Summary
- Prince Otherone’s tragic backstory as Apex is explored in Wolverine Annual #1, showcasing his guilt over destroying his planet.
- Apex, backed by the Power Stone, struggles with the weight of his actions while seeking closure through the Soul Stone.
- Wolverine mentors Apex on dealing with guilt, offering a poignant lesson on balancing the scales and doing more good as a hero.
Warning: Contains Spoilers for Wolverine Annual #1!It hasn’t been long at all since Apex debuted, and he’s already got a more tragic backstory than some of the iconic heroes of the Marvel Universe. Fashioning himself as the most powerful hero in the cosmos, much like a certain Master of the Universe (and in a similar garb, too), Apex is the current holder of the Power Stone. None of this, however, makes up for the fact that he’s backed by a horrible tragedy.
Prince Otherone, formerly known as the Prince of Power, has re-branded himself as the hero Apex after eating the Power Stone. Fans are getting to see a new side of Apex in Wolverine Annual #1 by Ezra Claytan Daniels and Yildiray Çinar. As he tries to challenge Wolverine in a fight to the death, because he feels that Wolverine is as powerful as the Power Stone, Apex’s friend Multitude, bonded with the Soul Stone, interferes.
Calling forth the dead with the power of the Soul Stone, Wolverine get to experience closure for his origin story. Apex also gets a similar powerful message from his dead family – that they do not forgive him and wish him to live forever with his guilt of destroying their planet.
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In conjunction with the character’s entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the comic book version of Wolverine takes on a vengeful new form.
Apex Is No Master of His Universe
The Power Stone Cannot Help Apex Deal With His Guilt
He-Man only had to deal with monsters that were bigger than life. Apex has to deal with the crushing weight of destroying his entire planet by accident.
Debuting in Guardians of the Galaxy #3, Prince Otherone is a play on He-Man, coming from a race of god-like heroes. But after the destruction of his planet, Apex went from a one-dimensional parody to one of Marvel’s most tragic characters. He-Man only had to deal with monsters that were bigger than life. Apex has to deal with the crushing weight of destroying his entire planet by accident. Not even Superman has to hold the entire weight of his planet’s destruction on his shoulders like that.
The mere fact that his family returns via the Soul Stone and pronounces a curse on him instead of any peace from beyond the grave is wildly heart-breaking. Apex is being haunted by an entire planet. Not even the Power Stone can lift that weight.
Wolverine Understands How To Deal With Unbearable Guilt
Wolverine and Apex First Tested Their Strength in a Fight to the Death
Wolverine and Apex’s relationship is already perfect from the start in the beginnings of their fight, but this new development allows Wolverine to become a mentor to the young hero Apex in the only way he can. Wolverine is the perfect person to help Apex out of this immense guilt. In his own time, Wolverine has done some things he’s not proud of – even recently when he was forced to kill his own son.
In response to Apex’s impossible question of how to live with that planet-sized guilt, Logan tells him, “You just do what you can to balance the scales.” This is not only true, but a perfect Wolverine answer. For all the bad that’s been done, do a little more good: that’s what being a hero is. Thanks to Wolverine, Apex might not only become one of the strongest heroes in Marvel – but one of the best, too.
Wolverine Annual
#1
is available now from Marvel Comics!
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Wolverine Annual #1 (2024) |
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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
- POWERS
- Retractible claws and Adamantium skeleton. Superhuman senses, stamina, and strength. Healing factor and longevity.
- Height
- 5’3”
- Comic Books
- Wolverine #1 , X-Men #1
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.
