It’s sure to be painful news for every fan of the X-Men’s most iconic combo attacks, but it’s impossible to deny:Wolverine: Revengebrings an official end to the decades-long friendship between Wolverine and Colossus.
In the first issue of the series from Jonathan Hickman and Greg Capullo, Colossus goes beyond the pale and betrays Wolverine, siding with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. And not for a trivial mission or dispute, but in assisting and allowing them to plant explosives into the chests of Wolverine, Captain America, and the Winter Soldier
When Deadpool triggers the bombs in all three, only Logan survives (due to his famous healing factor), butColossus’ actions and his choice of allegiances now place him and his former friend Wolverine on a collision course.
Wolverine & Colossus Have a Legendary History in Marvel Comics
The duo of Wolverine and Colossus have been close allies since they joined the X-Men together in 1975’sGiant-Size X-Men #1, along with other iconic early X-members like Storm and Nightcrawler, to rescue the original X-Men from the mutant island Krakoa. Since then, the pair have remained exceptionally close friends, even pioneeringthe X-Men’s iconic “Fastball Special” attacktogether. Their shared friendships with Nightcrawler and Kitty Pryde only served to bring the pair closer. In particular, Logan has been supportive of Kitty and Piotr’s relationship throughout the years, even privately expressing well-wishes for the couple on their wedding day.
While Wolverine has been close friends with many members of the X-Men, his kinship with Colossus remains a notable element to both characters’ histories due to how they contrast with one another. Piotr Rasputin’s good-hearted nature is as far as one can get from Logan’s gruff and jaded temperament. While their differences in personality initially caused strife between them, they were quickly able to overcome these differences, and become the best of friends on the X-Men, creating one of the group’s most enduring bonds.
This Betrayal By Colossus is Shocking… But Not Surprising
Colossus’s turn to villainy and his betrayal of Wolverine may come across as shocking, but it remains consistent with previous directions his character has taken, which reveal a darker side to the character. During theFatal Attractionsevent in 1993, Colossus left the X-Men for Magneto’s Acolytes after his little sister, Illyana Rasputin, died due to the Legacy Virus. He remained a member of the Acolytes throughout the duration of the event, only rejoining the X-Men in 1998. But his betrayal of the team was something long remembered by his former friends on the X-Men.
Colossus Finally Beat Juggernaut by Learning to Fight Like Wolverine
Juggernaut and Colossus have a long rivalry in X-Men comics, and after years of coming out on the losing end, Piotr won by emulating a friend.
Most recently, Colossus found himself manipulated into villainy during the Krakoan Era, as his tenure with X-Force was marred by his brother Mikhail and the Russian mutant Chronicler manipulating Colossus without his knowing. The pair turned him into a sleeper agent for XENO and had him leak sensitive information to the organization. Colossus would eventually break free of their control over him, but not without leading his X-Force teammates into captivity during their most dire hour first, causing X-Force to lose trust in Colossus once again.
What Does Colossus' Betrayal Mean For Wolverine’s Future?
Colossus’s betrayal of Wolverine serves not only as the final straw for this storied friendship, but also as one of Logan’s most devastating betrayals. Standing with the Brotherhood while they plant a bomb in Wolverine, but also watching as they kill Captain America and the Winter Soldier demonstrates the depths of this betrayal. But the betrayal is made worse by Colossus lamenting that this outcome was unavoidable, while Deadpool detonates the bomb in Logan’s chest.
While Wolverine is no stranger to his friends betraying him,most notably Beast during the Krakoan Era, Colossus’s betrayal stings the most due to the circumstances surrounding their friendship and the people Piotr has allied himself with. Their friendship was previously a cornerstone of the X-Men, but now all that is left between them is intense animosity. When Wolverine tracks Colossus down to exact his revenge, their final encounter will undoubtedly be brutal and bittersweet.
