Warning: SPOILERS for Wolverine #31The X-Men have some of the most impressive heroes in the Marvel Universe, but above all others, Wolverine has been named the ultimate weapon. While some may have more raw power than others, it doesn't take away from those whose abilities are more grounded. This is especially true of Wolverine, whose brute force strength and healing ability are exactly why he's being called the ultimate weapon of the X-Men.
In Wolverine #31 by Benjamin Percy, Juan José Ryp, and Frank D'Armata, the issue titled "Beast Unleashed" opens with a monologue by Hank McCoy aka Beast. It's quickly revealed in Wolverine #31 that Beast has been manipulating the mutant resurrection process on Krakoa in secret from the rest of his team, especially Wolverine. Beast is revealed to have resurrected a version of Logan with a "pared-down, pure and primal mind" for the use of turning Wolverine into a living weapon Beast can control to take out Krakoa's enemies. In justifying his actions, Beast credits Wolverine and his abilities as the "ultimate weapon" and compares his rejection of Beast's idea of an ideal Krakoan status quo to "Washington throwing out the key to the nuclear arsenal."
Beast Confirms Wolverine As 'Ultimate Weapon' In a Troubling Reveal
This isn't the first time Wolverine has been given credit for his destructive capabilities, and there's a deadly precedent as to what can happen when the wrong person has that power. Even Beast seems to understand this, ending the issue by revealing a lab of even more resurrected Wolverine's calling them "Weapons of X," marking the end of X-Force and hinting at a dark turn for Krakoa, the X-Men, and likely Wolverine himself. While it's notable for it to be confirmed on page in the modern era by another mutant, Wolverine has been compared to a powerful weapon before. In fact, in the "Weapon X" arc of Marvel Comics Presents #73 by Barry Windsor-Smith, Wolverine is given his iconic adamantium claws and mind wiped by the Weapon Plus program in an attempt to use him as solely a weapon for their own interests--not dissimilar from Beast's intentions in the current era with his versions of Wolverine.
Since that origin was established, Wolverine has been more or less synonymous with that Weapon X title. However, Beast is the one whose motives and ethics are most suspect in the current era. Where Wolverine has taken an active leadership role on Krakoa, Beast has lost the trust of his fellow X-Men, with Nightcrawler even going as far as referring to him as unethical and untrustworthy in Immortal X-Men #1 by Kieron Gillen and Lukas Werneck. It should be no surprise then when Beast is unable to resist the temptation of turning Wolverine's power back into a dangerous weapon.
Time and again, Wolverine has proved to himself and his fellow X-Men that he has among the most useful powers and abilities of any mutant. Throughout his time with the team, he's been able to turn those powers into a positive force. However, X-Men readers could soon find out once again what happens when Wolverine's power ends up in the wrong hands.
Wolverine #31 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.