Wolverine Stumbles With Its Original Story

Logan, aka James Howlett, has seen untold iterations since he first hit the scene in Marvel’s Incredible Hulk issue #181. While various Wolverines of the multiverse have seen some major changes, such as in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Deadpool And Wolverine, there are some core tenets that have remained the same. Typically, Logan receives his adamantium skeleton via a government experiment, coating his bones in the indestructible metal to make him a killing machine. While the latest video game from Insomniac featuring the X-Men’s most brutal member has been mired in controversy amongst reviewers, its story is something that fails to deliver.

Warning. If you have yet to play Insomniac’s Wolverine for the PlayStation 5, be forewarned that we here at Canon Break are about to dive into serious spoiler territory. For those who might not know, Wolverine’s latest video game presents us with a Logan who has yet to join the X-Men; in fact, the team seemingly doesn’t even exist at this stage. This isn’t where the true problems begin to kick in, however, as Logan’s new story makes major changes to not only his backstory, but many other Marvel mutants. Specifically, Jean Grey is tied deeply into Wolverine’s origin story here, in a way that has never been seen before in the comics.

Wolverine & Jean Grey: Star-Crossed Lovers

In the Insomniac universe, Wolverine gained his adamantium skeleton not from any world government, but from the X-Men villain, Apocalypse. The villain of X-Men ‘97’s second season not only gave Logan his indestructible claws, but also is responsible for Logan losing his memory. Thanks to his longevity, Wolverine routinely loses his memory, eventually regain them, but go through a process of killing Jean, who is subsequently resurrected by the Phoenix. It makes for a wild swing in the origin of both characters, but falls flat in both its delivery and lack of depth in the game itself. “Team X” is an interesting enough concept, acting as Insomniac’s version of the X-Men formed by none other than Mr. Sinister, but these changes are never given the examination that they so rightly deserve.

In the original Marvel comics, and in many animated series and films, Logan and Jean have been a part of a love triangle with Scott Summers, aka Cyclops. The two have almost never found themselves in a relationship when Cyke was in the picture, so taking him out of the equation to give them a runway was an interesting choice. Unfortunately, Insomniac’s story has the pair once again at arm’s length from one another, only this time with Apocalypse’s machinations being the cause, thanks to Logan routinely killing Jean in a rage. Changes to established, long-running characters like Wolverine and the Phoenix can often be appreciated, but the changes made to PlayStation 5’s Logan are a hindrance more than anything else.