The relationship between Wolverine and Cyclops has always been one of Marvel’s most iconic rivalries ever since Logan joined the X-Men in Giant-Size X-Men #1. The two have been trading both verbal and sometimes physical blows ever since, and while their conflicts are often chalked up to surface-level personality differences and a love triangle between them and Jean Grey, there’s actually more to this rivalry than meets the eye. And while there have been moments of peace between them, they always seem to get under each other’s skin, eventually. But why is that?
Let’s start with the obvious: Cyclops and Wolverine represent two very different approaches to heroism and survival. The former is a prototypical soldier who has been molded by Xavier’s ideology of peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants. Scott is a firm believer in discipline, order, and the power of teamwork. Wolverine, on the other hand, is somewhat of a complete opposite; he’s a survivor who has been shaped by loss, betrayal, and a primal instinct to protect his own by any means necessary.
These fundamental differences often lead to heated disagreement, especially when it comes to dealing with the threats against mutants, with Cyclops favoring the strategic approach over Wolverine’s direct and often more brutal solutions. We can also add that Wolverine has major trust issues when it comes to authority figures — stemming from years of abuse by different government programs that sought to weaponize him. Thus, Wolverine really dislikes Cyclops giving him orders, while Cyclops never refrains from openly criticizing Wolverine.
The outright rivalry came to a cease-fire of sorts in Uncanny X-Men #128 when Wolverine reluctantly accepted Cyclops’ competence as team leader. There was some friction here and there from then on when the plot demanded, but nothing major or serious happened between the two apart from the usual verbal disagreements. Then came Grant Morrison. Under his run on New X-Men, Wolverine and Cyclops went from long-time rivals to allies who have a complex but mutually respectful relationship.
The two haven’t really lost their edge during Morrison’s run and there have been certain clashes between the two, but Morrison’s writing really highlighted the respect they have for one another as teammates. In fact, Wolverine proved to be a dependable ally to Scott, who was under immense psychological pressure more than once during Morrison’s New X-Men run. Not to mention that the comic book series introduces new large-scale, high-stakes threats like Cassandra Nova, forcing the two to rely on each other’s strengths.
But, as previously stated, their complex relationship will evolve or devolve to fit the writers’ vision, adding nuance and contrast to the action both front and background. Joss Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men, which is a well-written homage to Chris Claremont’s X-Men, returned Wolverine and Cyclops’ dynamic to what it had been during the earlier days of X-Men, presumably to provide suitable emotional weight.
Their disdain for each other came to a head in 2011’s X-Men: Schism, when a violent attack on the UN Building and the X-Men headquarters caused a clash between Cyclops and Wolverine over their different idealogies to mutant survival. The former, hardened by the events of Second Coming, believed that the new generations of mutants should be taught to defend themselves in battle, essentially training them to be soldiers and even assassins if the need arises.
However, Wolverine completely opposed Cyclops’ notion, arguing that most of the mutants in question were just children who were previously traumatized by the attacks they survived and that they should move to safety rather than fight Sentinels and Hellfire Club soldiers. The two end up fighting each other in a heated clash at the same time being attacked by a Sentinel. Wolverine eventually gains the upper hand but opts to leave Utopia, followed by some members of the X-Men — causing a schism between the X-Men.
And lastly, to quote Shakespeare himself: “The course of true love never did run smooth.” The love triangle between Wolverine, Cyclops, and Jean Grey is a prime example of this. Though most fans believe that Wolverine’s infatuation with Jean Grey is the main reason why Scott and Logan can’t get along, the reality is quite different. Wolverine’s interest in Jean Grey wasn’t given too much attention in the comics initially, and it was only introduced to show how boorish Wolverine could be. Jean’s attraction to both Scott, whom she loves, and Logan, with whom she shares a strong connection and understanding, was only retroactively introduced in the late ’70s and early ’80s.
In the end, while the love triangle between Wolverine, Scott, and Jean was often used as a recurring plot in the X-Men comics, it was nothing more than a mere contention point between Wolverine and Cyclops. Instead, the real reason why the two don’t get along is that while they share a common goal, their ideologies and methodologies are often quite conflicting. The introduction of the Krakoan Age in House of X/Powers of X seems to have put their feud on pause for the time being, and the two seem to have patched things up and are finally getting along — like, really, really, really well.