While Wolverine has been known as a loner and a drifter, the fact is that he lived for a very long time, and one does not walk through as much time and space as he did without fathering multitudes of children. Now, some of his kids have become heroes in their own right, joining teams such as X-Men and Avengers, but a select few managed to prove that Logan’s healing factor, his metallic skeleton, and his adamantium claws still have room for improvement.
Of course, each of these characters has their own unique powers and compelling backstories, and the upcoming season of X-Men ’97 could explore some of these characters, add depth to Logan’s narrative within the show, and expand its emotional stakes. Here are the six children of Wolverine we want to see in X-Men ’97.
Torrent
Though most fans recognize Jean Grey as Wolverine’s main love interest, die-hard fans of X-Men and Wolverine know that Logan had several love interests at different times and in different continuities. One of those love interests is Ororo Munroe, better known as Storm. Though most of their relationships across different continuities were short-lived, Marvel’s What If…? universe introduced us to Kendall Logan, better known as Torrent, who inherited her mutations from her parents — weather manipulation from Storm and a healing factor and heightened senses from Logan.
Raze Darkhölme
Another character from an alternate reality, Raze, is the child of Wolverine and Mystique and possesses all the powers of his father — including the claws — and his mother’s shapeshifting abilities. Just imagine a less-pleasant Wolverine (yes, that exists) with blue skin, red hair, and claws. Sadly, he didn’t use his powers for good. Instead, he became affiliated with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and hatched a master plan to right the world by eradicating humans so that mutants can finally thrive in a world that’s free from persecution. Perhaps Magneto was right all along…
Daken
Daken, also known as Akihiro, is the son of Wolverine and Itsu and features his father’s powers, including the retractable claws, as well as heightened senses. However, he wasn’t raised by his parents; the Winter Soldier killed Itsu, and Daken was kidnapped by Romulus, who raised Daken to become a cold-blooded killer.
He’s also incredibly manipulative and intelligent and has the ability to manipulate the emotions of those around him through pheromone control. Daken hates Wolverine and strives to destroy his father’s heroic legacy — he even led a criminal empire while masquerading as the Wolverine.
Laura Kinney
Laura Kinney is a mutant who has been genetically engineered from Logan’s DNA, and her origin story implied that she was a direct clone and therefore could and should be regarded as Wolverine’s daughter. Her primary mutant power is an accelerated healing factor that allows her to regrow entire limbs or simply reattach them.
Unlike Wolverine, who has three claws, Laura only has two in her arms and one claw in each foot, which she can extend and retract at will. Her claws are, much like Wolverine’s, coated with adamantium as a result of experimentation. She even assumed the mantle of Wolverine in certain timelines.
Reine du Rien
Rien is Wolverine’s sorceress daughter, born to Wolverine and Sylvie D’Arqueness. She was purposefully conceived so that the clan her mother belonged to could have a member who, next to possessing vast magical abilities, would also possess Logan’s healing factor, which would allowed Rien to fight and slaughter powerful demons. Apart from magic abilities and Logan’s healing, she also inherited his retractable bone claws, and ever since she took down a major demon known as the Truth, Rien has been on a path to form a close relationship with her father.
James Hudson, Jr.
James Hudson is the son of Wolverine and Magneto’s ex-wife, the Witch — also known as Magda Lensherr, the mother of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Jimmy is very reminiscent of his father, primarily because he’s just as wild and reckless. He also boasts Wolverine’s retractable claws and regenerative healing abilities.
However, he possesses the innate ability to coat his claws, entire skeleton, and even his teeth in adamantium, making his claws stronger than Wolverine’s. Over time, James developed the ability to adapt his physiology to counteract poisons, gained control over reshaping his claws, and acquired the ability to crawl on walls, much like Spider-Man.
Honorable Mention: Rina Logan
Rina Logan is one of the best female versions of Wolverine. As the daughter of Logan and the deadly assassin Elektra, she inherits all her father’s powers — except for the bone claws, which are curiously absent. Instead, she wields a set of psychic claws that she manifests through sheer focus, solidifying them to cut through most conventional materials. These claws also allow her to “slice” into the minds of others, though not in the purely physical sense that Wolverine would.
Final Thoughts
Each of these characters adds depth to Wolverine’s backstory and reflects both his best and worst traits, as children often do. Introducing any of them in Season 2 of X-Men ’97, either as allies or adversaries, could bring even more emotional weight and thrilling action to a series already brimming with emotionally charged moments. So, why not introduce one of his children, especially now, when he’s wounded and possibly on a collision course to meet hand and claw with golden adamantium — perhaps the truest form of Logan’s metal?