Nate Grey, a.k.a. X-Man, is a powerful mutant genetically engineered by Mister Sinister using the DNA of Cyclops and Jean Grey.[10] With a shard of the M'kraan Crystal, Nate was transported from his home reality (the Age of Apocalypse) to Earth-616.[11]
Although he and Cable technically have different mothers, they are treated as alternate reality counterparts of each other.[23] Cable's mother is Madelyne Pryor, a clone of Jean Grey. When Nate entered Earth-616 and reached out for Jean, he inadvertently brought Madelyne back to life as a psionic construct.[24] Later, he accidentally freed Onslaught from Professor X's mind,[25] and he crossed paths with Mister Sinister[26] and Apocalypse of the new reality, particularly the latter's plan involving The Twelve.[27][28] During this time, he became intimate with the mutant known as Threnody.[29]
Nate's vast psychic powers were slowly killing him,[10][30] but he got them under control as the barefooted, X-tattooed "Shaman."[31] After merging with everyone on Earth in an act of self-sacrifice,[32] he returned during Norman Osborn's reign with H.A.M.M.E.R.,[33] but he lost the majority of his powers due to the Omega Machine.[34] He joined the New Mutants for a while[35] and briefly dated Dani Moonstar.[36] With his powers restored and increased with a Life Seed,[37] he presented as the "Second Coming" and formed the Horsemen of Salvation to make the world "perfect."[38] When the X-Men resisted,[39] he and the Life Seed created a new plane of existence for them to live in, but in time, he returned them home.[40]
