave the Master of Magnetism a vegetable, however, Magneto’s temporary memory loss suggests he came close. Indeed, Professor X zaps Magneto with enough intensity to easily cause unforeseen side effects. Xavier also acknowledges that he shares the same roiling emotions as Magneto – surely that’s more than just a throwaway line? So yes, Season 1 has already sown plenty of seeds for Onslaught’s introduction in Season 2 or 3.
How Faithfully Will X-Men ’97 Adapt ‘Onslaught’?
Assuming X-Men ’97 ultimately pays off all its “Onslaught” stage setting, the next question is how faithful it will be. Honestly, the answer is probably “not very.” After all, the X-Men: The Animated Series relaunch’s previous adaptations have largely borrowed the broad strokes of comic book storylines, rather than retelling them blow-by-blow (the “Lifedeath” two-parter is a great example). And fair enough, too. Certain aspects of “Onslaught” wouldn’t translate well to the TV show, such as the Fantastic Four and Avengers’ heroic sacrifice, which wouldn’t carry any weight. Oh, and Bishop warning the team of the traitor in their midst already happened in X-Men: The Animated Series Season 1. So, having him do the exact same thing again would be a tad lame.
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Yet the essence of the “Onslaught” story – the X-Men’s mentor breaks bad – is dynamite stuff, regardless of how many superficial details change. So long as the X-Men ’97 creative team stays true to that, they’ll have another incredible season of TV on their hands if (and remember, that’s still an “if”) they adapt the “Onslaught” crossover next.
All 10 episodes of X-Men ’97 Season 1 are now streaming on Disney+.
