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Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Ultimate Wolverine #2!Wolverine is one of the greatest Marvel heroes/antiheroes of all time, and the reason why is that he always fights for mutant liberation. Sometimes his methods are a bit intense (and murder-y), but what he’s fighting for is a greater good for all mutantkind. However, in the new Ultimate Universe, Wolverine’s role is totally flipped, as he’s seemingly become a brutal villain fighting against the very thing he would so often kill for in Earth-616.
In Marvel Comics’ solicitation for Ultimate Wolverine #2 by Chris Condon and Alessandro Cappuccio, fans are given the main cover art (by artist Alessandro Cappuccio) and the official synopsis for the upcoming issue.
THE MAKER’S COUNCIL AND THEIR ULTIMATE WEAPON! Colossus, Omega Red and Magik put the Ultimate Wolverine to the test by seeing how well he handles the OPPOSITION, a group fighting for mutant liberation!
In the new Ultimate Universe of Earth-6160, Wolverine is a slave to the Maker’s Council, specifically the Russian territory ruled over by Colossus, Magik, and Omega Red. While all three are mutants, none of them are interested in fighting for mutant rights. They belong to an elite club that secretly runs the entire world from the shadows, and they all operate at the pleasure of the Maker. The Maker has decided that mutants cannot be allowed to exist unchecked, meaning any group fighting for mutant liberation needs to be crushed immediately. And that’s where Wolverine comes in.
Who Is the New Mutant-Killing Wolverine? The Ultimate Universe’s Villainous Variant, Explained
It’s Seemingly Confirmed that Ultimate Wolverine is NOT James “Logan” Howlett
The solicitation for Ultimate Wolverine #2 reveals what Wolverine’s mission will be in the Ultimate Universe: kill mutants who are fighting for the liberation of mutantkind. But, who is this Wolverine variant? While a direct answer has not yet been given, the information that was made available upon the announcement of Ultimate Wolverine #1 (as shown above) gives fans a number of clues as to the identity of this mutant-killing living weapon.
A few things that are immediately striking about Ultimate Wolverine’s character design are the giant red star on the front of his costume and the mask covering his mouth underneath his cowl. Add to that the fact that he’s an unwilling, mind-controlled weapon of a Russian-based shadow organization, and it seems like Marvel is implying that Ultimate Wolverine will not just be a variant of the iconic X-Men hero, but also that of Bucky Barnes aka the Winter Soldier.
The identity of Earth-6160’s Wolverine is currently unknown, but aside from the hints that it could be Bucky Barnes, there are at least two names that can be removed from the list of potential identities. In Free Comic Book Day 2024: The Ultimates, it’s implied that James “Logan” Howlette aka the original Wolverine is dead, as his adamantium skeleton was shown on display in a facility owned by the Maker. Plus, Logan’s son, Akihiro (another ‘Wolverine’ from Earth-616), is currently in the custody of the mutant cult created by the Maker, Children of the Atom, as revealed in Ultimate X-Men.
Wolverine’s Son Just Earned a Shocking New Title That Comes Complete With a Special Superpower
While it may be shocking for some Marvel fans, Wolverine’s son has been named as the first mutant, claiming the title previously held by his father.
So, who is the Ultimate Universe’s new Wolverine? As of now, fans don’t know. But, fans do know that two of the usual ‘Wolverines’ are off the board, and this new Wolverine bears some striking similarities to the Winter Soldier. But, more than anything, fans know what the mission of this new Wolverine will be: kill mutants that are unsanctioned by the Maker’s Council.
Ultimate Wolverine Isn’t the Only X-Men Hero Betraying Their Original Role
Colossus and Magik are Even Worse than Wolverine in the Ultimate Universe
While Wolverine will pose a significant threat to all mutantkind in the Ultimate Universe (thereby betraying his original role in Earth-616), he’s nowhere close to being as bad as two other famous X-Men heroes: Colossus and Magik. Colossus and Magik are members of the Maker’s Council, and they’re the ones pulling the strings of this new Wolverine to attack mutants the Council deems a threat to its power. Wolverine may be the one doing the killing, but Colossus and Magik are the ones pulling the trigger, making them an even worse threat, and more heinous variants of their heroic counterparts.
The fact that Colossus and Magik are truly evil while Wolverine is just a mind-controlled weapon used to kill against his will actually contributes to an interesting overarching narrative of Wolverine’s Ultimate Universe story. The series assuredly won’t just be issue after issue of Wolverine killing mutants fighting for their own liberation (though it will certainly start out that way), it will likely evolve into a story detailing Wolverine’s personal liberation. Once he’s broken free of the Council’s control, it stands to reason that Wolverine will then attack Colossus and Magik (and Omega Red, but that’s nothing new).
Wolverine’s First Foe Gets a Twisted New Upgrade That Means Logan Can’t Kill Him
Wolverine’s first ever villain gets a new dark upgrade, one that makes in near impossible for the adamantium-clawed superhero to kill him.
The conflict that’s being established in this series before it even hits the shelves is truly exciting, as these famous X-Men allies will soon become bitter enemies. Add to that the mystery of who this Wolverine really is, and it becomes clear that Ultimate Wolverine is a series fans should be very excited about. However, as it stands in the first two issues, Wolverine’s identity is a secret, and he will seemingly be little more than a puppet of the Maker’s Council, with his role in the Ultimate Universe being the inverse of what Wolverine famously stood for in Earth-616.
Ultimate Wolverine #2 by Marvel Comics is available February 19, 2025.
Wolverine
The human mutant Wolverine (a.k.a. Logan) was born James Howlett, blessed with a superhuman healing factor, senses, and physiology. Subjecting himself to experimentation to augment his skeleton and claws with adamantium, Logan is as deadly as he is reckless, impulsive, and short-tempered. Making him the X-Men’s wildest and deadliest member, and one of Marvel Comics’ biggest stars. He’s played in Fox and Marvel’s movie franchises by Hugh Jackman.
“}]] Ultimate Wolverine flips his heroic role in Marvel Comics. Read More