Summary

• Uncanny X-Men #133 showed fans how deadly Wolverine truly is, establishing his reputation for slicing people to bits.
• Uncanny X-Men #212 marked the first in-canon fight between Wolverine and Sabretooth, sparking their iconic rivalry.
• Uncanny X-Men #142 proved that Wolverine could be killed, showcasing that his healing factor isn't unbeatable - and those are just three examples of how Chris Claremont's Uncanny X-Men run made Wolverine the character he is today.

It’s fair to say that X-Men or otherwise. His backstory is overflowing with tragedy, his constant internal conflict is ceaselessly interesting, and the decision he makes every day to be a hero rather than a weapon is immensely inspiring.

James “Logan” Howlett truly has it all in of being a compelling character, which is why it’s no surprise that Wolverine has ed a number of solo comic series, an entire film franchise (while consistently stealing the show in others), and more than a few novels and video games. However, for as rich as Logan’s lore is now, it wasn’t always that way. In fact, before Chris Claremont got ahold of him, Ol’ Canucklehead was actually kind of boring. Sure, he had his bout with the Hulk, and - yes - he was recruited for the X-Men without Chris Claremont’s help, but it wasn’t until Chris Claremont began writing Uncanny X-Men that Wolverine was truly able to shine. Chris Claremont paved the way for Wolverine’s character to grow exponentially, and it all started in the pages of the early Uncanny X-Men books.

Chris Claremont started writing X-Men in issue #94, which began the series’ transition from being titled ‘X-Men’ to ‘Uncanny X-Men’.

10 “Wolverine Lashes Out!”: Chris Claremont Showed Fans How Deadly Wolverine Really Is

Uncanny X-Men #133 by Chris Claremont and John Byrne

When all the X-Men were defeated and captured by the Hellfire Club, it was up to Wolverine - and Wolverine alone - to save them. Logan snuck through the clubhouse that was heavily guarded by armed goons, and when the time came to strike, Wolverine did so without hesitation or mercy. This was the first time fans got to see Wolverine be truly deadly.

There were no teenage X-Men to protect or mission guidelines to follow, this was a gritty rescue op that actually required Wolverine to do what he does best. Wolverine slicing people to bits is fairly commonplace now, but only because he was first shown doing it in issues like this one, which helped establish that status quo for Wolverine moving forward.

9 Chris Claremont Gave Wolverine His All-Time Worst Enemy: Sabretooth

Uncanny X-Men #212 by Chris Claremont and Rick Leonardi

Sabretooth was a member of Mr. Sinister’s Marauders during the now infamous event, the Mutant Massacre. During that storyline, Sabretooth wasn’t just tasked with killing Morlocks, but also the X-Men themselves - and Wolverine was the only one who could stop him. The fight that ensued between the two was brutal, and it was the start of one of the most iconic rivalries in comic book fiction.

This comic marked the first time Wolverine and Sabretooth fought in-canon. While their backstories would later be fleshed out, revealing that they’ve known each other practically all their lives, that wasn’t yet the case when this comic was written, making it directly responsible for every Wolverine vs Sabretooth story that followed.

8 Chris Claremont Does The Seemingly Impossible: Kills Wolverine

Uncanny X-Men #142 by Chris Claremont and John Byrne

The Days of Future Past event was immensely impactful for a number of reasons, but as far as Wolverine specifically, nothing topped the moment when he was vaporized by a Sentinel in the alternate timeline of this desolate future. Wolverine was reduced to nothing more than an adamantium skeleton, as his flesh disintegrated almost instantly.

This moment wasn’t just an iconic visual, but it also showed the world for the first time that Wolverine could - in fact - be killed. While Wolverine wasn’t originally as invincible as he seems today (indeed, Wolverine recently survived getting ripped in half by a Wendigo), he was still plenty durable thanks to his healing factor. This issue, however, proved that his healing factor wasn’t unbeatable.

7 Wolverine Having Feelings For Jean Grey Was Established By Chris Claremont

Uncanny X-Men #242 by Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri

This issue marked the first time Wolverine and Jean Grey kissed, which is also when Wolverine’s long-standing feelings for Jean were finally out in the open. Even Archangel blurted out that he’d noticed Wolverine pining for Jean for some time, with Wolverine himself confirming as much by asking Jean right after they kissed, “Worth waitin’ for, eh, Jeanie?”.

While this declaration of pent-up feelings was less than romantic given the circumstances, this moment became the launching-off point for a status quo that would transcend Marvel Comics itself. Not only did the Wolverine/Jean Grey/Cyclops love triangle also happen in the Ultimate Universe some years later, it was also a main aspect of their characters in the ‘90s animated series and the original 20th Century Fox X-Men films.

6 Claremont Established Wolverine’s Long-Standing Connection With Mariko & Clan Yashida

Uncanny X-Men #118 by Chris Claremont and John Byrne

Wolverine’s experience in Japan that kicked off in this issue unarguably changed his life forever. Not only did this time give him a new perspective on how to live his life in a more peaceful and centered way - learning how to exist in the present without dwelling on the mysteries of his traumatic past - it also introduced him to Mariko Yashida. After some initial deceit, Logan and Mariko begin a romantic relationship. It started off a little rocky, but they were soon engaged to be married, which meant that Logan would become an active leader in the Yashida Clan, which sparked conflict with iconic villains like Viper and the Silver Samurai.

A great deal of Wolverine’s character development and personal growth is embedded in this chapter of his life, and it all started with this issue of Chris Claremont’s Uncanny X-Men.

5 Wolverine’s Rivalry With Lady Deathstrike Thrived Under Claremont

Uncanny X-Men #205 by Chris Claremont and Barry Windsor-Smith

While Wolverine’s rivalry with Lady Deathstrike technically began in the pages of Alpha Flight, this issue of Uncanny X-Men not only solidified it, but enhanced it immensely. This issue showed Lady Deathstrike receiving her cybernetic and adamantium enhancements courtesy of Spiral and her own father’s research in the development of the adamantium alloy. Lady Deathstrike believed Wolverine stole her father’s research for his own benefit, and sought to literally carve the adamantium out of his body to honor her departed dad.

Claremont made this rivalry personal, and added disturbing layers to it that made Lady Deathstrike an incredibly interesting villain.

4 Claremont’s Crucifiction Of Wolverine Became One Of Logan’s Most Iconic Images

Uncanny X-Men #251 by Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri

The tale Chris Claremont crafted for Uncanny X-Men’s “Fever Dream” storyline went well beyond his words. This story gave life to one of the most iconic images of Wolverine ever featured in Marvel Comics - artwork that was done by artists Marc Silvestri and Dan Green - showing Wolverine crucified on a giant ‘X’-shaped cross.

The story itself is captivating, as Wolverine is crucified by Pierce and the Reavers and hallucinates vividly as a result. However, it cannot be argued that the biggest takeaway from this story is actually the artwork that brought Claremont’s words to life in the most jaw-dropping way possible.

3 Chris Claremont Created A Father/Daughter Relationship Between Wolverine & Jubilee

Uncanny X-Men #251 by Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri

After Wolverine fell from his ‘X’-shaped cross, Jubilee was right there to pick him up and get him some help. From that moment on, Wolverine decided to look out for Jubilee, and even take the young X-Men recruit under his wing. Before long, their relationship became something akin to a father and his daughter, as Wolverine displayed an intense, protective kind of love for Jubilee without the slightest hint of romantic attraction. This relationship was even translated in X-Men: The Animated Series, with Jubilee and Wolverine going on multiple adventures together that highlighted their mentor/mentee dynamic.

Being a father figure to Jubilee - who was, herself, an orphan - helped Wolverine through his own traumas immensely. Their bond helped him let go of the violence in his past while reminding him of the importance of being an X-Man.

2 Claremont Transformed Wolverine Into An Alien Monster Of His Own Creation: The Brood

Uncanny X-Men #234 by Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri

While this doesn’t have that great of a lasting impact on Wolverine’s character, it is something of a historic moment for Chris Claremont as a writer, as Claremont not only crafted a captivating story surrounding the previously-established character of Wolverine, but he pitted Wolverine against an antagonist of Claremont’s own creation: the Brood. Claremont introduced the Brood into Marvel Comics canon, and the immense danger of the creatures’ existence wasn’t put on full display until it was shown that not even Wolverine was safe from being infected.

The Brood would go on to become major players in Marvel canon - from being the catalyst for the original formation of SHIELD to even infecting Ghost Rider himself - and this invention of Chris Claremont became what it is today after first conquering the seemingly indomitable Wolverine.

1 Chris Claremont Introduced Wolverine To His Greatest Legacy Foe: William Stryker

X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills by Chris Claremont and Brent Anderson

God Loves, Man Kills is a graphic novel that’s set within an undisclosed time period in X-Men canon, making it a standalone story that doesn’t require a mountain of back-issues to understand. It’s regarded as one of the greatest, most hard-hitting X-Men storylines of all time, and its legacy stretches far beyond the realm of comic book media alone. In God Loves, Man Kills, Claremont introduced William Stryker, a character who would go on to become the main antagonist in Wolverine’s life throughout the entire live-action X-Men film franchise - the originals and prequels alike.

While the live-action Skryker is very different from his comic book counterpart, the fact that this character from a standalone graphic novel became such an impactful part of the definitive live-action iteration of Wolverine is incredibly significant, making this just one of the 10 biggest gamechanging early Wolverine moments from Chris Claremont’s Uncanny X-Men.