Wolverine has been one of Marvel's most beloved characters since his debut in 1974, and in the (hopefully near) future he will be at the center of his very own AAA video game. Marvel's Wolverine was revealed to the world in a 2021 PlayStation Showcase, and looked to be a significant tonal departure from the Spider-Man experience that Insomniac brought players in 2018. He's a character that feels perfect for the video game medium as rapid healing, fierce combat abilities, and complex character traits can be explored for so many engaging story moments. Not only this, but with his birth some time in the 19th century, his backstory includes plenty of interactions with some of X-Men's best characters.
From finding a home with Professor X to his handful of run-ins with Deadpool, Logan has come into contact with a whole host of eclectic personalities, but as his history predates many of them, there's one character that he's been intrinsically tied to since the very beginning. Sabretooth is often depicted as a childhood friend of Wolverine, and as they have grown older he's quickly become one of his biggest adversaries. Insomniac has a wealth of comic lore to dig into, but utilizing Sabretooth in a way that complements Logan's journey could be the icing on the much-anticipated cake.
Sabretooth in Other Media
While Sabretooth's comic appearances have been varied, the two most popular iterations of the character on casual audiences has been in film. Be it Liev Schreiber's valiant performance in the dismal X-Men Origins: Wolverine or the underutilized portrayal in the 2000 X-Men film, the character hasn't had much luck outside the comics. In the pages he's seen as the antithesis of Wolverine, but with an eerily similar skill set like his healing factor and retractable claws that makes them almost equal on the battlefield.
No hints about the story of Marvel's Wolverine have been given, but with so many iconic characters being linked to Logan, it would be hard to not include a cameo or two. The storied history of both Wolverine and Sabretooth could serve as the basis for essential character development for the former, with flashbacks doing well to make sense of Logan's complex and standoffish nature. It's a similar philosophy that Guardians of the Galaxy used with Peter Quill, as the game spent some time with him as a child to make more sense of where he came from, who shaped him, and why he's the way he is. Like Peter Quill's mother, Sabretooth could be the catalyst for Wolverine's character flaws or strengths, further adding intrigue and lore to the game.
How Sabretooth Could Leave His Mark on Marvel's Wolverine
Largely down to his heroic acts and short temper, Wolverine isn't short of enemies in Marvel's comics. From his past with William Stryker or the very beginning with Marvel's Wendigo, Logan has racked up an impressive list of villains. Sabretooth is perhaps the most familiar, though, and having him as the primary protagonist would do well to make the good guy/bad guy dynamic feel authentic and grounded. Perhaps he can be used as a puppet by the potential sequel's antagonist, or simply as a character who can reach into Logan's past to spur on his villainous motivation.
Not only would placing Sabretooth as the game's main antagonist be intriguing on a narrative level, but it would also make sense on a gameplay level, too. A final boss with a character that shares so many traits with Logan would make the battle an exciting one. Wolverine's mature tone and grounded storytelling likely means that a glitzy, over-the-top last battle will be unlikely, and taking on Sabretooth could make an intimate and personal story feel like it ends the right way. Like Dark Link in The Legend of Zelda, the idea of Wolverine facing someone that resembles himself could be a thrilling fight, as well as a compelling narrative thread.
Marvel's Wolverine is in development for PS5.
