Wolverine: How his fight with the Hulk leads to him joining the X-Men

Wolverine joined the X-Men under nefarious means. Is this something that could happen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

When people think of Marvel Comics, Wolverine is one of the first names that comes to mind. In the comics books, Logan says he’s the best there is at what he does and what he does isn’t very nice. Out of the comics, one of the best things he does is make Marvel money.

He wasn’t always great. It wasn’t until the late 1980s and early 1990s that Logan became a popular and marketable character.

"“If you freaks want to tangle with someone, why not try your luck against–me!”-Wolverine in Incredible Hulk No. 181"

Wolverine made his first appearance at the end of The Incredible Hulk No. 180 back in 1974. His official debut came in the following issue fighting the Hulk and Wendigo. A battle he lost. In this original comic book, Hulk beats Logan and moves on to the Wendigo. That story was changed in Daniel Way’s Wolverine Origins No. 28 (“Original Sin” prologue). A retcon that also showed how Logan joined the X-Men.

"“There ain’t many around who can describe what it feels like to get hit by the Hulk…Simple fact bein’ there ain’t many around who can survive to tell the tale.”"

Wolverine’s retcon

Daniel Way’s Wolverine Origins showed Logan’s life long before he was an X-Man. During that time, he was being manipulated by a being named Romulus. One of his missions was to impress a person only named X. In order to do that, he had to fight and kill the Hulk. During the battle, Logan quickly realized that he couldn’t beat the Jade Giant, so he switched tactics. He teamed with the Hulk to fight Wendigo. Together, Hulk and Logan defeated the beast from the Great White North.

As the Wendigo layed defeated, Logan tried to kill the Hulk while he is distracted – a move that didn’t work. Hulk blocked Wolverine’s attack and punched him so hard that Logan said it felt like he left his body. Apparently, surviving a fight with the Hulk was enough to impress X. The X was actually Professor Charles Xavier.

When given the opportunity, Wolverine tried to kill Xavier. Luckily, Xavier took him out with a psionic blast before he could be killed. Later, Professor X erased Wolverine’s memory and the programming that Romulus implanted in him. Logan wondered why Xavier was helping him. Xavier put it simply, “Because I need a weapon.”

During episode 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, there was a small Easter Egg that may have made reference to Wolverine. While Jennifer Walters was reading a listicle, a link on the side of the article said, “Man fights with metal claws in bar brawl.” If it is the MCU’s first Wolverine reference, it’s a smart move since Logan’s first appearance came in a Hulk comic book. However, Logan still hasn’t been seen. When Wolverine makes his Marvel Cinematic Universe, will they use either of these origins? It’s possible.

"“You will remember that you are an X-Man. And that is the only thing that matters.”-Professor Charles Xavier"

Will Marvel Studios use this story

The Hulk should be part of Logan’s debut in the MCU. It would be a way to show how skilled Logan is and how much abuse Hulk can take. Both competitors would come out of the fight looking good and their war would draw fans to theaters or Disney Plus, But what happens after that is what’s important. It’s how Logan joins the MCU. This writer truly believes that the Wolverine Origins story is the way to go.

First, this opens the door for more on Logan. He always talks about having a dark past, it would be nice to actually see it. Viewers would see how far Logan has come as they are being introduced to him. This makes him more sympathetic.  Plus, this gives him a villain in Romulus that hasn’t been used in a movie yet.

There’s also Charles Xavier. Kitty Pryde was right when she said Professor Xavier is a jerk. Marvel Comics fans didn’t find out how much until decades later. What he did to Wolverine was deplorable. Sure, it helped Logan become a better person. The problem is he let Wolverine believe someone else erased his mind. He spent years searching for answers. Meanwhile, it was Xavier all along.

Whenever he debuts in the MCU, Charles Xavier shouldn’t be the wholesome person we’ve seen in the previous X-Men movies. Showcasing his true personality would add layers to the character from the start and highlight what he’s truly capable of – just like in the comics. And it would be great to see on-screen, especially if he’s played by Giancarlo Esposito.

What do you think, readers? Did you enjoy the newer way Wolverine joined the X-Men? Let us know in the comments below.