Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Wolverine #44!Wolverine has just suffered a profound loss in the current continuity of X-Men canon, as his son, Akihiro, was recently murdered (brutally) by Sabretooth and his multiversal army of variants during Marvel Comics’ ongoing Sabretooth War. However, this loss isn’t just an example of Wolverine experiencing great pain beyond physical injury, it has also shone a light on the dark truth behind Logan’s entire family.
In a preview for Wolverine #44 by Benjamin Percy and Victor LaValle, Wolverine is recovering after he was forced to slice off his own hands and feet in order to escape the adamantium restraints Sabretooth’s army put him in two issues prior. Meanwhile, the rest of the mutant survivors of Sabretooth’s assault on their secret North Pole base are reeling from the horrific loss of life, as a great number of their colleagues, friends, and loved ones were killed by Victor Creed – including one survivor in particular, Aurora.
Aurora and Akihiro were dating, and now, the man Aurora may have loved is dead, having been killed in the most violent manner imaginable. And Wolverine doesn’t seem to care – sort of. It’s not that Wolverine doesn’t care, it’s that he’s moved on so quickly to the ‘vengeance’ aspect of what Akihiro’s death means to him. Logan isn’t a loving father mourning his son, he’s a rage-filled beast plotting the murder of his arch enemy, with the death of his son merely being the catalyst for this long overdue final confrontation between Wolverine and Sabretooth.
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Wolverine Made Akihiro the Least Significant Part of His Own Death
Aurora is mad at Wolverine in this preview because – to her – it doesn’t seem like Akihiro is the most significant aspect of this situation, Sabretooth’s death is. Akihiro was ripped to shreds by Sabretooth and his army, and while everyone is mourning all those they lost, Wolverine hasn’t taken a moment to mourn the loss of his own son. He’s angry, certainly, but he’s fully focused on Sabretooth – Akihiro’s killer – and not Akihiro himself.
Granted, Wolverine is a warrior, first and foremost, and Sabretooth is still at large. It makes sense that Logan would stick to the mission, as he angrily wills his limbs to heal faster in order to go after Sabretooth and make him pay for all the pain he’s caused. But, this isn’t about what makes sense, or what’s perhaps the most logically sound thing to do (Sabretooth does need to be stopped, after all, so Wolverine can’t waste time crying). This is about raw emotion, and – more notably – Wolverine’s apparent lack there of when it comes to his son.
Even Before Sabretooth War, Wolverine Proves He’s Not the Best Father
Whichever side fans take – whether they agree with Aurora or think Wolverine is right to stay focused on the mission – the truth of the matter is that Logan hasn’t been that great of a father to any of his children. Akihiro aside, even Laura hasn’t gotten a great deal of paternal care from Wolverine, and neither have any of Logan’s other illegitimate children or even Wolverine’s ‘adopted’ kids like Kid Omega. Wolverine didn’t raise any of them, and aside from light bonding, Logan never remedied the fact that he’s essentially been absent from their entire lives.
Logan has trained them, partnered with them, and loves them a great deal, but he’s just not there for them enough. Not when they were children, not in their adulthood, and now, not even upon their deaths, which is a dark truth about Logan’s family that was exposed by the death of Wolverine’s son, Akihiro.
Wolverine #44 by Marvel Comics is available now.
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