Marvel: Crisis Protocol – Why Is Onslaught Coming Such A Big Deal?
Okay, we HAVE to talk about Onslaught coming to Marvel: Crisis Protocol. I’ve been holding this one in, but I can’t any longer.
In case you missed it or haven’t been paying attention, one of the craziest and most menacing mutant villains is coming to MCP in 2026.
Onslaught is not just a fantastic looking character; he almost ended the Marvel Universe. But we’ll get to that. First off, I just want to take in this sculpt one more time!
I really love how the crew at Atomic Mass Games captured this character. If you’re a fan of him from the comics, video games, or really any other media, then you know that this is spot-on character design. That said, let’s get into why Onslaught’s coming is such a big deal.
Onslaught: The Beginning
Now, I’m going to assume that if you’re reading this, then you either already know all this or have no idea who this character is. If you’re in the latter group, then this is really for you. If you’re in the former group, then I think you can back me up on why his arrival is BIG news. So let’s start with who exactly is Onslaught?
Well, there are clues you can see just from looking at him. He’s certainly giving off some Magneto vibes, right? And you’re on the right track! You see, Onslaught is actually a psionic entity created from the minds of Professor X and Magneto. He was born from the events of the Fatal Attractions storyline from the early ’90s. You might not know the name, but you probably know the artwork:
From X-Men #25, Marvel Comics
After this moment, Professor X loses it and essentially enters Magneto’s mind telepathically and shuts him down. However, in that instance, a part of Magneto’s mind (the anger and all the other dark emotions) mingled with the Professor’s darker side. It was subtle at first, but over time, it grew stronger. If you were reading the X-Men comics at this time, then you might have picked up on the hints that something was brewing. However, it wasn’t until X-Men vol. 2 #53 that Onslaught was officially revealed in his first appearance. To be fair, there was a cameo and a teaser before that…but the point is it took a couple years real time before Onslaught showed up. And once he did he wrecked EVERYONE.
From the cover of X-Men/Avengers: Onslaught Vol. 1 (Trade Paperback)
Onslaught and the subsequent storyline didn’t just change the X-Men, he helped to redefine Marvel Comics in the 90s. And I mean ALL of Marvel Comics. This wasn’t just a crossover (although it was a major crossover). His storyline had ripple effects that changed the landscape of Marvel throughout that era of comics. If you remember the Heroes Reborn era, well, Onslaught’s Saga was the direct cause of that.
Onslaught: Power Unlimited?
Okay, so Onslaught is powerful enough to basically end the Marvel Comic Universe…so how powerful is he? I’m going to keep this short: He’s a reality warper. On top of all the powers of Professor X and Magneto, he could also absorb other powers. And eventually, he even absorbed Franklin Richards. Which, again, reality warping powers. He is defeated…but at the cost of essentially the Avengers and the Fantastic Four sacrificing themselves to stop him.
Turns out they weren’t killed but saved by Franklin Richards who transported them into a pocket universe. How? “Because Comics!” is how. That’s a whole OTHER tangent. The point is that Onslaught is crazy powerful and it took the combined might of the X-Men, Avengers, and Fantastic Four to stop him. Which brings me to why I think Onslaught’s arrival is so important for MCP.
Can Onslaught Be Stopped …On The Tabletop?
If Onslaught doesn’t get a crazy Ultimate Encounter, then I don’t know what AMG is thinking. His very arrival is a Crisis Event that needs to happen! It would be silly for him to NOT get some sort of custom scenario to play. That said, I still think there will be a version of him that you can bring in your own lists. I don’t know what Threat Level he’s going to clock in at …but I’m thinking at MINIMUM 6. I know we’ve got a couple Threat Level 7s in the game, and I think Onslaught will likely be at that point, if not higher. I think his base level should give Thanos with two Infinity Stones a run for his money, is what I’m saying!
And look, I know there are technically other later versions of him. And honestly, the other versions are a little toned down compared to the one from the 90s. So there is some wiggle room there. But the Onslaught I know is beyond Omega-level, and I really hope we see some of that on the tabletop!
The Future Post-Onslaught
The last thing I want to bring up is the fact that Onslaught’s arrival opens up the doors for a few other characters. I already mentioned Franklin Richards (who I don’t think should be in the game). But he’s the son of Reed and Sue of the Fantastic Four — which, yeah, where are they at for MCP? But there’s also Nate Grey which… I don’t want to get into the history of here. But he could be added due to his part in the Onslaught Saga.
But on top of all that, there’s also the fever-dream-like character re-imaginings from the Heroes Reborn universe, too. Talking about extreme ’90s throwback action…whew. Anyhow, there are options and directions AMG could take from there after Onslaught arrives.
Whatever happens, I’m looking forward to getting my hands on Onslaught. I don’t think I’ve been this excited for a new villain since Apocalypse arrived in Marvel: Crisis Protocol. And that’s saying something!
Bring on Onslaught!!!
