The major theme running throughout Wolverine: Weapons of Armageddon is the matter of choice. Nowhere is this more clear than with the characters that Chip Zdarsky and Luca Maresca choose to focus on. Wolverine didn’t have a choice when he was placed into the Weapon X program, but he chose to do good as part of the X-Men. David Colton chose to become Captain America, but the twin tolls of an experiment gone wrong and the horrors of war left him scarred in more ways than one. Weapons of Armageddon #4 showcases what happens when they’re given another choice, and it’s one that hints at a future for the Marvel Universe.
For Wolverine, it’s stopping Tyler Torrens, a young mutant who went through a similar procedure that he did, from becoming a cold-blooded murderer. While Tyler has every right to exact bloody vengeance upon the CEO of the Primewarrior corporation for turning him into a weapon, Logan manages to talk him down in a very emotional moment. Zdarsky’s shown time and time again that he can cut to the core of any character while also showing them in a new life, and Wolverine is no different.
There’s another choice Wolverine makes regarding Colton and the mysterious “origin box” Primewarrior wants to experiment on. It’s mostly table setting for Avengers: Armageddon and Ultimate Impact: Reborn, with the latter dropping this week, but it shows that Zdarsky has big plans for Colton. So does a flashback that takes place after the events of Zdarsky’s first arc on Captain America, even featuring an appearance from Steve Rogers himself. I’m just glad that Colton wasn’t relegated to a one-and-done character.
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When it’s not setting the stage for future Marvel storylines or providing its characters with the chance for deeper introspection, Wolverine: Weapons of Armageddon #4 is mostly dedicated to the fight between Logan, Colton, and a new Nuke. Maresca depicts this “Nu-Nuke” as a hulking cybernetic abomination, complete with massive metal arms and tubes that plug into his torso. It’s a sharp contrast to the more horror-tinged transformation that Tyler undergoes whenever he triggers his mutant abilities, which features adamantium wrapping around his body and forming wicked-looking claws and weapons.
The action itself is extremely intense, as characters are sent flying from massive punches or have bullets tearing through them. Surprisingly, it’s not as bloody as one would expect from a Wolverine comic – especially since the people who fight Logan tend to be turned into bloody ribbons. Again, it shows a conscious choice on Logan’s part: he chooses not to kill. Colton also shows that he hasn’t lost his skills as a super soldier, managing to hold his own against both the classic and the new versions of Nuke, whether it’s through gunfire or straight-up punching them.
Wolverine: Weapons of Armageddon #4 brings its story to a close, showcasing how change has affected its characters’ lives for better or worse. It also hints that Wolverine and Colton will have larger roles to play in the Marvel Universe, especially as Avengers: Armageddon inches ever closer.
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