7 Marvel Heroes That Have Actually Beaten Wolverine

They say Wolverine is the best he is at what he does. What he does is take down his enemies with the ferocity of a rabid animal. The longtime X-Man ranks among the best killers in the Marvel Universe, as evidenced by the many, many times that people have hired, recruited, and brainwashed him to hunt their foes. With superhuman strength, unbreakable bones, claws that can slice through anything, and the ability to heal from just about any injury shy of disintegration, Wolverine is a one-man army. When he sets his sights on you, it’s nigh impossible to shake him.

Still, while Wolverine is a major threat and someone you never want to be on the bad side of, he’s far from invincible. As I’m sure you can imagine, Wolverine’s temper and outlook tend to land him in some pretty hot water with other superheroes a lot of the time. Today, we’re taking a look at seven superheroes who have beaten the unbreakable man at least once. Sure, he might have beaten some of them at some point in the past, but even if it was only once, these heroes all brought Wolverine to his knees.

7) Hulk

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first. Wolverine literally debuted as a Hulk villain, and the two have rekindled that rivalry plenty of times over the years. Of course, nine times out of ten, this only ends with the Hulk smashing Wolverine into the pavement. Sure, Wolverine can get back up from everything the Hulk does, eventually, but that doesn’t mean he can overcome someone who can break mountains in half. Wolverine has eked a win or two out here and there, but this usually ends in him healing from the world’s worst headache. Wolverine might be the best at what he does, but he’s not the strongest there is.

6) Black Panther

These two actually fought during the Wolverine (2013) run, just after Wolverine lost his healing factor. While they would normally have pretty even chances to win, without his greatest power, Wolverine never stood a chance against the King of Wakanda. Black Panther spent the entire fight trying to convince Logan to calm down, and had several chances to end it, with his superior fighting skills and Logan’s new fear of his own mortality. Wolverine only fought because he was trying to prove something to himself and defend Storm’s honor, but Black Panther tore him apart physically and verbally, which was a far worse loss.

5) Rogue

These two cut loose in an all-out brawl in X-Men (1991) #103, fighting across an entire ruined city conjured by the Danger Room. On top of that, Rogue didn’t even have her powers. Wolverine hunted Rogue across the ruins, but Rogue got around his then-superior strength and healing factor with her wits. She snared his arms above his head and positioned spears at his head and heart. Wolverine slashed free, but they held each other at bladepoint, where Rogue called his bluff and said she’d stab and prove her powers were still there. Wolverine admitted she beat him and revealed that this was all a test to prove she was the right person to be the X-Men’s new field leader. 

4) Gambit

Since we talked about Mrs. X, let’s talk about the time her card-flinging husband trounced Wolverine. Gambit was a recent addition to the team in Uncanny X-Men #273, and Wolverine decided to test his mettle in the Danger Room. The two seemed evenly matched, with Gambit being too quick for Wolverine’s superior strength, but Gambit got the upper hand with a distraction and beat Logan to a pulp. He even added insult to injury by doing it all without his powers and telling him how, in a real fight, he’d blow Wolverine to pieces right there. This was a definite shut-out for Gambit, no two ways about it.

3) Spider-Man

Spider-Man and Wolverine have fought plenty of times over the years. Spider-Man has the advantage in literally every stat except durability, but Wolverine’s ferocity closes the distance more than you’d think. While Spidey definitely can take the cake with raw strength, Peter is at his best when he fights with his head. The perfect example is the opening page of Marvel Team-Up (2004) #1. One of the best ways to actually stop Logan is just to restrict his movement in some way, and Spidey is the absolute master of that. Wolverine might be able to slice through anything put in front of him, but if he doesn’t have leverage and can’t use his claws, well, good luck.

2) Daredevil

Daredevil is one of Marvel’s greatest fighters, but even so, he is just a man. In a straight-up fight, he should stand no chance against someone like Wolverine. Still, the Man Without Fear is willing to fight anyone he needs to, and he always gets results. The Hand brainwashed Wolverine, as tends to happen to him, and sent him and a couple of dozen ninjas to take down Daredevil. Sure, Daredevil can handle the ninjas no problem, but you’d think Wolverine’s healing factor would present a problem. Actually, no. Matt bonked Logan on the head with a dumbbell, and he literally fell onto an unconscious assassin’s katana. I cannot say enough how stupid this is, or how much I love it for being just that dumb. 

1) Cyclops

Cyclops and Wolverine’s rivalry is legendary. They’re constantly at each other’s throats, with Scott’s need to be in charge and Wolverine’s hatred of any authority figure that’s not a hot woman. Predictably, they fight a fair bit, but while these bouts normally end before there’s a winner, Cyclops actually won their very first fight. Uncanny X-Men #127 had Cyclops humble not just Wolverine, but the entire team. Wolverine tried to take out his anger on Scott, but Cyclops kept him off balance with well-angled optic blasts and just the right insults.

Where Wolverine fought with feral ferocity, Cyclops was pure calculation. He threw dirt in Wolverine’s eyes, bounced his eye beams off Colossus, and used Wolverine’s own strength against him. Cyclops proved that brains beat brawn every time. Wolverine definitely has the advantage with speed and power, but Cyclops has always been a master of positioning and strategy. This was him proving why he was in charge, and why Wolverine, while he’s the best at what he does, can’t be the best at everything.

Which Wolverine fight is your favorite? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!

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