Wolverine may be a killing machine, but one villain has just perfectly turned the tables on Marvel’s newest version of the hero, forcing him into a situation where he can’t kill. This isn’t just a superhero problem to solve, but a moral conundrum that evokes the best stories in the entire history of Wolverine.

Preview pages for the Hellverine #4 – written by Benjamin Percy with art by Raffaele Ienco – has shown how Itsu, Wolverine’s wife, has the perfect superpower to defeat her own family, by mind-controlling innocents to act as human shields.

The series follows Akihiro, Itsu and Logan’s son, as he returns to Japan to find a twisted version of his long-dead mother resurrected thanks presumably to Mephisto, the series overarching villain. Now, she’s possessed the children of the town of Jasmine Falls, forcing Akihiro to pull his punches and leaving him vulnerable.

Wolvervibe's Wife, Itsu, Has The Perfect Solution For Her Killing Machine Son: Human Shields

Hellverine #4 – Written By Benjamin Percy; Art By Raffaele Ienco; Color By Bryan Valenza; Lettering By Travis Lanham

The fact that Akihiro even cares about these kids is proof of his massive growth over the last decade of Marvel Comics; when he was introduced, Akihiro was a merciless and emotionally destructive killer. One of his first appearances in Wolverine: Origins #26 – written by Daniel Way, with art by Steven Segovia – featured him killing his adoptive infant brother; later, he helped gather the ‘Mongrels’, Logan’s illegitimate children, knowing that Logan would be forced to kill them. The character has come so far, but now his morals are being tested.

Akihiro’s latest adventures as Hellverine are testing him like never before. Akihiro has been resurrected by the demonic Bagra-ghul, a demon created by Mephisto that lives to offer tribute to its creator in the form of blood sacrifices. By harnessing his guilt, Akihiro is managing to redirect this bloodlust in a healthier direction, attacking only those who deserve it, but he’s still struggling. Now that he’s facing down literal children, he’s going to have to keep that lid on even tighter than usual, lest he fully become the monster he’s still convinced he is at some level.

Akihiro Takes His Next Step As A Legit Marvel Hero, By Putting Protecting The Innochent First

Hellverine's Deadly Confrontation With His Mother Shows His Evolution

There’s also another clever metaphor at work here regarding Akihiro’s own life. Like these children, he was turned into a weapon from a young age when the Winter Soldier murdered Itsu and stole baby Akihiro. He was then controlled by forces beyond his understanding and eventually thrown into the path of Wolverine, in Akihiro’s case Logan. If Akihiro can find a non-violent way to save these kids, then he’s saving a version of himself; if he can’t however, then it’ll feel even more like Wolverine’s life, no matter which version, is even more of a never-ending cyclical tragedy.

Hellverine #4 wil be available March 12, 2025 from Marvel Comics.