ComicsMarvel ComicsDeadpool 3How X-23 became the all-new Wolverine: Dafne Keen’s surprise returning Deadpool and Wolverine character explainedWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
ComicsMarvel ComicsDeadpool 3How X-23 became the all-new Wolverine: Dafne Keen’s surprise returning Deadpool and Wolverine character explainedWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Marvel Entertainment)
It’s official -Dafne Keen is returning as Laura Kinney/X-23 in Deadpool and Wolverine, as revealed in the latest trailer for the upcoming film. Keen’s been straight-up denying that she’s in the movie for a while now, so we were shocked - and extremely excited - to see her show up.
And now that Keen is around the age of Laura Kinney in comics, we’re also champing at the bit to potentially see a fully realized cinematic version of the character. Because here’s the interesting thing: in comics, Laura Kinney now shares the mantle of Wolverine with Logan, and has for nearly a decade.
Dafne Keen showed her action chops in some memorable fight scenes inThe Acolyte, so she’s certainly got what it takes to potentially share the name ‘Wolverine’ with Hugh Jackman’s Logan, much like her comic book counterpart.
But how did Laura Kinney become Wolverine? And what’s her history in comics before that?
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
In X-Men: Evolution, Wolverine is one of a few older mentors for a group of younger X-Men depicted as teens, including Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue, and Nightcrawler. Laura is a genetic duplicate of Wolverine, kind of a partial clone with all of his abilities, plus extra claws on her feet, and her genetic designation is X-23. She has a few run-ins with the team (though the show’s run was cut too short for more X-23 episodes).
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This backstory is largely imported to comics starting with her first comic appearance in 2004’s NYX #3, which focused on a group of teen mutants living in New York City.
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
Then, when Logan is freed from the adamantium and returns to the X-Men in 2018’s Return of Wolverine, he also gives Laura his blessing to continue on as Wolverine, with the pair now sharing the name.
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
Now in comics, Laura’s original title NYX is relaunching with a brand new #1 on July 24, just days ahead of Deadpool and Wolverine’s July 26 release date. In the new iteration of NYX, Laura/Wolverine joins up withKamala Khan/Ms. Marveland several other young mutants to form a community of their own. That’s part of a wholeline wide X-Men relaunchwhich just kicked off with anew X-Men #1.
With Laura Kinney joining the MCU in the same week she’s teaming up with Kamala Khan in comics, it’s hard not to see the potential in an eventual movie team-up between Wolverine and Ms. Marvel as two young mutants.
Deadpool and Wolverine have a secret comic book historythat makes the movie even more interesting.
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