Wolverine once revealed the most truly horrific way in which he could be killed – de-aging his body around his adamantium skeleton, which would have incredibly horrific results. As one of Marvel’s most famously immortal characters, Wolverine has survived more nightmarish injuries than most, but it’s also led him to consider all the ways he could be dispatched, and none of them are pretty.
Wolverine: Killing made simple – written by Christopher Yost, with art by Koi Turnbull – Wolverine himself explains exactly what the worst possible power would be for him to face.
Surprisingly, the only power that can completely destroy him is none other than age regression. If a mutant has the power to age Wolverine, his healing factor turns into an absolute nightmare. Although Wolverine’s body would age, the metal around his skeleton would not – causing a death that would be as bloody as it was painful.
Wolverine explained that aging would cause his Adamantium skeleton to explode out of his skin
Wolverine: Killing made simple – Written by Christopher Yost; Art by Koi Turnbull, Sal Regla, Beth Sotelo and Cory Petit
When Wolverine was experimented on by Weapon X, one of the first things they did was coat his skeleton in liquid adamantium. This gave Wolverine’s skeleton an almost Terminator-like quality where virtually nothing can cut or break it. In combination with his healing factor, this means that Wolverine cannot be superficially damaged, as he will only heal himself, and all of his important organs, like his brain, are protected by an unbreakable skeleton. Sounds like a perfect winning combination – but if Wolverine’s body ages, the metal around his skeleton becomes a big problem.
As Wolverine explains, if his body were reduced to that of a 13-year-old boy, his metal skeleton would remain the same. This means that, horrifyingly, Wolverine’s skeleton will essentially explode out of his body. His organs will have to try to heal around his unbreakable bones, and he will possibly become just a skeletal puddle of flesh and organs, with his brain trapped inside a skull that is too big for it. It is a truly terrifying situation to imagine. If Wolverine survives, it will be a nightmare no one should have to suffer.
Wolverine’s healing factor is his greatest strength, but it can turn into his worst weakness
More of a curse than a blessing
There’s no denying that the idea of ​​a healing factor is incredible. The ability to never get hurt again and instantly heal any wound sounds fantastic. But there are plenty of examples in comic books of why this might not be a good idea. Deadpool’s healing factor is one of the reasons his cancer spiraled out of control, for example. While wolverine healing factor seems like an incredibly powerful ability, there are countless ways to turn this force into a horrible, painful death.
Wolverine: Killing made simple is now available from Marvel Comics!