Fans know that there are two sides toWolverine’sincredible powers: his bestial mutation and the adamantium enhancements grafted onto him through the Weapon X program. But while Wolverine may be Weapon X’s most famous product, he’snot their deadliest creation; despite Wolverine’s massive body count, that honor goes to the SHIVA system.
Spanning 1991’sWolverine#48 through #50, written by Larry Hama, with art by Marc Silvestri, the “Shiva Scenario” arc details Wolverine’s attempt to learn more about his past by exploring the decommissioned Weapon X facilities. Unfortunately, abandoned doesn’t mean unguarded: as Wolverine delves deeper toward the truth,his progress is halted when he trips the Shiva System, Weapon X’s ultimate failsafe program.
Although Wolverine survives his first encounter with the mechanical killer, the SHIVA system ends up getting loose by the end ofWolverine#50 and begins hunting down the few remaining survivors that are Weapon X’s loose ends.
SHIVA, Weapon X’s Deadliest Program, Explained
Wolverine#48; Written by Larry Hama; Art By Marc Silvestri; Ink By Dan Green; Color By Steve Buccellato; Lettering By Pat Brosseau
Withthe ultimate goal of the Weapon X programbeing to create select superweapon sleeper agents seeded within the general population, SHIVA was designed to be Weapon X’s ace in the hole should any of their creations go rogue. Heavily armored and covered in blades, a SHIVA’s form is designed to go toe-to-toe with the significantly enhanced bodies of the Weapon X candidates. To that end, SHIVAs also contained the mental triggers for every Weapon X candidate, allowing them to shut down their targets through a devastating cascade of traumatic memories compounded into a single psychic attack.
Winter Soldier Meets Weapon X: How Marvel’s New Wolverine Channels Two Comic Legends
Marvel recently introduced an all-new version of Wolverine, and he channels both Weapon X and the Winter Soldier while also charting a whole new path.
However, SHIVA’s greatest strength wasn’t any physical component. While the mechanical SHIVA bodies were incredible weapons in their own right, the SHIVA computer program was self-analyzing and self-correcting, meaning that no SHIVA body could be defeated the same way twice. Furthermore, the SHIVA program could re-assemble itself through destroyed bodies, provided enough base material remained with which to work. This means that,through SHIVA, Weapon X had an army of print-on-demand assassin robots to endlessly recall or terminate rogue assets,whose numbers were only constrained by Weapon X’s prodigious budget.
SHIVA Is The Lasting Legacy of Weapon X
SHIVA’s Impact Is Far-Reaching
SHIVA would continue to be the specter behind Weapon X throughout the next couple dozen issues of the late 1980s-early ‘90sWolverine, with Wolverine racing to uncover the secrets of his past before the rogue SHIVA program could terminate both him and the other Weapon X survivors. The legacy of SHIVA would continue to haunt Wolverine up until 2006’sWolverine Origins#1-2,when the effectiveness ofWolverine’s Muramasa swordrendered SHIVA technology obsolete.Even then, SHIVA had proven enough of a threat to be a consistent problem for Wolverine, Sabretooth, and the Weapon X survivors.
Wolverine’s New Origin Story Brings the Scariest Version of Weapon X to Life, Changing the Marvel Universe
In the Ultimate Universe, Weapon X is much, much bigger, turning an entire nation of mutants into living weapons - including the new Wolverine.
The SHIVA program was such an important part of Weapon X lore that it was even adapted into the popularX-Men: The Animated Seriesshow’s version of the Weapon X story arc. Although the program is renamed to “TALOS,” in the episode “Weapon X, Lies, and Videotape,” the design and function remains the same: “TALOS” is activated to destroyWolverine, Sabretooth, Maverick, and Silver Foxto prevent them from uncovering the truth behind the Weapon X program. This iteration of SHIVA technology also boasted wrist-mounted lasers and heavily destructive missiles in the chest cavity.
Why SHIVA Is Not The Face of Weapon X
The Killer Robot Exemplifies Weapon X’s Directive-Driven Thinking
If SHIVA is supposed to be stronger than the various Weapon X projects, then why not implement SHIVAs in the field? For one, the Weapon X candidates were supposed to be able to blend in with the general populace; while SHIVA had stealth capabilities, it lacked the anonymity of Weapon X’s agents. Additionally, SHIVA was designed as a last resort in case an agent went rogue; rather than handing such a powerful program over to clients as the main asset,it makes sense for Weapon X to hold SHIVA back to maintain control of their assets in the field.
Wolverine may be the most famous survivor of the Weapon X program, but the ambition displayed by the SHIVA system shows just how deadly the Weapon X program could have been.
SHIVA represents the culmination of Weapon X’s dream. We can see the steps in Weapon X’s treatment of Wolverine and their other agents that led to the development of SHIVA: the emphasis on healing, replaceability, and ever-scaling power that Weapon X sought for its subjects. Unlike the bulk of Weapon X candidates, SHIVAneeded no mental conditioningand was only limited by how costly each body was to produce.Wolverinemay be the most famous survivor of the Weapon X program, but the ambition displayed by the SHIVA system shows just how deadly the Weapon X program could have been.
