Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Ultimate Wolverine #2! Wolverine is one of Marvel's greatest heroes/antiheroes of all time, and the reason is that he always fights for the liberation of mutants. Sometimes his methods are a little intense (and murderous), but he's fighting for the greater good for all mutants. However, in the new Final UniverseWolverine's role is completely reversed, as he has seemingly become a brutal villain fighting the very thing he would so often kill for on Earth-616.
In Marvel Comics' request for Ultimate Wolverine #2 by Chris Condon and Alessandro Cappuccio, fans receive the main cover art (by artist Alessandro Cappuccio) and the official synopsis for the next issue.
THE MANUFACTURER'S ADVICE AND YOUR ULTIMATE WEAPON! Colossus, Omega Red and Magik put Ultimate Wolverine to the test by seeing how well he deals with the OPPOSITION, a group fighting for mutant liberation!
In the new Ultimate Universe of Earth-6160, Wolverine is a slave to the Creator Council, specifically the Russian territory ruled by Colossus, Magik, and Omega Red. Although all three are mutants, none of them are interested in fighting for mutant rights. They belong to an elite club that secretly rules the entire world from the shadows, and they all operate at the pleasure of the Creator. The Creator has decided that mutants cannot exist without control, which means that any group fighting for mutant freedom needs to be crushed immediately. And that's where Wolverine comes in.
Who is the new mutant-killing Wolverine? The Final Universe's Villainous Variant, Explained
It's Apparently Confirmed That Ultimate Wolverine Is NOT James “Logan” Howlett
The request for Ultimate Wolverine #2 reveals what Wolverine's mission will be in the Ultimate Universe: kill mutants who are fighting for the liberation of the mutant race. But who is this variant of Wolverine? Although a direct answer has not yet been given, the information made available at the time of the announcement of the Ultimate Wolverine #1 (as shown above) gives fans a number of clues as to the identity of this living, mutant-killing weapon.
Some things that immediately catch your eye about Ultimate Wolverine's character design are the giant red star on the front of his costume and the mask covering his mouth beneath the cowl. Add to that the fact that he's a reluctant, mind-controlled weapon of a shadowy organization based in Russia, and it looks like Marvel is hinting that Ultimate Wolverine will not just be a variant of the iconic X-Men hero, but also of Bucky Barnes aka Winter Soldier.
The identity of Earth-6160's Wolverine is currently unknown, but beyond hints that it could be Bucky Barnes, there are at least two names that could be removed from the list of potential identities. In Free Comic Book Day 2024: The UltimatesIt is implied that James “Logan” Howlette, aka the original Wolverine, is dead, as his adamantium skeleton was shown on display in a Creator-owned facility. Additionally, Logan's son, Akihiro (another 'Wolverine' from Earth-616), is currently in the custody of the Creator-created mutant cult, Children of the Atom, as revealed in Last X-Men.
So who is the Ultimate Universe's new Wolverine? Right now, fans don't know. But fans know that two of the usual 'Wolverines' are out of the question, and this new Wolverine has some striking similarities to the Winter Soldier. But more than anything, fans know what this new Wolverine's mission will be: to kill mutants who are not sanctioned by the Maker's Council.
Ultimate Wolverine isn't the only X-Men hero who betrays his original role
Colossus and Magik are even worse than Wolverine in the Ultimate Universe
Although Wolverine poses a significant threat to all mutants in the Ultimate Universe (thus betraying his original role on Earth-616), he is nowhere near as bad as two other famous X-Men heroes: Colossus and Magik. Colossus and Magik are members of the Creator's Council, and they are the ones pulling the strings of this new Wolverine to attack mutants that the Council considers a threat to his power. Wolverine may be the one doing the killing, but Colossus and Magik are the ones pulling the trigger, making them an even worse threat and more hideous variants of their heroic counterparts.
The fact that Colossus and Magik are truly evil, while Wolverine is just a mind-controlled weapon used to kill against his will, actually makes for an interesting and overarching narrative of Wolverine's Ultimate Universe story. The series certainly won't just be issue after issue of Wolverine killing mutants fighting for his own liberation (although it will certainly start that way), it will likely evolve into a story detailing Wolverine's personal liberation. Once he breaks free from the Council's control, it stands to reason that Wolverine will attack Colossus and Magik (and Omega Red, but that's nothing new).
The conflict that is being established in this series before it even hits the shelves is truly exciting, as these famous X-Men allies will soon become bitter enemies. Add to that the mystery of who this Wolverine really is, and it becomes clear that Ultimate Wolverine is a series that fans should be very excited about. However, as it stands in the first two issues, Wolverine's identity is a secret, and he will apparently be little more than a puppet of the Council of Creators, with his role in Final Universe being the opposite of what Wolverine famously depicted on Earth-616.
Final Wolverine #2 from Marvel Comics will be available on February 19, 2025.