No Matter How Hard Wolverine Tries, He’ll Never Be a True Hero, And That’s a Good Thing

True heroism will always elude Wolverine, and as a reader, I think that it’s for the better. The character has always been plagued by a darker side, constantly dividing him between the better nature he tries to adhere to and his animal ferocity. No matter how hard Logan tries, he’ll never be able to become a true hero, as the latest issue of his solo series proves.

Wolverine #3– written by Saladin Ahmed, with art by Martín Cóccolo – continues the protagonist’s confrontation with Marvel’s newest Wendigo, Leonard; rather than fight him, however, Logan must help him, while also surviving pursuit by Department H.

While Wolverine is able to keep Department H from attacking Leonard, he finds himself attacked by Leonard. Briefly, Logan gives into his instincts and slashes at Leonard with his claws, before being broken out of his rage by Leonard asking him to stop. Wolverine then stops himself from killing a Department H agent, before teaching Leonard breathing exercises to keep him in control.

Wolverine Proves Once Again That His Heroism Masks A Ferocious Animal Nature

Wolverine #3– Written By Saladin Ahmed; Art By Martín Cóccolo; Color By Bryan Valenza; Lettering By Corey Petit

The most appealing aspect of Wolverine, to me, has always been the sense of internal conflict within the character. His inner struggle between being the person he wants to be and the animal his instincts tell him to be drives nearly every single choice Logan makes. The dichotomy between these two parts of himself is what fuels his rivalry with Sabretooth, as Sabretooth represents everything Logan doesn’t want to become. Logan’s many acts of heroism throughout Marvel lore are how he proves to himself that he’s not the animal Weapon X saw him as.

Despite this, Logan still fails. There are moments when he gives into his berserker rage, ripping apart everything in his path, as Wolverine #3 emphasizes. His instinct driving him to attack Leonard with his claws – as well as his urge to kill the Department H agent who shot at him – are proof that he’ll never be able to fully suppress his instincts. I particularly appreciated how this year’s Wolverine & Deadpool: WWIII, by Joe Kelly and Adam Kubert, highlighted this as well, with Logan struggling with his own guilt over using his berserker rage in the climax of the series.

Wolverine’s Struggle To Become A Hero Is What Makes Him A Great Character – But It Means Never Truly Being A Hero

Marvel Can Never Make Logan Too Heroic

For as much as Logan has tried to control these base instincts of his, they will never fully go away. He will spend the rest of his life fighting them, and sometimes even failing to win against them. It’s a never-ending battle for Wolverine, requiring him to constantly make the choice to act on his better nature rather than giving into his berserker rage, even when every bone in his body is screaming out to give in to his instincts and let the animal win.

At the same time, I think it’s a good thing that Wolverine will never be a true hero. Knowing what he is capable of at his absolute worst, when he’s blinded by rage and consumed by his instincts to kill, forces him to keep on making the choice to be a better person. And the act of making that choice, each and every time, compels Logan to be better and better than he was before. Knowing his struggles makes each moment where Wolverine makes the choice to let his better nature win all the more powerful

The Worst Parts Of Wolverine Are What Motivate Him To Act As A Hero

Heroism Isn’t Instinctual For Logan, It’s A Choice

Wolverine is far from a perfect hero, and further from being a perfect man, and that is why I love him as a character. These are facts Logan would freely admit himself. Still, each day gives Logan a chance to be better than he was before. He’ll stumble making mistakes and losing some battles against himself along the way, yet he keeps on trying to be a better man than his animal instincts tell him to be. While he’ll never be a true hero, these are the choices which give him the fuel to be a better hero each day.

Logan’s natural instincts will keep him from being a true hero, but I think it’s for the best. His constant struggle against his instincts makes him a more captivating character, and the everlasting presence of those animalistic instincts is what drives him to be better each day. Logan will never be able to fully conquer his demons. They will always be a part of him until his dying breath, but those demons and the parts of himself he despises are what forces Wolverine to be a better man, and a better hero, than he was before.

Wolverine #3 is available now from Marvel Comics