Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Hellverine #1! Hellverine has made his brutal return to the pages of Marvel Comics, but this time, it isn’t Wolverine who’s housing a demonic entity hellbent on spreading chaos and agony, but his son, Akihiro. And now, Daken has taken on a hellish new form to match his position as Marvel’s official Hellverine – and not just when he’s powered-up to his Ghost Rider-like appearance.

In Hellverine #1 by Benjamin Percy and Julius Ohta, the demon Bagra-ghul has risen from the depths of hell once more to possess a mortal through which it can spread carnage on Earth. Bagra-ghul once possessed Wolverine, and based on what readers see throughout this entire comic, it seems the demon has done so again. However, it’s only after Wolverine reveals that he’s not the host to a corrupted Ghost Rider-like demon that readers learn this Hellverine is actually someone else, and Wolverine himself finds out who by the end of the issue: his son, Akihiro.

The idea that Daken is the new Hellverine is shocking enough, but this big reveal doesn’t stop there, as his ‘human’ (or, more accurately, ‘mutant’) form is arguably just as hellish as his ‘Ghost Rider’ form. Like a tapestry of once dead flesh, Akihiro’s body has been crudely stitched back together, scars littering his reanimated corpse as if he were a mutant Frankenstein with the abilities of Wolverine and the power of a demon.

Bagra-ghul Resurrected Wolverine’s Son to Become the New Hellverine

Akihiro was Killed in Wolverine #41 by Benjamin Percy, Victor LaValle, Geoff Shaw, and Cory Smith

While it’s shocking to see Akihiro’s body in the state that it’s in upon his debut as Marvel’s new Hellverine, it’s not necessarily unexpected. At the start of the Sabretooth War, Akihiro was attacked by Sabretooth and his army of multiversal variants (most of which were undead cyborgs). Daken was torn limb from limb by the Sabreteeth army, as he was killed so brutally, there was no chance his healing factor could save him. Many believed Wolverine’s son was dead for good, but now, he’s back in spectacularly horrific fashion.

This means Bagra-ghul didn’t just inhabit the body of ‘a Wolverine’ following its experience possessing the original in the Wolverine/Ghost Rider crossover storyline Weapons of Vengeance. The demon actually resurrected the literal Dark Wolverine to puppet as its avatar on Earth. However, being a demon, Bagra-ghul’s ability to resurrect the dead isn’t perfect, which is why Akihiro has this new design – which admittedly goes pretty well with his new hellfire-based powers.

The Fate of Wolverine’s Son is Well-Deserved, & the Punisher Proves It

Dark Reign: The List – Punisher #1 by Rick Remender and John Romita Jr.

Akihiro now existing as a reanimated, stitched together corpse following his grisly death is incredibly ironic, as he’s now experiencing the same fate he forced upon the Punisher. During the Dark Reign event, Daken was the ‘Dark Wolverine’ of Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers, and as such, he eliminated any threat to Osborn’s power – including the Punisher. Akihiro killed the Punisher, and Frank Castle wouldn’t return until he was brought back as the widely criticized ‘Frankencastle’. Wolverine’s son was responsible for the Punisher’s undead redesign, and now, he’s taken on a similar redesign of his own – which is absolutely perfect.

Aside from how Akihiro got here (and how well deserved it is), the main takeaway from this issue of Hellverine is that Wolverine’s son is back in action in a truly hellish and utterly badass new form, with accompanying all-new powers as well – and readers should be very excited about where his story goes next.

Hellverine #1 by Marvel Comics is available now.