Fatal Attractions

Claws are ripped, metal is stripped, and the X-Men face their darkest hour.

In 1993, Marvel Comics published "Fatal Attractions," a major crossover written by Fabian Nicieza and Scott Lobdell that spanned the entire X-Men line to commemorate the team's 30th anniversary. The storyline reignited the conflict between Professor Xavier and Magneto as the mutant villain returned with his Acolytes from Avalon, a space station retrofitted with Shi'ar technology. Tensions reached a breaking point when Magneto declared his intention to wipe out humanity, forcing Xavier to cross a moral line he had long avoided. The event featured high-stakes battles involving teams like X-Factor, X-Force, and Excalibur, culminating in a devastating showdown where Wolverine lost the adamantium bonded to his skeleton. This narrative arc fundamentally altered character trajectories, leaving Magneto comatose and Xavier haunted by an emerging psychic entity.

Quick Facts

Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writers: Fabian Nicieza, Scott Lobdell

Lore & Background

The core of "Fatal Attractions" revolves around the return of Magneto and his Acolytes, now led by Fabian Cortez after Quicksilver declined to take command. The conflict began when the Acolytes attacked Camp Hayden, the headquarters for Project Wideawake, a government Sentinel program defended by X-Factor. Meanwhile, Exodus offered sanctuary on Avalon, revealed to be Cable's former base, Graymalkin. When Cable attempted to destroy the station's sentient computer core, Magneto intervened, nearly killing him in a lopsided battle.

The philosophical clash peaked when Magneto activated an electromagnetic pulse that crippled Earth's electrical systems, prompting the UN to activate the "Magneto Protocols" using satellites to block his powers. Professor X, utilizing a Shi'ar exoskeleton to walk, assembled a strike team including Jean Grey, Gambit, Rogue, Quicksilver, and Wolverine to confront Magneto on Avalon. The story highlighted the extreme measures both sides would take: Xavier mindwiping Magneto into a coma, and Colossus defecting to join Magneto after his sister Illyana died from the Legacy Virus.

Reader's Guide

Readers should track the event through specific tie-in issues: X-Factor #92, X-Force #25, Uncanny X-Men #304, X-Men (vol. 2) #25, Wolverine (vol. 2) #75, and Excalibur #71. The collected editions include the trade paperback "X-Men: Fatal Attractions" (January 1995) and an Omnibus hardcover released in April 2012, which collects Uncanny X-Men issues 298–305, 315, Annual 17; X-Factor 87–92; X-Men Unlimited 1–2; X-Force 25; X-Men 25; Wolverine 75; and Excalibur 65. The storyline leads directly into the "Bloodties" crossover and sets up the Onslaught Saga of 1996, as Xavier's mindwipe unleashed a psychic entity in his mind. Note that Magneto did not return until Uncanny X-Men #350 in 1997, while Wolverine remained without adamantium until Apocalypse rebonded it in 1999.

Did You Know?

The storyline was written to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the X-Men's debut.
After losing his adamantium, Wolverine discovered he possessed natural bone claws made from his actual skeletal structure.
Colossus stayed aboard the devastated Avalon to care for the comatose Magneto after joining the Acolytes.