THE ASSASSINATION OF GRAYDON CREED (1996-1997)

The public aren't aware that presidential candidate Graydon Creed is the son of the murderous mutant Sabretooth and his duplicitous X-Factor ally Mystique. The X-Men are rightly concerned that Creed could easily rise to power now that the world blames mutants for the death of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. Iceman and Cannonball are sent to infiltrate Creed's campaign team. But, Mystique has her own plans to put a stop to Graydon Creed.

The outcome is inevitable and it all leads to OPERATION: ZERO TOLERANCE in which Bastion finally declares open war on mutantkind...

Find out more about the events that lead up to this story arc:

• A NATION RISING - Graydon Creed becomes a presidential candidate
• THE ROAD TO ONSLAUGHT - Creed's connection to Bastion revealed
• ONSLAUGHT - The death of the heroes
• ONSLAUGHT AFTERMATH - Creed uses fear of mutants to win voters

• Uncanny X-Men #338
• X-Men #58
• Uncanny X-Men #339
• X-Men #59
• Uncanny X-Men #340
• X-Factor #127-130

Uncanny X-Men #338

Ozymandias visits Archangel as his metal wings shatter, revealing his feathered wings have somehow regrown. Young Joseph is still unable to remember his time as Magneto. Psylocke summons the X-Men to Archangel who's trying to save people from a Pyro's out-of-control mutant powers, caused by his Legacy Virus infection. The subdued and weary Pyro hints at a mystery woman wanting him to kill someone for her. In Washington, Bobby Drake (Iceman) and Sam Guthrie (Cannonball) are revealed to have infiltrated Graydon Creed's campaign team.

X-Men #58

Storm wonders why Gambit would be mourning at the graves of the Morlocks (killed during MUTANT MASSACRE) when he wasn't part of the team when they were murdered. Bobby Drake is shocked when is father, William Drake, speaks out against Graydon Creed during a televised interview, despite openly showing his dislike of Iceman's mutant powers in the past. Gambit becomes jealous of Joseph when he tries to help Rogue gain control of her powers. Their brief fight leaves Rogue unimpressed with both of them. J Jonah Jameson continues to investigate Graydon Creed, making him the surprising target of the Brotherhood's new leader, Havok.

Uncanny X-Men #339

Spider-Man (Ben Reilly) gives the X-Men the heads up that J Jonah Jameson may be in trouble. At X-Factor's headquarters, Mystique makes plans to interfere with Graydon Creed's campaign. Havok and Ever intercept J Jonah Jameson's flight to meet a press contact in London, warning him that mutants don't need human help in stopping Creed. Cyclops and Havok fight it out as the plummet to the Earth, only for Cyclops to learn that not only is Havok not being mind-controlled but he's willing to let his brother die in the name of his cause. Havok teleports away and Storm rescue Cyclops. Joseph saves the damaged passenger jet. In London, Bastion kills Jameson's press contact to stop him revealing his parentage to the press, stating Creed is a valuable asset to Operation: Zero Tolerance.

X-Men #59

Cyclops and Phoenix take time out after all their recent woes. Hercules shows up at the Xavier School for Higher Learning for a 'friendly' bout with Bishop and to recruit Quicksilver into his surviving Avengers. Struggling to deal with the deaths of his sister the Scarlet Witch and his ex-wife Crystal, Quicksilver agrees to leave with Hercules. Joseph apologises to Quicksilver as he leaves. On the campaign trail, Bobby Drake makes sure his father is safe from Graydon Creed while Sam Guthrie discovers someone else appears to be giving Creed orders.

Uncanny X-Men #340

Having discovered William Drake is Bobby's father, Graydon has him beaten and left for Bobby to find. The X-Men visit Bobby as he stays by his father's bedside in hospital. Wolverine takes out the members of the Friends of Humanity who come to finish the Drakes off. After a heart-to-heart with Storm, Bobby decides it's time for Iceman to leave the X-Men. Sam Guthrie declines Phoenix's offer to abort his undercover mission. 

X-Factor #127

Mystique escapes the X-Factor compound when she learns Destiny's grandson, Trevor Chase, has been beaten half to death by members of the Friends of Humanity. While the rest of X-Factor are questioned over the existence of Shard (their new, secret team mate), Mystique is busy tracking down and breaking the Friends of Humanity. Forge catches up with her as she sits beside Trevor Chase in hospital (though she keeps calling him 'Tyler' for some reason). She swears revenge knowing her son, Graydon Creed, was responsible.

X-Factor #128

X-Factor begin to question their role as the US Government's 'mutant militia' when they seem to spend less time rescuing mutants and more time apprehending them. The team successfully complete their mission to bring down a team of mutants before the Friends of Humanity can, only to discover that they're all Jamie Madrox - the Multiple Man isn't dead! Bastion's agent Harper warns Graydon Creed to cut all ties with the Friends of Humanity.

X-Factor #129

Jamie Madrox reveals to Shard that it was one his his duplicates died from the Legacy Virus, not the original. Forge refuses to hand Madrox over to Val Cooper. Mystique disguises herself as Madrox so X-Factor can keep him in hiding, then takes the opportunity to escape again. She locates Pyro and prepares to make her move against Graydon Creed. Madrox also reveals that he's been working as a secret agent for the US Government and that Havok tried to recruit him into the Brotherhood. Madrox agrees to help Polaris find Havok.

X-Factor #130

Graydon Creed refuses X-Factor's protection, especially as his father Sabretooth is one of the team. Despite this, the team catch up with Mystique when she points a weapon at Creed, stopping her from taking the kill shot. Despite her protests and Pyro's efforts to save him, Graydon is killed by a mystery assailant by a weapon that leaves him as a smouldering pile of ash. Mystique reveals she was trying to prevent further damage to human/mutant relations by saving Creed. The team receive a message via their computer that Mystique will be their next target.

X-Men #60 (1997)

Sam Guthrie/Cannonball is pulled out of Creed's campaign team after his funeral.

X-Factor #131-135 (1997)

Havok recruits Dark Beast and Fatale into his Brotherhood; X-Factor fake their deaths and go underground; Shard and Jamie Madrox get close; Strong Guy wakes from his coma and is reunited with Jamie Madrox.

X-Man #26-29 (1997)

Havok recruits Nate Grey and Aurora into the Brotherhood; Havok abandons Nate when he becomes injured on a mission.

Uncanny X-Men #341(1997)

Joseph uses the Z'Nox chamber to subdue Rogue's powers and allow him to kiss her as he continues to make a play for her.

Heroes For Hire #1 (1997)

In search of adventure, Hercules joins the Heroes For Hire.

X-Men #65 (1997)

Bastion makes his move against the X-Men, revealing the existence of his Prime Sentinels and capturing the main team during OPERATION: ZERO TOLERANCE.

X-Factor #136-139 (1997)

Operation: Zero Tolerance operatives break Forge's control over Sabretooth, allowing him to turn against X-Factor; Mystique begins to break away from the team to pursue her own agenda; Havok comes to X-Factor's aid, defending them from government forces; X-Factor rescue the recovered Trevor Chase from the government's Hound program.

Uncanny X-Men #348-349 (1997)

Momentarily depowered, Rogue and Gambit take the opportunity to 'fully express their love for each other' during OPERATION: ZERO TOLERANCE.

X-Men #69 (1997)

Ironically, it's Iceman's leave of absence to look after his father that leads to him avoiding capture by Operation: Zero Tolerance and enables him to play a key role in stopping Bastion during OPERATION: ZERO TOLERANCE.

Uncanny X-Men #350 (1997)

Gambit is put on trial by Erik the Red (actually a disguised Magneto) where it's revealed that he led the Marauders to the entrance to the Morlock tunnels leading to their slaughter; the X-Men turn their backs on Gambit during OPERATION: ZERO TOLERANCE.

1997-??? Quicksilver #1 (1997)

Instead of joining a team with Hercules, Quicksilver seeks purpose elsewhere and becomes the leader of the Knights of Wundagore.

Quicksilver #4 (1998)

Quicksilver is reunited with Crystal when the heroes return.

X-Factor #143-144 (1998)

Havok disbands his Brotherhood and rejoins X-Factor.

X-Men #77-78 (1998)

Psylocke loses her Crimson Dawn powers when she sacrifices them to trap the Shadow King on the astral plane during PSI-WAR.

X-Men #84 (1999)
Professor X returns to the X-Men during THE HUNT FOR XAVIER.

X-Men #86-87 (1999)
Joseph is revealed to be a clone of Magneto created by Astra (a previously unknown member of the original Brotherhood of Evil Mutants); Joseph sacrifices himself to stop Magneto from causing global disaster during THE MAGNETO WAR.

Wolverine #147 (2000)

Archangel discovers he's gained new healing powers along with his feathered wings during APOCALYPSE: THE TWELVE.

X-Men Forever #2 (2002)

Prosh sends a select group of mutants through time, including Mystique; it's revealed that Mystique's future self (the present day version, at this point) killed Graydon Creed.

Cable #87 (2001)

Despite trying to save Graydon Creed to stop a war between humans and mutants, Mystique still tries to assassinate presidential candidate Senator Robert Kelly; Pyro saves Kelly's life, but the Legacy Virus finally claims the him during DREAM'S END.

X-Men #206 (2008)
Ironically, Bishop ends up betraying the X-Men, himself, in an effort to prevent his dystopian timeline from coming to pass during MESSIAH COMPLEX.

X-Force #3-6 (2008)

Graydon Creed is resurrected by Bastion using a sample of the Techno-Organic Virus from the corpse of the Magus; Archangel's wings are cut off by a mind-controlled Wolfsbane; Archangel's metal wings return and he discovers he's able to switch between feathered and metal wings during DIVIDED WE STAND.

X-Force #21 (2010)

Pyro is briefly resurrected by Selene to act as one of her undead mutant army during NECROSHA.

Uncanny X-Force #10-18 (2011-2012)

Following the death of Apocalypse, a Death Seed planted in Archangel is activated and begins to transform him into Apocalypse's replacement; X-Force cure Archangel with a Life Seed, removing the taint of Apocalypse and his memories, leaving him with techno-organic wings.

Astonishing X-Men #7 (2018)

Long after Angel's memories have returned, Professor X helps him regain control of his wings, Archangel person and his bloodlust during MARVEL LEGACY.

X-Men: Gold #30 (2018)

Gambit and Rogue get married.

Marauders #1 (2019)

Pyro is one of the mutants resurrected by the X-Men on Krakoa and joins Kitty Pryde's Marauders during DAWN OF X.

X-Men: Onslaught Aftermath

Includes Uncanny X-Men #338-340, X-Factor #130 and X-Men #58-59.