Wolverine is easily one of Marvel’s most popular characters. He was a rising star when he joined the X-Men and quickly gained a dedicated fan base that wanted to see Logan continue to be the best at what he does. They understood it and it turns out that what it does is a lot. He became a hero that not even the Wolverine has starred in thrillers, action-packed fights, world-defining events, stories involving multiversal destiny, and, of course, romance.
After all, romance sells, so it makes sense that Wolverine would have a cast of love interests to match his popularity. Some days, it feels like he’s been shipped in and paired with about half the people at Marvel, but the one pairing that everyone, in and out of the comics, keeps coming back to is Wolverine and Jean Grey. This doomed, often scandalous romance has been adapted into all of Wolverine’s media outside of the comics, and it constantly rears its ugly head there as well. I’ve never understood why, though, since not only is it Wolverine’s worst romance, but it’s also a distraction from his true biggest love interest, Mariko.
A love that should never rise from the ashes
Before we go over what makes Mariko and Wolverine work so well, let’s go over why Jean and Logan are such a terrible couple. For starters, these two just don’t work well as a couple. Their worldviews and personalities don’t mesh or clash well enough to make for interesting stories, and frankly, they just don’t have chemistry. In fact, the only time this relationship has any strength is when Scott appears in the picture as an antagonistic force. Whenever Jean and Wolverine get together, the writers almost always treat it as a way to create tension between Logan and Cyclops. These two have a very strong rivalry, but adding it in this way completely detracts from Jean’s character.
Whenever Jean is with Wolverine, she’s practically nothing more than a love interest. She is there to be a symbol of Wolverine. Compare that to when she is with Scott, where they both constantly learn from each other and develop through their love for each other. Scott and Jean’s romance is so far above that of Wolverine and Jean that it puts in stark contrast how little the latter contributes. The writers continually bring it up, from Morrison rekindling the flames and even having them kiss, to Hickman hinting that Jean, Scott and Logan were in a three-way relationship, but it never works.
Not only does this reduce Jean to a goal or an item to be gained instead of allowing her to be the spectacular character she is, but it also destroys the character growth they both experienced when this “romance” was first introduced. Before the retcons and new directions, Jean never liked Wolverine, and Logan was only attracted to her because she was feisty and someone he couldn’t have. Jean shutting him down was a wake-up call, and Logan moved on and became a much more mature character because of it. Who did you move on with? Well, his biggest love interest, Mariko, of course.
The Fundamental Evolution Wolverine Needed
Wolverine’s love interests fall into a few categories. These include being a stranded supervillain, like Lady Deathstrike, fellow heroes you’ll never stick around for long, like Storm, and the rare normal citizen, like Melita Garner. The last one definitely justifies this article, but the reason Mariko is the best is that she breaks the rules and plays all three of these roles. She started out as a normal woman who connected with Wolverine in a way he’d never felt before, only to discover that her family controlled large swaths of crime right before her wedding. She called it off and became the head of her family, eventually becoming a complete villain, but returning to redeem herself later.
Mariko has gone through so many reinventions and evolutions as Wolverine, but through it all, the core of their relationship remains the same. They are two people who genuinely loved each other and were good for each other, but were separated by tragic forces beyond their control. However, no matter how long they go, Wolverine will always be the man who borders on animal fury, and Mariko will always be the woman who sees through it without letting it go. Mariko understood Wolverine and made him want to be better in a way no other person had, and it was beautiful. These are two people who have been through countless trials, but can come out of it for the better if the writers remember she was there.
This is definitely the relationship with the most potential and depth, and one we need to see more of instead of Jean and Logan for the umpteenth time. Which of Wolverine’s relationships is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!