I would say that this story arc FINALLY gives us some developments in the long-simmering Romulus story but saying that would imply that I actually give a crap. Here we go though.
Wolverine goes to Russia where he chops off the head of a prison warden and threatens to kill the country’s Defense Minister. Wolverine is tracking Victor Hudson, Romulus’ blind-and-mute, super-strong right hand man. Hudson leads him to a prison where Omega Red is being held–luring Wolverine into a battle with the Russian villain.
Their fight takes up almost all of issue #38, but Wolverine defeats him by impaling him with prison bars and then beating him with a chain.
The battle leaves Logan exhausted, making it easy for Wild Child, who is also working for Romulus, to capture him. Wild Child dangles him above a molten smelter because…I really don’t know why.
Actually, I do. At least I know why Wild Child doesn’t kill him immediately for the purpose of the narrative. It’s so that Wild Child can tell Logan enough that Logan figures out that the entire story of this series so far was plotted by Romulus. He wanted Wolverine to follow his newly regained memories and do all the killings he’s done since issue #1. Why? Again, I really don’t know why. But Omega Red shows up and attacks Wild Child because Omega Red thinks he’s supposed to be the one that gets to kill Wolverine.
Omega Red throws Wild Child into the molten metal, killing him. (I think he actually returns in a bunch of years, with no explanation.). Then later in the same issue, Logan kills Omega Red with the Muramsa Blade.
And then, we finally get our first good look at Romulus.
He’s ridiculous looking.
During the big final fight, Romulus claims to have taught Wolverine everything Wolverine knows about killing. Is it true? No idea. He also tells Logan that if he kills him, Logan will then be the “top of the food chain,” which means Daken will have to kill Logan because there can be only one.
When did this become Highlander?
Romulus defeats Logan–using the Muramsa Blade–but leaves him alive.
So much in this story doesn’t make sense, from the various motivations of the characters to Romulus’ “revelations” … All of it. We had to get through three years of comics to get here and we find ourselves knowing not much more than we knew all along. But this isn’t the big ending, because Romulus leaves alive (another weakness of the story arc: it doesn’t actually go anywhere), so Daniel Way can still redeem this series that, thus far, has been utterly pointless.
English (US) · 