Spider-Man & Wolverine’s New Twist Is Taken Directly From Captain America: Civil War

Writer Marc Guggenheim and artist Kaare Andrews have delivered a new Spider-Man & Wolverine comic, featuring the titular two heroes teaming up to prevent a database for all the world’s secret agents from leaking. The big revelation at the end of the first issue is that Peter discovers video of his birth parents, Richard and Mary, in a cockpit. The couple notoriously perished in a plane crash orchestrated by the Red Skull as they were secret agents for the US Military. It’s assumed the plane Richard and Mary are in is the same flight where both met their end.

The twist in the video is that Logan was on the plane with them. It’s been previously established that Logan served as a secret agent for several governments before becoming an X-Man. He even worked with Richard and Mary in some flashbacks, so there has been a connection between the three before Guggenheim’s and Andrews’ Spider-Man & Wolverine. Before the reader can watch the full video, Spider-Man attacks Wolverine and blames him for his parents’ deaths. Peter then has an uncharacteristic proclamation that he will kill Logan. However, given the circumstances, Peter is likely reacting in an emotional state and isn’t thinking clearly. He’s also been under the effects of Mysterio’s gas moments before the revelation. But even considering the emotional reaction, what goes down in that moment is not only interesting, but will be very familiar for fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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How Are Spider-Man & Wolverine and Captain America: Civil War Connected?

If the plot twist in Spider-Man & Wolverine sounds familiar, that’s because the Marvel Cinematic Universe did something similar in Captain America: Civil War. In the Civil War movie, the main conflict stems from two factions of heroes fighting for and against the Sokovia Accords, legal documents that regulate superhero activities. However, the film’s big twist at the end was that Bucky Barnes, Captain America’s best friend, murdered Iron Man’s parents. Bucky has been brainwashed by the evil Hydra organization to carry out assassinations throughout the decades as the Winter Soldier. Hyrda’s goal was to take over the American government and re-establish fascism in the country. Steve Rogers was protecting his friend from facing the consequences of his years of brainwashing, leading to the climax of Civil War, where Tony discovers the truth and attempts to kill Bucky.

Spider-Man & Wolverine essentially borrows that same plot structure, with Wolverine taking over for Bucky and Peter in the Iron Man role. Nonetheless, given that Spider-Man & Wolverine is meant to be an ongoing series, the core relationship of the two leads can’t fall apart after just one issue. The second issue features a cover of the two fighting before heading out to the Savage Land in the third, hinting that the two won’t be at each other’s throats for the entirety of the series. There’s also enough vagueness to suggest Logan may not be involved in the murders at all.

Did Wolverine Kill Spider-Man’s Parents?

Even though Logan has done some heinous things throughout his life, killing the Parkers may be a step too far for his likability. He is still ultimately a superhero, and having him kill innocent parents feels like a step too far, though that didn’t stop Bucky in Captain America: Civil War. But Spider-Man & Wolverine hint Logan would have been a willing participant in the murders, whereas Bucky was brainwashed. The comic left a lot of things open, particularly when it comes to the video that Spider-Man watched. The comic doesn’t feature the full footage, stopping when Logan shows up on camera. It’s possible Peter jumped the gun as soon as he saw Logan in the cockpit, making assumptions before getting the full picture.

Peter also suffered from the delusional gas from Mysterio, suggesting he may be suffering from the gas’s effects. But Spidey had already dealt with Mysterio before watching the footage. It’s also possible that Peter is watching a video from a different time when his parents were flying a plane, and the footage he was watching wasn’t the fateful day they died. Another theory is that Logan was on the same plane crash as the Parkers, yet he was there to prevent it. On that note, Logan briefly mentions his connection with the Red Skull in Spider-Man & Wolverine #1, foreshadowing his tie-in with the Parker family’s death. Logan may be an unwilling participant in the Parkers’ passing, but we won’t learn about the situation until the next issue of Spider-Man & Wolverine.