The 2017 film Logan marks a profound and intense entry in the X-Men series. Hugh Jackman returns as the legendary Wolverine, a mutant endowed with adamantium claws and a troubled history. The movie, set in a bleak future, is influenced by the Old Man Logan comic books, narrating a story of redemption, sacrifice, and endurance.

In this final tribute to Wolverine, we see him confronting his declining physical abilities, tormented by past events, in a reality where mutants are on the brink of extinction. Accompanied by the weakening Charles Xavier, portrayed by Patrick Stewart, Wolverine undertakes a critical quest to safeguard Laura, played by Dafne Keen, a young mutant gifted with remarkable powers, from the merciless Reavers.

Logan broke the mold of superhero films, earning acclaim as a cinematic gem. Hugh Jackman’s depiction of a fatigued, battle-scarred Wolverine struck a chord, propelling the movie to the summit of the X-Men narrative.

Hugh Jackman, after almost twenty years of personifying Wolverine, took his leave from the character. The physical and emotional toll was significant. However, destiny had other plans: Ryan Reynolds, a friend and Marvel colleague, persuaded Jackman to reprise his role for Deadpool & Wolverine. The fans were ecstatic, anticipating the return of the iconic claws once more.

Logan stands as a tribute to Hugh Jackman’s commitment, Wolverine’s lasting influence, and the compelling nature of storytelling. As Wolverine’s solo tale comes to a close, we are left with an indelible legacy, as solid and enduring as adamantium itself.

By 2029, the birth of mutants has ceased for a quarter of a century. Logan, now aging and with his healing powers waning, works as a limo driver in El Paso, Texas. Alongside the mutant tracker Caliban, he cares for the nonagenarian Charles Xavier, the X-Men‘s founder, in a desolate smelting plant in Mexico. Xavier’s dementia triggers catastrophic telepathic seizures, one of which previously harmed hundreds and resulted in X-Men fatalities.

Logan, albeit unwillingly, accepts to safeguard Gabriela López, an ex-nurse from the biotech firm Alkali-Transigen, and Laura, a young girl, to a sanctuary dubbed Eden at the American-Canadian border. Following Gabriela’s murder, Logan faces her assassin, Donald Pierce, Transigen’s cyborg security head, who is on a hunt for Laura. Laura, who has secreted herself in Logan’s limousine, possesses abilities akin to his. In a daring escape, she, Logan, and Xavier evade Pierce and his Reavers, although Caliban is taken hostage. Under duress, Caliban is coerced to track Laura. A video from Gabriela’s phone unveils that Transigen engineered Laura and other children from mutant DNA, gathered by the mysterious Essex Corporation, to serve as bio-weapons. These children, too unruly to control and facing termination, were liberated by Gabriela and her colleagues. Xavier confides in Logan, revealing Laura’s genesis from his own DNA, effectively making her his daughter.

In the heart of Oklahoma City, Logan uncovers the truth behind Eden from Laura’s X-Men comic and debunks it as fiction. Their confrontation is cut short by the arrival of the Reavers, leading to a tense showdown where only Logan and Laura stand unaffected by Xavier’s crippling seizure. They manage to fend off their assailants and administer Xavier’s medication before making a narrow escape, just as Dr. Zander Rice, the mastermind behind Transigen, steps in to assist Pierce.

The trio later finds themselves aiding Will Munson and his family post a traffic mishap, which earns them an invitation to dinner. Logan confronts and dispatches some corporate farm enforcers, defending the Munson homestead. However, tranquillity is shattered when Rice unleashes X24, a ferocious clone of Logan, who brutally eliminates Will’s family and Xavier, and abducts Laura. In a self-sacrificing move, Caliban detonates grenades, decimating several Reavers and injuring Pierce, though not fatally. Logan battles X24 but is overpowered, and it’s only through Will’s intervention, at the cost of his own life, that Logan and Laura manage to flee with Xavier’s body.

Following Xavier’s interment, an exhausted Logan collapses, prompting Laura to get him medical attention and convince him to verify that North Dakota’s site is not the mythical Eden. Upon arrival, they encounter Rictor and other Transigen children gearing up for their journey to Canada. Laura discovers the adamantium bullet Logan has held onto since his Weapon X escape, a dark reminder of his past struggles. Despite her hopes, Logan chooses to stay behind, leaving Laura disheartened as she faces the future without him.

In an ambush by the Reavers, Logan, empowered by a serum from Rictor that temporarily magnifies his healing and strength, fights valiantly alongside Laura. Together, they defeat many Reavers before the serum’s effects diminish. Amidst the chaos, Rice reveals to Logan, the slayer of his father at Weapon X, that Transigen’s genetically modified crops have prevented the birth of new mutants. In a tense standoff, Logan eliminates Rice and wounds Pierce. The battle rages on as X24 engages Logan, while the children unleash their powers against Pierce and the remaining Reavers. Rictor’s abilities come to the fore, toppling a truck onto X24, but the relentless clone recovers and critically injures Logan. Laura, in a poignant moment, uses the adamantium bullet to end X24’s existence.

As Logan lies dying, he implores Laura to choose her own path, not the one forged for her. Recognizing him as her father, she bids a tearful farewell as he passes away in her embrace. Together, the children honour Logan’s memory, marking his final resting place with an X, symbolizing his indelible legacy.

(1) Logan’s chauffeur ID displays his real name, James Howlett. He is addressed as Mr. Howlett several times, raising questions about how Logan recognizes it as his own name.

(2) Gabriela Ruiz’s character is inspired by Sarah Kinney, Laura’s birth mother from the comic books.

(3) Donald Pierce made his debut in Uncanny X-Men #132 during the Dark Phoenix Saga. The line “I heard you were in Phoenix” is a subtle reference. The Reavers originated from Hellfire Club guards wounded in that story arc. Pierce also calls Wolverine ‘Wolvie’, mirroring his comic book nickname.

(4) The X-Men are depicted as legendary figures, though it’s only been six years since X-Men: Days of Future Past in the revised timeline. Their comics and action figures, especially of Wolverine, exist. The school was bustling six years prior to this film’s events, presenting a potential continuity error or suggesting Logan exists in a separate reality.

(5) Logan’s bedroom in the grain silo is filled with references: his dog tags from the film series, the adamantium bullet from X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and the katana from Mariko at the end of The Wolverine. Charles, while delirious, alludes to the events of X-Men. A cut scene would have revealed Logan’s past with Jean Grey. Charles is also called ‘Chuck’, as in the comics.

(6) Caliban, who appeared in X-Men: Apocalypse as a tracker, is hinted to have previously worked for Transigen, akin to the Hounds in the comics that track mutants. Caliban was one of these Hounds in the animated episode The Fifth Horseman.

(7) Dr. Zander Rice’s story aligns with the comics: his father died at Weapon X, and he was the creator of X23 and the trigger scent that drives Laura to kill anyone, including her mother.

(8) X24 is a clone of Wolverine, similar to a robotic counterpart named Albert, created by Pierce in the comics. In the Weapons of X storyline, Beast produces multiple Logan clones for his twisted experiments.

(9) Dominic Petros (Avalanche) and Christopher Bradley (Bolt, as depicted in X-Men Origins: Wolverine) are among the DNA donors for the mutant children. The powers of some children suggest that Iceman and Riptide (from X-Men: First Class) are also genetic contributors.

(10) Logan suffers from adamantium poisoning, reminiscent of his first affliction when the High Evolutionary deactivated Earth’s mutants’ powers in Uncanny X-Men #379-380 and X-Men #99.

(11) Rictor mirrors Julio Richter, the character from the comics who has been a part of Excalibur and more recently served as the X-Men’s in-house magician and Apocalypse’s acolyte.

(12) Charles’ seizures seem to be a natural occurrence, with their impact on surrounding minds similar to the telepathic shockwave Stryker aimed to deploy in X2.

(13) The Regen medicine the children use to treat Logan resembles other substances in the comics that temporarily boost mutant abilities, like Rave and Kick.

(14) Wolverine and Laura’s initial encounter in Uncanny X-Men #450-451 at a bustling dance event led to a skirmish, with Laura emerging triumphant, catching Logan off guard with her hidden foot claw.

OLD MAN LOGAN

Old Man Logan reimagines the legendary Marvel hero Wolverine in a stark future where villains rule the United States and superheroes are vanquished. In this setting, we meet an aged, peace-loving Wolverine, whose famed healing powers have diminished. Living quietly with his family, he faces the threat of eviction until Hawkeye, a fellow survivor, presents a lucrative opportunity. Together, they embark on a perilous journey across a dystopian America, facing old foes and uncovering buried secrets.

The saga of Old Man Logan, which began in 2008, continues to evolve in a series that explores the older Wolverine’s struggles, history, and the impact of his choices in this alternate reality. This compelling narrative showcases the enduring fight for survival, the quest for redemption, and the unyielding courage of a hero in a world on the edge of destruction.