Saladin Ahmed’s Wolverine gave Logan a new antagonist while mixing in some of his older ones too. In the first issue, Cyber tried to kill Logan, losing so badly that he ran. As Cyber licks his wounds, he’s possessed by an elder being that turns his adamantium gold after calling it "false metal." Later, the same thing happens to Constricter, Donald Pierce, and Lady Deathstrike. Logan is spared thanks to help from Nightcrawler and Laura Kinney (also known as Wolverine) gets to them before the being can possess her (Laura gets adamantium on her bones during one of her resurrections).
Marvel's Wolverine No. 6 is where everything starts to come together. The elder being that possessed Logan’s villains was using them to destroy facilities that could make adamantium and kill anyone who knew how to process it. As the Wolverines finally track their enemies down, Logan picks up a scent he couldn’t before. When that happens, Romulus reveals himself to be the prophet of whatever is behind getting rid of the false metal. He then says to Logan, "Welcome to the last day of your life."
Wolverine No.6 creative team
- Writer: Saladin Ahmed
- Art by: Martin Coccolo
- Colorist: Bryan Valenza
Romulus and his connection to Wolverine, explained
Romulus claims to have been alive when cavemen were hiding in their caves during lightning storms and that he helped build Rome. Whether that’s true or not is unclear and honestly irrelevant. What’s certain is that he manipulated world events from behind the scenes and is the reason Wolverine’s life was a mess.
Romulus used mind control and manipulated scenarios to force/trick Logan into doing unthinkable things. He is also responsible for Logan’s son Akihiro hating his father. The irony is that Romulus sent Wolverine on a mission to kill Charles Xavier. If he hadn’t, Logan would still be under his control and he wouldn't have ruined his business (All of this happens in Daniel Way's Wolverine Origins).
The last time Romulus was seen, he was trapped in a S.H.I.E.L.D. prison. Unfortunately, S.H.I.E.L.D. isn’t what it used to be. Even if it was, the likelihood that whoever is behind the adamantine (the gold metal) couldn’t get him out is low. If they can control Lady Deathstrike, a few S.H.I.E.L.D. grunts would be easy to remove.
Saladin Ahmed bringing Romulus back is a brilliant move. With Sabretooth gone (for now), Wolverine needs a new consistent enemy and he’s perfect for that role. Romulus’ envy of Logan, intelligence, and brutality are everything needed for a great rivalry. I can’t wait to see what’s next and if and how Wolverine survives. Stay tuned to Bam Smack Pow to find out what that is.
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