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Supporting Characters
Family
Grandparents
Mr. Howlett
Mr. Howlett
Notable Aliases: The Old Man
Nationality: Canadian
Species: Human
First Appearance: Wolverine: The Origin #1 (November, 2001)
The cruel and unpleasant father of John Howlett, and Wolverine's adoptive grandfather.- Abusive Parents: He makes life for his son miserable, constantly berating him and telling him how ashamed he is of him. He's also convinced that John, Sr will wind up making young James weak.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Insufferable as he is, he is right in that John has been far too lenient with Thomas Logan by allowing him to stay on the grounds after Logan proved himself a violent drunk who constantly disrespected John and savagely beat his own son who would eventually try to force himself upon a member of their household, only kicking the Logans out after Dog kills James' dog.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Further muddying the waters of Wolverine's heritage, Mr. Howlett looks quite similar to an older Logan, with wild muttonchops and bushy eyebrows.
Parents
Thomas Logan
Thomas Logan
Notable Aliases:
Nationality: Canadian
Species: Human
First Appearance: Wolverine: The Origin #1 (November, 2001)
The father of James Howlett and Dog Logan. A servant on the Howlett estate.
Elizabeth Howlett
Elizabeth Howlett, née Hudson
Notable Aliases:
Nationality: Canadian
Species: Human
First Appearance: Wolverine: The Origin #1 (November, 2001)
The mother of James "Logan" Howlett and the late John Howlett, Jr. The wife of John Howlett.
- Abusive Parents: Not intentionally, but because of her fragile mental health and constant absences, she wasn't a very present or nurturing mother to James.
- Ate His Gun: Shoots herself in the head after her husband is murdered and Wolverine's mutant abilities manifest.
- Broken Bird: Losing her firstborn son John after he developed mutant powers and injured her broke her emotionally.
- Covered with Scars: Her back is covered in claw marks from her late firstborn son, John.
- Driven to Suicide: Her already fragile psyche shatters after Thomas Logan murders her husband and after witnessing her second son, James, develop mutant claws and stab Thomas to death, having already lost her first son after his claws came out. While James and his friend Rose escape the premises, Elizabeth shoots herself.
- Jerkass: Cheated on her husband who’s clearly a good man and passed off her son by her lover as his.
- Noodle Incident: Whatever happened when her first son's mutation manifested is unknown. All that is known is that Elizabeth ended up emotionally shattered, with claw marks all over her back, while John, Jr died shortly thereafter.
- Trauma Conga Line: First her oldest son grows claws, scars her and dies, then Thomas, her lover and the illegitimate father of her second son breaks in, murders her husband and attempts to kidnap her, after which said son also develops claws and stabs Thomas to death in a fit of rage.
- Super Powerful Genetics: Elizabeth herself wasn't a mutant, but both her sons are. Given that it's not known if John, Jr also was the product of her affair with Thomas Logan, not to mention the fact that neither Thomas, nor his other son Dog displayed any mutant abilities, it's implied that the mutant gene was passed down from her.
John Howlett, Sr.
John Howlett, Sr.
Notable Aliases:
Nationality: Canadian
Species: Human
First Appearance: Wolverine: The Origin #1 (November, 2001)
The supposed father of James "Logan" Howlett/Wolverine and his late brother John Howlett, Jr.- Ambiguous Situation: It's pretty much confirmed that Thomas Logan is Wolverine's actual father, but in The Origin itself, it's never definitively confirmed.
- Whether his other son, John, Jr, was his or also the result of his wife's affair.
- Extreme Doormat: To a degree. He gave Thomas Logan a chance, even though he was a nasty drunk who disrespected the family, beat his own son, and after that son tried assaulting their servant, Rose.
- To his wife too, since he put up with her affair.
- Nice Guy: He's a genuinely kind and patient man, in contrast to Thomas Logan as well as his own father.
- Rage Breaking Point: After Dog Logan kills James' dog, John finally has enough and angrily banishes the Logan family from the premises.
Siblings
Dog Logan
Dog Logan
Notable Aliases: Dog
Nationality: Canadian
Species: Human
First Appearance: Wolverine: The Origin #1 (November, 2001)
The half-brother of James Howlett. A former servant on the Howlett estate. Now the Hellfire Academy's gym teacher.
John Howlett, Jr.
John Howlett, Jr.
Notable Aliases:
Nationality: Canadian
Species: Human Mutant
First Appearance: Wolverine: The Origin #2 (December, 2001)
The late older brother of James Howlett. Like his brother, he was also a mutant with claws.- Ambiguous Situation: Did he claw his mother on purpose, or was it an accident? Likewise, the way he died is unknown.
- Whether he was the legitimate son of John, Sr or the illegitimate spawn of Thomas Logan isn't made clear.
- Death of a Child: He died as a child after his mutant powers manifested.
- Healing Factor: Seemingly averted, as John, Jr died sometime after developing claws.
- Wolverine Claws: Like his brother, Jr had the bone claws, the scars of which can be seen on their mother.
Children
Gabby Kinney
Gabrielle "Gabby" Zelda Kinney / X23_4GAB / Honey Badger / Scout
Nationality: American
Species: Human mutant (clone)
First Appearance: All-New Wolverine #2 (January, 2016)
The cloned sister of X-23, Gabby was created by Alchemax Genetics along with nine other sisters. After Laura helped the Sisters take down the ones who created and abused them, Gabby remained with her as her Kid Sidekick. She finally joined the X-Men when she and Laura joined the resurrected Jean Grey's team after Cassandra Nova framed Jean for the murder of a UN ambassador.
- Adorably Precocious Child: She's 13, a mutant with a Healing Factor and Wolverine Claws, trained to be a killer, and is ridiculously intelligent and very adult in how she reacts to the world. And then she turns around and gushes about making a costume for her pet wolverine both to protect his identity and because it's adorable. She also does her hair in barrettes.
- Alternate Universe:
- She had one in Old Man Logan's home reality. Logan knew she wasn't telling Laura about her powers, because the Gabby of his reality had them. All that's known is that she killed and was killed by the Laura of Old Man Logan's universe, and based on Logan's reaction to seeing her grave, she was likely the Heel of the fight.
- Another exists in another alternate future in which the heroes won their final conflict with the villains, ushering in a utopia. She lives in Madripoor with Laura, married and has two boys, and has succeeded her sister as Wolverine.
- Ambiguously Gay:
- Or Ambiguously Bi. When Jean is setting up a psychic bond with her team before a mission in X-Men Red, Gabby warns her not to do anything with the feelings she had for a girl she saw on a bus, because she hasn't fully explored them yet.
- In a possible future shown in All-New Wolverine 33, Gabby is happily married to someone named Taylor. It's never specified if Taylor is a man or woman.
- Angst? What Angst?: To the point it's even Lampshaded In-Universe. Gabby is remarkably upbeat considering the torture and abuse she went through from the moment she was cloned. It helped that Zelda, Bellona, and the rest of the Sisters shielded her from the worst of it, but she's nonetheless a chipper and sunny ball of energy in contrast to Laura's stoicism.
- Audible Sharpness: Her claws make the same snikt sound as Laura's. Strangely enough, it does this even though they're bone, in which case the Onomatopoeia is traditionally schlikt instead.
- Awesome McCoolname: In-Universe. Gabby wants an awe-inspiring superhero name, because "Gabby" doesn't strike fear into the hearts of criminals. She finally gets one in issue 28: Honey Badger.
- Badass Adorable: Gabby is a positively adorable little killing machine. She's also a trained killer who carries a MAC-10, and is skilled enough that even Laura found it difficult to track her. And that's before she reveals that spoiler: she has bone claws.
- Badass in Distress:
- Gabby is kidnapped by the Cuckoos in X-23 Vol. 4 #2.
- She is captured by the Brood in issue 22. She ends up being assimilated and turned into a Brood Queen in issue 23.
- Big Damn Heroes: She works with Gambit and Tyger Tiger to subdue Laura while she's in a trigger scent-fueled rage, restraining Laura so Gambit can hit her with one of his cards.
- Big Sister Worship: Gabby shows a lot of this towards Laura. She outright admits to Chandler how much she admires her, and a big part of wanting her to be a good person comes from Laura's example. She even describes her as "that perfect woman" to Old Man Logan during their volley of If You Ever Do Anything to Hurt Her....
- Boyish Short Hair: Gabby trades her long hair and barrettes for a close-cropped fade in the alternate future of "Old Woman Laura."
- Brutal Honesty: Is perfectly content to tell people exactly what's on her mind, or what she thinks of them. Unlike Laura, who was this because she had No Social Skills because of her upbringing, in Gabby's case it owes a lot more to her youth.
- Cheerful Child: As noted under The Pollyanna, there's very little that can permanently dent her friendly disposition and sunny demeanor. It starts getting creepy when she can threaten severe bodily harm to someone, then immediately switches right back to "cute" and runs off with a cheerful "Bye!"
- Cheshire Cat Grin: Gabby sports an enormous one in issue 3, when she reveals that she, Bellona, and Zelda were wearing body armor when Taskmaster shot them. It just makes her look even more adorable.
- Children Are Innocent: Gabby was the youngest of the Sisters, and Zelda and Bellona took great pains to protect her from the worst of what Alchemax did to them. Dr. Strange even sees that she is an innocent when he looks at her through the Eye of Agamotto, and Zelda calls her what she and Bellona should have been.
- Civvie Spandex: Her first costume saw her wearing mismatched tights and tennis shoes under her body armor. Her most recent costume is a hoodie mocked up to look like the classic gold-and-blue Wolverine cowl.
- Clone by Conversion: In issue 23 she's transformed into a Queen by the Brood, intending to use her Healing Factor and inability to feel pain to strengthen the species. Fortunately, that same healing factor prevents it from sticking.
- Clone Angst: When Gabby learns it's the Cuckoos' declared birthday in X-23 Vol. 4 #1, she begins to muse on her own nature as a clone, and insists she wants a birthday of her own even though Laura deems it unimportant.
- Cloud Cuckoolander: A subdued example, but Gabby nonetheless admits she often has a lot of bizarre thoughts. She becomes instant best friends with Deadpool as a result.
- Comically Missing the Point: Quite frequently, in keeping with her mild Cloud Cuckoolander tendencies. For example when she and Deadpool discover what the lab where Jonathan escaped from was doing, she's horrified...to discover that they've made zombies cute!note Most people would have stopped at the fact they made zombies.
- Cool Mask: At least two of her costumes have incorporated masks:
- The first was her cobbled-together body armor she wore with the Sisters, which made use of a painted goalie-type mask.
- Her second costume had goggles and a mask which covered her lower face, much like a fighter pilot's oxygen mask.
- Deadpan Snarker: There's very little of her dialogue that isn't this. She snarks at nearly everything. When she meets a one-eyed pirate who mentions metaphorically seeing things differently, Gabby immediately makes a quip about her lack of depth perception.
- Cuteness Proximity: In issue 31 she's horrified by the actions of the lab where Jonathan was tortured...while at the same time gushing about how cute the zombie critters they made are. In fact the first time she ever laid eyes on Jonathan she began to babble about how adorable he is, and wanting to dress him up in tiny suits.
- Dateless Grave: The Gabby of Earth-807128 (Old Man Logan's home reality) was buried in a grave whose headstone lacked a date. About the only information it does give is Gabby's full name.
- Dead Guy Junior:
- 807128 Gabby's middle name was Zelda, in apparent honor of her slain elder sister. It's unclear if 616 Gabby uses the same name, but the precedent on Alternate Universe versions makes it probable.
- In "Old Woman Laura," alt-future Gabby had kids and named them Logan and Wade.
- Due to the Dead: Her second codename, Scout, is taken in honor of the X-Assassin which sacrificed herself to stop Robert Chandler. She directly associates the name with her self-appointed mission to protect and save any other clones created from her sister's DNA.
- Dressed to Plunder: Gabby is so psyched to be going aboard a real-life (modern) pirate ship she asks Laura if she can have a peg leg, even offering to cut one of hers off because she can heal and won't feel the pain.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: The book invokes Children Are Innocent in regards to Gabby but when she first appears she's more or less a cynic and even says herself there's no such thing as innocence.
- Endearingly Dorky: Gabby is all about this trope. For example, in All-New Wolverine #2: After Laura tells Bellona she won't kill the Alchemax goons because they might have families, Bellona snarks about cutting off one of the soldier's fingers because he might play piano. Gabby gathers them up so he can have them reattached later just in case it's actually true.
- Evil Makeover: After Esme hijacks her body she ditches her own costume for a black version of the Cuckoos' ponchos. Her skin also becomes noticeably grayer, her eyes change from green to blue, and she gains black circles around her eyes.
- Extremely Protective Child: Gabby is very protective of her big sister, X-23. If you so much as threaten to give Laura a bad day, she will come for you.
- Fangirl: She positively geeks out over meeting Captain America and Jean Grey. Her Big Sister Worship of Laura also edges in this direction.
- Face–Heel Turn: Not our Gabby, but the Gabby of Logan's timeline ended up killing and being killed by the Laura of his timeline. Although the circumstances are unclear, that it's Laura's death Logan mourns suggests that she didn't turn out quite as innocent as "Gabby Prime".
- Feels No Pain: Gabby has a population of nanites in her bloodstream that keep her from feeling physical pain. Which sometimes leads to the unsettling image of her suffering extreme injuries but still grinning or joking about how much fun the actions which led to said injuries were.
- Fighting from the Inside: After being turned into a Brood Queen in issue 24, the same Healing Factor the previous Queen infected her to bring her into the hive for ends up purging the Brood genetics from her system.
- Fluffy Tamer: Squirrel Girl drops off a wolverine named Jonathan. The critter is a snarling ball of fur and fangs until he meets Gabby, who immediately turns him into a pet.
- Freakiness Shame: Notably averted. Gabby's face is scarred as a result of her upbringing with Alchemax, but she's completely nonchalant about them. In issue 21 of All-New Wolverine, she's not bothered in the least by Deadpool's appearance, and the two even bond over their scars.
- Future Me Scares Me: That is, Future Gabby Scares Old Man Logan. Apparently, something happened with the Gabby of his universe that has Logan concerned. He even pointedly asks whether Gabby intends to hurt Laura when he mentions having known her in his reality.
- Gender-Blender Name: The name of Gabby's spouse in the alternate future depicted in "Old Woman Laura" is Taylor, and the book even avoids using pronouns to avoid revealing whether they are a man or woman.
- Girly Bruiser: Gabby is an Action Girl with Wolverine Claws and a Healing Factor who Feels No Pain. She also painted a Sentinel with flowers and rainbows, and many of her costumes incorporated both symbols.
- Goofy Print Underwear: Begins the annual wearing a pair of red pajamas covered in little white bunny faces. The whole outfit is completed with a pair of bunny slippers.
- Guns Akimbo: In the final battle at Alchemax's bunker, Gabby dual-wields MAC-10s.
- Happily Married: She's married with two sons in "Old Woman Laura's" alternate future. The boys are named Logan and Wade, (and are apparently quite a handful who fully live up to their namesakes) and her spouse is named Taylor.
- Healing Factor: Unlike her other sisters, Gabby did develop one. Fortunately, because it allows her to survive after Logan blindly impales her on his claws in a feral rage. How it's affected by the nanomachines in her bloodyet to be revealed.
Word of God indicates she still has her scars because they were there before it activated. - Hive Queen: Gabby gets captured by the Brood in issue 22. In issue 23, the local queen is so impressed and intrigued by her Healing Factor and inability to feel pain that she decides to make her a new queen.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Old Man Logan impales her on his claws when he's driven into a feral rage by a S.H.I.E.L.D. attack, and mistakenly believes she's the Gabby of his universe.
- Innocently Insensitive: Gabby is prone to making very up-front and honest observations about the people and things around her. However unlike Laura, who was this earlier in her life because of her lack of socialization, in Gabby's case it owes a lot to her youth.
- Intergenerational Friendship: Gabby immediately strikes one up with Deadpool, of all people. Laura is less than pleased.
- Junior Counterpart: Gabby is to Laura what Laura herself was to Logan, being her clone, ward, and Kid Sidekick.
- Kid-Appeal Character: Gabby serves much the same role to her big sister that Jubilee served to Logan, and is primarily the Ankle-Biter variety. She's a cute and peppy smart-alleck to contrast with Laura's stoicism, has an interminably upbeat demeanor, and is a font of humor with her off-kilter and observant humor. She even has a Team Pet in the form of Jonathan the actual wolverine.
- Killer Rabbit: She's tiny, cute, often naïve, remarkably upbeat considering her situation, and genuinely wants to be a good person. She's also packing heat (and claws), and is highly-trained as a killer and assassin.
- The Knights Who Say "Squee!": She positively geeks out over meeting Iron Man, Captain Marvel, and Captain America. And getting to fly a jet pack.
- Kubrick Stare: Pares this with an incredibly disturbing Slasher Smile in X-23 Vol. 4 #4.
- Legacy Character: Becomes Wolverine in "Old Woman Laura's" alternate future, after Laura retires to rule Madripoor.
- Little Miss Badass: Tiny, cute, girlish, and adorable killing machine.
- Little Miss Snarker: Gabby has Sarcasm Mode as practically her default setting. She snarks at almost everything.
- Mama Bear: Do not hurt Jonathan. She will end you.
- Modified Clone: Intentionally, according to Word of God Gabby was rapid-aged to the physical maturity of a 13 year-old. Alchemax also implanted her with nanites that block her from experiencing physical pain. Unintentionally, Gabby only has a single claw, one in each hand. Considering her other Sisters never developed the X-gene at all, it's likely due to flaws in the cloning process.
- Mood Whiplash: Gabby can shift from threatening someone one second, to cheerfully running off with a casual "Bye!" the next.
- Mouthy Kid: She's a Deadpan Snarker with no brain-mouth filter. Unlike Laura at her age it's not a result of No Social Skills, she's simply an Adorably Precocious Child who says what's on her mind.
- Mutual Kill: Her counterpart in the Wasteland killed and was killed by the Laura of that universe.
- Odd Friendship: With Mindee Cuckoo, who cared enough to get her a very thoughtful Christmas present. Just to remind you, these are a clone of Wolverine and a clone Emma Frost who buy each other Christmas presents.
- One Head Taller: Gabby is tiny, at best not quite half a head shorter than even Laura, who is officially noted at 5'1". She's officially 4'6"
- Pint-Sized Kid: Gabby is the youngest of the Sisters, and is also the shortest, being BARELY half a head shorter than Laura, who is only 5'1"!
- Power Fist: Gabby gains a pair of brass knuckles with her new costume. The right one reads "HONY", and the left one (predictably) reads "BDGR".
- Practically Different Generations: Gabby is this to Laura, who is about 20 years old as of All-New Wolverine, while she is physically and mentally 13. Exaggerated with Daken, who is in his 70s, having been born in the mid-1940s after World War II.
- Rapid Aging: According to Word of God she was rapid-aged to her physical age of 13.
- The Reliable One: Gabby is presented as the most level-headed of the Sisters, and the one most likely to actually listen to Laura's attempts to stop them from killing everyone at Alchemax.
- Puppy-Dog Eyes: Breaks them out several times, variously on Laura, random nurses, and Bellona. And they are effective.
- Scars Are Forever: Gabby's facial scars didn't heal even after her healing factor activated. Word of God is that it's because she had them before her powers manifested.
- Slasher Smile: She sports a positively chilling one in X-23 Vol. 4 #4 after Esme seizes control of her body.
- The Stool Pigeon: Whistleblower Wilma/Disgruntled Daria variant. Issue 2 reveals that Laura received an anonymous tip warning of the Paris assassination attempt. It turns out that Gabby tipped her off as she grew more at odds with her other sisters' more extreme position.
- Super-Hearing: Gabby shares Laura's enhanced hearing.
- Super-Senses: As with Laura, Gabby has enhanced senses of sight, smell, and hearing.
- The Pollyanna: Pretty much nothing can permanently darken her sunny disposition. It actually becomes rather disturbing the way she can threaten serious bodily harm to someone one moment, yet slip right back into a friendly demeanor with a casual "Bye!"
- Taking You with Me: The Laura and Gabby of Old Man Logan's timeline ended up killing each other. Although the circumstances aren't made clear, the fact that Logan is most broken up over Laura's death suggests Gabby was the Heel.
- Tagalong Kid: Gabby is this to the rest of the clones, since she's the most innocent and naive.
- Talk Like a Pirate: Gabby starts doing this when she and Laura board Ash's ship when she learns the woman is a (modern) pirate.
- Tomboy with a Girly Streak: Gabby is a
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Downplayed, but Gabby is the Girly Girl to Laura's tomboy. Although she's a trained killer more than capable of handling herself in a fight, Gabby is much more emotional than Laura, gives her pet Wolverine his own costume because it's "adorable," while her costumes often incorporate feminine touches like pink tennis shoes and barrettes, flowers, and hearts.
- Torso with a View: In the opening scene Gabby gets a hole blasted through chest by a Hand Cannon, and we get a lovely shot of her from behind looking THROUGH it at the two stunned mooks. She then proceeds to lampshade how powerful the gun must have been while she heals and her suit self-repairs.
- Utility Belt: Gabby carries nunchucks and brass knuckles on a belt. And of course it has pouches.
- Younger Than They Look: Although she has the body (and mind, sort of) of a 13 year-old girl, Word of God confirms that she was rapid-aged to that point. It's unclear how old she actually is.
Kinney Family
Deborah Kinney
Deborah "Debbie" Kinney
Nationality: American
Species: Human
Appeared in: X-23: Target X
Deborah is Sarah Kinney's sister, with whom she has a strained, and virtually nonexistent relationship due to her failure to support Sarah when she was being abused by their father. Debbie plays a minor role in Innocence Lost, but is much more significant in the follow-up story, Target: X.
- The Bus Came Back: Laura finally reunites with Megan and Deborah nearly ten years after their last appearance at the end of "Enemy of the State II."
- Dysfunctional Family: Shared this relationship with her sister, Sarah, due to not supporting her when Sarah was being abused by their father. As a result, they rarely spoke in the years afterwards. The relationship is only mended when she calls Sarah for help after her daughter is kidnapped by a serial killer preying on children, and whom Sarah uses Laura to locate and rescue. Unfortunately, Sarah is killed before they can completely reconcile.
- Target: X reveals that her relationship with her daughter has been strained, as Megan has grown up to be a rather angry young girl as an ongoing effect of her kidnapping. Laura's arrival helps them repair their relationship.
- Grounded Forever: Debbie's reaction to Megan and Laura being suspended after Laura's first day at school. Learning about Laura's past leads Megan to hug her for it.
- Parental Substitute: Becomes this for Laura when she turns up on her doorstep.
- Parent with New Paramour: It's unclear what happened to Megan's father, but the man Debbie is cohabitating with isn't him. He's also a Facility plant.
- Put on a Bus: Literally. Laura leaves her and Megan at a bus station, and sends them into hiding to protect them from Kimura and the Facility. They finally meet again at the end of All-New Wolverine #18.
- Secret-Keeper: She knew about Laura after she and Sarah reconciled.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Sarah and Debbie look a lot alike (Debbie wears her hair short, though). Therefore she also looks a lot like Laura.
Megan Kinney
Megan Kinney
Nationality: American
Species: Human
Appeared in: X-23: Target X
Megan is Laura's cousin. As a child she was kidnapped by a serial killer, but Sarah defied the Facility's rules by sneaking Laura out to rescue her. After escaping the Facility Laura turned up at Deborah Kinney's home, where she and Megan quickly became close, and were each others' only friends. Laura was forced to separate from Megan to protect her from Kimura, and as a parting gift, Megan gave Laura her locket, in which she put a picture of herself and Laura's mother.
- Badass Normal: What does Megan do when a fight breaks out between Laura, Gabby, and Daken? Grabs a frying pan and leaps into the fray.
- Best Friend: Way back in Target X Megan calls Laura her best friend. In issue 28 she shows it, by comforting and supporting Laura over the Orphans of X's vendetta, reminding her that while she may have done many unforgivable things, that it's not who she is anymore.
- The Bus Came Back: Laura finally reunites with Megan and Deborah nearly ten years after their last appearance at the end of "Enemy of the State II."
- The Cassandra: No one believed her about the kidnapping after she was rescued. Debbie was sympathetic, but most people believed Megan simply made it up for attention.
- Damsel in Distress: Megan is kidnapped by a Serial Killer who preys on children, and Deborah contacts Sarah for help. Sarah breaks rules to sneak X-23 out of her cell, and sends her to locate and rescue the girl.
- Dysfunctional Family: Megan has a strained relationship with her mother in Target: X. It's implied that this is because of the trauma Megan experienced when she was kidnapped as a child.
- Family Eye Resemblance: Megan has the same green eyes as her mother, aunt, and cousin.
- Flashback Nightmare: She first appears in Target X in the midst of one, and it's indicated she suffers them often.
- Goth: Megan has a very Gothic style of dress. Laura raided her closet for extra clothes in Target: X, and
this may be why Laura continues to dress in this fashion even after they part. - Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Megan is blonde, as opposed to her black-haired mother, aunt, and cousin. Although she's somewhat troubled as a result of the trauma of her kidnapping as a child, she's nonetheless a good person.
- Harmful to Minors: A substantial part of why Megan has grown into a troubled and rebellious young girl between Innocence Lost and Target: X was because of the pedophile who kidnapped her as a child. Megan later gets a front row seat when Laura tears her mother's boyfriend (actually a Facility agent) to shreds, and slaughters a hit-team sent to recover her. And then Kimura showed up and tortured her to punish Laura for escaping.
- Mad Artist: Downplayed: Megan continues to suffer untreated PTSD caused by her kidnapping, because no one believed her and thought she was making it up. It manifests by covering her walls with drawings of her attacker and her rescuer, and the constant Flashback Nightmares she endures.
- Madness Mantra: Nonverbal example: Megan has covered her room in pictures she drew of her kidnapper, as well as Laura, her rescuer.
- Morality Pet: For Sarah, Megan's letters and pictures as a child start to rebuild Sarah's thoughts on family, which in turn helps her realize what exactly it is she is doing to Laura.
- Parent with New Paramour: Her mom's boyfriend in Target: X is not her father, and Megan is openly disrespectful to him when she's first introduced.
- Put on a Bus: Literally. Laura leaves her and Debbie at a bus station, and sends them into hiding to protect them from Kimura and the Facility. They reappear at the end of All-New Wolverine #18 after Laura finally kills Kimura.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Averted by Megan, whose blonde hair stands out against Sarah and Debbie's black.
- Used to Be a Sweet Kid: Megan is just an ordinary girl when we meet her, who wants to send a present to her reclusive Aunt Sarah. It's implied in Target: X that her experiences with the Serial Killer who kidnapped her in Innocence Lost turned her into something of a rebellious problem child as a teenager.
Sarah Kinney
Doctor Sarah Kinney
Nationality: American
Species: Human
Appeared in: X-23: Target X
A leading expert in mutant genetics, who is hired by the Facility to clone Wolverine from genetic samples salvaged from the original Weapon X project. Dr. Kinney was fully aware the Facility was building a weapon, though drawn to the project mainly by the challenge. When the process to create an exact clone failed, it was Sarah who proposed creating a female since the X-chromosomes were more intact. When the project head overruled her she proceeded anyway, and as punishment was forced by the surgical head Zander Rice to serve as surrogate. Sarah became the infant X-23's mother and caretaker, and her growing disillusionment led her to freeing her, but at the cost of her life.
- Abusive Parents: A copy of a police report shown during Sarah's introductory scene reveals she was abused by her father as a child, though no action was taken because neither her mother or sister corroborated the accusations, and Sarah herself was uncooperative during the investigation. This destroyed her relationship with her family, and she refused to have any contact with them for years.
- Sarah herself becomes this to X-23. Though she doesn't physically abuse her as Rice does, she nonetheless deprives her of a emotional support when the girl reaches out to her. This was done under orders and to her credit, Sarah did attempt to disobey whenever possible, but still resulted in much of the girl's emotional damage. She's also appalled at herself when she realizes just what she has been doing.Sarah: I never wanted a family. My father stripped me of that desire. He took my childhood, my innocence, my life. And then I took yours. I became what I hated and feared most and you became my victim.
- Sarah herself becomes this to X-23. Though she doesn't physically abuse her as Rice does, she nonetheless deprives her of a emotional support when the girl reaches out to her. This was done under orders and to her credit, Sarah did attempt to disobey whenever possible, but still resulted in much of the girl's emotional damage. She's also appalled at herself when she realizes just what she has been doing.
- A Day In The Lime Light: Innocence Lost is more her story than Laura's.
- Apocalyptic Log: Sarah's letter to X-23 is used as the narration for the story.
- Baby Factory: Rice forces Sarah to become one after she violates her orders and creates a female clone.
- Cassandra Truth:
- As a child, Sarah's mother and sister didn't believe the accusations that her father was abusing her.
- Sarah tries to warn Sutter that Rice is letting his personal feelings about Wolverine interfere with the project, but Sutter has none of it.
- Death by Origin Story: Sarah is already dead by the time of Laura's first appearances in the books. She first appears alive in X-23: Innocence Lost, and a flashback scene in Target: X.
- Dysfunctional Family: Has this with her sister, due to the latter failing to support her over the abuse she suffered from their father. Sarah cuts off contact with her entirety, and only begins to reconcile after a serial killer targeting children abducts her niece, Megan, whom Sarah sends X-23 to rescue. Unfortunately, Sarah dies before the relationship can be permanently mended.
- Heel Realization: Sarah is increasingly disillusioned by her role in the project, and undergoes a full Heel Realization when X-23 reveals Rice sent her to kill Martin Sutter and his family. X-23's decision to disobey orders and spare Henry Sutter ultimately leads Sarah to carrying out her Heel–Face Turn.
- Heel–Face Turn: Of the three project leads, Sarah was from the beginning the most sympathetic. However initially even she was only focused on doing the job at hand, knowing full well they were working on creating a Living Weapon. However Sarah becomes increasingly disillusioned with the unnecessary abuse Rice is allowed to inflict on X-23, before finally getting fed up after X-23 reveals that Rice sent her to kill Sutter and his family.
- Mama Bear: Drives Sarah's Heel–Face Turn and decision to turn X-23 loose on the facility.
- Posthumous Character: Sarah dies in Innocence Lost, but continues to have an impact on Laura in her subsequent series. "The Killing Dream" arc of the Liu series shows how heavily her death continues to weigh on Laura's conscience, and it's one of the memories Doctor Strange views through the Eye of Agamotto, that helps convince him to help the Sisters in All-New Wolverine.
- Redemption Equals Death: Sarah doesn't survive to build a life with X-23 after her Heel–Face Turn. Rice contaminates her with the Trigger Scent, leading X-23 to kill her just as they were about to escape.
- She Knows Too Much: Sarah knows everything about the project, particularly after Rice reveals the additional clones and his intent to sell them to the highest bidder. This pretty much guarantees Rice won't let her live long after he fires her.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Once Rice takes over and determines Sarah is no longer necessary to the project and is becoming too inconvenient, he fires her and tells her to visit X-23 one last time before she leaves. Turns out Rice had her with the Trigger Scent intending for X-23 to kill her when she did. X does kill her, but not until after Sarah unleashes her on the Facility and X kills Rice.
Others
Jonathan
Jonathan
A Girl And Her Angry Mustelid.
An actual wolverine, dropped off at Laura's apartment by Squirrel Girl in issue 7. Gabby immediately adopts him a pet.
- All Animals Are Dogs: Jonathan's behavior, particularly around Gabby, is much more dog-like than one would expect from a mustelid. He lounges with her on the couch, and lets her take him walkies on a collar and leash.note
- Animal Testing: Jonathan was a victim of it, and was rescued from the lab he was kept in by Squirrel Girl. Part of why Laura agreed to let Gabby keep him (despite the fact that, as Logan points out, wolverines don't exactly make for great pets) is because of how close to home that resonates. Exactly what sort of experiments were done to him is unclear, but in issue 10 he all but shrugs off a gunshot, and overall it's made clear that he's much smarter than the average wolverine.
- Badass Adorable: When a pair of burglars break into the apartment, Jonathan's first instinct is to charge right at them in defense of Gabby. He gets shot and is still up and around moments later. And, well, wolverines are pretty much giant ferrets with many of the same behavioral quirks, so there's your adorable right there. Word of God is Jonathan is fully capable of taking on Lockheed because of the experiments performed on him.
- Fluffy the Terrible: As wolverines are powerful predators with strength and ferocity belying their small size, Doreen appropriately calls him Jonathan when she introduces him to Laura and Gabby.
- Killer Rabbit: There's a reason his species was Logan's namesake.
- Made of Iron: A burglar shoots him, and while Jonathan is certainly stunned, he still gets back up again none the worse for wear. How much of this is a result of the experimentation he was subject to, and how much is simply because he's a wolverine (which are legendary for their toughness) is unclear. Later on, he gets smacked by a Brood alien (who are known to be ridiculously strong) and all he needs is some medical attention to get back to normal.
- Mysterious Animal Senses: Jonathan can apparently see Gwen's hallucination of Spider-Ham in the annual.
- Ridiculously Cute Critter: Gabby certainly thinks so, positively squeeing over him when she first sees him.
- Talking Animal: Sort of, as of issue 24. While tending wounds he received in issue 22, Rocket implants a Universal Translator because he got tired of trying to interpret Jonathan's normal wolverine growls, grunts, and hisses.
- Team Pet: He becomes this for Gabby in particular. Being a wolverine he's rather bad-tempered one, and snarls, growls, or hisses at those he doesn't particularly trust or care about, but is overall much friendlier than a regular wolverine would be. He's also violently protective of Gabby, willing to charge a pair of armed burglars head on when they break into the apartment.
- Translator Microbes: In issue 24 Rocket implants a Universal Translator, allowing Jonathan's normal vocalizations to be understood.
- Undying Loyalty: Once he has a universal translator and can properly communicate with Gabby and Laura, he outright states that he's willing to put his life on the line for them.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: Deadpool positively squees over him. Jonathan is...less than thrilled with Wade.Deadpool: Oh my god. He talks! Whose a sweety, snookums—
Jonathan: (Snarling) WILL EAT FACE OFF. - You No Take Candle: After receiving his Universal Translator, Jonathan's wolverine vocalizations are translated for Laura and Gabby as this.
The Sisters
In General
L-R: Zelda, Bellona, and Gabby are about to shoot you.
A group of assassins trained by Alchemax, cloned using Laura's genetic material in an attempt to recreate her. However while they look like her, they were not born with her mutation. She first encounters them in Paris while attempting to protect one of their targets. Originally there were ten girls. Six were killed before their escape, leaving only four: the unnamed sniper Laura encountered in Paris, designated X23_3PAR by Alchemax, and three others; Gabby, Bellona, and Zelda. They were modified by Alchemax to feel no pain, but the process is also slowly killing them.
- Beauty, Brains, and Brawn: Gabby, Zelda, and Bellona, respectively.
- Better to Die than Be Killed: Averted with Bellona, Zelda, and Gabby. They're already dying as a result of Alchemax's experiments, and are determined to cause the company as much mayhem as they can before they drop.
- Big Brother Instinct: The elder three sisters looked out for and protected Gabby from the worst of what was done to them, and helped preserve her innocence. Laura herself has developed this for all the girls, and is determined to save all of them from what Alchemax did. However Zelda makes it clear that the one she most cares about saving is Gabby.
- Bulletproof Vest: The girls' masks are armored, and they all wear body armor. Gabby suggests even Laura might find it useful in spite of her healing factor.
- Clones Are People, Too: While Alchemax sees them otherwise — and Laura demands they treat them as actual people and not just experiments if they want her help locating them — the Sisters have all developed their own identities and personalities. Gabby and Bellona in particular:
- Gabby is quite the Deadpan Snarker, and is much more laid-back and reasonable. She's the first of the girls to reach out to Laura directly.
- Bellona is a Well-Intentioned Extremist with a Hair-Trigger Temper.
- Zelda lies somewhere in the middle; more pragmatic than Gabby, but much more restrained than Bellona.
- Cool Car: The Sisters have an armored jeep they use to escape in issue 3. They're evasive about where they actually got it (or any of their gear) because they don't fully trust Laura.
- Cool Mask: Every one of them wears a mask. On a meta level it also serves to hide the fact they're clones of Laura.
- Covered with Scars: The Sisters all have multiple scars on their faces, while Bellona at least even has it on her arms. The scars on their faces are noticeably symmetrical, suggesting they were deliberately inflicted, most likely by Alchemax Genetics; when Laura arrives at Alchemax, Mooney checks her for scars and then cuts her to make sure that it is, indeed, Laura, and not one of the Sisters attempting to infiltrate the building disguised as her.
- Curiosity Causes Conversion: While subjected to the same torturous upbringing as Laura, it was ultimately their discovery that they are dying as a result of whatever Alchemax did to take their ability to feel away that led to their escape, and fueled their desire to bring the company down.
- Deal with the Devil: The sisters made a deal with Kimura to help them escape and Bellona ends up having to give herself to the latter.
- Death by Origin Story: There are four Sisters when All-New Wolverine begins. Originally there were ten, the remaining six of whom were killed during training, demonstrations, and as a result of the nanites in their blood, which eliminated their ability to feel pain.
- Decomposite Character: Word of God is that Bellona, Zelda, and Gabby deliberately echo aspects of Laura at different stages of her life:
- Zelda is Laura's maturity and icy stoicism in the face of danger, along with her tactical acumen.
- Bellona shares her rage and impulsiveness.
- X23_3PAR represents her fatalism and determination.
- Gabby is unique in that she's what Laura could have been; she's the innocence that was stolen from her.
- The Dog Bites Back: The Sisters eventually got tired of the abuse Alchemax inflicted on them, to say nothing of their anger when they learned that they were dying, and escaped to wreak havoc on their tormentors. According to Bellona, Mooney especially was their chief abuser, though Laura prevents her from killing him.
- Dying Moment of Awesome Essentially what the Sisters are seeking. They're dying anyway, so they want to take as much of Alchemax down with them as they can.
- Feel No Pain: Laura snaps the arm of 3PAR, and the girl doesn't even flinch. Turns out she's been engineered that way, as have the others.
- For Want Of A Nail: The Sisters are pretty much what Laura could have become had Logan never brought her to the X-Men. And in fact are much the same as what Zander Rice tried to do had Sarah not ordered Laura to destroy X-24 through X-50 during her escape from the Facility.
- Freudian Trio:
- Bellona is the Superego. Though far from emotionless (her default setting seems to be Unstoppable Rage), of the three she's the coldest and most ruthless. She's the fastest to kill of all of the Sisters, and the least trusting of Laura's motives.
- Gabby is the Id. She's the most emotional and compassionate, and is the one who first reached out to Laura.
- Zelda is the Ego, holding a middle ground between Bellona and Gabby. She's much more restrained than Bellona, but more ready to go along with her actions than Gabby.
- Healing Factor: Noteworthy for its absence, as all four Sisters are clones of Laura, but didn't manifest her mutation.
- Innocence Lost: Much like Laura, Zelda and Bellona had their innocence stolen from them. They were tortured and abused, afflicted with a procedure that's slowly killing them, and trained to be unstoppable assassins.
- Averted with Gabby: Zelda and Bellona did everything they could to shield her from what was done to them. She is the innocence that they and Laura lost.
- Living MacGuffin: Alchemax wants them back, and is willing to manipulate and double-cross Laura to do it. "Living" isn't necessarily a requirement, however; they're completely willing to kill the girls in the process if they have to.
- Meaningful Name: According to Word of God, each of their given names is in some way connected to death.
- Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal: One of the reasons the Sisters escaped Alchemax and subsequently decided to start killing them.
- Modified Clone: According to Word of God, all of the Sisters were rapid-aged to their apparent physical ages. They were all also injected with nanites that eliminate their ability to experience physical pain. Additionally, due to flaws in the cloning process only Gabby developed the X-gene.
- Nanomachines: Dr. Strange discovers a moving blur on an MRI he takes of Zelda's brain, confirming that this was how Alchemax had removed the Sisters' ability to feel pain, and is also slowly killing them.
- "Not So Different" Remark: The Sister encountered in Paris expresses disappointment when Laura tries to stop her from killing Chandler's son, feeling that Laura would at least understand what she's trying to do. The trope is taken up a notch when it's revealed that the Sisters are her clones. Gabby also expresses her frustration that Laura should be helping them because she understands what it is to be used and experimented on. Laura agrees with her on the latter point, but is still determined to resolve the situation peacefully.
- Rapid Aging: Although not addressed in the book itself, Taylor confirmed in an interview that the Sisters were rapid-aged as part of the cloning process.
- Scars Are Forever: The fact that the Sisters have scars just further sets them apart from Laura, because it demonstrates they didn't develop her Healing Factor.
- Send in the Clones: Alchemax has cloned Laura herself, finally bringing the Facility's plans for her to fruition.
- Suicide Mission: The girls are dying as a result of nanites infecting their brains, so they're trying to take as much of Alchemax with them as they can.
- Training from Hell: Alchemax's training program included shooting at them with live ammunition. Zelda reveals that several of the girls were killed during exercises as a result.
- Tyke Bomb: Being clones of Laura makes them this by default.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Bellona specifically, but by extension the rest of the Sisters, are angry at their treatment by Alchemax, especially the part how the company took away their ability to feel. If they suffered anything close to the abuse Laura endured at the Facility it's hard to not empathize with them, but some of their actions may have begun putting innocent people in the crossfire.
- What Measure Is a Non-Human?: Much like the Facility did with Laura, Alchemax doesn't consider the Sisters to be people.
- Where Does He Get All Those Wonderful Toys?: To date, the Sisters have employed an MQ-1B Predator drone, body armor, serious firepower, and even an armored truck. Laura asks where it all comes from, but when Gabby starts to explain Bellona shuts her down as she still doesn't trust Laura. Issue 6 reveals that the equipment was provided by Kimura.
- Wise Beyond Their Years: Much like Laura, the Sisters were forced to grow up way before their time Unlike Laura, they didn't have an outlet to heal as she did with the X-Men.
- Wolverine Claws: As with Healing Factor above, noteworthy for their absence, considering they're Laura's clones. However in issue 6 Gabby reveals that she did manifest claws, and that her elder sisters kept this hidden from Chandler.
- You Are Number 6: Much like Laura, each of the sisters received a numerical designation from Alchemax. Bellona is X23_1BEL, Zelda is X23_2ZEL, and Gabby is X23_4GAB. However Word of God is that Zelda is the eldest, so these designations aren't indicative of their birth order.
- In the case of X23_3PAR this is the only name we know her by.
- Your Days Are Numbered: Whatever Alchemax did to take away their ability to feel pain is also killing them, and they only have a short time left to live. They're determined to inflict as much damage on Alchemax before they drop as they can.
Bellona
Bellona/X23_1BEL
Nationality: American
Species: Human clone
First appearance: All-New Wolverine #2 (November, 2015)
- Boom, Headshot!: Bellona is shot in the head by Taskmaster at the end of issue 2. Fortunately for her, her mask is armored.
- Breast Plate: Her body armor has distinct molded boob cups.
- The Bus Came Back: She resurfaces on the final page of issue 14, having undergone what appears to be cybernetic enhancements, and now working for Kimura.
- Death Glare: Bellona's default setting to go along with Perpetual Frowner.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Post Face–Heel Turn, she is still disgusted by Ash's slave-trading pirates and orders them all to be killed.
- Evil Costume Switch: Her mask has a large black "X" painted over the mouth, she dresses all in black, and appears to have undergone cybernetic enhancement by the time she reappears working for Kimura in issue 14.
- Face–Heel Turn: Returns in issue 14, now working for Kimura.
- Hair-Trigger Temper: Zelda describes Bellona to Laura as "not exactly restrained", when Bellona decides to just shoot her when she comes to talk. Of all the Sisters she's the most aggressive and quickest to violence.
- Heroic Comedic Sociopath: A subtler example than most, but her tendency towards violence has been very much played for laughs. When Gabby protests that they didn't blow up the Alchemax building, Bellona mutters under her breath that she wanted to, and she actually sulks when Laura warns her not to shoot anything at the Sanctum Sanctorum. And then she ignores her and shoots a cupboard in the living room. For winking at her.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Issue 6 reveals that Kimura and the Facility were behind the Sisters' rampage, enabling their escape from Alchemax Genetics, and providing them with their weapons and equipment. Bellona surrenders herself to Kimura as part of the agreement, and they, in turn, allow Gabby to walk away.
- Meaningful Name: She's named after a Roman war goddess
. - Modified Clone: In addition to being rapid-aged to adulthood and her lack of the X-Gene, Bellona also developed albinism.
- Perpetual Frowner: Bellona's default expression is somewhere between this and an angry scowl. To the point it gets lampshaded in issue 5, when Zelda catches her actually smiling after Laura and Wasp succeed in destroying the nanites that have been killing Zelda. It happens again in issue 6 when Gabby asks if she'll ever see her again while Bellona is preparing to surrender to Kimura, and Bellona replies that she'll see her whenever she looks in a mirror and forgets to smile.
- Put on a Bus: She disappears from the book after surrendering herself to Kimura.
- Token Evil Teammate: Bellona is on the Anti-Hero end of the spectrum. Her first instinct in response to pretty much everything is to shoot it, and she seems to be the main force driving the Sisters' rampage.
- Trigger-Happy: Bellona firmly believes in "Shoot first, ask questions later." Fortunately, Laura's Healing Factor means that she can actually get away with doing it to her. In #4 she shoots a cupboard. For winking at her (It Makes Sense in Context).
- When She Smiles: Bellona actually smiles when Laura and Wasp succeed in destroying the nanites killing Zelda. Bellona waves it off as unintentional, but Zelda remarks that it suits her.
- Wolverine Claws: Issue 18 reveals Kimura had them implanted as part of a contingency plan to frame Laura for the Daylesville killings, if Laura herself failed to wipe out the town.
X 23 3 PAR
X23_3PAR
Nationality: American
Species: Human clone
First appearance: All-New Wolverine #1 (November, 2015)
- Better to Die than Be Killed: X23_3PAR elects to take a dive off the Eiffel Tower rather than be captured. All the more powerful as it's revealed the girl is a clone of Laura, but lacks her healing factor.
- Cold Sniper: 3PAR is attempting to assassinate a man in Paris. Laura interferes and gets shot through the head for her trouble.
- Driven to Suicide: Takes a dive off the Eiffel Tower rather than face arrest after she fails to kill Chandler's son.
- No Name Given: 3PAR's given name is never stated. Taylor states he doesn't know what it is, but that she was named by Lopez. Based on the other three Sisters it presumably starts with "PAR," which somewhat limits the possibilities.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: The only name we have for her is her Alchemax designation off a computer display Chandler shows Laura.
- Sickening "Crunch!": The panel of Laura breaking her arm takes up a third of the page, and the "crack" of it snapping fills up a sizable part of that. 3PAR doesn't even flinch.
- Summon Bigger Fish: After failing to kill Chandler's son herself, she calls in a Predator drone to finish the job.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: She doesn't get much of an opportunity to make an impact, dying in the very first issue.
Zelda
Zelda/X23_2ZEL
Nationality: American
Species: Human clone
First appearance: All-New Wolverine #2 (November, 2015)
- BFG: In issue 2 Zelda carries an assault rifle nearly as big as she is.
- Breast Plate: Though not as pronounced as on Bellona, Zelda's body armor does include curvature for her breasts.
- Dying Moment of Awesome: Although Zelda does die standing up to Mooney — and delaying him from killing Gabby and Bellona long enough for Laura and Wasp to get into the fight — he unceremoniously guns her down while she's weakened from the nanites, and incapable of defending herself.
- Handicapped Badass: Zelda's health is declining rapidly as a result of the nanites infesting her body. The car chase in issue 3 takes a lot out of her, and she collapses entirely at the end of issue 4. She still manages to more than hold her own in between.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Mooney tracks the girls to Hank Pym's lab while Laura and Wasp are busy dealing with the nanites, and shoots Zelda. Gabby attacks him in retaliation while Bellona is trapped under rubble, but before he can kill her Zelda intercedes and pushes his Berserk Button. He shoots her again, this time fatally, but it buys time for Laura and Jan to return to normal size and subdue him.
- In the Back: Zelda is shot in the back by Taskmaster when he ambushes them at the end of the issue.
- The Leader: Although Bellona is often the driving force behind their rampage, she admits that Zelda has always been the one in charge.
- Not Quite Saved Enough: By issue 5 she has slipped into unconsciousness and is on death's door because of the nanites in her blood. With no other options to save her life, Laura and Wasp use one of Hank Pym's suits to enter her bloodstream, where the pair fight the nanites directly. They're successful, and Zelda regains consciousness once enough of the machines are destroyed...right in time for Captain Mooney to show up and fatally shoot her.
- Promotion to Parent: Zelda. As the eldest of the Sisters she's the leader of the group, takes care of them, and is the one to whom Bellona and Gabby look. Although her control over Bellona tends to be limited at best.
- Sacrificial Lion: While X23_3PAR is the first of the Sisters to die, she receives very little development before she chucks herself off the Eiffel Tower. Zelda is the second, receiving substantial development as the leader of the Sisters (before Laura takes on the role), and then being killed by Mooney at the end of issue five to firmly establish just how big of a bastard he is, and to serve as the catalyst for Laura, Bellona, and Gabby's Roaring Rampage of Revenge.
- Shoot the Shaggy Dog: Literally Laura and Wasp succeed in saving Zelda's life by destroying the nanites killing her...only for Mooney to arrive just as she wakes up and fatally shoot her.
Cousins
Guardian
Guardian
Alter Ego: James Hudson
Notable Aliases: Jamie Hudson, Jimmy, Mac, Jimmy Hudson, Dr. Hudson, Major Maple-Leaf Vindicator, Weapon Alpha, Antiguard
First Appearance: X-Men #109 (February, 1978)
The original leader and founder of Alpha Flight. Department H, the section of Canada's government that works with superhumans, is named after him. Originally thought to have died in Alpha Flight #12, he later returned through some rather complicated circumstances involving aliens and becoming a cyborg. Briefly went by Vindicator, but is best known as Guardian.
Vindicator
Vindicator
Alter Ego: Heather McNeil Hudson
Notable Aliases: "Mrs. McNeil", Miss McNeil, Mrs. Hudson, Guardian, Heather Hudson, Heather McNeil
First Appearance: X-Men #139 (November, 1980)
Heather McNeil Hudson was the wife of James Hudson, founder of Alpha Flight, as well as his secretary. As such, she was a supporting character for the team for some time. After her husband's "death" she became the leader of the team, mostly out of pity from the remaining members. Not wanting to be a burden, she took a super suit identical to the one her husband had worn from a villain and used it to become Vindicator, superpowered leader of Alpha Flight. She remained in this role until her husband's return some years later.
Logan’s Allies
Mariko Yashida
Mariko Yashida / Scarlet Samurai
Nationality: Japanese
Species: Human
First Appearance: X-Men #118 (February, 1979) note ; Old Man Logan (Vol. 2) #31 (November, 2017) note
- "Logan... my Love... Even if you live forever, you will never learn how to lie.'"
Mariko is one of Wolverine's most prominent lovers, a Japanese heiress with connections to both Japanese nobility and the Yakuza. She was born to the prominent Yashida Clan. She is a half-sister to the original Silver Samurai/Keniuchio Harada and a cousin to Sunfire/Shiro Yoshida and Sunpyre/Leyu Yoshida. She and Wolverine dated from 1979 to 1982. Then the events of Wolverine #1-4 (September-December, 1982) took place. Her father and Clan leader Shingen Harada returned after a lengthy absence. He forced to terminate her relationship with Wolvie and to marry his chosen heir Noburu-Hideki. Wolverine went to Japan to investigate what happened and Shingen targeted him for termination. Shingen ended up killed by Wolverine, and Noburu killed by Yukio.
The events made Mariko the new Clan leader and conveniently a widow. She became engaged to Wolverine and they scheduled their marriage. Events were complicated by the return of her half brother the Silver Samurai who wanted to become Clan leader in her place. He and his lover Viper, targeted Mariko for assassination in Uncanny X-Men #172-173 (August-October, 1983). Most of the X-Men almost died in the events of these issues. Wolverine did manage to save the day. But the marriage was cancelled. While everyone was busy with the duo of assassins, Mastermind got to Mariko and managed to corrupt her mind. Under his influence, Mariko declared Wolvie unworthy for her hand and dismissed him. Several issues later she regained her senses, but now felt unworthy of him.
Mariko and Wolverine continued seeing each other over the years. She even served as a surrogate mother for his adoptive daughter Amiko (Kobayashi). Then came the events of Wolverine vol. 2 #55-57 (June-July, 1992). She got into a gang war with Matsu'o Tsurayaba. She ended up poisoned and dying in pain. She asked Wolvie to Mercy Kill her to end the pain. He did so, a memory that has continued to haunt him over the years. He swore bloody revenge on Matsu'o. Once a year, Wolvie visits his old foe and mutilates him. Leading to Matsu'o looking barely human.
Mariko remained dead for 25 years and turned up often in flashbacks, dreams, and hallucinations with her soul turned up trapped in a version of Hell. She was eventually resurrected by the Hand to serve as an enforcer, the Scarlet Samurai, but the aid of Old Man Logan set her free and she departed to live her own life.
- Alternate Universe Reed Richards Is Awesome: The Earth-616 Mariko is a common human. The Earth-2109 is Sunfire, a mutant, member of the X-Men, and a prominent member of the Exiles.
- Back from the Dead: In Old Man Logan #32, it is revealed that she has been resurrected by the Hand and has become the Scarlet Samurai.
- Beast and Beauty: According to Chris Claremont he pictured Wolverine and Mariko fitting this trope. Him being an unattractive man with violent, animalistic urges. She being a beautiful, calm woman which brings out the best in him.
- Distaff Counterpart: To the Silver Samurai after being resurrected.
- Expy: According to her co-creator John Byrne, she was based on Mariko Toda from the novel Shogun (1975). "I had just read Shogun, which Chris had not read at that point. I just absolutely wanted to steal that character, just shamelessly steal the character. And as you probably know, she was created to die."
- Face–Heel Turn: Following her resurrection from the Hand, she briefly served them as the Scarlet Samurai. She broke free from it and went back to being a good guy.
- Fiction 500: She was one of the wealthiest people in Japan, with her own companies, a private army, and strongholds in the port city of Agarashima and the Meguro ward of Tokyo.
- Kimono Fanservice: The Kimono-clad Japanese beauty had plenty of poses underlining her desirability, properness, and relative innocence.
- Kimono Is Traditional: She spends many of her appearances dressed in a traditional-looking kimono. Indicating her belief in the Good Old Ways.
- The Lost Lenore: She is the love interest of the protagonist (Wolverine), dies relatively early in his career, and her death still has consequences on the way Wolvie interacts with her killer Matsu'o Tsurayaba and subsequent love interests.
- May–December Romance: Bordering on Mayfly–December Romance. Wolverine was born in the 19th century and is much older than Mariko. She died a lot sooner than him.
- Mercy Kill: Kill by Wolverine as an act of mercy, ending her suffering. She was dying anyway from poison and was in a lot of pain.
- Mighty Whitey and Mellow Yellow: Her relationship with Wolverine fits this trope. He is the powerful white warrior, she is the "delicate flower" (as John Byrne described her) of Japan. He ends up saving her a lot.
- Morality Pet: Even after her death, Mariko continues to serve as this to Logan; he once rejected a chance to bring her back to life because it would have required him to spare another evil individual, Logan stating that he loved Mariko because she was a better person than him in every way and she would never have accepted being brought back to life under such circumstances.
- Ojou: A wealthy, high-class Japanese woman who died young.
- Opposites Attract: She and Wolverine are opposites in looks (unattractive man, beautiful woman), style (he wears casual clothes, she wears stylish looking ensembles), temperament (Hair-Trigger Temper versus master of self-control), and social status (wandering vagabond, wealthy property owner). They have the hots for each other. (Notably, when one Lotus-Eater Machine situation tried to tempt Logan with a vision of Mariko who dropped the Proper Lady thing to be a "wild woman for [her] wild man", he hated it, and it strongly contributed him to breaking free.)
- Parental Substitute: She was the surrogate mother to Amiko (Kobayashi), whose real mother died back in 1984.
- Took a Level in Badass: After being resurrected, she has shown to be more powerful as the Scarlet Samurai.
- Yakuza: Her Clan is part of the Yakuza and she served as a competent and reluctant leader to a crime family.
Maverick/Agent Zero
Christoph "Christopher" Nord
L: As Maverick R: As Agent Zero
Notable Aliases: Agent Zero, Christopher Nord, Chris Nord, David North
Nationality: German
Species: Human Mutant
First Appearance: X-Men (Vol. 2) #5 (February, 1992) [[note:]]As Maverick[[/note]]; Weapon X: The Draft - Agent Zero #1 (October, 2002) [[note:]]As Agent Zero[[/note]]
An ally of Logan and former member of Team X. Christopher Nord was attacked by his former teammate Sabretooth and he was so badly injured he had to make a deal with Malcolm Colcord of Weapon Plus to save his life. He became Agent Zero who would handle tougher missions that the Weapon X strike team couldn't handle. He was later de-powered on M-Day and has seldom been seen since.
- Brought Down to Badass: Even without his mutant powers, Zero is an excellent hand-to-hand combatant, a precision marksman, and an expert in covert operations and demolitions.
- Cool Mask: The Maverick costume included a mask that covered the upper half of his face.
- Energy Absorption: This was Marverick's Mutant power before he lost it, he could adsorb Kinetic energy which would allow him to survive great falls and superhuman forces without harm.
- The Gunslinger: Carries and uses a vast array of shooting weapons including pistols,rifles and wrist mounted blasters.
- Healing Factor: When he joined team x he was given an artifical version of this and while much weaker than Wolverine's it did allow for him to recover from injuries faster than a normal human and slowed his aging process.Unfortunatly he lost this ability after contracting the Legacy Virus.
- Legacy Character: After he abandoned the Maverick identity to become Agent Zero, he was succeeded by Christopher Bradley until his own death.
Remus
Remus
First Appearance: Wolverine (Vol. 2) #310
- "My name is Remus. As in 'Romulus and.'"
One of the Lupines, a humanoid race of mutants with similar abilities as Logan, Remus is the twin sister of their leader, the villainous Romulus. She aids Wolverine against her twin and his army of Sabretooth clones, asking that in return, Logan kill Romulus.
- Action Girl: She's introduced stabbing her brother from behind with a sword, and later massacres an army of Sabretooth clones.
- Cain and Abel: The Abel to Romulus' Cain.
- Gender Bender Name: Remus is typically a male name.
- Good Counterpart: To her brother, possessing the identical powers, but hoping to bring him down.
- Healing Factor: One that has kept her alive for tens of thousands of years.
- Katanas Are Just Better: Wields one for some reason.
- Leotard of Power: Wears a golden one.
- Really 700 Years Old: Like Romulus, Remus' age can be measured in eons. She remembers the Neolithic Period.
- Unresolved Sexual Tension: With Wolverine, fitting for a redhead.
- Wolverine Claws: One in each wrist.
Yukio
Yukio
Notable Aliases: Wild One
Nationality: Japanese
Species: Human
First Appearance: Wolverine (Vol. 1) #1 (September, 1982)
- "Death is the prize that awaits us all. Since it's inevitable, why worry about it?"
A ronin and free spirited thief-for-hire who has assisted Wolverine on numerous occasions, Yukio sees each day as an adventure, and delights in risking her life. No matter what life throws her way, Yukio enjoys it, an attitude that baffles Wolverine.
- Action Girl: Ninja variety.
- Boyish Short Hair: She usually appears with boyish cuts, although she's been seen with pigtails too.
- Fragile Speedster: Yukio is fast, agile, and well-trained, but lacks the durability and raw strength of a Wolverine or Silver Samurai.
- Friends with Benefits: It's been mentioned by Storm that Wolverine engages in frequent casual sex with her whenever he happens to be in Japan to the point where refusing due to his relationship with Melita Garner caused her some degree of irritation.
- Meaningful Rename: According to Wolverine, she changed her name from "Yukiko" so people wouldn't assume she was female.
- Ninja: Hits all the stereotypes.
- Odd Friendship: With both Wolverine and Storm.
- Parental Substitute: To Wolverine's foster daughter, Amiko.
- Rōnin: Considers herself to be one.
- Spy Catsuit: Usually wears one instead of a ninja outfit.
Melita Garner
Melita Garner
Nationality: American
Species: Human
First Appearance: Wolverine Weapon X #1 (June, 2009)
A pugnacious and stubborn investigative reporter for the San Francisco Post that became Wolverine's love interest.
- Action Girl: Took up marksmanship practice with weapons given by Wolverine and basic martial arts to defend herself from threats instigated by Wolverine's enemies.
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: Admitted she had a relationship with a Navy serviceman who had his share of crazy experiences and became heavily involved with Wolverine despite him being heavily dangerous.
- Fearless Fool: She has no problems with the dangerous and lethally finite station that is being Wolverine's girlfriend and blatantly writes off dangers with sarcasm. She even physically threatened Kid Omega when he badmouthed Wolverine after his most recent death despite Kid Omega being an Omega-Class Mutant that could flatten her on a whim.
- Happily Failed Suicide: She admitted she once tried to commit suicide and failed, and vowed to "never look back".
- Intrepid Reporter: Once something interests her in terms of news, she will not stop until she gets the whole story about the topic. It's how she formed her relationship with Wolverine.
- Rescue Romance She became enamored with Wolverine after he saved her from a mugging by two thugs on a subway.
- Twofer Token Minority: She's a biracial African-Mexican American.
Laura’s Allies
Alice
Alice
Species: Human clone
Appeared in: X-23 Vol. 3
A series of clones created by Mr. Sinister, the last two of whom are now under the control of Claudine Renko while the others were killed by Malcolm Colcord. She lures Laura to the ghost town where Claudine has her base of operations as part of her attempt to steal Laura's body.
- Body Backup Drive: When one Alice dies, another wakes up in her place with her memories. Sinister does this himself with her last clone.
- Clone Angst: Played with. Alice is aware she's a clone. Waking up after a previous self died is confusing, but she's otherwise ok with it. Colcord and Claudine, however, see her as disposable.
- Disposable Sex Worker: When Laura first encounters Alice, she believes the girl is a prostitute, who tries to approach her at a diner and lure her outside. When Laura Sherlock Scans her, she loses her nerve and runs away. She drives off with her pimp, but when Laura follows she discovers the man has already murdered her. Laura kills him in retaliation and she and Gambit bury her body. Subverted, however, in that Alice #1 wasn't a prostitute at all, and the man wasn't her pimp but her handler.
- Grand Theft Me: Sinister steals the last of the Alice clones when Claudine is badly wounded by Laura in her escape, and Laura denies him her own body.
- Heel–Face Turn: Alice #2 turns on Claudine and helps Laura escape. She's nearly killed by Claudine in the process, but Gambit and Laura manage to get her to a hospital in time.
- Mistaken for Prostitute: Laura misinterprets Alice #1 was an abused prostitute, and that the man who murdered her was her pimp. When she encounters Alice #2 she reveals the truth is even worse: Claudine gave several of Alice's clones to Malcolm Colcord for his experiments grafting a Healing Factor into another subject. The injuries Alice #1 displayed were actually the results of testing to see if it worked (it didn't), not abuse at the hands of her pimp as Laura assumed. Alice #1 was then deemed expendable and sent on a mission to lure Laura into a trap, and executed when she failed (though she would have been killed regardless).
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: The fate of Alice's previous clones. When Colcord's attempts to grant a healing factor to another body failes, the clones were deemed "defective" and killed. The first clone Laura encounters is one of these, who was given a little more time to live by sending her on a mission to attempt to lure her into a trap, and would have been killed regardless of whether she succeeded. Strangely enough, the Alice clone which survived the story didn't seem the least bit troubled by any of this and takes it in stride.
Fade
DiLorenzo / Fade
Species: Human mutant
Appeared in: X-23: Target X
A small-time gangster and mutant capable of turning himself invisible, who ran afoul of The Kingpin and tried to muscle in on his territory. Furious, particularly when his own men failed to deal with him themselves, Kingpin instead hired the Facility to take care of the matter. X-23 subsequently assassinated him with the aid of a trigger scent-laced letter.
- Bullying a Dragon: Actually believed that he could muscle in on Kingpin's business. Suffice to say, it ends badly for him.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Fade had a wife and child. After Laura took care of him, the Facility sent her after them to finish the job.
- Invisibility: Fade's mutant power allows him to turn invisible, making him undetectable not only to the naked eye, but to technology, as well. Unfortunately for him, it doesn't extend to his scent. Or the scent of anything on him...
- Mob War: Was attempting to muscle in on Fisk's business, until it put him on the wrong side of X-23.
- Mutant: A mutant with the ability to become invisible both to sight, and all known form of technological tracking.
- The Mole: He had one in Kingpin's organization, who Fisk deliberately fed false information to in order to take him out.
- Professional Killer: Fade was a top mob assassin who decided to branch out into extorting a share of Kingpin's empire out of him. It ended up getting him a visit from X-23.
- Shrouded in Myth: For a long time, Fade was believed to be just a myth, with no one even believing he was real.
- Smug Snake: He genuinely believed he could play on Kingpin's level, as his mutation made him virtually impossible for most of his rivals to take down. Unfortunately, he lacked Fisk's sheer resources, and it cost him in the end.
Captain Ash
Captain Ash
A pirate and one-time target during Laura's days as an assassin, Ash agrees to take Laura and Gabby to Madripoor so they can investigate the water bombers which sprayed Daylesville with trigger scent and kicked the plot in motion.
- An Arm and a Leg: After learning what Ash is transporting presses one of her berserk buttons, and discovering Ash sold her out, Laura cuts off her hand and kicks her overboard in the resulting fight.
- Eye Patch Of Power: Eye patch-wearing captain of a modern day pirate ship.
- Eye Scream: Laura put out one of her eyes back during her assassin days. She now covers the damage with an eye patch.
- Due to the Dead: She tells Laura she's helping her because of her past relationship with Logan. As well as the generous amount Laura paid her.
- Face–Heel Turn: She sold Laura out to Kimura the moment she boarded her ship.
- Nothing Personal: Gabby notices Ash is surprisingly willing to help them out despite Laura having tried to kill her in the past, and succeeded in putting out one of her eyes. Ash's response suggests she sees it like this.
- Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves: Is gunned down by Bellona after Laura is captured, when she refuses to return the children she was transporting to sell into slavery. Given that Bel orders Roughhouse to kill all the pirates once they free the kids, it's likely Ash was a dead woman walking even had she complied.
- Ruthless Modern Pirates: When Gabby comes aboard hers hip thinking of classic Golden Age pirates, (complete with Talk Like a Pirate and Dressed to Plunder), Laura and Ash quickly make it clear she's not that kind of pirate, eye patch aside. However dialogue suggests her operations more accurately make her a smuggler rather than a pirate. Issue 15 reveals she's trafficking children, which hits one of Laura's Berserk Buttons when she finds out.
- Slavery Is a Special Kind of Evil: Her cargo is actually a bunch of kidnapped children destined to be sold into slavery in Madripoor. Suffice to say, Laura is not happy when she finds out, and even Bellona is disgusted, and orders the kids to be returned home.
- Too Dumb to Live: Ash massivly pisses off Laura when she discovers she was trafficking children to Madripoor to sell into slavery, calls her a "stupid <expletive deleted>" for trusting her, and honestly thinks her crew can physically restrain her. That mistake costs her a hand and gets her kicked overboard. After she's rescued by Bellona and Roughhouse she fails to learn that when you're dealing with the bad guy and they change the conditions of the deal, you take the new conditions. That gets her shot dead.
Rachel and Henry Sutter
Rachel and Henry Sutter
Rachel and Henry are the wife and son, respectively, of Martin Sutter. Rachel carried out an affair with Rice, who it turns out is the actual father of Henry.
- Domestic Abuse: When Rachel tells Rice that their affair has led to pregnancy and she wants to confess to Sutter, Rice throws her against a wall and physically threatens her. When she later decides to tell the truth, he sends X-23 to kill her.
- Improbable Infant Survival: When X-23 is sent to kill Martin Sutter and his family, she disobeys her orders and spares Henry's life. This act later convinces Sarah that X-23 hasn't completely lost her humanity.
- Shout-Out: Henry carries around an Spider-Man action figure at one point.
- Sexy Secretary: Rachel isn't just Sutter's wife, but also performs secretarial duties for his project.
- Who's Your Daddy?: It's made clear right from the beginning that Martin Sutter's wife, Rachel, knows that she is pregnant with Rice's son, but Rice violently forces her to agree not to reveal this to Sutter. Sutter subsequently raises the boy, Henry, as his own, ignorant of the truth. It doesn't end well when Rachel decides to confess. Before she can do so Rice unleashes X-23 on the family to silence her, eliminate the boy, and secure his control over the project. Martin and Rachel are killed, but X-23 can't bring herself to murder Henry and spares him
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Rice pulls this on Rachel, as well. When Rachel insists it's time to tell Sutter the truth about their affair, Rice sends X-23 to silence her and kill their son to destroy the evidence. Conveniently, Rice manipulates the situation to also arrange Sutter to officially turn over control of the project to him, allowing him to eliminate all three at once. Foiled when X-23 spares Henry, though Martin and Rachel are both killed.
