It’s been a while since X-Men Origins: Wolverine took a horrible movie and made slicing and dicing nameless henchmen so incredibly fun in video game form. That means that the newly announced title from Insomniac Games – a team that has proved its Marvel chops with its two Spider-Man games – is a huge chance to let Logan shine on his own again. But there are a few characters that are almost guaranteed to pop up in any project featuring the short, wild-haired, superhero as Wolverine has had so many epic team-ups over the years. Here are just a few that should be revamped and made a part of the upcoming PlayStation 5 game.
X-23
It’s obvious but worth getting out of the way. Now is a great time to use Laura Kinney, better known as Logan’s clone (and later, biological daughter), X-23. She’s quite the popular character in her own right, especially after the Logan movie, but not many people know her full story. This female assassin has been making her mark since she debuted in the X-Men Evolution cartoon and grown since being a nearly mute sex worker to a fully fleshed out hero who earned the right to take her on father’s mantle and his comic.
The growth she’s seen in Marvel’s pages can only boost her profile in a project like this and can give Weapon X his own partner and familial relationship to bond with. The two could make a great team or she can start off as an antagonist. But after seeing how well Miles Morales and Peter Parker worked together in the Spider-Man games, it would be a shame not to work with her. She would even be an interesting playable character. She has been around long enough now to have her own villains and crazy stories to introduce, but hopefully Insomniac doesn’t try to bring in Gabby, a.k.a. Honey Badger/Scout, just yet.
Nightcrawler and Jubilee
Being in so many groups means there are a ton of allies Wolverine could call in, even if he’s usually not the type to ask for help. Most of his fellow X-Men share a bond with Logan and will drop what they’re doing to lend a hand, but two incredibly close confidants that could provide some sarcastic banter and emotional impact are Nightcrawler and every mutant’s favorite little sister, Jubilee.
Nightcrawler is a small man with a thick German accent who carries a lot of weight on his shoulders, as he is burdened with a large heart, his religious convictions, and the blue, demonic appearance. His ability to teleport and handiness in a fight makes him a valuable asset, but the Fuzzy Elf is, more importantly, someone Wolverine trusts and confides in could make him a valuable asset in the story, too.
Jubilation Lee is also dear to Logan, but having a more father-daughter bond between them. This superhero is mostly known for being his pupil, a teen sidekick, mildly annoying, and having ridiculous powers – that can be incredibly devastating depending on who is writing – but she’s also been a gymnast, a mother, and a vampire, so maybe it’s time to let her grow up a bit, leave the malls behind, and actually team up with her hero this time.
Juggernaut
Though Wolverine made his debut in the pages of The Incredible Hulk, that’s not a fight he normally wants to pick. It is entertaining to see Logan thrown around and nearly broken in half, however, so Wolverine-related media would benefit from a big brawler. Cain Marko, better known as the unstoppable Juggernaut, would be an ideal fit. This foe isn’t another mutant, but rather a human who has been empowered by the gem of Cyttorak, giving him incredible strength, durability, and a sort of force field when he’s in motion. He also wears a quite snazzy helmet that protects his head while going through walls and from mental attacks, meaning he isn’t easily put down.
These two have a long history already from the comics, but they’ve also tangled in a few video games already, so it would be nice to see a grandiose fight between them in an updated engine. Juggernaut’s abilities and size give opportunity for some exciting combat mechanics, and a slight redesign could help add to his already intimidating stature. Marko also has his own set of allies that could show up to give him an edge, including Black Tom Cassidy or even other members from the Brotherhood of Mutants, but this one man can do so much damage and has chance to be a great antagonist.
Gorgon
Tomi Shishido is not one of Wolverine’s best-known enemies, but is certainly an individual that should be feared. Not only is Shishido driven and a skilled combatant, he has access to technology, mysticism, enhanced attributes, as well as telepathy, and a healing factor. If those things didn’t make him dangerous enough, his main mutant ability allows him to lock eyes with a victim and turn them into stone, much like the creature from Greek mythology, giving him his codename, Gorgon.
He has dealt Wolverine one of his most devastating blows, by killing, reviving, and reprogramming Logan, turning him into an assassin for Hydra. This vile plot sent Weapon X into battle against his allies and enemies, having him commit several acts of terrorism and espionage, while many lives were lost in the fallout of these missions, including his fellow X-Man, Northstar. Gorgon even had Wolverine’s deceased love, Mariko, working under him for a while as the resurrected Scarlet Samurai. Needless to say, there’s some hatred and history between the two that could easily leak into a new adventure and provide a physical and emotional force to be reckoned with.
Viper
While Madame Hydra (after her MCU cameos) would be a solid Hydra-focused pick, Viper, also known as Ophelia Sarkissian, would probably the stronger of the two. She’s an extortionist, kidnapper, terrorist, and someone always rising to the top with a scheme. Ophelia has been the head of several supervillain groups and a thorn in the side of good on many occasions, coming close to killing several prominent superheroes.
Viper is another big figure in Madripoor as well, having once blackmailed Wolverine, forcing him to marry her so she could take over the island’s criminal empire. She was even involved in one of Logan’s most prominent deaths from the comics and almost killed him in 2013’s The Wolverine. She’s proven how dangerous she could be and could even take away his healing factor and make him vulnerable, something that should probably be explained within the context of a video game.
Mister X
Logan considers himself the best there is at what he does, but there’s always going to be someone who is just as good, if not a little better. This is where Mister X comes in, a villainous mutant introduced in the pages of our hero’s own comic (Wolverine Vol. 2 #159 2001), who has one crazy advantage over Weapon X: He can read minds and knows everything Wolverine is about to try before it happens. X is a smaller villain in some ways, probably better suited for a sub-plot or side quest, but Mister X is always a viable threat, having even killed an Asgardian during the Siege event.
X has beaten Wolverine before, but has some trouble whenever the other mutant enters his Berserker Rage, unable to fully anticipate his moves, though later encounters have shown this might not be an issue anymore. He’s a master of numerous fighting styles and weapons, dedicating his life to killing after his telepathic abilities let him experience a dying woman’s last moments at a young age. He now ritualistically scars his own body whenever he makes an important kill and is often bribed with the opportunity to fight and destroy new, better opponents, or simply murder more people (see his time on the Thunderbolts team). He’s a vicious advisory and one Wolverine can’t approach in his typical manner, making him perfect for the game.
Omega Red
Arkady Rossovich was a nasty piece of work before he became Omega Red, and now he is one of the X-Men’s most ruthless villains, but he has a particular hatred for Wolverine. Maybe it’s all that time he spent on ice or the issue with the carbonadium synthesizer, but this Russian weapon has been attacking Logan for years, and it always gets quite brutal when they exchange blows. Their history is littered with politics, war, and governments pulling their strings, but these two soldiers don’t need much of a reason to fight. Wolverine will never trust Omega Red and he can usually handle him with a little help, but Arkady proved how savage of a foe he really was in recent issues, killing his nemesis.
Wolverine has a few villains he runs across that his enhanced claws just can’t quite cut, but Omega Red is arguably the most dangerous of them all. He’s quick, strong, incredibly hard to hurt, and is equipped with a regenerative ability in case that happens, but Arkady is also a cunning strategist as well. Upon first glance, someone might notice the blonde hair, red eyes, and pale albino-like skin, but the real threat is also quite visible (when not retracted) in his metal tentacles that can be used to ensnare a target and drain the life from them. However, many forget that he also has pheromones that can be released into the air while he fights, which are lethal to most humans. Omega Red is easily a top-tier villain and could be the center of a great story for the game in the right circumstances.
Puck
More people need to see Eugene Judd, also known as Puck, bounce around the screen ricochet into enemies. Including this other Canadian superhero would allow the game to bring in several elements of Alpha Flight, Wolverine’s former team, and one that he has a lot of history with. Of all the members of that government-sponsored force, Logan has possibly shared the craziest adventures with Puck, going everywhere from the Spanish Civil War – featuring Ernest Hemmingway – to attempting an escape from Hell itself together, which can really bring friends closer.
Unlike many of Wolverine’s other allies, Judd is shorter than him and isn’t a mutant. Instead, he was an incredibly skilled human who was eventually subjected to genetic alterations, making his skin more rubber-like and granting him superhuman abilities. He also has some level of magical abilities and his stature is actually the result of being possessed by a sorcerer, Razer or Black Raazer, that Puck trapped in his body, after accidentally releasing it in the first place. This little addition also explains his lack of aging, having been born in 1914. Those last few bits might sound a bit crazy, but that’s what is needed to hang with Wolverine.