Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Ultimate X-Men #9! There has been much debate surrounding who the very first mutant is in the Marvel Universe, with some pointing to Namor the Submariner, others pointing to Apocalypse, and others still arguing that mutants were around before even humans, but in one universe, that honor goes to Wolverine - and in another, to his son, Akihiro. Now, fans are introduced to the universe where Akihiro claims his shocking title as Marvel’s first mutant, along with the revelation that his blood has a wild (though not unfamiliar) extra superpower.

In Ultimate X-Men #9 by Peach Momoko, the mutant heroes Armor and Maystorm are continuing their crusade against a villainous cult of mutants called the Children of the Atom. This cult was created by Sunfire, who is a member of the Maker’s Council. That means the real creator of this mutant cult is the Maker himself, as it is just one fraction of the evil Reed Richards’ plan for the entire reality of Earth-6160. In fact, this issue seems to confirm that the Maker hasn’t just gathered and radicalized mutants, he ‘created’ them using the blood of one person: Akihiro.

The primary antagonist of Ultimate X-Men, dubbed the Shadow King, comes across Akihiro in the hospital run by the Children of the Atom in this issue. The Shadow King is the cult’s ‘chosen one’ due to his extremely powerful telepathic powers, which is why he’s recovering in the same part of the hospital as the cult’s ‘first mutant’, Akihiro. When the Shadow King approaches the bedridden Akihiro, Wolverine’s son tells him that he is the first mutant, and that he’s given his blood to the cult, which is used to unlock/enhance the mutant powers of the other followers.

Akihiro Plays a Similar Role in Earth-6160 as Wolverine Did in Earth-1610

Ultimate Origins #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Butch Guice

Akihiro has all the same powers as his father (more or less), which means his blood contains the properties to unlock or enhance the powers of other mutants when they ingest or otherwise take it into their own bodies. Throughout this Ultimate X-Men run, readers have seen the Children of the Atom ritualistically ingest or pour a dark liquid on themselves in a practice that’s known as ‘receiving their endowment’. Now, readers know that the liquid was Akihiro’s blood (or a substance created from it), and it’s used to unlock latent mutant abilities.

Interestingly, the idea that Akihiro’s biological makeup can ‘create’ mutants in Earth-6160 is exactly like the role his father played in the original Ultimate Universe of Earth-1610. As revealed in Ultimate Origins, Wolverine wasn’t born a mutant, but was rather the subject of experimentation that was conducted to create a new super-soldier akin to Captain America. However, when the scientists played with Logan’s genome, they were able to effectively create genetic mutation. They not only turned Wolverine into a ‘super-soldier’, they also made him ‘Mutant Zero’.

When Wolverine’s DNA was released as an airborne virus, of sorts, it clung to those who shared a similar genome with the same potential for mutation, turning them into mutants as well. If not for Wolverine, there would be no mutants in the Ultimate Universe, and it seems the same is true for Akihiro in the new Ultimate Universe.

Akihiro’s New Ultimate Universe Role Makes This Larger Story Even Better

The Maker Knew How Mutants Were Created in the Original Ultimate Universe, & Controls That Process in the New One

In the meta sense, it’s satisfying to see Wolverine’s son claim the title of Marvel’s First Mutant from his Earth-1610 ‘father’, offering readers a narrative parallel that connects the new and the old in an interesting and unexpected way. But not only that, this detail enhances the larger story being told in Marvel’s new Ultimate Universe. The Maker is originally from Earth-1610, meaning he knew how mutants were created in his reality. That’s why he’s able to control that process in Earth-6160 while also eliminating a potential threat to his power: Wolverine himself.

In Free Comic Book Day 2024: The Ultimates, it’s revealed that Wolverine was killed by the Maker, as his adamantium skeleton is on display as a trophy within one of the Maker’s warehouses. That’s why the Maker is using Akihiro to create mutants the same way Wolverine created them in the original Ultimate Universe, as Wolverine’s son has historically been less of a threat than Wolverine himself, but has the same thing to offer in of his genetics - ie, the extra mutant-creating superpower found in his blood.

Now, the Maker has the means to create mutants in controlled environments along with a cult-like religion that’s meant to control them as people, all while taking someone as dangerous as Wolverine off the table. This latest revelation only highlights how interconnected the new Ultimate Universe is as its own fresh continuity, while also honoring the original Ultimate Universe in truly interesting and exciting ways. Plus, as previously mentioned, allowing Wolverine’s son to claim the ittedly shocking title as Marvel’s first mutant from his father is simply awesome, as is his extra mutant-creating superpower.

Ultimate X-Men #9 by Marvel Comics is available now.