Summary

• Wolverine's son Akihiro, aka Daken, was given the codename 'Fang' as an honorary title by the Shi'ar Imperium, but it breaks the tradition of 'mutant names' representing their abilities.
• Akihiro's mutations don't affect his teeth, unlike other fanged mutants in the X-Men universe, and another hero is already named 'Fang.'
• While 'Fang' has a cool history and connection to a previous hero, it deviates from the effort of mutantkind to have cohesive and culturally distinct names, and Marvel should reconsider the choice.

Wolverine's son finally got what he deserved last year, with a new codename that wasn't a direct insult. While fans have known Akihiro as 'Daken' since his introduction in 2007, that name was always an insult, branding him a 'mongrel.' However, while 'Fang' is a definite step-up for the hero, it breaks a major rule of what 'mutant names' are supposed to represent.

In 2022's Marauders #5 (from Steve Orlando and Andrea Broccardo), Akihiro was given the title of 'Fang' by the Shi'ar Imperium, having gained immense honor within the traditions of the Lupak alien society. After years as a supervillain on Earth, and following a period of redemption, Akihiro was recognized for his heroism alongside the Marauders. Fans didn't know whether the honorary title would be purely symbolic at the time, but it's now clear that Akihiro intends to keep using it as his primary codename.

But while the origins of Akihiro's Fang codename are undeniably awesome, the name itself still falls short for several notable reasons.

Wolverine believed Akihiro dead after the Winter Soldier killed his mother Itsu. This allowed the villainous Romulus to dictate Akihiro's childhood, turning him into a weapon against Wolverine.

Fang Is a Great Codename… For a Mutant With Fangs

Akihiro's Codename Breaks a Major Mutant Tradition

Championed by Magneto and Professor X, the idea of 'mutant names' is intended as a form of species pride, with each mutant celebrating their 'gift' by tying it inexorably to their identity. However, while Akihiro's codename sounds like a mutant name, it's actually an alien title, and doesn't correspond to his abilities. Akihiro has his father's healing factor, enhanced senses, and claws, as well as his own power to exude pheromones which make others more susceptible to suggestion. However, his mutations don't affect his teeth.

This is notable because of how many mutants close to Wolverine have mutations that do present in this way - fanged mutants like Sabretooth, Wild Child, Wolfsbane, Feral, and Beast often cross paths with Wolverine and Akihiro. In X-Men lore, mutant names tend to be unique, or at least shared within a family - so long as Akihiro uses the name 'Fang,' other mutants don't have access to that name, even if it's more accurate to their abilities. This is even more important in the Krakoan age, where mutantkind is seeking unity with its own formal language and traditions.

Since 2019, X-Men's heroes and villains have been living together on the island nation of Krakoa. All past crimes were forgiven in an attempt to forge a new country recognized by the United Nations.

At the same time, 'Fang' is also a hero who has been operating in Marvel lore since 1977 as a member of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard, and is a close friend of Wolverine. As cool as it is for Akihiro to inherit a name with so much history, the fact remains that a) he exists in a universe where a more established hero already uses that codename and b) the codename deviates from the tradition of mutant names at a point in history where mutantkind are trying to be more cohesive and culturally distinct than ever.

Daken's New Codename Is an Improvement, But It's Not the Answer

While 'Fang' Works for Now, Akihiro Needs Another Change Soon

While Akihiro has taken on the 'Fang' name, his sister Laura Kinney has taken on the codename 'Talon,' showing the variety that's possible with their powers. With his unique wrist claws and pheromones, Akihiro would be better suited to his own predator codename like 'Dire Wolf' or 'Raptor,' or something distinctive to his powers such as 'Fox' (indicating both his predatory skills and his ability to manipulate others, often via attraction.) Wolverine's son definitely deserves his own codename, especially since he's spent so long living with the insulting 'Daken,' but Marvel should reconsider its choice of 'Fang' before it's too late, as naming a hero (especially a mutant hero) after a feature he doesn't have is a bad call in the long run.