Wolverine is easily one of Marvel’s most popular characters. He was a breakout star when he joined the X-Men, and quickly garnered a dedicated fanbase that wanted to see Logan keep being the best there is at what he does. They got it, and it turns out that what he does is a whole heck of a lot. He became a hero that not even the X-Men were big enough for, spreading across the entire Marvel line and connecting, fighting, and everything in between with just about everyone in the universe. Wolverine has starred in thrillers, action-packed brawls, world-deciding events, multiversal-destiny-related stories, and, of course, romance.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Romance sells, after all, so it only makes sense for Wolverine to have a cast of love interests that matches his popularity. Some days, it feels like he’s been shipped and paired with about half the people in Marvel, but the pairing that everyone inside the comics and out keeps coming back to is Wolverine and Jean Grey. This doomed, often scandalous romance has been adapted into every piece of Wolverine media outside of the comics, and constantly rears its ugly head there, too. Yet, I’ve never understood why, given that not only is this Wolverine’s worst romance, but it’s a distraction from his true greatest love interest, Mariko.
A Love That Should Never Rise From the Ashes
Before we go over what makes Mariko and Wolverine work so well, let’s go over why Jean and Logan are such a terrible pairing. For starters, these two simply don’t work well as a couple. Their worldviews and personalities don’t mesh or clash well enough to generate any interesting stories from it, and frankly, they just don’t have any chemistry. In fact, the only time this relationship has any legs is when Scott is in the picture as an antagonistic force to it. Whenever Jean and Wolverine get together, it’s almost always treated by the writers as a way to create tension between Logan and Cyclops. These two have a very strong rivalry, but adding to it in this way completely detracts from Jean’s character.
Whenever Jean is with Wolverine, she’s practically nothing more than only a love interest. She’s there to be a symbol for Wolverine. Compare that to when she’s with Scott, where they both constantly learn from each other and develop because of their love for each other. Scott and Jean’s romance is so many leagues above Wolverine and Jean’s that it puts into stark contrast how little the latter brings to the table. Writers continuously call back to it, from Morrison rekindling the flames and even having them kiss, to Hickman implying that Jean, Scott, and Logan were in a three-way relationship, but it never works.
Not only is this reducing Jean to a goal or item to win instead of letting her be the spectacular character that she is, but it also destroys the character growth they both experienced when this “romance” was first introduced. Before retcons and new directions, Jean never liked Wolverine, and Logan was only attracted to her because she was feisty and someone he couldn’t have. Jean shutting him down was a wake-up call, and Logan moved on and became a much more mature character because of it. Who did he move on with? Well, his greatest love interest, Mariko, of course.
The Grounding Evolution Wolverine Needed
Wolverine’s love interests fall into a few categories. These include being a jilted supervillain, like Lady Deathstrike, fellow heroes who he’ll never stay with for long, like Storm, and the rare normal citizen, like Melita Garner. The last one definitely made a case for this article, but the reason Mariko is the greatest is that she breaks the rules and is all three of these roles. She started as a normal woman who connected with Wolverine in a way that he’d never felt before, only to discover that her family controlled major swathes of crime just before their wedding. She called it off and became the head of her family, eventually becoming a full-on villain, but returning to redeem herself later on.
Mariko has gone through just as many reinventions and evolutions as Wolverine, but through it all, the core of their relationship has stayed the same. They are two people who genuinely loved each other and were good for each other, but were pulled apart by tragic forces outside of their control. Yet, no matter how much they go through, Wolverine will still always be the man who borders on animalistic fury, and Mariko will always be the woman who sees through that without casting it aside. Mariko understood Wolverine and made him want to be better in a way that no other person has, and it was beautiful. These are two people who have been through countless trials, but who can come out the other end for the better, if writers remembered that she was around.
This is definitely the relationship with the most potential and depth, and one that we need to see more of instead of Jean and Logan for the hundredth time. Which of Wolverine’s relationships is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
5 Weapon X Test Subjects Who Survived And Aren’t Named Wolverine
More Comics
-
Image Courtesy of DC Comics Comics
16 hours agoThe Death of Batman Is DC Canon and It Proves the DC Universe Can Survive Without the Caped Crusader
-
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics Comics
1 day agoThe Scarlet Witch Finished Her Run as the Sorcerer Supreme By Making the Ultimate Sacrifice
-
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics Comics
2 days agoQueen in Black Ended With Venom Back Where He Belongs
-
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics Comics
2 days ago31 Years Ago, Two Of the Greatest Comics Creators Teamed Up For a Book You’ve Never Heard Of
-
Courtesy of The Walt Disney Company Collectibles
2 days agoA Near-Perfect 1964 Avengers Comic Is Shockingly Worth Less Than It Was 10 Years Ago
