The Canadian wilderness trembles as the Hulk embarks on a destructive rampage. Nick Fury, the enigmatic leader of S.H.I.E.L.D., seeks help from Logan – better known as Wolverine. But this isn’t just about stopping the Hulk; it’s about confronting the curse of the Wendigo – a monstrous forest demon that Doctor Banner was investigating.

As Logan faces the Hulk, their clash reverberates through the wilderness. The Hulk’s raw power clashes with Wolverine’s adamantium claws, and the fate of mutants hangs in the balance. Amid the chaos, secrets emerge, alliances shift, and the line between friend and foe blurs.

This episode bridges the gap between the X-Men universe and the broader Marvel continuity. It introduces Nick Fury and the Hulk, both voiced by their counterparts from Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. The episode delivers dark intrigue, explosive battles, and a glimpse into the shadowy side of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Prepare for a showdown where strength meets strategy, and the Canadian wilderness becomes an arena for superhuman conflict.

Nick Fury, the enigmatic director of S.H.I.E.L.D., intervenes in the Mutant Response Division’s relentless pursuit of Wolverine. But Fury’s offer is no mere favour – it’s a Faustian bargain. In exchange for Wolverine’s help, Fury promises to safeguard the X-Men’s true identities and the Xavier school’s hidden reality.

Yet, as Wolverine delves deeper, he uncovers more than Fury reveals. The Hulk, a force of primal rage, is on a rampage. But there’s a twist – the real menace terrorizing the wilderness isn’t the Hulk. It’s the Wendigo – a monstrous forest demon that preys on both mutants and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

Wolverine faces a dual challenge: keep the Wendigo at bay while Bruce Banner searches for a cure. The stakes escalate as the Wendigo regress, revealing their true identities – the missing S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Fury confirms the grim truth – the Wendigo were an ill-fated experiment, an attempt at creating super-soldiers gone awry.

In a moment of raw emotion, Wolverine confronts Bruce Banner. He lands a punch, claiming it’s from the Hulk – a twisted form of gratitude. But Bruce’s transformation is inevitable. The Hulk hurls Wolverine into the distance, leaving Fury to reckon with the consequences.

Nick Fury and Wolverine have a complex relationship in the comic book world; sometimes they are adversaries with conflicting goals, as depicted in this episode, and at other times, they share the camaraderie of old drinking pals, with their interactions largely shaped by the context.

In a quiet pursuit, Wolverine tracks a deer, not for the hunt but merely to stroke its fur. This practice, which he has performed numerous times, serves to hone his senses and keep his reflexes exceptionally sharp. It also helps him commune with nature and keep his rage under control.

The narrative continues from the film Hulk vs. Wolverine, which drew inspiration from Wolverine’s initial cameo in the last panel of issue #180 and his subsequent full debut in Incredible Hulk #181. As a continuation, this episode and the series it belongs to are set within the same universe as the Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes animated series. This version of Wolverine even crossed over into that show in the episode New Avengers.

The Wendigo, first introduced in Incredible Hulk #162, represents the wild alter ego of more than one character, a transformation triggered by the act of cannibalism.

X-Calibre | Timebomb