Wolverine’s Sidekick Just Made a Heartbreaking Sacrifice

by

In the latest Wolverine series, Wolverine has encountered one of his toughest challenges yet with his new sidekick, a troubled teenager named Leonard. Struggling with a Wendigo curse, Leonard has resorted to eating human flesh and Wolverine finds himself battling him in the second issue. In an attempt to help Leonard manage his affliction, Wolverine draws upon his own experiences from his feral mutation years. Since then, they have been working together, leading up to Wolverine #8, the 400th solo Wolverine comic that hints at significant alterations in Wolverine’s past. In this issue, Wolverine awakens from a drug-induced sleep to discover Leonard has been captured by Arcade, who forces Wolverine through his deadly traps to rescue him, but the curse makes it difficult for Leonard to resist killing.

Over time, Wolverine has mentored numerous young heroes, such as Kitty Pryde, Rogue, Jubilee, and Quentin Quire. Yet, he rarely encountered anyone as wild as Wendigo as an apprentice. The idea of pairing Wolverine with the Wendigo was a standout in the recent issues of “Wolverine,” but can he truly train Leonard? Will he succumb to his curse? This is the basis for the second story, leading to a poignant sacrifice.

Arcade Awakens the Curse of the Wendigo

Arcade, a hired gun, takes pleasure in crafting deadly puzzles. He devises a cruel plan for Leonard, imprisoning him in a chair with indestructible shackles made of vibranium. Arcade rigs the chair with various means of pain to provoke Leonard into a rage and order him to kill a group of people Arcade has kidnapped. Wolverine, who has been teaching Leonard self-control amidst his Wendigo bloodlust, steps in to navigate Arcade’s traps while trying not to lose control himself. The goal is to make Wolverine go berserk and take longer than five minutes to pass through the traps, but Wolverine manages to keep calm. To fuel Leonard’s rage, Arcade gives him a microphone to listen to Wolverine fight, but instead, Wolverine uses it to speak words of peace to Leonard, attempting to soothe him.

In a twist of events, Wolverine manages to gain entry into Leonard’s chamber ahead of schedule, but Arcade anticipates this move too. Arcade then releases a bubble filled with acid and adamantium dust towards Wolverine, which would have been breakable by his claws, but not quickly enough. As a result, Leonard is freed, and Wolverine’s discipline comes into play as he refrains from attacking the humans. Instead, he targets Arcade, but upon hearing Wolverine call for help, Leonard decides to disengage. This selfless act by Leonard is significant because he had previously been under Arcade’s control, which would have triggered a feeding frenzy upon tasting Arcade’s blood. However, Leonard demonstrates remarkable restraint and lets go of Arcade to aid Wolverine. Unfortunately, this heroic deed ends tragically for Leonard as the acid from the bubble splashes onto him during his protective stance, ultimately claiming his life.

Death Is the Only Cure at Times

The Wendigo’s curse is extremely tough to overcome, often requiring the afflicted to die as a cure. Yet, Wolverine managed to instruct Leonard on how to manage this unheard-of curse. Instead of feeding on people as a Wendigo, Leonard opted to save a life, thus freeing himself from the curse. While Wolverine grieved beside the deceased teenager, it wasn’t the end for Leonard. For the first time since being cursed, his body transformed back into human form. The lifting of the curse also revived him. His selfless act was sufficient to shatter the magic of the curse and bring him back to life.

As a die-hard cinephile immersed in the world of Wolverine, I must admit that the last eight issues have been a rollercoaster ride. The most poignant and memorable moment for me was when Wolverine escorted Leonard back to his mother, creating an emotionally charged sequence that made me reflect deeply on the bond between mothers and sons. This heart-wrenching episode served as the climax of the story, culminating in a letter from a long presumed deceased mother, leaving me with a mix of joy and sorrow.

The time spent with Leonard was undeniably the highlight of Wolverine; it added depth to the character that I found myself yearning for more. Alas, his departure has left an indelible mark on this comic book, making it all the more tragic to see him go. It’s moments like these that make Wolverine shine brighter amidst the darkness, and their absence is truly felt.

Wolverine #8 is on sale now.

Read More

2025-04-19 19:09