Although Wolverine is the star of the X-Men movies, there’s still a lot about Logan they haven’t covered. James Howlett a.k.a. Wolverine has been one of the most deeply developed Marvel characters in live-action. Hugh Jackman’s mutant has consistently been at the center of the franchise, often stealing the spotlight from the rest of the X-Men thanks to his popularity.
Wolverine’s lore is vast, spanning decades of comic book adventures. Even though the films gave him more development than most mutants, many crucial aspects of Logan’s story remain untouched. These overlooked elements highlight just how much depth Wolverine still has to offer in live-action.
Wolverine Has Samurai Training
Logan Has Spent Much Longer In Japan Than His Live-Action Counterpart
Logan holds a sword in Wolverine Netsuke
Wolverine has deep ties to Japan, where he studied under Lord Ogun and trained extensively in samurai traditions. Though never a formal samurai, Logan absorbed their code of honor, discipline, and mastery of combat arts, which elevate him above a feral brawler. Wolverine’s connections to Japan also extend to meaningful relationships, including his romance with Mariko Yashida.
James Mangold’s The Wolverine briefly touches on Logan’s time in Japan, but it glosses over most of the source material. Instead of years of rigorous training and cultural immersion, The Wolverine portrays Logan as a reluctant visitor dragged into conflicts beyond his control. While he fights samurai and interacts with Mariko, there’s no exploration of his martial arts training or spiritual growth.
Wolverine Is A Spy And A Secret Agent
Logan Is An Expert In Stealth-Based Combat
Wolverine shoots a gun as a member of Team X
Wolverine has lived a double life as not only a mutant brawler but also a seasoned spy and black-ops operative. Logan has worked for organizations like the CIA, SHIELD, and the Canadian government’s Department K (where Wolverine worked with Spider-Man’s parents), honing his skills in espionage and infiltration. Wolverine’s time with Team X and later with X-Force demonstrate his tactical brilliance and willingness to undertake morally gray missions that required stealth and precision.
The X-Men franchise briefly touches on this background in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, where Logan is part of Team X. However, Fox’s take on Team X reimagines the group as a flashy squad of full-fledged mutant superheroes rather than a covert black-ops unit. Beyond that, the X-Men movies overlook Wolverine’s spy career and portrayed him instead as a headstrong fighter, ignoring the more subdued, stealth-focused side of the character.
Wolverine’s Son Daken Has Never Appeared In A Marvel Movie
X-23 Has A Villainous Step-Brother
Wolverine fights Daken in Marvel Comics
In Marvel Comics, Wolverine’s family tree is far more complicated than the movies let on, and his most famous child is his son, Akihiro, better known as Daken. Born in Japan, Daken inherits Logan’s claws, healing factor, and heightened senses. Since his debut, Daken has walked the line between villain and anti-hero, battling his father, joining Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers. More recently, Daken has become Hellverine, the Spirit of Vengeance.
Fox’s X-Men films finally introduced Wolverine’s clone-daughter Laura Kinney a.k.a. X-23 in Logan, which gave fans a glimpse of Wolverine’s complicated legacy. However, Daken has been completely absent from both Fox’s continuity and the MCU. Despite being one of Wolverine’s most complex relationships, the movies have ignored Akihiro entirely. With Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine nearing his cinematic retirement, it seems increasingly unlikely that Daken will ever be tied to this version of Logan.
Wolverine Is Close Friends With Multiple Famous Mutants
Wolverine Is Much Closer To His X-Men Colleagues
Wolverine hugs Nightcrawler in the snow
Wolverine’s genuine friendships with fellow X-Men heroes like Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Kitty Pryde are among the most heartfelt in X-Men history, and his camaraderie with heroes like Captain America and Spider-Man has endured across the decades. Despite their rivalry, Wolverine and Cyclops have also remained authentic friends. On top of that, Logan also had romantic ties with characters such as Mystique, Emma Frost, and Domino.
Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine has rarely developed those same connections on the big screen. Instead, his rivalry with Cyclops is played up without ever transitioning into friendship, and his positive relationships with teammates like Storm, Iceman, and Colossus. Long-standing friendships in the Fox universe, like his bonds with Beast or Quicksilver, are merely hinted at. Ultimately, Jackman’s Wolverine only forms one truly enduring friendship in the films: Charles Xavier.
Wolverine Has A Secret Double Life In The Criminal Underworld
Logan Has Made A Name For Himself In Places Like Madripoor
Wolverine wearing an eye patch with his claws in Marvel Comics
Wolverine has lived an entire double life in the shadows of the lawless Southeast Asian island city of Madripoor. Using the alias “Patch,” Wolverine blends into Madripoor’s criminal underworld and dabbles in mercenary work and undercover heroics. Logan’s time there frequently brings him into conflict with crime bosses and even Joe Fix-It, the gray Hulk. This darker side of Wolverine adds another layer to his character beyond the soldier and superhero.
On the big screen, Wolverine’s criminal underworld exploits have been largely ignored. The X-Men films occasionally show Logan in seedy bars, and his first introduction in the franchise shows him fighting in an underground cage fight. Deadpool & Wolverine offers a nod to the Patch persona with a brief cameo, but the films have never truly explored Logan’s double life as a shady operator in Madripoor’s crime scene.
Wolverine Has A Lifelong Feud With Sabretooth
Victor Creed Is Logan’s Archnemesis
Split image of Wolverine and Sabretooth both baring their teeth
Wolverine and Sabretooth’s rivalry is one of the most brutal and enduring in the Marvel universe. From a young age, Victor Creed fixates on tormenting Logan, treating him like prey to hunt and torture. Their animosity has been manipulated by villains like Romulus, Mister Sinister, and Magneto, who have only perpetuated their mutual hatred across decades.
The X-Men movies fail to do justice to Wolverine and Sabretooth’s legendary blood feud. The original trilogy reduces Victor Creed to a silent henchman with no personal connection to Logan. Then, X-Men Origins: Wolverine retcons them into siblings before Sabretooth vanishes from continuity. More recently, Deadpool & Wolverine ignores their shared history again, and Wolverine kills Sabretooth without much to comment about.
Hugh Jackman Has Never Said Wolverine’s Iconic Catchphrase
Wolverine Is The Best At What He Does, But What He Does Isn’t Very Nice
Wolverine says his iconic what I do catchphrase in X-Men #162
Wolverine has an easily recognizable catchphrase: “I’m the best at what I do, but what I do isn’t very nice.” This line, paired with his frequent use of the word “bub,” has become synonymous with Logan’s gruff personality. It perfectly encapsulates his role as a deadly warrior who, despite his rough methods, ultimately fights for good alongside the X-Men.
Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine has never said his iconic line across nearly decades of movies. His rare use of “bub” barely scratches the surface of this side of Logan’s comic book persona. While superhero films often avoid leaning into comic catchphrases for fear of sounding campy, there’s hope that one day Jackman or his MCU successor will deliver Wolverine’s most famous words on the big screen.
Created By
Roy Thomas, Len Wein, John Romita Sr.
First Appearance
The Incredible Hulk (2023)
NAME
James “Logan” Howlett
Alliance
X-Men, Avengers, Canadian Army, OSS/CIA, Avengers Unity Squad, Alpha Flight, New Avengers, New Fantastic Four, Savage Avengers, Weapon X, X-Force
Race
Human-Mutant