[[{“value”:”
Summary
X-Force
and
Wolverine
writer Ben Percy discussed what goes into crafting a great villain – and in particular, how he applied his timeless observation to finding the perfect antagonists for a character like Logan.
The ongoing “Sabretooth War” arc – written by Percy and Victor LaValle – is the pay-off for years worth of groundwork, laid throughout the
X-Men’s
Krakoan era, bringing the Wolverine/Sabretooth conflict to a level unlike anything in the characters’ long history.
The Sabretooth War servers as a brutal celebration of Wolverine’s 50th anniversary, paying a twisted form of tribute to the half-century mark since the character’s introduction in an issue of
The Incredible Hulk
from 1974.
Wolverine is one of Marvel’s most hardcore heroes, and as a result, there is a delicate art to crafting suitable antagonists for him – but as one of the core X-Men writers of the Krakoan Era shared, it all starts with the classic effort to “find a dark mirror” for the protagonist.
The CEREBRO Podcast episode featuring writer Ben Percy offered a wide-ranging conversation on heroes and villains in comic book storytelling. Percy has authored many of the stand-out Wolverine stories of the last several years, using the opportunities provided by the X-franchise’s Krakoan relaunch to help the character reach new levels of drama and excitement.
The last several years of Wolverine stories have also elevated the character’s iconic villains, most notably Sabretooth – who has shown himself to be more formidable than ever before in the culmination of Percy’s run, the brutal Sabretooth War arc.
Wolverine’s One True Nemesis Redefines Their Rivalry with 1 Sentence
Wolverine’s arch rival, Sabretooth, just redefined everything fans thought they knew about their entire relationship with a single, haunting sentence.
Sabretooth was exiled to “the Pit” – the island of Krakoa’s prison for unrepentant mutant villains – in Jonanthan Hickman’s 2019 miniseries
House of X
. His actions in the ongoing “Sabretooth War” are in part driven by his humiliation and rage at having been cast down by mutant society, in one of the Krakoan Era’s most patient, long-term arcs.
Sabretooth Reflects Wolverine’s Darkest Qualities – & That Makes Him An Existential Threat
Despite being celebrated for his violence, an equally core part of Wolverine is that he does not revel in killing. Sabretooth is the opposite.
“If you’re doing it right,” Ben Percy opined, “your villain is an externalization of some internal conflict in the protagonist.” The author appeared on the CEREBRO podcast to discuss Omega Red, who he used as the central antagonist early in his Krakoan Era Wolverine run. In part, Omega Red’s inclusion in those initial plotlines came as a result of the long-term storytelling decision to hold Sabretooth back, as the X-Office writers viewed him as the ultimate antagonist for Logan – Wolverine’s ultimate “dark mirror.” Now, that decision is paying off in spectacular fashion.
Sabretooth and Wolverine have a vicious history; their similar power-sets, but radically opposite character types, have locked them hopelessly in a perennial cycle of conflict, of which Marvel’s “Sabretooth War” is only the most brilliantly bloody extension. Their rivalry has been at its best when writers, like Percy and Victor LaValle – author of the villain’s solo title, and driving creative force behind Sabretooth’s Krakoan renaissance – have leaned into the character as a malicious antithesis to Logan. Despite being celebrated for his violence, an equally core part of Wolverine is that he does not revel in killing. Sabretooth is the opposite.
The climax of the story also comes as part of a celebration of Wolverine’s 50th anniversary, since the character’s introduction – as an antagonist himself – in 1974’s
The Incredible Hulk
#180. Halfway through the “Sabretooth War” arc so far, Sabretooth’s unparalleled cruelty has been the most twisted celebration of this milestone imaginable.
The “Sabretooth War” Is A Brutal Celebration Of Marvel Icon Wolverine
Ben Percy and Victor LaValle’s ambitious, intense ten-part “Sabretooth War” arc will fittingly conclude alongside the Krakoan Era, wrapping up years worth of patient narrative maneuvering before the latest line-wide relaunch of the X-Men franchise. The climax of the story also comes as part of a celebration of Wolverine’s 50th anniversary, since the character’s introduction – as an antagonist himself – in 1974’s The Incredible Hulk #180. Halfway through the “Sabretooth War” arc so far, Sabretooth’s unparalleled cruelty has been the most twisted celebration of this milestone imaginable.
Though Sabretooth had long been identified as Wolverine’s arch-nemesis, Percy and LaValle’s takes on the characters have set a high bar for their conflict that will be difficult for future writers to reach, let alone surpass – though readers should be thrilled knowing that Marvel’s creative teams are certainly going to try. With Wolverine celebrating a historic birthday as one X-era ends and another begins, it is worth questioning the true extent of what kind of havoc the final Sabretooth vs. Wolverine showdown of the Krakoan Era will bring.
“}]] [Spoilers] is a reflection of Logan. Read More