Charles Xavier has officially retired, and as the X-Men mourn their departed mentor,Wolverineis losing a well-respected friend. As the Professor handed his mantle over to Cyclops and a sea of tears flowed from surrounding X-Men,Wolverine was notably left out of Xavier’s final farewells.While the rest of the X-Men will remain shaken by the events of Krakoa andX-Manhunt,what about Wolverine?
When the X-Men debuted inX-Men#1, written by Stan Lee, with art by Jack Kirby, they were merely a band of young teenagers who sought to spread a dream. In time, the team expanded to include a broader band of more diverse characters, such as the metal-clawed amnesiac mutant Wolverine.
Charles Xavier took a chance on the wandering killer, who was significantly older and more violent than any of the team’s younger members. Since then, Wolverine has developed a deep respect for the Professor; that is,until the Krakoa era. Now, Xavier is gone, and Wolverine is left behind.
Professor X Took A Chance On Wolverine When No One Else Would Have
The Feral Mutant Was Older And A Killer
Unlike any ofXavier’s original young proteges, Wolverine already knew true suffering when he was conscripted into the X-Men. Logan spent close to 200 years wandering the world as an unwitting pawn of Romulus and Weapon X’s grander machinations. By the time Wolverine made his debut in 1974’sIncredible Hulk#180, written byby Len Wein, with art by Herb Trimpe and Jack Abel, he was a semi-mindless assassin whose uniform was probably coated in more crimson than it was yellow. Frankly, if anyone but Charles Xavier had been in charge of the X-Men, Wolverine would never have made it onto the team.
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But Charles Xavier, historically, is a different breed of man than Wolverine was ever used to dealing with. As opposed toWeapon X or Department H, Xavier offered Logan something more than a life defined by death. The Professor didn’t just tell Wolverine he could be a hero, he made Logan believe it. In time,Wolverine proved his heroic worthiness to both the Professor and his original students.That said, Xavier never gained Wolverine’s respect purely because of his fatherly, supportive disposition. Charles challenged Logan to earn something no one had ever demanded from the feral hero: control.
Wolverine And The Professor Haven’t Always Seen Eye-To-Eye
Their Disagreements Taught Logan To Be Independent
While much of Wolverine’s early admiration for the Professor was built on Xavier’s orchestration of the X-Men, that doesn’t mean they have always seen eye-to-eye. In truth, Wolverine is Xavier’s senior by about 100 years, even if Logan didn’t always remember.Xavier wasn’t Logan’s father figure; he was Logan’s peer.During theDark Phoenixstoryline, Wolverine deeply disagreed with Xavier’s psychic manipulations and lies. Likewise, in issues like 1993’aWolverine#66, writtenby Larry Hama, with art by Mark Texeira, Xavier unlocks portions of Logan’s memories, leaving the X-Men’s leaderappalled by Wolverine’s past.
While it may not have been characterized as a good thing at the time, it did teach Wolverine that he didn’t need the X-Men to be his own hero.
Throughout the ‘90s and early 2000s, Wolverine continued to questionXavier’s repeated mistakesas the feral hero learned how to regain his independence. While it may not have been characterized as a good thing at the time, it did teach Wolverine that he didn’t need the X-Men to be his own hero. In a way, it was yet another lesson bestowed by the Professor. In the Krakoa era, Wolverine and Xavier’s relationship experienced a paramount change when both mutants were then looked upon as equal leaders for their new nation.
Wolverine Can’t Judge The Professor For His Downfall
Logan Has Also Walked Away From His Own Immoral Past
From Wolverine’s introduction to the Krakoa era, Logan experienced a radical change in character. From mindless assassin to respected leader,Wolverine transformed into the vision that Xavier saw in Logan from their first meeting.But it’s also in the Krakoa era that we see Xavier experience his radical transformation, eventually becoming his own type of monster, just as Wolverine had been before. As Xavier discarded his role as a professor to instead don the mantle of a general, Wolverine,alongside heroes like Cyclops, had to step up to fill the void Xavier left behind.
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Yet, after Xavier’s actions and the tragedy of Krakoa’s demise, Wolverine still forgave the Professor. Rising from the ashes of mutantkind’s home, a new generation of mutants emerged in need of guidance. Logan has since joinedRogue and Gambit’s Louisiana X-Men, and when Xavier escaped from his imprisonment during 2025’sX-Manhuntevent, Wolverine joined Rogue again to help liberate the Professor. While Cyclops and his team tried to force Xavier back into prison, some part of Wolverine wanted to see his old friend let free, just as Xavier helped free Logan from his own violently checkered past.
No Words Needed To Be Spoken Between Xavier And Logan To Say ‘Goodbye’
Wolverine Is Happy The Professor Gets To Be Happy
InX-Manhunt Omega#1,Marvel finally reaches the grand conclusion of Krakoa and Xavier’s epilogue. Hatred melted into pain, and chaos transformed into a bittersweet peace. As Charles Xavier spoke his final words to his X-Men, tears flowed from all, including Cyclops, but not Wolverine. Because, the thing is, he doesn’t have to. AsXavier sends his final messageto Earth’s mutants, he doesn’t say a thing to Wolverine directly. Once again, he doesn’t need to either. After decades of fighting alongside each other and against each other, both men already know how the other feels.
Now that Xavier can leave his dream behind in capable hands and embrace a new future with Lilandra and Xandra, Logan is happy to see the Professor move on.
Now, both Professor X and Wolverine stand as equals.The two X-Men have killedallies, broken bonds, and left a trail of destruction behind them that will never fully heal. But, they have also loved, led, and nurtured their team and those who came after. All that pain, all those victories, all that effort is exhausting. Wolverine, after his many long years of life, knows this existential exhaustion intimately. Now that Xavier can leave his dream behind in capable hands and embrace a new future with Lilandra and Xandra, Logan is happy to see the Professor move on.
Realistically, while Wolverine probably burdens the same sadness that the rest of the X-Men do, Xavier’s retirement isn’t likely to impact Logan all that much.The X-Men don’t need Xavierto thrive, it’s already been proven.Xavier’s dream doesn’t need Xavier to exist, even the Professor acknowledges this. Cyclops is losing a father figure and taking that burden to step into Xavier’s place.Wolverineis simply saying goodbye to an old friend who deserves a break.
