Wolverine’smost hardcore death in Marvel lore came at the hands ofCyclops, who used his dialed-up optic blasts to burn Wolverine down to nothing more than his adamantium skeleton. It was an apex of darkness for the dystopian Marvel future depicted inDark Ages, and by far one of the most intense moments of theheroes' long, complicated relationship.
Dark Ages#6, by the creative team of Tom Taylor and Iban Coello, features the stunning moment when Cyclops, controlled by Apocalypse’s agent the Purple Man, completely evaporates a charging Wolverine, before his friend and rival can eviscerate him.
The scene’s brutality, along with the stakes of their confrontation, make this death of Wolverine stand out above all else.
Wolverine’s “Dark Ages” Death, Via Cyclops' Optic Blasts, Is His Most Memorable Ending In X-Men History
Wolverine is, of course, one of Marvel’s most indestructible mutants, and as such, it is hard to write a truly impactful death scene for the character. Further,Dark Agesis an out-of-continuity story, meaning there is even more of an asterisk next to it when fans dissect the various deaths of the character over the years.
Even with that in mind, though, it is at the top of the list for many readers. Part of that comes from the intensity of the imagery, as Wolverine charges fearlessly ahead, straight into the blast that completely obliterates him. It takes only a few panels, but it will be burned into fans' minds' forever.
It isn’t exactly gory, but the lack of blood and guts actually adds to the horror of the scene, as Cyclops proves he can effortlessly score a “clean” kill over Wolverine. Making the moment especially bleak is the fact that Cyclops doesn’t take Wolverine’s life of his own volition, but against his will.
Wolverine And Cyclops Have Killed Each Other Before, But “Dark Ages” Stands Out As The Most Tragic Ending For The Pair
Cyclops and Wolverine have a difficult dynamic in Marvel lore. As often as they’re allies, and even friends, they’re also frequently at odds. There have been multiple times when they have come to blows where the result could have been lethal. Meanwhile, over the years, Marvel has offered glimpses of what it would be like if they did cross that line.
Dark Agesis one such example, in which Apocalypse uses Cyclops as an unwilling proxy to annihilate Wolverine. The fact that Wolverine is willing to kill Cyclops in that moment, to stop Apocalypse, while Cyclops is unwilling to kill Wolverine, but forced to, is a dimension of drama that elevatesthis Wolverine death scene over other examples.
Stories likeDark Agesaren’t considered canon, but if they tell a memorable enough story, the effect is essentially the same. Years from now, fans will still be talking aboutWolverine’sdeath at the hands ofCyclopsinDark Ages, which is what makes it one of the most impactfulX-Menstories of the past several years.
