In the gripping narrative of Out of the Past, Lady Deathstrike, born Yuriko Oyama, shares a profound connection with Wolverine, unveiling pivotal insights into Logan’s enigmatic history alongside a beloved antagonist.

Prior to her transformation into a cyborg and her alliance with the Reavers, Lady Deathstrike and Wolverine shared a romantic bond in this storyline. The plot thickens when her father, Professor Oyama, meets his demise. Convinced that Wolverine is to blame, she vows vengeance, fueling a complex and thrilling dynamic. This plot twist cleverly intertwines Yuriko’s storyline with elements from Mariko Yashida’s character, deviating from the original comics where Yuriko’s quest for revenge begins without any prior romantic entanglement with Logan.

Lady Deathstrike’s journey for revenge led her to undergo cybernetic enhancements, aligning her with the Reavers under Donald Pierce’s leadership. She was outfitted with adamantium talons, a formidable match for Wolverine’s own claws. Their epic confrontation in a blizzard is captured in the pages of Uncanny X-Men #205, a testament to Claremont’s storytelling and Barry Windsor-Smith’s exceptional artistry. The battle raged through the night, marking the beginning of their complex relationship. Sworn enemies at times, yet at others, they’ve stood together as allies with a sense of honour. Their encounters have seen them clash fiercely in moments of both strength and vulnerability, leaving lasting impacts on both sides.

The narrative weaves a tale of intricate and poignant connections between Wolverine and Lady Deathstrike, entwined with elements of past romance, miscommunication, vengeance, and profound change.

In a thrilling chase through the labyrinthine corridors of a derelict building, Leech, the young Morlock, is pursued by the relentless Reavers. His crime? Stealing a mysterious device from the formidable Lady Deathstrike. Leech narrowly escapes, returning to the Morlock’s lair to deliver the stolen item to Callisto. She intends to use it to unlock an alien treasure, hoping it will restore her status as the Morlocks’ leader. But their plans are violently interrupted as Deathstrike and the Reavers storm the base, guns blazing.

Deathstrike discovers the ‘alien treasure’ is, in fact, an extra-terrestrial spacecraft. Intent on using its power for vengeance, she attempts to breach the hull with her adamantium claws, only to be repelled by a powerful energy surge.

This surge reaches Professor X, who, with the aid of Cerebro, seeks out its origin. Meanwhile, Deathstrike concedes that her claws are insufficient and proposes a new plan: enlist Wolverine to pry open the spaceship. Unaware of the unfolding drama, Wolverine enjoys a casual game of basketball with Gambit and Jubilee at the mansion. The game is cut short by an urgent call from Leech, warning of a woman named ‘Yuriko‘ lurking in the sewers. Wolverine wastes no time and heads to the confrontation, with Jubilee convincing Gambit to join in the pursuit.

In the dimly lit sewers, Wolverine’s mind wanders to a time in Japan with Yuriko, his former lover. Their separation was inevitable as Wolverine was called back to Canada to join Weapon X. In the present, a fierce battle ensues as Wolverine confronts the Reavers. The fight takes a personal turn when Deathstrike, once Yuriko, reveals herself, sporting claws like Wolverine’s. She underwent a similar adamantium procedure to stand toe-to-toe with him. Her motive? Revenge for Wolverine’s killing of her father, Kenji Oyama. As the Reavers overpower Wolverine, Jubilee and Gambit remain concealed, with Gambit restraining Jubilee from intervening due to their disadvantage in numbers.

The Reavers bring Wolverine to the spaceship and release him, which turns out to be a mistake as he immediately launches into an attack. Just in time, Gambit and Jubilee join the fray, aiding Wolverine. The battle intensifies when Deathstrike is caught in the ship’s forcefield again, stunning both her and Professor X. In a twist, Professor X discerns that the forcefield is actually conveying a psychic warning, urging them not to open the ship. Despite the warning, Wolverine is compelled to rip open the ship to rescue Deathstrike, inadvertently releasing a monstrous entity that envelops everyone in an eerie green glow.

The Reavers, traditionally survivors of Wolverine encounters, were transformed into cyborgs by Donald Pierce, as seen in The Inner Circle. This episode features Cole, Macon, Reese, Lady Deathstrike, Pretty Boy, Bonebreaker, and Skullbuster. They debuted in Uncanny X-Men #229, taking on the X-Men, though Cole, Macon, and Reese originated as Hellfire Club henchmen injured in the Dark Phoenix Saga.

The Morlocks reappear briefly for the first time since season 1’s Captive Hearts, with Callisto, Leech, Erg, Ape, Annalee, Tommy, and Sunder appearing early in the episode.

The basketball scene from X-Men #4 is introduced in this episode and will resurface in X-Men ’97. Even Wolverine’s initial close-up is lifted from the comic.

Yuriko’s narrative appears to blend with that of Mariko Yashida, Logan’s near-wife who perished in Wolverine #57.

Logan is depicted on a mission with Team X and Maverick, leading to his capture by the Weapon X program, as detailed in Weapon X, Lies and Videotape. That episode also mentions Professor Oyama’s research, while Logan’s escape from the facility was also showcased in Repo Man.

In the comics, Spiral at the Body Shoppe performed Yuriko’s transformation into Lady Deathstrike. The adaptation here is notably less grim than the depiction in Uncanny X-Men #205.

This episode is unexpectedly violent, possibly due to the Deathstrike versus Wolverine conflict, featuring blood on Logan’s chest wound, which was unusual for the time.

Jubilee single-handedly faced the Reavers on the day she first met Wolverine in Uncanny X-Men #252, where she rescued him from the cyborg assassins.

Reunion (Part 2) | Out of the Past (Part 2)