Editing Nate Grey (section)

=== Age of Apocalypse ===
{{Main|The Age of Apocalypse}}
[[File:X-man1-1995.jpg|thumb|upright|Nate Grey from his first appearance in ''X-Man'' #1]]
In the parallel reality known as [[The Age of Apocalypse]], [[Mister Sinister]], one of the elite [[Horsemen of Apocalypse|Horsemen]] of the High Lord [[Apocalypse (character)|Apocalypse]], artificially created Nate (naming him Nathaniel Grey), from genetic material from Cyclops and Phoenix. Sinister created Nate as the ultimate [[mutant (Marvel Comics)|mutant]] and hoped to use him in his own bid for power against Apocalypse.<ref name="X-Man #-1"/>

However, Cyclops, in his many subversive raids on Sinister's pens, helped Nate escape Sinister's hideout; neither Cyclops nor Nate knew their connection to each other. Nate came under the tutelage of [[Forge (comics)|Forge]] and several other mutant outcasts. Forge began the long process of teaching Nate how to control his powers as well as the benefits of being a "good guy". Nate also began to see the horrors of Apocalypse's world firsthand, and was determined to bring him down.<ref>''X-Man'' #1–2</ref>

Sinister infiltrated Forge's group disguised as the wanderer Essex in order to follow Nate's progress. Sinister eventually killed both Brute and Forge.<ref>''X-Man'' #2–3</ref> Nate battled Sinister to avenge Forge's death. During the conflict, Sinister allowed Nate to read his mind, revealing both Nate's origin and his ultimate destiny of defeating Apocalypse. Sinister emerged from the fight mortally wounded, and Nate left to battle Apocalypse.<ref>''X-Man'' #4</ref> That battle occurred while the alternate X-Men were beginning their final gambit—defeating this reality with the [[M'Kraan Crystal]].

[[Holocaust (Marvel Comics)|Holocaust]] interrupted Nate's battle with Apocalypse as the X-Men's plan succeeded and the Age of Apocalypse was washed away. In response, an angry Nate impaled Holocaust with a shard of the M'Kraan Crystal, with unexpected results — both vanished.<ref>''X-Men: Omega'' (1995)</ref>