From her tragic conception, the second Wolverine, Laura Kinney, lived a hard life, and suffered tragic death – and I can’t stress just how heartbroken the latest turn in her saga has made me feel. Following the original Laura's death, she has been replaced by a duplicate, created via mutantkind's Resurrection Protocols. Now, Laura’s oldest friend is back after decades, with no clue that her best friend is a double.
NYX #6 – written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, with art by Michael Shelfer – tags along with Ms. Marvel, Wolverine, and their group of young mutant activists as the gang heads to a Dazzler concert. While at the show, chaos ensues, leading to a confrontation with Mojo.
Wolverine is heavily injured during the fight, and things look bleak for her, when her oldest friend, Kiden Nixon suddenly appears to save her. I'm thrilled to witness the two reunite, but I'm also a bit uneasy, because Kiden is totally unaware of Laura’s cloning.
Laura & Kiden's History; How They Saved Each Other From Their Lowest Points
NYX #6 – Written by Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly; Art by Michael Shelfer & Elisabetta D’Amico; Color by Raul Angulo; Cover Art by Sara Pichelli & Federico Blee
Following her time as X-23, the Facility’s living weapon, the original Laura was finally set free after being apprehended by Captain America. Upon discovering Laura could not control when she killed, Rogers was convinced to leave the girl behind, with no friends or family to turn to. After being forced into prostitution, Laura fatefully met Kiden, who swept her away into the first iteration of NYX. With Kiden, Laura built a community of friends before having the confidence to go her own way. When we think of Laura’s support network, before there was Logan, there was Kiden.
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While Kiden doesn’t frequently appear in the comics, every interaction between her and Laura is warm and familial. When both were at their lowest, they were there to save the other. Fast forward decades later, Kiden wasn’t seen throughout the Krakoa Saga, while Wolverine became an established hero. One of Laura’s last assignments was to investigate the Vault, a time displacement chamber that moves hundreds of times faster than the outside world. Laura, Darwin, and Synch were trapped there for centuries. Believing that Laura had died, a new Laura was resurrected without memories of her predecessor’s time in the Vault.
Laura Kinney Has Always Struggled To Define Her Identity
It was later discovered that the original Laura, now going by the name Talon, was alive and had endured another century in the Vault. Talon was horrified to learn that she had been “replaced,” but continued her heroics until her death at the hands of the High Evolutionary. Meanwhile, the younger clone-of-the-clone has continued to live her life as normal, just as every mutant who was brought back via the Resurrection Protocols. However, those who weren’t in Krakoa during that era, have no clue that this Laura is not the original.
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This, sadly, is not a new experience for the X-Man. Much of Laura’s character growth has been defined by her journey to discover her humanity. Before the Resurrection Protocols, Laura was already a partial "clone" of Wolverine. She struggled for years to overcome being used as a weapon. She once begged to endure the Penance Stare to even see if she possessed a soul. Following the Vault incident, both Lauras had to grapple with their confused sense of identity again.
Wolverine’s Confusing Resurrection Casts Uncertainty On All Of Her Relationships
Marvel's NYX Series Has The Opportunity To Clarify
I find Talon’s death is tragic not because it happened, but because it’s a reminder of how little life she got to live. It’s a reminder that, while she endured centuries trapped in enemy territory, another version of her got to continue living where she left off. And now, every time the living Laura has these connections with those from her past, the pain of her predecessor’s death hurts worse. The version of Laura who Kiden first saved, and who saved Kiden back, is gone. She will never get to see her friend again. She’ll never know Kiden survived.
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On Krakoa, any mutant who has died can be revived, but this feat wouldn't be possible without the Resurrection Protocols and the powers of the Five.
Now the question is, “Will Laura tell Kiden?” By bringing the two friends back together, NYX authors Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly have forced readers to consider the complications of Krakoa’s resurrections, especially now that the technology no longer exists; a debate with no good answer. Regardless, every moment Kiden and Laura are together will feel like tragedy all over again. Their bond can’t be understated, but now readers will have to wait to see if Kiden can accept Wolverine’s true fate.
NYX #6 is available now from Marvel Comics.
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The human mutant Wolverine (a.k.a. Logan) was born James Howlett, blessed with a superhuman healing factor, senses, and physiology. Subjecting himself to experimentation to augment his skeleton and claws with adamantium, Logan is as deadly as he is reckless, impulsive, and short-tempered. Making him the X-Men's wildest and deadliest member, and one of Marvel Comics' biggest stars. He's played in Fox and Marvel's movie franchises by Hugh Jackman.
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