Since her appearance in Logan, X-23 – or Laura Kinney – has had an incredibly prominent role within the Marvel Comics universe. After recently being elected onto the X-Men, Laura has proven to be a reliable team member and has more than filled the shoes of her father. So much so that the character has even taken on the name Wolverine!
Yet, there has been some controversy with Laura. From relationships to costumes to codenames, some fans just are not satisfied with the way the character has been handled recently. Though the majority adore the character, there have certainly been some fairly unpopular opinions about her, and some of them have some merit.
10 She Should Have Dated Cyclops
Though Laura eventually found herself in a relationship with a time-displaced Angel, their relationship did not always feel perfectly developed. So, when fans proposed the idea that she should have dated the young Cyclops instead, some fans appreciated it. “That’s an interesting idea. Especially because it goes towards his bro-mance [with] Wolverine, “says EmeraldTwilight009 on Reddit.
Given the adult Cyclops’ poor relationship with Laura’s father, it could have created an interesting dynamic. After all, meeting the parents would have certainly been more awkward. Still, it would have strained Laura’s working relationship with the adult Cyclops, so it’s probably a good thing it did not happen.
9 Personality Doesn’t Matter
While many fans look past the idea of Laura being nothing more than a more powerful version of Wolverine, others only see her through that lens. When commenting on writer Benjamin Percy’s take on the character, Redditor I_Burke said, “I suspect Percy is like me, he does not care about her personality and does not think that’s why she is in the story.”
Given Laura’s rich and interesting history, it does not feel right to dismiss her personality outright. Her journey from hardened assassin to caring sister, mentor, and respected community figure is a touching one, and dismissing that to simply have Wolverine 2.0 is a detriment to the character.
8 More Wolverine Family
Still, Laura’s relationship with Wolverine is an interesting one, especially given the family it opened her up to. Her brother, Daken – a sometimes-hero who’s often a villain – has a very fascinating dynamic with her, and some fans want more of it. “I want to see Laura and Daken have genuine conversations and help each other through some of their issues,” says Reddit user le-meme-boi-2.
Given that both were forced into being killers, it would be good to see them work together to overcome that. Besides, they can also both help raise their little sister, Gabby, who has been somewhat left out of Krakoan culture, thanks to her status as a clone.
7 The Synch Relationship Is Awful
Recently, Laura has been significantly tied to Synch, another member of the X-Men. After being sent into the Vault together, they fell for each other. Unfortunately, Laura doesn’t exactly recall it, thanks to an unexpected death wiping her memories. While many fans have embraced the relationship, others are skeptical.
“Laura was barely even in that story besides from an emotionless husk,” Redditor Yklh369 says, and it is somewhat true. It took hundreds of years for Laura to reciprocate the feeling, so having Synch still trying to win over her amnesiac self is a little too creepy.
6 Should Be MCU Wolverine
With Hugh Jackson setting aside his role as Wolverine, there have been many questions about who will take the role. After all, who can fill his shoes? One fan had the unpopular opinion that no one should. “I think an adult or young adult Laura Kinney (Formerly known as X-23) should be Wolverine of the MCU,” says officer_salem on Reddit.
While many comic fans know Laura has potential as Wolverine, it is not exactly a common occurrence to say that she should take the role on the big screen. While it would be a nice change of pace, given Wolverine’s prominence in the Fox films, it would be a disservice to Logan. Besides, who wouldn’t want to see more of Logan and Laura working together?
5 Logan Ruined Her
The X-23 that appeared in Logan was a brilliant character that turned Laura Kinney into a household name. Her fury, hurt, and desperation made her a sympathetic character that audiences everywhere adored. Not to mention that her attitude was incredibly funny.
Not everyone enjoyed her though. “The movie made her so stupid, how could she be the next Wolverine?” says Redditor Dismal_Storage. Given that Laura was actually fairly intelligent in the movie, given that she saved Logan numerous times, it is not a fair critique. Laura helped get her friends to safety, just as Logan helped the X-Men countless times. None of them would have survived without her help.
4 Fighting Style Changed Too Much
Trained as an assassin since birth, Laura Kinney certainly knows how to fight. Yet, some fans don’t quite see her skills anymore. “Ever since Laura donned the Wolverine outfit, her fighting style went from surgically precise to charging into action like Leroy Jenkins,” says Redditor BlackDragon1898.
It’s a fair observation. After all, many writers often feel the urge to just use Laura as a stand-in for Logan, so it makes sense she would adapt his fighting style as well. Still, as a distinct character, she deserves the chance to fight her own way. It’s also a necessary method of making her distinct from her father.
3 A Hypocritical Killer
After a lifetime spent killing political figures and dissidents, Laura gave up mercenary work to become a hero. She even adopted a no-kill rule, which further helped distinguish her from her father. Yet, some fans see it as hypocritical. “Says she does not kill,” says VegiXTV on Reddit. “Kills 1 page later.”
While Wolverine is at times forced to kill, she generally does her best to avoid it. While she does not mind taking down villains, she usually stops just before the final kill. There are exceptions, especially when an enemy is too cruel, but – for a woman with knives in her fist – she does a good job at avoiding it where she can.
2 Laura And Gabby Are The Best Duo
After Laura discovered her clone, a sweet girl named Gabby, Laura took her under her wing and helped guide her through the life of superheroics. “Wolverine And Honey Badger are the best Marvel mentor and sidekick duo,” says Reddit user DarkAlphaZero.
While most fans enjoy the two together, they genuinely aren’t considered a dynamic duo like Batman and Robin or Bucky and Steve. Still, the two do have excellent chemistry, and Gabby really does serve as a (slightly more sadistic) version of Robin for her sister. It’s a fun dynamic, so there’s definitely nothing wrong with viewing them as Marvel’s best team.
1 Change Her Name
While she was originally given the codename X-23, Laura took the moniker ‘Wolverine’ as a way of proving herself, and to try to live up to her father’s legacy. It was a touching moment that showed just how much Laura was desperately trying to be a better person after her harrowing past.
Some fans do not particularly care. “Give Laura Kinney a new name or go back to X-23 because Wolverine is always gonna be Wolverine and even Gabby / Honey Badger / Scout is on a journey of her own names,” says Redditor BackgroundLog2682. While Logan will likely keep the name as well, given that Miles Morales and Peter Parker both share ‘Spider-Man’, there’s nothing wrong with two Wolverines running around. Besides, her costume looks better than his does!
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