A minor X-Men villain returns almost a full century later with an upgrade that almost turns Wolverine to shreds. Wolverine’s healing factor makes him incredibly difficult to kill, but his long history has revealed several reliable methods to test his immortality. Complete bodily destruction is the most effective strategy, as demonstrated in House of X, where Wolverine is incinerated in the sun while destroying Mother Mold. Death of Wolverine presents another successful method when the loss of his healing factor leaves him vulnerable enough to become encased in molten adamantium. Other stories have shown that powerful mystical attacks, molecular destruction, and drowning can also stop Wolverine, at least temporarily.
Many of Wolverine’s greatest enemies have discovered ways to push his healing factor to its limits. Magneto inflicts a devastating injury during Fatal Attractions when he violently rips the adamantium from Logan’s skeleton, leaving him near death and physiologically altered until the metal’s eventual restoration. Sabretooth has repeatedly shredded Wolverine in brutal confrontations that test both his endurance and his will. And in multiple timelines, Sentinels and Nimrods have vaporized or torn apart Wolverine’s body, particularly in dystopian stories like Days of Future Past.
Wolverine’s greatest battles rarely hinge on whether he can survive a wound, but a wide array of enemies can inflict enough damage quickly enough to outpace the most unstoppable member of the X-Men.
One Of Wolverine’s Earliest Minor Enemies Becomes A Powerful Supervillain
X-Men: Outback #2; Written By Steve Orlando; Art By Stephen Segovia & Alex Sinclair
After returning to Australia and completing his yearly birthday trial against Sabretooth, Wolverine witnesses his fellow X-Men get mind-controlled into fighting him. Wolverine uses clever strategies to knock out his ultra-powerful friends without killing them, like stabbing Rogue while granting her some of his healing factor, and letting Colossus headbutt him in order to regenerate from an otherwise lethal blow while Piotr Rasputin lies unconscious. The culprit behind this attack is Godshredder, the Reaver formerly known as Pretty Boy, who Wolverine once tore to shredds, leading him to reconstruct himself using the Reavers’ technology.
Godshredder leaves Wolverine burning, hairless, and with exposed bones, only for Logan to fight back and kill the Reaver once and for all.
Pretty Boy’s story ends on a tragic note as the villain reveals the last vestige of organic tissues beneath his imposing armor. Although Godshredder doesn’t stand a chance against Wolverine once again, Logan makes the effort to give him a respectful burial in an effort to make up for his initial attack years ago. Pretty Boy is one of the Reavers Wolverine slashed in the iconic X-Men #132, where Logan tanked an attack from the criminal group before promising revenge saying, “now it’s my turn” and leaving them on the brink of death.
Godshredder Fails To Exact Revenge, But He Mirrors One Of Wolverine’s Biggest Failures
Turning Wolverine’s Friends Against Him Is A Better Strategy Than Attacking Him Head-On
Godshredder is no match for Wolverine in their last one-on-one battle, even with a tired Wolverine who has just regenerated from several gruesome injuries. However, his strategy is extremely effective. Taking control of Colossus’ strength, Rogue’s absorption powers, Storm’s lightning, Dazzler’s light, and Psylocke’s mind control is perhaps the most reliable way to defeat Wolverine. Godshredder doesn’t succeed because Wolverine is already prepared for this scenario and because Godshredder has “no experience, no strategy” using the X-Men’s powers. Still, the Reaver comes dangerously close to winning.
The plan Godshredder executes to attack Wolverine is eerily similar to the one Mysterio uses in Old Man Logan, only flipped. In Old Man Logan, Mysterio creates an illusion that makes Wolverine believe he’s fighting a group of supervillains, only for Logan to realize that he just killed all the X-Men. Like Godshredder, Mysterio understands that he can’t possibly keep up with Wolverine in battle, but playing mind games can lead him to a worse fate than death. Even Sabretooth attempts a similar feat in X-Men: Outback #2, where his feral dogs push Wolverine into a berserker rage that endangers the X-Men’s lives.
Which minor X-Men villain would you like to see return?
X-Men: Outback #2 is now available from Marvel Comics
- Created By
-
Roy Thomas, Len Wein, John Romita Sr.
- First Appearance
-
The Incredible Hulk (2023)
- Alias
-
James “Logan” Howlett
- Alliance
-
X-Men, Avengers, Canadian Army, OSS/CIA, Avengers Unity Squad, Alpha Flight, New Avengers, New Fantastic Four, Savage Avengers, Weapon X, X-Force
- Race
-
Human-Mutant
- POWERS
-
Retractible claws and Adamantium skeleton. Superhuman senses, stamina, and strength. Healing factor and longevity.