8 defining weaknesses that Wolverine has 

The superhero trend apparent over the past couple of decades via offerings from Marvel and DCEU in particular has failed to give fans a superhero as iconic as Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. The iconic clawed killer was first seen on the big screen via the portrayal in the animated X-Men series, which saw the introduction of a character blueprint that was only to be improved by the iconic actor.

2017’s Logan gave fans what seemed for years to be the final iteration of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, something we now know is not true. Wolverine is set to return in the impending Deadpool & Wolverine and the animated version of the superhero will also be seen in the upcoming X-Men 97 TV series.

Regardless, apart from Hugh Jackman’s skills and the iconic personality that he lent to the character, Wolverine is a fan-favorite also because unlike so many of his colleagues, his powers are finite, and he shows a range of weaknesses that expose his human nature. Here, we look at the 8 most obvious ones.

8 Wolverine weaknesses that define him

#8 Water

First and foremost, Wolverine’s adamantium skeleton and claws mean that he boasts of a uniquely large weight which in turn puts him in perilous situations each time he finds himself in water bodies. Unlike some of the other X-Men characters, one of Wolverine’s most obvious weaknesses is the perceived threat of drowning, which has led to a range of difficult situations for him in the past.

Not only is Wolverine not able to swim for larger distances, but his body’s overall buoyancy is also further affected which means that he is especially susceptible to larger water bodies.

#7 Magneto

While Wolverine has thus far in his movie appearances stayed away from water, the X-Men universe undoubtedly did him wrong by giving one of its biggest villains the ability to bend metal. Wolverine has already been embarrassed once by Magneto in the movie series and finds himself at a very obvious disadvantage each time he has to face Magneto.

It is related to the fact that the German villain is able to bend his internals at will each time they face each other.

#6 Memory stew

Shown as one of the strongest, most determined and mentally-resilient characters in the entire universe, the fact that Wolverine has been subject to considerable experiments has led to a bit of a memory soup, of sorts.

The character has often found himself thrust into situations that he could easily have dealt with had he remembered his past. Wolverine’s history with Weapon X and the effects of his healing abilities means that he often finds himself in uncertain situations and ends up confusing enemies for friends.

#5 No Superhuman strength

Wolverine is undoubtedly one of the most human characters around, and often is able to recover from huge losses due to his determination and overall personality. However, the fact that he does not possess the kind of strength that some of his other superhuman friends have means that he is not that difficult to physically threaten.

While Wolverine more often than not ends up winning, he has also been thoroughly embarrassed by a plethora of characters, something which is down to a lack of superhuman strength. While he might be utterly difficult to kill, Wolverine is surely susceptible to losing in fights.

#4 He is emotional

Fans, enemies, and even friends can easily be fooled into believing that Wolverine is a menacing, alpha-macho male figure who does not feel normal human emotions. However, as his film history with Fox has shown, as well as the way in which he ensured his daughter survived in the 2017 movie, Wolverine is a bit of a teddy bear!

He falls in love with Jean Grey, gets over his issues with Cyclops despite being in love with his girlfriend, and will now be seen embarking on an unlikely yet adorable friendship with none other than Deadpool.

#3 Willing protector

After Charles Xavier, Wolverine was the most obvious leader that the young generation of X-Men had, a role that fans can bet he would have taken on, despite appearing reluctant to do so. Wolverine is a sacrificial protector and has built a tough exterior due to the loss of his loved ones.

However, whenever presented with a situation in which a victim or a young mutant needs his help, Wolverine goes far beyond anyone else on the team, leading to a range of perilous situations that put him in unforeseen danger.

#2 A nervous wreck

Our favorite clawed superhero is also a bit of a nervous wreck, through no fault of his own. Wolverine has most notably been used as a punching bag of sorts in the overall X-Men saga, and has undergone some intense struggles of all kinds, emotional, physical, and mental.

As a result, he is a nervous wreck, prefers to work alone despite being an integral part of the X-Men squad, and is very prone to making tactical oversights simply because of his anger and determination to set things right on his own accord.

A nervous wreck for sure, but also perhaps the most obvious and best portrayal of the kind of human-mutant peace that much of the X-Men saga has revolved around, right from the comics.

#1 Reluctance

Finally, while there are not many better placed to lead the X-Men in their fights against grossly overpowered enemies, Wolverine’s biggest weakness is arguably simply his reluctance. While his inclusion can make things easier for the overall team in a range of missions, his own internal struggles and anger towards the world mean that he mostly does not want to!

Wolverine is the archetype of the ideal X-Man. He is a savior, a warrior, a savage, and a leader, all in one. However, he is also, through no fault of his own, deeply flawed and frustrated, which is also a weakness when one considers his potential to save the world.