History XMenFilmSeries / Wolverine

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[[redirect:Characters/XMenFilmSeriesWolverine]]

!!James "Logan" Howlett / ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wolverine_xmen_films_1766.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"I'm the best there is at what I do, but what I do best - isn't very nice."'']]
->'''Played By''': Creator/HughJackman & Troye Sivan
->'''Film Appearances''': ''Film/XMen1 | Film/X2XMenUnited | Film/XMenTheLastStand | Film/XMenOriginsWolverine | Film/XMenFirstClass | Film/TheWolverine | Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast | Film/XMenApocalypse | Film/{{Logan}}''

A tough, rugged, belligerent loner who has lived for fifteen years without memory of who he is, apart from his dog tags marked "Wolverine" and an adamantium-encased skeleton (as well as adamantium claws). He has enhanced, animal-like senses, and the ability to heal rapidly from numerous injuries, including the surgery that bonded the metal to his skeleton.
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[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:A-F]]
* {{Absurdly Sharp Blade}}s: His claws, which are coated in adamantium. [[spoiler:By the end of ''The Wolverine'', however, the injuries Wolverine sustained in his battle with the Silver Samurai leaves him with his normal bone claws. He somehow got them back in the BadFuture of ''Days of Future Past''.]]
** Shortly after he receives his adamantium infusion in ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'', he slices up several items in a farmhouse bathroom (including a porcelain sink) with his now impossibly sharp claws, despite applying what appears to be no more than the force required to move an unrestrained arm.
** While not like his comic counterpart, especially since his claws are sharp only at the tips, they have been shown sharp enough to cut through flesh and bone in one strike, and is capable of cutting into rock.
* AchillesInHisTent: In ''Film/TheWolverine'', he has quit the X-Men for at least a year, and isolates himself within the Yukon wilderness because he is unable to cope with his guilt for being forced to kill Jean Grey.
* AdaptationalAttractiveness: In the comics, Wolverine is supposed to be extremely stocky, short and [[KavorkaMan not an attractive man]]. Here he's a TallDarkAndHandsome Creator/HughJackman, who is so tall that castmate Creator/JamesMarsden had to [[ScullyBox stand on boxes to not be dwarfed by him]].
* TheAloner: Leaves the X-Men in ''Film/TheWolverine'', as he wants to be by himself. Also showed signs of being one in the previous films.
* AnimalThemedSuperbeing: He embodies the ferocity of the animal he uses for his codename.
* AntiHero: He'll do good things, but clearly doesn't care much about it.
* TheAtoner: In ''Film/TheWolverine'', he goes to Japan to face his guilt for killing Jean Grey and to receive help from an old friend who might have the means to remove his HealingFactor and make him mortal.
* BadassBeard: Grows one by the beginning of ''Film/TheWolverine''.
* BadassBiker: Often drives a motorcycle.
* BadassGrandpa: If you take his age into account.
* BadassTeacher: He sarcastically claims to be an art teacher in ''Film/X2XMenUnited'', and serves as a substitute for Cyclops in ''Film/XMenTheLastStand''. [[spoiler:In the new future created at the end of ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', it's explicitly stated that he's the history teacher.]]
* BashBrothers: In ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'', he and Victor Creed do this for the first fifteen minutes of the movie. The opening sequence is a battle {{Montage}} through UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar, UsefulNotes/WW1, UsefulNotes/WW2 and UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar! They also come back together briefly at the end, albeit [[EnemyMine for a mutual gain]].
* BeardOfSorrow:
** In ''Film/TheWolverine'', Logan starts out with a shaggy one, likely resulting from the events of ''Film/XMenTheLastStand''.
** He is sporting it once again in ''Film/{{Logan}}'' in the aftermath of mutant's extinction.
* BeastMan: Though not as exaggerated as Sabretooth.
* BerserkButton: And not a hard one to press, either. Just getting him wound up seems to suffice, although he has some specific triggers:
** Hurting or threatening his friends.
** Threatening a woman.
** Harming defenseless animals and making them suffer.
** Hearing Stryker order for his memory to be wiped ''really'' fucked him off.
* TheBerserker: Often flies into a rage when he's in a fight.
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: His adamantium claws, duh.
* BlessedWithSuck: Cool as his claws are, his hands hurt every time his claws come out.
* BreakoutCharacter: Come on, it's Wolverine!
* BroughtDownToBadass:
** In ''Film/TheWolverine'', his HealingFactor is dialed down to near-human levels. While his adamantium skeleton and multiple lifetimes of traumatic injury have rendered him superhumanly strong, tough, and resistant to pain, he's still left considerably weaker since his injuries accumulate rather than healing automatically.
** In the past timeline of ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', which is before his adamantium infusion, he loses the considerable advantage it affords him in exchange for a moderately better HealingFactor, which doesn't really balance it out. He ends up playing a supporting role and badly loses the two real fights he gets into.
* BruiserWithASoftCenter: He's near-invincible in a fight and he can be very ill-mannered in social situations, but deep down, he's actually quite sweet and caring. Those who are lucky enough to see his softer side include Rogue, Jean and Xavier. Although there's a part of Logan which will always be "wild," the Phoenix points out to him that Professor X has succeeded in "taming" him.
* CainAndAbel: With his significantly more unhinged and murderous brother, Victor Creed.
* CartwrightCurse: Silverfox, then Jean. Averted, surprisingly, with Mariko.
* ChickMagnet: Rogue had a crush on him, Jean flirts with him, Mystique attempted to seduce him,Yukio seems to have feelings for him, Kayla was his girlfriend, plus he had a fling with Mariko and Gwen (the mob boss' daughter)and was with Storm in the future in days of the future past.
* CigarChomper: He is occasionally seen with a cigar in his mouth.
* CoolOldGuy: While he looks forty, he's over 170 in the original trilogy.
* CoolShades: In 1973, he sports fashionable '70s-style sunglasses.
* CompositeCharacter: While he is almost entirely derived from the mainstream version, his bone claws are more like his Ultimate conterpart
* DarkAndTroubledPast: His past history of fighting in the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, and his past work with Team X.
* DeadpanSnarker: Often makes snide remarks.
* DecoyProtagonist: In ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast''. Although he starts out as the main character, Charles Xavier is the true protagonist of the movie. He's just there only to help motivate Charles to change the future. [[spoiler:And when the final battle begins, Magneto simply impales him with rebar and throws him into a nearby river, quickly ending his importance in the film.]]
* DefrostingIceKing: He is the recipient of this in ''Film/XMenTheLastStand''. It's alluded to when the Phoenix (who is presumably using her telepathy) says to Wolverine, "What, you think [the Professor's] not in your head, too? Look at you, Logan. He's ''tamed'' you." Unbeknownst to both Wolverine and the audience, he has grown to love Xavier as a friend, and this finally comes to light after [[spoiler:Logan crumbles emotionally after Charles is murdered]]. This is the first time in the original trilogy where Wolverine had displayed this much vulnerability towards a male character.
* DeliberateInjuryGambit: Due to his HealingFactor, he does this on occasion. In the [[Film/XMen1 first movie]], he has to pierce his claws through his body to cut the restraints Magneto has him in.
* DentedIron: By the time of ''{{Film/Logan}}'', his healing factor is not working anymore as it used to and as result his body is ''covered in scars''.
* {{Deprogram}}: A young Jean Grey helps him regain a piece his humanity in ''Apocalypse'', after the Weapon X project has successfully mentally reduced him to a dehumanized feral attack dog.
* {{Determinator}}: To put it simply, unless you are Magneto or 1973-era Beast, you won't stop him.
* TheDogBitesBack: The Weapon X project stripped him of his humanity and turned him into a savage killing machine. Once Kurt, Scott, and Jean free him, he slaughters every last one of them but Stryker.
* DrinkOrder: His strong preference for beer stems from his [[CanadaEh Canadian]] background, and it's also an indicator that he has lived for many years as a vagabond.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: [[spoiler:In the finale of ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', he wakes up in the Sentinel-averted future to find all the X-Men and children at Xavier's school. Since he's the history teacher, he's settled and content.]]
** HappyEndingOverride: {{Film/Logan}} pulls this on the above. And dear ''God'', the trailer alone shows just how much damage it wrought on him.
* {{Foil}}: To the younger Magneto in ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast''. Both are violent individuals who love Xavier, but whereas JerkWithAHeartOfGold Logan possesses UndyingLoyalty towards Charles, JerkWithAHeartOfJerk Erik is quick to [[spoiler:[[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder betray]] him]].
* FriendToAllChildren: At Xavier's school. Even when turned into more of a beast than a man in ''Apocalypse'', he hesitates at the thought of harming children long enough for Jean to help him.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:G-L]]
* GoodFlawsBadFlaws: His fondness for cigars is part of his macho image.
* GoodIsNotNice: The quote underneath his picture says it all.
* GoodThingYouCanHeal: He gets thrashed the most in all the films. Anyone else would die from the injuries he experiences.
* HairTriggerTemper: Downplayed, but still present.
* HealingFactor: By the climax of ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'', his flesh is being torn from his body at an alarming rate only to regenerate just as quickly. (This was explained in the novelization as being accelerated and enhanced even further than normal by the energy Jean was putting out.) He also survives a ''nuclear bomb'' in the opening of ''Film/TheWolverine'' and his body is left a charred and scalded mess from the affair. However, it seems like the film Wolverine's healing factor is not as absurd as the comic book Wolverine's healing factor, considering that decapitation is treated as a viable option in his solo films. [[spoiler:''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'' also presents drowning as an effective method, though he was fished out before it could take.]] However, by the time that ''{{Film/Logan}}'' takes place, his healing factor is no longer as powerful as before, making his aging more visible and his body being heavily scarred.
* TheHeart: In ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast''. Ironically, it's his major role in the film, with very few fight scenes. He's more there to galvanize the young Professor into action.
* HellBentForLeather: He is the best example as besides the X-Men body suit, he often wears a leather jacket.
* TheHero: Though Charles does seem to fill the role at times as well, Logan gets the most screen time (including 3 dedicated spin-off films), character development, and usually is the one to save the day, making him this to the film series overall.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With his half-brother Victor Creed for his childhood and most of his adult life, up until he left Team X.
* HotBloodedSideburns: Has some rather prominent muttonchops to go along with his rash personality. The PermaStubble brings it even further.
* HotTeacher: The ultimate ChickMagnet in the franchise joins the academy's staff in ''Film/XMenTheLastStand''. [[spoiler:Revealed to be a history teacher in the new timeline created in ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'']].
* HowDoIShotWeb: Even he isn't immune, spending the first few hours after he got his adamantium claws in ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'' accidentally cutting things up.
* IDidWhatIHadToDo: In ''Film/TheWolverine'', [[spoiler:during a dream sequence, Wolverine tells Jean Grey that he had no choice but to kill her because of all the death and destruction she was causing.]]
* ImmortalityHurts: It sure doesn't look like a pleasant experience to survive a nuclear bomb in ''Film/TheWolverine''.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He can be rather rude, and he often makes snide remarks, but behind it all, he means well.
* TheLancer: A surly, cynical foil to Cyclops in the first two movies, and Storm in the third.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:M-R]]
* MayflyDecemberRomance: Due to the longevity his powers provide him, Wolverine faces this conundrum. [[spoiler:Well, he would, if his love interests would live long enough to see old age. The only one who survives parts with him on amicable terms.]]
* MeaningfulName: He was born as James ''Howl''ett; his surname is a nod to his animalistic nature.
* MrFanservice: He's the most objectified male character in the franchise; he's briefly naked in a few movies and has numerous {{Shirtless Scene}}s.
** He lampshades it himself in [[{{Film/XMen1}} very first movie]]
** ''Film/TheWolverine'': He reluctantly takes a bath as he's vigorously scrubbed by two female attendants, so much of his skin is on display.
*** Creator/HughJackman is the only reason Tao Okamoto initially agreed to play Mariko in ''Film/TheWolverine'', and Fan Bingbing can't stop gushing about him.
** ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'': He appears entirely naked when first waking up in the past.
** ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': His every on-screen appearance features him running around shirtless.
* MyMasterRightOrWrong: There are shades of this in ''Film/XMenTheLastStand''. He becomes angry at Xavier after learning about the psychic blocks in Jean's mind, yet despite his disgust, he still reassures her that the Professor can help and fix her mental instability. Instead of going on his own, Logan accompanies Charles to Jean's childhood home, and he's devastated when [[spoiler:Xavier is murdered]]. It's on a subconscious level, but Wolverine was beginning to develop UndyingLoyalty towards Professor X.
* MysteriousPast: Even to him.
* NakedOnArrival: In ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', he wakes up in the past naked... because his past self just spent the night in bed with the woman he's supposed to be guarding.
* NatureHero: The AntiHero kind in ''Film/TheWolverine''. Specifically, he beat the shit out of the hunter who killed his bear friend/companion.
* OlderThanTheyLook: All because of his Super Healing Factor. He was born in 1832, but as of ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', he still physically appears to be a buff as hell late thirties/early forties. His powers constantly rejuvenate his cellular integrity rendering him seemingly ageless. He's not entirely immortal however; it's believed that he can age, just at an incredibly slow rate.
* OldMoney: Judging by the refined manners of John Howlett and the grandeur of the mansion in ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'', James Howlett was born into wealth. However, he learns when he was around 13 years old that his mother Elizabeth had an affair with Thomas Logan, his family's groundskeeper, and is their illegitimate child. After the death of both his stepfather and biological father, James runs away from home, and he has been scratching a living ever since.
* OneManArmy: Best illustrated in ''Film/XMenApocalypse'', wherein he [[spoiler:singlehandedly slaughters every single soldier in the well-staffed Alkali Lake facility without a single one of them even managing to slow him down]].
** ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'' had fight sequences of him tearing through several Brotherhood mutants, and ''Film/TheWolverine'' has him tearing through large groups of Yakuza's and ninjas.
* PapaWolf: Towards Rogue and the children at the school.
* ParentalSubstitute: To Rogue.

* RatedMForManly: Cigar-chomping bearded badass whom the chicks love. Pure macho!
* RunningGag:
** Thanks to his recurring nightmares of his DarkAndTroubledPast, it's a bad idea to share a bed with him or to be near him when he's unconscious. [[Film/XMen1 Rogue]], [[Film/XMenOriginsWolverine Silverfox]], [[Film/TheWolverine a veterinarian (student), and, very nearly, Mariko,]] learn this lesson the hard way. Surprisingly enough Mariko seems completely unperturbed by almost being impaled and CONTINUES SLEEPING WITH HIM!
*** [[Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast Later]], [[spoiler:Shadowcat]] learns it the hard way. Not for sleeping with him, just for being too close during one of his episodes.
** His discomfort when it comes to flying plays out across the various films.
** Likely unintentional, but whenever he tries to confront Magneto, he ends up being thrown through the air.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:S-W]]
* ScreamingWarrior: Usually lets out a battle cry when taking down foes.
* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan: In ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', he's the Manly Man with 1973 Charles in the Overly Sensitive Guy role. Logan has to act as the "glue" which barely holds the emotionally fragile Xavier together in order to complete their mission. Their opposite natures are most directly contrasted in the Pentagon kitchen scene, where Charles attempts to persuade the guards that he and his partner have a valid reason to be there, while Wolverine just knocks them out with a frying pan.
* ShellShockedVeteran: It's demonstrated in ''Film/XMen1''. Surprising a sleeping PTSD vet is a bad idea, especially when he's got adamantium-coated bone claws.
* SleevesAreForWimps: Is often seen wearing a tank top.
* SpotlightStealingSquad: By far the most prominent character in the franchise, being the main character in almost every film and having 3 solo films dedicated to himself.
* SuperStrength: Strong enough to toss around fully grown men as if they are pillows.
* TranquilFury: His anger at the hunters who shot a bear with a poisoned arrow is [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness surprisingly]] colder than his usual fits of temper.
* TallDarkAndSnarky: At 6'2", his snarkiness is as tall, if not taller, than his height.
* ThatManIsDead: In ''Film/TheWolverine'', when Yukio tells him it's an honour to meet the Wolverine, he mutters, "That's not who I am anymore."
* TimeShiftedActor: A different actor plays James Howlett as a kid in ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine''.
* TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening: His mutant power first manifests itself in ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'' when he witnesses his father being shot and stabs his father's killer to death.
* UnbreakableBones: His adamantium skeleton is pretty much immune to damage.
* UnstoppableRage: He's pretty angry when he fights, but he ''really'' goes into one of these as he's [[spoiler:escaping the Weapon X Facility.]]
* UndyingLoyalty: He has developed this for Xavier during the TimeSkip after the post-credits scene of ''Film/TheWolverine''. Although both Magneto and Professor X are co-leaders of the remaining X-Men in 2023, Logan only defers to Charles' authority. When Erik tells him that, "You'll need me as well [in the past]," Wolverine is wholly against the idea, but he reluctantly agrees after Xavier nods in approval.
* WhoWantsToLiveForever: Logan, for what he has experienced, cannot die. It leads to the unfortunate circumstance of seeing those around him get killed or pass away of old age. However, when he is offered the chance to grow old and die like everyone else, he refuses.
** He explains that living as long as he does is a curse, not a gift, since he has to watch everyone he loves grow old and die. It is clear he doesn't enjoy being immortal and sees it as a punishment he wouldn't wish even on his worst enemy.
* WolverineClaws: [[TropeNamer Obviously]]. Both bone and adamantium versions.
* WouldHitAGirl:
** ''Film/XMen1'': Considering that Mystique is trying to kill him, he fights her as viciously as he would any man.
** ''Film/X2XMenUnited'': The brutal confrontation between himself and Lady Deathstrike is one of the most violent duels in the franchise. To be fair, she was faster and got more hits in.
** ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'': He has no choice but to slay the Phoenix in order to end her catastrophic rampage.
[[/folder]]
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** While not like his comic counterpart, especially since his claws are sharp only at the tips, they have been shown sharp enough to cut through flesh and bone in one strike, and is capable of cutting inro rock.

* BeardOfSorrow: In ''Film/TheWolverine'', Logan starts out with a shaggy one, likely resulting from the events of ''Film/XMenTheLastStand''.

* HealingFactor: By the climax of ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'', his flesh is being torn from his body at an alarming rate only to regenerate just as quickly. (This was explained in the novelization as being accelerated and enhanced even further than normal by the energy Jean was putting out.) He also survives a ''nuclear bomb'' in the opening of ''Film/TheWolverine'' and his body is left a charred and scalded mess from the affair. However, it seems like the film Wolverine's healing factor is not as absurd as the comic book Wolverine's healing factor, considering that decapitation is treated as a viable option in his solo films. [[spoiler:''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'' also presents drowning as an effective method, though he was fished out before it could take.]]

* TheHero: Of the series overall though Charles does Seem to fill the role at times as well.

* TheProtagonist: Of the film series overall, getting the most screen time, character development, and usually being the one to save the day. He even gets 3 dedicated spin-off films.

** He explains that living as long as he does is a curse, not a gift, since he has to watch everyone he loves grow old and die.

* ChickMagnet: Rogue had a crush on him, Jean flirts with him, Mystique attempted to seduce him, Kayla was his girlfriend, plus he had a fling with Mariko and Gwen (the mob boss' daughter).

* BashBrothers: In ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'', he and Victor Creed do this for the first fifteen minutes of the movie. The opening sequence is a {{Badass}} {{Montage}} through UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar, UsefulNotes/WW1, UsefulNotes/WW2 and UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar! They also come back together briefly at the end, albeit [[EnemyMine for a mutual gain]].

->'''Film Appearances''': ''Film/XMen1 | Film/X2XMenUnited | Film/XMenTheLastStand | Film/XMenOriginsWolverine | Film/XMenFirstClass | Film/TheWolverine | Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast | Film/XMenApocalypse''

** ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'' had fight sequences of him tearing through several Brotherhood mutants, and ''Film/TheWolverine'' has him tearign through large groups of Yakuza's and ninjas.

* WhoWantsToLiveForever: Logan, for what he has experienced, cannot die. Which brings up the unfortunate circumstance of seeing those around him get killed or pass away of old age.

* TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening: His mutant power first manifests itself in ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'' when he stabs his father's killer to death.

* OneManArmy: Best illustrated in ''Film/XMenApocalpse'', wherein he [[spoiler: singlehandedly slaughters every single soldier in the well-staffed Alkali Lake facility without a single one of them even managing to slow him down]].

* FriendToAllChildren: At Xavier's school.

%%* NighInvulnerability

* OneManArmy: He'll take down as many people as possible.

* BlessedWithSuck: Let's see...
** His hands hurt every time his claws come out.
** ImmortalityHurts: It sure doesn't look like a pleasant experience to survive a nuclear bomb in ''Film/TheWolverine''.
** WhoWantsToLiveForever: Logan, for what he has experienced, cannot die. Which brings up the unfortunate circumstance of seeing those around him get killed or pass away of old age.

* {{Absurdly Sharp Blade}}s: His claws, which are coated in adamantium. [[spoiler:By the end of ''The Wolverine'', however, the injuries Wolverine sustained in his battle with the Silver Samurai leaves him with his normal bone claws.]]