Spoilers for Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1!Marvel’s Ultimate Universe is celebrating its first anniversary with a special one-shot comic checking in on the various players and events brewing within its reborn world, with the X-Men’s Wolverine making his official debut as the new Bucky Barnes by issue’s end. Calling into question whether it’s Logan under the mask as the Wolverine/Winter Soldier combo or Bucky Barnes as a Winter Soldier turned Wolverine hybrid, Marvel has directly settled that fan debate with an exciting reveal that bodes well for the character moving forward.
The relaunched Ultimate Universe — designated Earth-6160 — was created all thanks to the meddling of an evil version of Reed Richards dubbed The Maker and offers fresh takes on iconic Marvel characters, with the next Winter Soldier getting a badass redesign for the upcoming Ultimate Wolverine series that fits the character well.
Finally confirming in the “Ultimate Wolverine Prologue” at the back of Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1 that this is indeed Logan’s Wolverine acting as the Ultimate Universe’s Winter Soldier — not Bucky Barnes as Wolverine — this is a welcome confirmation for fans and an incredibly interesting one for Wolverine.
Logan Is Confirmed To Be the Winter Soldier in Marvel’s Ultimate Universe
Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1 “Ultimate Wolverine Prologue” – 2024 (Chris Condon and Alessandro Cappuccio)
Narrated by Dr. Alonya Prostovich, the director of science and technology for the Eurasian Republic, a section of Earth-6160 ruled over by the Maker’s hand-picked mutant trio of Colossus, Magik, and Omega Red, this Ultimate Wolverine prologue shows how this reality’s Weapon X program, or “Directorate X,” was an off-the-books division that experimented on “specimens” to make a “good soldier perfect.” Succeeding in turning a “man into a weapon,” the final page’s caption reads, “They called him Logan once. Then the ‘specimen.’ No more… now he is ours. Our Winter Solider” accompanied by a jaw-dropping illustration of Wolverine’s latest persona.
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Knowing now that this isn’t some version of Bucky Barnes’ Winter Soldier given Wolverine’s iconic adamantium weapons means two things: firstly, that Bucky is still out there in the Ultimate Universe just waiting for his debut, and second, that Logan’s journey as a character will be an entirely different one compared to his X-Men-affiliated Earth-616-based counterpart. Mixing elements of Winter Soldier’s Russian brainwashing backstory along with Logan’s Weapon X origin, this new hybrid character already feels like an intriguing addition to this universe, with the idea of a mutant Winter Soldier opening unique storytelling avenues that beg to be explored.
Logan’s Ultimate Universe Journey as the New Winter Solider Begins in Ultimate Wolverine #1
It’s unclear whether Logan was Wolverine before becoming the Winter Soldier in this remixed reality or if his Ultimate Wolverine series will follow him as he finds his way to a more familiar X-Men-related role that fans know and love him in, but regardless, his journey as a Eurasian Republic asset who was “Born and died, then born again” is sure to be a wild one. Logan’s version of Wolverine officially confirmed as the Winter Soldier is the reveal fans have been waiting for, settling an Ultimate Universe mystery that’s just the tip of the iceberg for this relaunched initiative.
Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1 is available from Marvel Comics.
Wolverine
The human mutant Wolverine (a.k.a. Logan) was born James Howlett, blessed with a superhuman healing factor, senses, and physiology. Subjecting himself to experimentation to augment his skeleton and claws with adamantium, Logan is as deadly as he is reckless, impulsive, and short-tempered. Making him the X-Men’s wildest and deadliest member, and one of Marvel Comics’ biggest stars. He’s played in Fox and Marvel’s movie franchises by Hugh Jackman.
- Created By
- Roy Thomas , Len Wein , John Romita Sr.
- First Appearance
- The Incredible Hulk (2023)
- Alias
- 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
- Movies
- X-Men , X2: X-Men United , X-Men: The Last Stand , X-Men Origins: Wolverine , X-Men: First Class , The Wolverine , X-Men Days of Future Past , X-Men: Apocalypse , Deadpool , Logan , Deadpool 2 , Deadpool & Wolverine
- POWERS
- Retractible claws and Adamantium skeleton. Superhuman senses, stamina, and strength. Healing factor and longevity.
- NAME
- James “Logan” Howlett
- Age
- 197 (in the MCU)
- Height
- 5’3”
- Comic Books
- Wolverine #1 , X-Men #1
- Status
- Alive
Summary
Perhaps the most widely known of the X-Men, Wolverine first appeared in Marvel Comics in 1974. With his healing factor, retractable claws, adamantium skeleton, and combat skills, he’s become an iconic anti-hero. Portrayed by Hugh Jackman in the X-Men movies by 20th Century Fox, the character is inducted into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Deadpool 3.
