20 Of The Best Wolverine Stories

(Image via Marvel)

13. The Brood

The Brood are one of the more absolutely terrifying villains in the X-Men canon. Yes, Magneto is an oftentimes compelling and occasionally overpowered opponent. And, of course, you’ve got all sorts of Hellfire Club members, intergalactic presences, and demonic forces you can shake a stick at. But there’s something about the vicious, utterly alien Brood that strikes real fear into many a heart. Thankfully, however, Wolverine is up to the challenge.

In Uncanny X-Men #166, Wolverine and the other X-Men are recruited by the Shi’ar, a more-or-less friendly alien race. They’re dealing with a terrible Brood infestation and could really use some help. The Brood, by the way, are an intelligent parasitic species that use other species to host their embryos. Nearly all of the X-Men team are eventually infected by the Brood, leading to some seriously effective body horror scenarios.

Luckily for Wolverine, his adamantium-coated skeleton and healing factor reject the Brood embryo within him. He makes his way through unfriendly alien territory and works to save his friends. Or something like that. In his own words, Wolverine reasons that “[B]ecause they are my friends, I owe them life… or a quick, clean death”.

Luckily, practically everyone survives death at the end of their buddy Wolverine’s metal claws. Still, you wonder if they gave him at least a little side-eye after that. Being friends with Wolverine is hard, guys.