Warning: Contains Potential Spoilers for Laura Kinney: Wolverine #7!!

Some of Marvel's greatest romances originated with the Wolverine and Hellion. ​Laura Kinney and Julian Keller have long been a polarizing pair among readers. Their relationship, rooted in the X-Men's "Academy X" era, is complex and rich with history. Recent developments have rekindled their connection, culminating in a shared kiss that has delighted many longtime fans.

Marvel is on the precipice of rekindling one of its best X-Men romances...

An cover for Laura Kinney: Wolverine #7 shows Laura locking lips with ex-beau and recent NYX "villain", Julian Keller. For some, this X-Men reunion feels long overdue. From the moment the two first met at Xavier's school, they have been engaged in a volatile back-and-forth that recently rekindled while Julian masqueraded as The Krakoan.

Although everything may not be as dreamy as the cover suggests, Marvel clearly has the couple in its sights. Whether the kiss is real or imagined, it seems to indicate that Hellion currently occupies an important space in Laura's life, and that's a major development.

Wolverine and Hellion Rekindle Their 2000s-Era Romance

Laura Kinney: Wolverine #7 by Writer Erica Schultz and Artist Giada Belviso

Artist Elena Casagrande single-handedly captured the hearts of a whole swath of X-Men devotees with her cover art, which accompanies a narrative that promises to show Laura with the "love of her life". After parting ways on poor years ago, Wolverine recently reunited with Hellion in Nyx #8. The two shared an emotionally poignant scene, wherein Julian confessed to fabricating all the villainous deeds he seemed to do as "The Krakoan" in order to play along with Empath and the Stepford Cuckoos. If one thing can be gleaned from this recent reunion, it's that the spark from their "Academy X" days is still alive and strong.

Given that Laura Kinney: Wolverine #6 seems to have Kinney locked in some sort of dream or illusion, there's a strong possibility that this seemingly happy life with Hellion isn't exactly real, either. In other words, the cover image alone should be taken with a grain of salt, but it's still a solid indication that she has Julian on her mind. The previous issue paints a picture of an idealized life shared with her father and sister, Gabby, hinting that settling down with Hellion could be a core desire, too. If it isn't real yet, it could be in the future.

Hellion and Wolverine Have a Relationship Worth Exploring

Revisiting the Complex Relationship Between Laura Kinney and Julian Keller

X-Men titles have a way of always finding new angles for old relationships. The franchise never seems to run out of things to say about Cyclops and Jean Grey, but Wolverine and Hellion are part of a more modern, current generation of mutants. They've already weathered massive amounts of trauma (some shared and some separately) and faced the difficulties of navigating that together. In Laura's own words, Julian helped her learn how to be a person when Logan first took her to the Institute. They've gone through the trials, the fights, and the separations, yet found their way back to each other.

They might not be everyone's favorite couple, but they're still a layered, complex pair and obviously have a profound impact on one another. Together, they're a force to be reckoned with, and their romantic reunion would mean two of the strongest young mutants in the world working hand-in-hand. Even if the relationship turns out to be imagined in the issue, hopefully, it won't remain an illusion for too long. Marvel is on the precipice of rekindling one of its best X-Men romances as Wolverine appears to be reuniting with her love, Julian Keller, after years spent apart.

Laura Kinney: Wolverine #7 will be available June 4, 2025, from Marvel Comics!