Sabretooth is one of the most well-known villains in X-Men history. Readers were introduced to Sabretooth in Iron Fist #14, an evil mutant mercenary who gave Iron Fist a run for his money. However, it wouldn’t be until co-creator Chris Claremont pit Sabretooth against Wolverine in Uncanny X-Men that the character became popular. Sabretooth became Wolverine’s most savage foe and has both battled and joined the X-Men over the years. Sabretooth is a villain that everyone loves to hate; he’s a monster, using his mutant super strength, healing factor, super senses, and razor sharp claws and teeth to do whatever he wants whenever he wants to. Readers know that when Sabretooth shows up, a lot of blood is about to spill.
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Sabretooth is one of Marvel’s deadliest villains, and is undeniably popular. This has led Marvel to do something very interesting with the character, starting with 1995’s “The Age of Apocalypse”. In this alternate reality, Sabretooth was a member of the X-Men, and was known for his caring relationship with the mutant called Blink. AoA Sabretooth became immensely popular, later joining the cast of the book Exiles. In 2025, Marvel created yet another version of Sabretooth, who is a caring man in the pages of Ultimate Wolverine. So, this begs the question — why is the 616 Sabretooth so evil, but these versions aren’t?
For Some Reason, Alternate Sabretooths are More Like Wolverine than In the 616 Universe
Sabretooth in the 616 universe was molded by the tragedy of his childhood. When young Victor Creed’s mutant powers manifested, his parents thought that he was a demon, chaining him up in the basement. This treatment drove Victor wild, and he was eventually able to break free and kill his entire family. Any look at Sabretooth as a character shows just how much this affected him. Sabretooth has always used his powers to show that he could do whatever he wanted, which seems like a way to show his long-dead parents that no one would ever be able to keep him from being who he wanted.
Now, one of the things about alternate universes is that events are obviously different in these other universes. However, one thing that has been pretty standard for all alternate universes is that, for the most part, the origins of characters are still basically the same. So, it’s safe to assume that Victor Creed’s origin is the same in Earth-6160 and Earth-295; both of these Earths were like 616 up until certain events. However, in both of these worlds, Sabretooth is more like Wolverine than anyone else, a caring hero who fights on the side of right.
In “The Age of Apocalypse”, Sabretooth started out as a Horseman of Apocalypse, but eventually got tired of the killing. In Ultimate Wolverine, readers are introduced to Sabretooth when he’s targeted by Wolverine and the Eurasian Republic, him working as a bartender and hiding the young mutants Artie and Leech, having fought the ER as a member of the Opposition. In both of these universes, Sabretooth does what Wolverine would do in both situations, taking young mutants under his wing. In “The Age of Apocalypse”, Sabretooth and Blink (as well as Wild Child, who Sabretooth looked out for) had a mentor/student relationship. In Ultimate Wolverine, Sabretooth wants to sneak the young mutants away and give them a normal life.
I have a theory about why for both of them, and it has to do with Wolverine. Wolverine and Sabretooth’s relationship was once closer than it is now. The two of them worked together and while Wolverine had a problem with Sabretooth’s bloodthirsty nature at times, they were friends. One of the things about both the AoA universe and Earth-6160 share is that Wolverine and Sabretooth stayed friends longer. That could be the key to the whole thing; Sabretooth and Wolverine working together longer makes all the difference in Sabretooth’s life, allowing him to become a better person.
These Versions Prove Sabretooth Never Had to Be a Monster
Wolverine is a great hero, and his effects on the lives of everyone around them is apparent, and that seems to apply to Sabretooth. In the 616 universe, Wolverine and Sabretooth’s relationship was never perfect, but they still worked together, even before Weapon X messed with Wolverine’s memory. Maybe, in the end, Sabretooth needed Wolverine’s friendship to see that life was more than just being a scared child, chained up in a basement because of who he is.
In each universe where Sabretooth and Wolverine had a good relationship, Sabretooth ends up as a better person. In fact, if we look at the original Ultimate Universe, Wolverine and Sabretooth’s friendship ended because of Weapon X, and Sabretooth became a villain there, just like the 616 universe. Wolverine seems to be the key to Sabretooth’s life, changing everything about Victor Creed’s life.
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