Marvel just introduced a devastating new force to Weapon X and their experiments on mutants. Now, the metal that has become part of Wolverine's body is once again making him a target.
In Wolverine #1 by Saladin Ahmed and Martín Cóccolo, Wolverine battles his old enemy Cyber in the wilds of Canada. Logan brutalizes Cyber, whose arms are coated in adamantium, and the clashes of their battle awaken a mysterious golden metal deep underground. An injured Cyber later encounters this golden metal while fleeing from Wolverine and is possessed by it, with his adamantium being 'infected' and taking on a golden sheen.
Fans also get to hear the new metal's 'thoughts' through narration, where it decries adamantium as a "false metal" and reveals plans to purge it from the world. These thoughts also imply what this new gold adamantium replacement actually is, confirming that "once it was wielded by the worthy." If this tease means what it seems to, Wolverine is up against a threat of godly proportions.
25 Deadliest Versions of Wolverine's Claws (Ranked)
Wolverine's claw have been upgraded, altered, and imitated numerous times. This list ranks 25 versions of the iconic claws in order of deadliness.
Wolverine's New Gold Adamantium Virus Is Possessing the Super-Metal
Logan's Old Enemy Cyber Is Patient Zero in a Mass Invasion/Infection
Despite its rarity, adamantium is a synthetic alloy which doesn't occur in the natural world. Totally unbreakable, it does have one weakness - the unique vibrations of Antarctic Vibranium can disrupt its molecular cohesion, causing it to melt. Now, it seems another vulnerability can be added to that list, as the ancient metal awoken by Cyber and Wolverine is able to transmute existing adamantium into its own form. This new metal is teased as being superior to adamantium, and its consciousness suggests it has some mystic properties.
That's bad news for Wolverine, as - thanks partly to Weapon X - a lot of his enemies have some form of adamantium in their system. Cyber is just the first individual to be possessed by the new gold adamantium, with Martín Cóccolo's cover for Wolverine #4 showing Wolverine battling a possessed Constrictor, now wielding gold adamantium tentacles. What makes the new metal particularly dangerous is that it's unifying so many of the deadliest people alive, and it won't be satisfied until Logan is either stripped of his adamantium or turned into another possessed drone in its army.
Why the new, natural, golden adamantium hates the synthetic version will be revealed over time, but the metal's brief words this issue and golden color do offer one compelling theory...
Is Wolverine's new 'gold adamantium' actually Adamantine? If so, the original unbreakable metal of Greek myth is back to destroy its synthetic imitator.
"It Almost Got Physical": The Idea for Wolverine's Bone Claws Caused a Huge Argument Among Marvel Creators
Wolverine writer Larry Hama explains the behind-the-scenes drama at Marvel over Logan's bone claws in the nineties, saying "It almost got physical."
Is the New Gold Adamantium Actually Adamantine?
Logan Has a Fascinating History with the Godly Metal
Marvel's adamantium takes its name from Adamantine - a mythic, indestructible metal wielded by the Greek gods. Indeed, in Marvel lore, the demi-god Hercules often uses an Adamantine mace in battle. It makes sense that the 'gold adamantium' is actually an ancient deposit of Adamantine, which has awoken in the modern day only to find the gods replaced with flawed superhumans and its own legacy stolen by an inferior imitation. Indeed, adamantium's creator Dr. Myron MacLain was inspired by the legend of Adamantine in creating his original alloy, making adamantium very much the usurper of Adamantine's legendary status.
Little is known about Adamantine's additional powers in Marvel lore, but its use by the Greek gods suggests it is likely capable of injuring cosmic beings and interacting with exotic energy types such as magic.
Longtime fans will that Wolverine has some history with the golden Adamantine, though not the version of Logan from Earth-616. Introduced in Greg Pak and Mike McKone's Astonishing X-Men #44, Captain James Howlett is a Wolverine variant from a world with similarities to the early 1900s. Howlett is in a romantic relationship with this world's Hercules, who gave Howlett his Adamantine mace to bond to his skeleton. This Wolverine has similar powers to the original, but his Adamantine granted him extra powers, including telepathic protection and being able to absorb Cyclops' optic beams into his claws by slashing them out of the air.
Sadly, it seems the mainstream Wolverine is about to develop a very different, far more antagonistic relationship with Adamantine, if the new 'golden adamantium' really is this mythic metal come back to claim its due. However, whether the new gold adamantium is Adamantine or not, its mission is very clear - wipe adamantium from the face of the Earth by replacing it wherever it appears and possessing anyone connected to it in order to get the job done. That means that in the best case scenario, Wolverine is about to face a gauntlet of his most unbreakable enemies, and in the worst, he's about to become the living weapon of yet another uncaring force of evil.
Wolverine #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.
- NAME
- James "Logan" Howlett
- Alias
- James "Logan" Howlett
- Created By
- Roy Thomas, Len Wein, John Romita Sr.
- POWERS
- Retractible claws and Adamantium skeleton. Superhuman senses, stamina, and strength. Healing factor and longevity.
- Franchise
- X-Men, Marvel
- Age
- 197 (in the MCU)
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.
