What Happens To Wolverine When Magneto Rips Out His Adamantium Is Really Gross
Magneto's incredible magnetic powers and Wolverine's Adamantium-coated skeleton give the Marvel villain a significant advantage whenever the pair face off in battle. But the original X-Men adversary once took things to another level, ripping the nigh-indestructible metal right out of Logan's body in one of the most gruesome takedowns in the franchise's history.
In the latest episode of "X-Men '97," the critically acclaimed animated Disney+ show brought this horrifying comic book moment to life. The second chapter of the series' three-episode "Tolerance is Extinction" arc finds Magneto rejecting Charles Xavier's dream as he tries to create a new home for the X-Men on an asteroid. He successfully recruits Rogue and Sunspot to his side, much to the dismay of the mutant superhero team, which tries their best to stop him. Even though Charles Xavier and Cyclops' efforts fail, Magneto continues to lose control, and Wolverine seemingly ends the chaos by plunging his claws into the mutant villain's chest. But Logan's attempt to kill Magneto doesn't work, and he responds by ripping the Adamantium metal right off of Wolverine's skeleton and through his skin as the others watch on in horror.
While "X-Men '97" has played around with comic storylines without giving fans direct adaptations of the stories inspiring the show, Magneto ripping Wolverine's metal right out of his body is a moment that comes straight from the page.
Magneto removing Wolverine's Adamantium is more disgusting than X-Men '97 can depict
In "X-Men" #25 (by Fabian Nicieza, Andy Kubert, Matt Ryan, Joe Rosas, and Bill Oakley), the mutant heroes unleash an electromagnetic explosion that takes the planet's mechanical and technological resources offline. This is in response to the United States voting to activate a defensive shield over Earth, designed to prevent Magneto from using his powers. In a subsequent attack, Charles Xavier and the X-Men try to stop Magneto directly. The mutant's telepathic leader goes inside his former friend's mind, making him relive the pain of losing loved ones during the Holocaust.
As the conflict escalates, Wolverine injures Magneto just as he's about to kill his own son, Quicksilver, but he doesn't stay down long. Magneto regroups and responds by forcing the Adamantium that coats the hero's bones to violently exit his body, extracting it through the various wounds Logan has suffered in the fight.
Despite Wolverine being practically invulnerable and unkillable, Magneto is still able to make him suffer like few opponents have ever been able to. The sight of the Adamantium being pulled from Logan's skeleton while Jean Grey tries to keep his body from falling apart is one of the best examples of body horror the "X-Men" franchise has ever depicted. Later comics also show what happens when Magneto's powers take on Wolverine's metal bones, such as "Wolverine" #6 (by Jason Aaron, Daniel Acuna, and Cory Petit), where he pulled the Adamantium out of a possessed Hellverine like it was water, but the first time it happened remains the most brutal and raw version of the takedown.
How does Wolverine get his Adamantium back?
Ultimately, Wolverine survives the encounter with Magneto, but thanks to the villain's actions, he spends quite some time without the Adamantium coating his bones. The metal's presence in his body gave his mutant healing factor something to focus on, and in the wake of the attack, it kicks into overdrive, causing him to regress mentally as his body mutates into something more monstrous and out of control. In his ongoing "Wolverine" comic (by Larry Hama, Val Semeiks, Chad Hunt, and Joe Rosas), he even loses his nose as his body continues to change in the wake of the violent attack.
Eventually, Wolverine regains his Adamantium bones when Apocalypse captures him and turns him into the Horseman of Death. He later frees himself from the control of the X-Men villain and rejoins the team, his metal bones once again intact which leads to his healing powers being kept under control.
"X-Men '97" may send Wolverine down a similar path to his comic book counterpart. His confrontation and unraveling at the hands of Magneto could lead to his most feral form emerging. At the very least, the incident serves as a tipping point for Magneto's full turn against humanity as he takes down his former students with his extraordinary powers. Comic book readers may also pick up on the show hinting at what's possibly coming next, as the original story eventually led to the arrival of the powerful X-Men foe, Onslaught, who has been rumored as another villain waiting in the wings as "X-Men '97" continues to unfold.