Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Wolverine #10!Wolverineis as tough as Marvel heroes come, but theX-Menmember’s latest weakness is so heartbreaking, it completely recontextualizes who Logan is as a hero, and that unfortunate“kryptonite”is tragically Logan’s late mother. Invulnerable superheroes like Wolverine, known for their incredible powers, including healing factors, have very few fatal flaws. However, the emotional turmoil and painful origins that many heroes face often serve as critical humanizing weaknesses.
In the preview pages ofWolverine#10, written by Saladin Ahmed, with art by Javier Pina, Wolverine follows a letter that was allegedly written by his long-deceased mother. Upon entering the eerie building,the Ademantium-clawed hero is rendered dumbstruck merely by his mother’s scent,and while he is frozen, overwhelmed by emotion, an unknown person sneaks up and strikes him from behind with a crowbar.
Wolverine shouldn’t have been caught so easily off guard as a mutant with superhuman senses, but his mother’s scent had completely dulled his awareness and proven a considerable liability.
Wolverine’s Greatest Weakness Will Shock Fans, And It Has Nothing to Do With His Mutant Abilities
Wolverine#10; Written By Saladin Ahmed; Art By Javier Pina; Color By Bryan Valenza; Letters By VC’s Cory Petit
Wolverine’s centuries-old life is marred by hardships. Still, one of the most tragic yet transformative moments in his life happened inWolverine: The Origin#3, when Logan’s mutation manifested after witnessing his father’s murder.Upon seeing Logan kill his father’s murderer, Wolverine’s mother cast him out and called him a monster, indirectly catapulting Logan into the hero he is today. In his childhood, it was revealed that Wolverine’s mother was institutionalized after the death of her first son, and her declining mental health caused her to neglect Logan even before his mutant powers manifested.
Wolverine admits that the prospect that his mother is still alive has clouded his mind….
Logan is a fierce warrior who is known for being unshakable. However, it’s clear from his reaction to his mother’s alleged letter that,deep down, he still yearns for his mother’s love, something he was hardly afforded in childhood. Wolverine admits that the prospect that his mother is still alive has clouded his mind, and when he is met by his mother’s scent, he also confesses that he feels little and weak. This character flaw is far more detrimental to Logan than it initially appears, as it’s been hinted that Wolverine’s enemies are already taking advantage of this weakness.
Wolverine’s Most Dangerous Weakness Isn’t Physical, It’s Emotional & Calls Back to His Tragic Past
Logan’s Rage and Repressed Trauma Reveal a Flaw No Superpower Can Fix
It’s irrefutable that Wolverine is a tough hero, butone flaw that has always been a core part of his character is his tendency to be a highly emotional person.As a berserker, he is often driven by rage and vengeance, which is reflected in his hyper-aggressive tendencies. InDaredevil#7,Wolverine is possessed by Matt Murdock’s lustfor violence because Marvel has constantly associated Wolverine with these strong emotions. Wolverine has also been shown to mask his emotional pain, so it makes sense that Logan’s mask would shatter when confronted with a person who stirs complicated feelings, such as his mother.
It’s normal for a person to mentally freeze or become irrational when met with unresolved and suppressed trauma, and despite being an immortal superhuman, Wolverine is no different when met with these difficulties. This terrible and tragic weakness is both parts highly exploitative and one of Wolverine’s most unique downfalls, becauseit’s a weakness that goes beyond brute physicalityand instead takes a more personal approach, which is arguably more cutthroat. Moreover, it reveals the complexity of Logan’s inner character, as one of his greatest strengths is also his most damning weakness.
Wolverine’s Newest Weakness Opens the Door to His Most Twisted Defeat Yet
Using Logan’s Grief Against Him Is the Darkest Weapon Marvel Has Introduced
By no means is Wolverine’s mother his only weakness, as he has been shown to fare poorly when his healing factor is used against him, such as trapping him underwater, or when facingopponents that can manipulate metal, such as Magneto. Yet there is an aspect to Wolverine’s new weakness that is far more sinister.Luring Wolverine in with the false hope that his loved one is still alive has the potential to become incredibly dark.This is especially true when considering that Wolverine’s most infamous and morally bankrupt villain, Sabretooth, has been dropping hints for his return.
Wolverine’s latest weakness is potentially his most catastrophic, as it strikes deeper than any he has faced before. The emotional impact Logan feels when encountering his mother, or even just sensing her presence, affects him in a way his powers cannot heal. His vulnerability to her scent or even the thought of her makes this weakness both heartbreaking and uniquely dangerous. It introduces a devastating new way to take downWolverinethat goes beyond traditional physical combat.
