Warning: SPOILERS for X-Force #4
The relaunch of Marvel's the X-Men into space to be killed. Thankfully that drama was all for effect, as the full extent of Charles Xavier's Krakoa-based nation meant death was only temporary. But it raised a far more pressing question for fans of Wolverine -- since even resurrected, his greatest metallic gift isn't exactly organic.
In just the next issue after the stunning culling of heroes, preventing mutants from being murdered). But even if readers were willing to accept that mutants had figured out how to grow and copies of mutant bodies and brains, it left the question of Wolverine's adamantium skeleton unanswered. Wolverine's mutant gift is enhanced physicality and an accelerated healing factor. That healing factor is what let him survive his adamanitum upgrade, but the metal itself is rare, expensive, and difficult to work with. But not on Krakoa, apparently.
Jonathan Hickman seemed uninterested in the question being raised by fans, claiming if the writers wanted to explain away Wolverine always getting his metal, they could, and would. Not exactly the answer fans of Wolverine were hoping for, but it isn't Hickman who has put forward the solution. That task belongs to X-Force and Wolverine writer Ben Percy, with the full explanation offered in the latest X-Force #4. While the strike team stops in to stock up on the latest weapons crafted by Forge, the armorer confirms Wolverine's suspicions about the vat of liquid metal being kept on Krakoa. Have a look:
With this question answered, others must be raised. While Wolverine's Weapon X history has changed, the process of receiving his adamantium is always shown to be a deeply traumatic and painful experience. So this scene answers the question of whether or not Wolverine's bones can be re-coated on Krakoa (waving other questions away as intended). However, the question of how it's applied is still important. Or it should be, at any rate. After all, the trauma of the procedure is part of what makes Logan himself -- and would therefore be captured along with the rest of his mind by Cerebro for ing into his new body. But if each death and resurrection means Wolverine must endure the adamantium coating AGAIN... how many times could he handle before breaking? We'll wait and see if this question is meant to be asked, or readers are once again thinking about a part of the story the X-Men writers would prefer they ignore.
- X-FORCE #4
- Written by: Ben Percy
- Art by: Joshua Cassara
- Cover Art by: Dustin Weaver
- THE BEST DEFENSE... TARGET: ALL ENEMIES OF MUTANTKIND! First, the new team strikes back against the humans who took one of their own. Then, with its orders established, the new X-Force hits the ground running, taking on deadly threats targeting mutantkind's rightful place in the world...
X-Force #4 is available now from your local comic book shop.
