Ultimate Wolverine, at its core, is a story about trauma and how people deal with it. In the case of the title character, he’s suffered an immense amount of trauma, and after coming out of the other end, decided to fight against his tormentors to make sure others don’t suffer the way he did. But it also applies to Illyana Rasputin, aka Magik, the demonic ruler of the Eurasian Republic. Ultimate Wolverine #16 finally brings their long, bloody journey to an end as Logan finally makes it to Limbo for a final confrontation with Illyana.
Throughout this last arc, Chris Condon has been exploring the events that transformed Illyana into a being willing to inflict pain upon other mutants. She went through her own crucible in Limbo, but it didn’t just transform her into a monster; it tore her family apart, with her brother Piotr willing to move heaven and Earth (or, in this case, hell and Earth) to save her. In turn, Illyana is willing to bend reality itself to bring her family back – no matter who she has to sacrifice to do it. It’s a sharp contrast to the mission that drives Logan, as he’s not willing to sacrifice anyone but himself to stop her reign.
Condon also manages to bring Ultimate Wolverine full circle. When it started, Logan was a mere weapon, let loose by Illyana to kill anyone who stood in her way. Now, he’s willing to go into Hell itself to save others. Another element is that while he was alone in the beginning, he has Jean Grey and Sentinel One to help. It’s a core concept of what I love about the new Ultimate Universe; despite all the Maker’s attempts to alter the universe, he couldn’t stamp out the core of what makes these heroes who they are. In Logan’s case, it’s the drive to be better than he is, and the desire to have his own family.
Marvel
Alessandro Cappuccio also closes out Ultimate Wolverine #16 in style. Throughout the issue, Cappuccio leans into the horror elements, particularly in Limbo. To get in, Logan has to shed his own blood to create a fiery portal. The landscape is a vast castle, lined with mutants, barely alive, shackled to its walls. The real kicker comes when Logan confronts Illyana and is thrown into a snowy landscape resembling her childhood home, and finds her sleeping in her old bed. In that one moment, Illyana doesn’t look like a conqueror or a demon, but a girl wanting to reclaim her past.
Bryan Valenza’s color art helps sell the horror elements, with shadows crossing every path of Limbo. In fact, the only source of light comes from Jean herself when she goes full Phoenix, thanks to her bright red flames cutting through the shadows. A similar effect is applied to Travis Lanham’s captions, with Logan’s thoughts rendered in a brighter tan hue while Illyana’s are a chilling black-and-yellow.
Ultimate Wolverine #16 brings its story full circle, reflecting on how trauma shaped its protagonist and antagonist. It also tees up the final moments of Ultimate Endgame, meaning that Logan’s quest isn’t over yet.
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