The Wolverine has experienced more bloodshed and death than most characters in horror films. As a member of the X-Men, he has been responsible for countless fatalities, yet Logan himself has seldom confronted death in its most chilling form. Nevertheless, when he has faced that grim reality, it has always been depicted in stark, visceral detail, demonstrating the sheer brutality of his existence.
Considering that Wolverine of Earth-616 is nearly immortal, he has survived injuries that would certainly claim the lives of ordinary humans. Even in instances where his soul has been forcibly removed, his body persisted, lying in wait for either his return or a new host. Yet, not all Wolverines across the multiverse share this remarkable resilience. Throughout the infinite realities, Logan has experienced gruesome demises—incinerated, zombified, and even decollated. While he remains a formidable hero, these examples of his harrowing deaths underscore the precarious line he walks with mortality. Below, we explore ten of the most horrific demises Wolverine has faced.
10
Wolverine Kills a Wolverine Who Kills Wolverines
Exiles #85-86 (2006) – by Tony Bedard, Paul Pelletier, & Rick Magyar
Marvel’s Exiles is a motley crew of multiversal heroes charged with confronting various menaces across different dimensions. In the storyline, the Exiles take a breather after a traumatic loss to the mutant Proteus. However, a team of alternate Wolverines is formed in their absence, gathering to take down an enemy only they can face: another Wolverine.
In this universe, a failed magical attempt by the Scarlet Warlock to fuse their Wolverine with Magneto results in a creature called “Brother Mutant,” formed from the fusion of several powerful mutants. As the band of Wolverines confronts this adversary, they are met with a throng of alternate Wolverines who aim to stop Brother Mutant. The confrontation quickly descends into chaos as havoc ensues, culminating in one Wolverine delivering a lethal blow that halts the carnage.
9
Magneto Forces Wolverine to Cut His Throat Out
What If? #31 (1981) – by Rick Margopoulos, Bob Budiansky, & Mike Esposito
Following the savage confrontation between Earth-616’s Wolverine and Hulk, alternate realities emerge as timelines diverge. In one of these timelines, after vanquishing the Hulk, Wolverine finds himself branded a pariah, with no allies to rely upon until Magneto extends an invitation to join the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. In exchange, Wolverine must assist in exterminating the X-Men.
As Wolverine becomes integral to the Brotherhood’s plans, he falls for Jean Grey. However, after disrupting their objectives, Magneto will neither allow Wolverine to protect Jean nor escape unscathed. In an ultimate show of brutality, during a fierce struggle, Magneto manipulates Wolverine’s claws, making him stab his own throat, leaving both mutants battered and bleeding on the floor.
8
Wolverine’s Flesh Is Seared Off His Body
The New Warriors #11 (1991) – by Fabian Nicieza, Mark Bagley, & Larry Mahlstedt
In a reality warped by the mystical mutant Sphinx, the landscape of Earth has been rewritten, placing him as the supreme ruler since antiquity. In contemporary times, the New Warriors arise to challenge this Egyptian “god,” but soon realize they are hopelessly outmatched.
As the New Warriors engage him, their struggle is met with fierce opposition from the Sphinx’s version of the Avengers. Just as defeat looms, Wolverine joins the fray and valiantly attempts to strike at Captain Assyria. However, his efforts meet with disaster when Horus, the Egyptian god, unleashes a powerful, mystical assault, instantaneously incinerating Wolverine’s flesh and leaving only his Adamantium skeleton behind.
7
Nemesis Sends Wolverine and Sabretooth to Outer Space
Age of Apocalypse #5 (2015) – by Fabian Nicieza and Iban Coello
During the 2015 Secret Wars event, Doctor Doom forms an amalgamation of various realms into a singular entity called Battleworld. In this edition of the Age of Apocalypse narrative, Doctor Nicola Bradley, also known as Doctor Nemesis, believes the next generation of mutants will far surpass their predecessors.
Throughout Apocalypse’s regime, Doctor Nemesis collects the DNA of deceased X-Men for his experiments. In the effort to elevate himself to a new and unstoppable force, Nemesis injects himself with a combination of mutant genes. The X-Men, confronting this elevated threat, find that before they can retaliate, Nemesis tosses Wolverine into the void of space, leaving behind but a charred remnant.
6
Logan Is Overwhelmed by a Horde of Hungry Zombies
Ultimate Fantastic Four #22 (2005) – by Mark Millar, Greg Land, & Matt Ryan
Before the launch of the popular Marvel Zombies series, the concept was first introduced in Ultimate Fantastic Four #22. In this alternate reality, an outbreak of zombies ravages the superhumans after the enigmatic disappearance of Reed Richards.
While some mutants, including Magneto, manage to survive the initial chaos, Logan is not as fortunate. In the early waves of this apocalypse, he is swarmed and devoured by relentless zombies. Subsequent issues depict a zombie incarnation of Wolverine wandering through a desolate landscape. Ultimately, Magneto sacrifices himself to eradicate many of the undead, resulting in a peculiar twist of fate—zombie-Wolverine dies twice in this tragic arc.
5
The Punisher Impales and Electrocutes Wolverine
Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe #1 (1995) – by Garth Ennis, Doug Braithwaite, & Michael L. Halblieb
In the comic Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe, Frank Castle has resolved to eliminate all superpowered beings from his reality. This iteration of the Punisher witnessed his family perish amidst a catastrophic clash between heroes and alien invaders. Shifting his focus from crime to confronting superhuman threats, he meticulously compiles a hit list, targeting the greatest identifiers of power.
Frank’s plan leads him to a deceptive confrontation with the X-Men on the moon, securing their demise. Though he initially spares Wolverine for a more personal confrontation, he soon unleashes a brutal onslaught, culminating in tossing Logan into an electrified grid. Logan’s body contorts violently, flesh burning away until nothing remains but his Adamantium skeleton and the satisfied Punisher.
4
Beardevil Mauls Logan to Death
Secret Wars Too #1 (2015) – “The Bear Without Fear” – by Ryan Browne
Secret Wars Too provides a humorous lens through Marvel’s multiverse, showcasing various shorts within a broader anthology. One installment, “The Bear Without Fear,” features a hilarious twist where three Cyclops variations unite to confront Wolverine after he takes Jean Grey on a date. In a futile effort, they unleash their optic blasts, only for Wolverine to deflect them right back at them.
Just when all seems lost, a giant bear known as Beardevil, adorned in red spandex, tackles Wolverine to the ground. While the Cyclops variants cheer on the spectacle, Beardevil’s playful attack quickly escalates into a horrifying mauling. Logan is left in a gruesome state, reduced to mere bones as the bear revels in its victory.
3
Kate Pryde Leaves Her Hand in Wolverine’s Brain
What If? Wolverine: Enemy of the State #1 (2006) – by James Robinson, Carmine Di Giandomenico, & Robert Campanella
This particular What If? comic is rooted in Marvel’s acclaimed “Enemy of the State”arc. In its original storyline, Wolverine is killed and resurrected by Hydra, transforming him into a relentless weapon under both Hydra and the Hand. In this alternate version, the heroes fail to rescue Logan from his murderous programming.
As he inexorably eliminates his former allies, Kate Pryde desperately tries to reach the Logan she once knew. In a tragic turn of events, Kate phases her hand into his skull in an attempt to stop the rampage. Unable to separate himself from her grasp, Logan succumbs as his brain is damaged beyond repair, leading to his horrifying demise.
2
The Hulk Severs Wolverine’s Spine
What If…? #50 (1993) – by John Arcudi and Armando Gil
Continuing the theme of alternate realities, this issue diverges from the original events of Hulk and Wolverine’s infamous battle. In this scenario, Wolverine does not come out on top. Instead, the Grey Hulk quickly asserts his dominance over Logan, delivering a series of punishing blows that leave him bloodied and weak.
In a climactic moment, the Hulk delivers a strike so powerful that it disrupts Wolverine’s spine, attaching the Adamantium vertebra to the ground in a devastating finale. Left to die in a pile of mud and rain, Logan’s ferocity fades as he breathes his last, culminating in Hulk’s triumphant roar—a haunting depiction of destruction.
1
Wolverine Is Encased In Liquid Adamantium
Death of Wolverine #4 (2014) – by Charles Soule, Steve McNiven, & Jay Leisten
Topping this list is the iconic demise of Wolverine as he encounters his ultimate fate encased in a liquid Adamantium shell. At this juncture in his life, Logan’s healing factor has ceased to function, leading to a redoubled demand on his battered body as antagonists swarm him.
Uncovering a conspiracy orchestrated by Dr. Abraham Cornelius—who is notorious for his work with the Weapon X program—Wolverine learns about the impending threat of new experiments aimed at replicating his tragic past. In the final confrontation, molten Adamantium engulfs Logan, trapping him in a horrific replay of his painful history. While he watches the sun set for the final time, he suffocates within his own grave, an indelible mark on the legacy of Wolverine.