Introduced in 1974, Wolverine has been a staple of Marvel Comics for almost 50 years. With Hugh Jackman reprising the role in Deadpool 3, rumors that the MCU will cast its own version of Logan, and Insomniac's Marvel's Wolverine set to release next year, it doesn't look like Weapon X is going anywhere anytime soon. From his own comic runs to his consistent place on the X-Men team, as well as crossovers with characters like Spider-Man, Wolverine has crossed paths with many heroes and villains over the years. However, one would be integral to include in Marvel's Wolverine.
First introduced in Iron Fist issue 14 from 1977, Sabretooth has been a long-standing villain in the Marvel universe that is intrinsically tied with Wolverine. Though continuities have shifted and backstories change, Sabretooth and Wolverine usually have some form of rivalry in whatever comic run, movie, or TV show they both appear in. While this rivalry would be fun to see in Marvel's Wolverine, it has already been done to death, and Insomniac has the perfect opportunity to give fans a fresh take on Wolverine and Sabretooth's relationship.
Marvel's Wolverine Should Have a Fresh Take on Sabretooth
When creating a video game centered around a particular superhero, there are certain villains that fans expect to be there. In Marvel's Spider-Man, fans expected to see some combination of Sinister Six characters, whereas in Batman: Arkham, fans expected to see the Joker. When it comes to Marvel's Wolverine, there are few villains as integral to Logan's story as Sabretooth, also known as Victor Creed.
In the comics Sabretooth is commonly set up as Logan's nemesis, though each iteration of the character brings with it a slightly different dynamic. In Chris Claremont's X-Men comic runs, Sabretooth is Logan's father. However, the X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie depicts the duo as half-brothers. Regardless of any familial ties, Wolverine and Sabretooth are usually posed as natural enemies, each possessing similar animalistic abilities and a healing factor as a result of undergoing the Weapon X program at the same time.
Despite it being one of the most iconic rivalries in comics, this dynamic between Sabretooth and Wolverine is overplayed, and long-time Marvel fans have likely seen everything they could imagine between them. If Insomniac Games really wants to keep players on their toes with something they've never seen before, Marvel's Wolverine should put a fresh spin on Sabretooth and Logan's relationship.
If Marvel's Spider-Man is anything to go by, then Marvel's Wolverine will likely take most of the core elements of the titular character's comic book backstory and apply them directly to its own unique version of the hero. For example, Marvel's Spider-Man centered around an older Peter Parker and his doomed relationship with Doctor Octavius, both key elements of the comics that weren't necessarily brought together in the same way before. It seems as though Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is going to be following a similar pattern, putting Venom in the game but potentially having Harry Osborn in the Symbiote suit.
Marvel's Wolverine could do the same with a unique twist on Sabretooth. One potential idea could be positioning Sabretooth not as Logan's rival, but as his closest friend. Marvel's Wolverine could center around Logan leaving the X-Men, and rather than attack him while he's vulnerable, Sabretooth could instead try and convince Logan to rejoin the team, serving as a role reversal for the two characters.
Marvel's Wolverine is in development for PS5.
