Daken
Encyclopedia
Akihiro, also codename as Daken is a fiction
al comic book supervillain appearing in books published by Marvel Comics
. Daken is the mutant
son of Wolverine
and his deceased wife Itsu
. He possesses superhuman abilities similar to his father (e.g., healing factor
, retractable claws), and was member of the Dark Avengers
under the name Wolverine
until the conclusion of the 2010 storyline, "Siege
".
, as part of "Dark Reign
", taking the role of his father. The character also becomes the lead in the Wolverine series, which becomes Dark Wolverine in issue #75. Brian Bendis, writer of Dark Avengers has said:
As part of the team he is also a part of the crossover Dark Avengers / Uncanny X-Men: Utopia
.
Dark Wolverine continued after the end of "Dark Reign" and finished with issue #90 with the prelude for the "Empire" storyline, that continued in the new series Daken: Dark Wolverine #1. Writer Rob Williams took over the series in 2011, starting with issue #9.1.
In November 2011, it was announced that 'Daken: Dark Wolverine' will be coming to a close.
In the present, Daken disguises himself as a S.H.I.E.L.D.
agent and infiltrates a facility where his father is imprisoned. He stabs Dum Dum Dugan
and confronts his father for the first time. He slashes Logan across the stomach and leaves him to bleed on the floor, just as his mother was left many years before. Daken is revealed to have "aided" his father's escape, though not for benevolent reasons.
He is next seen in Berlin at the home of a woman with whom he has been cruelly, and romantically, toying. He allowed her to witness him kissing another man on a date, although unbeknownst to her, he later murdered the man to acquire a passport. Knowing that she would drink an entire bottle of burgundy, he secretly poisons it, resulting in her death. He had to end the relationship and her life so that no loose ends could be left to tie him to his crimes.
While still in Germany, Daken is then contacted by an anonymous messenger who reminds him of his displeased master's "ultimate goal". Daken then dispatches the messenger to again make sure no trace of his presence is left. Later he appears on a train to Brussels, watching his father in a nearby stolen car. He then receives a phone call from an unknown "friend" (who is actually the resurrected Cyber
), confirming his father's destination.
Shadowing his father into a bank vault in Brussels that contains the carbonadium synthesizer, Daken engages Wolverine in a bloody battle with Daken demonstrating great fighting prowess and similar speed and agility to his father. As Wolverine is hampered in the feud by his lack of desire to kill his son and his fading belief that Daken can be redeemed, he quickly loses the upper hand despite his greater experience and training. Their fight is interrupted when Cyber breaks into the vault and challenges Daken. It is then revealed that Daken trained under Cyber in the past. Cyber mentions that Daken is a better and faster fighter than he is, and was his finest student. However, Cyber's imperviousness and greater strength makes that a moot point, as he later explains to Wolverine. Daken refuses to lead Cyber to his master and flees the fight, leaving his father and his mentor to deal with each other.
Daken is then seen in the presence of Wild Child
, and a scarred, expressionless torturer who whips him with a gasoline soaked length of rope. He pleads for mercy, but receives only a warning from his "master" to stay away from his father.
Daken had spent the last couple of months being tortured under observation by Wild Child, who is acting on orders from their mutual master, Romulus.
Daken returns and fights Deadpool and Wolverine, managing to knock Deadpool unconscious after a long fight. Daken is then confronted by Wolverine, only to be shot in the back of the head by Winter Soldier. Wolverine explains that he set up the entire scenario and leaves with the unconscious Daken, later revealed to have amnesia due to the bullet.
During Manifest Destiny
, Daken is tracked down by Sebastian Shaw
and Mister Sinister
to help Daken regain his memories. In the finale of Original Sin, Daken finally learns the truth behind Itsu's death and has joined Wolverine in seeking revenge against Romulus. However, Daken seemingly betrays Wolverine to Cyber afterward. It was later revealed it was all a plan to get to Cyber's secrets. After learning them, Daken apparently kills Cyber, leaving his body to Wolverine. During a conversation between Wolverine and Nick Fury
, Fury reveals that he believes Daken is going after the Muramasa Blade
that Wolverine left in Cyclops
' care. The sword has various mystical properties, including disabling superhuman regenerative powers. Fury believes that Daken intends to take the sword and have the metal bonded to his bone claws after stating that the Tinkerer
would know how to do such a thing and had last been spotted in New York City.
, Norman Osborn
puts together a new group of Avengers
, recruiting Daken as his own Wolverine, letting him wear a version of his father's brown and tan costume. Cyclops sees him as a liability and plans to kill him with the Muramasa Blade to protect the image of the X-Men
. It is revealed, however, that he agreed to join the Dark Avengers as a way to draw out Cyclops to take the Muramasa Blade from his possession. When the X-Men attack him, he takes a piece of the blade and brings it to the Tinkerer, who then bonds the metal to the claws on his wrists. After that, he is seen alongside the other Dark Avengers fighting Morganna le Fay
's demons.
When Spider-Man
enters Avengers Tower, pretending to be Mac Gargan, he is first ambushed by Daken who knew he was not Mac via scent. However, he is eventually incapacitated by Spider-Man after he pummeled Daken and threw him into an electric generator.
In Dark Reign: Sinister Spider-Man, Daken and Bullseye
are sent by Norman Osborn to kill Mac Gargan. However, he is beaten badly by Gargan, when Mac threw him through a building.
In Dark Reign: The List – Punisher, after repeated failed attempts to kill Frank Castle
, Norman Osborn
sends Daken and a platoon
of H.A.M.M.E.R.
troops to complete this mission. After a bloody round of hand-to-hand combat, Daken dismembers and decapitates Castle, before kicking his remains from a rooftop. Castle's body parts are collected and spirited away by Moloids, seemingly operating under the protection of Man-Thing
.
In Incredible Hulk #603, Bruce Banner lures his son Skaar
into a fight between him and Daken. Daken uses his pheromones to calm Skaar down, reducing him to his human form. Skaar then asks Daken to kill him as he's guilty of the destruction he's caused back home, but Wolverine and Banner intervene. The two father-son teams battle, but the fight is stopped when Banner says that Skaar has learned his lesson and Daken abruptly leaves Wolverine behind.
Daken also becomes a member of Osborn's Dark X-Men
. He also remains on the Dark Avengers team, though he takes the Dark X-Men's side in their quarrel with the Dark Avengers. When Bullseye asks him which side he's on, he replies that he "always did like playing for both teams.
However, Daken's loyalty to Osborn and true motives remain questionable, as Daken constantly mentions that "Osborn thinks I'm working for him". This puts him at odds with Bullseye and Ares
. He secretly assists the Fantastic Four
in helping them break into Avengers Tower to steal incriminating evidence against Osborn while trying to clear their name against Osborn, but was foiled by Bullseye. Ms. Marvel
tried to psychoanalyze him and assuage her feelings for him, but Daken rebuked her and Osborn.
of Asgard
, it is revealed that Daken intended to turn on Osborn. He appears to murder him, but this was later revealed to be a hallucination caused by the Asgardian divinities who represent fate. Daken attempts to fight Thor
, who strikes him down with a massive bolt of lightning before the two can even face off. Once the Siege ends with the Void's death, Osborn's Avengers are rounded up and arrested. Daken is the only one to escape, doing so by killing and disguising himself as an army soldier.
teleport Romulus to the Dark Force dimension. Logan thinks about simply beheading Romulus as he did with Sabretooth
, but instead decides to leave him stranded forever.
He then goes back to Daken. They start to fight, but Logan stays calm. He parries Daken's angry attacks, then stabs him through with his claws. While Daken is unconscious, Logan rips out his Muramasa wrist claws. He then buries the claws with the remains of the Muramasa Blade in a grave near the Howlett estate, and Daken is shown with scars running up the insides of his forearms.
Daken, later seen at a nightclub, is attacked by the now monstrous Punisher
(now known as Franken-Castle), who is seeking revenge. After a brutal fight Daken is defeated but decides to hunt Franken-Castle to continue the fight and retrieve the Bloodstone
integrated into Fraken-Castle's new physical form. After following Franken-Castle's trail, Daken encounters a series of devastating traps before meeting his foe again. After a second brutal hand-to-hand battle, Daken is severely injured and retreats. Franken-Castle finds him and, after damaging Daken even more, is about to throw him into a mass of concrete foundation (presumably to kill him). However, Franken-Castle is stabbed in the chest from behind, by Wolverine
, who states he is intervening in his plans to kill his son.
Escaping as the two fight, Daken gains the upper hand by incapacitating the Punisher (ramming him with a truck) and takes the Bloodstone, giving him increased strength and speed. It unfortunately accelerated his healing factor, which upon being wounded it would create tumors after healing him. He is ultimately defeated when the Punisher shoves a phosphorus grenade into his chest, turning him into a tumor ridden monstrosity, simultaneously informing Daken that his attempts to taunt him failed because Punisher built his own reputation from the ground up while Daken is riding his father's reputation rather than trying to create his own. Wolverine removes the stone and returns it to Frank, but before Frank can give the coup de grace, Daken cuts himself out of the tumor mass and disappears.
In the present day, Daken attends a fashion show in Milan. He is in the middle of seducing a model when he is interrupted. Daken manipulates everyone at the event, a simple game in his eyes, but leaves as he gets a phone call from Johnny Storm. His conversation is cut short when he encounters an ambush he defeats with ease. A surviving female assassin begs for her life in exchange for information, which Daken refuses, because he knows who hired the assassins. In doing so, Daken plays right in to the hands of the figure who hired these assassins, meeting with and helping the man find Wolverine's girlfriend Melita to set him up for his soul to be sent to hell. The mysterious man tells Daken that Mystique has betrayed the group, "The Red Right Hand". Daken coyly states to the man that he gave Mystique the information to suit his own agendas. Wolverine then concludes his game in Milan by murdering one of the fashion show employees and setting out for San Francisco.
Daken is at an opera, having another conversation with mysterious man. The man wants Mystique to be murdered, but Daken refuses. The man grows weary of Daken's demands, and threatens him. Daken is not intimidated even in the slightest. Daken then heads for Miami, Florida. He walks into his hotel room and sees Mystique waiting for him fresh out of the shower. Both play a game of seduction with each other, as Mystique explains to Daken that she needs his help. Daken tells her that she is a fool to trust him. She states to him that she knows, but can't go to anyone else with the "Wolverine" situation. Daken and Mystique head out for drinks. Both are very skilled in the "art of seduction". Daken admits to Mystique that he's never met anyone like her. As Daken excuses himself from the table, the possessed body of Wolverine appears in the restaurant. Mystique feels that Daken set her up and fights for her life. Daken intervenes stating to the demon that if he kills Mystique, there will be no place for it to hide, even in hell. The demon states that it wasn't there to kill Mystique, but to kill Daken. The demon proceeds to grab Daken and burns him to a crisp. Engulfed in rage, Mystique changes her appearance to wearing battle armor, and attacks the demon. Mystique is losing the fight and manages to flee with her life. She feels bad for Daken's death saying that's what she gets for meeting a man that makes her laugh. There is a flashback with Daken having a conversation with Romulus about hiding in the shadows makes one invincible. The flashback ends with Daken having a conversation with the demon saying that Mystique being killed wasn't part of the deal. The demon berates Daken stating that the old man never had control of him, and he wouldn't had let Mystique live, thereby lying to Daken. Daken enraged attacks the demon only to be tossed through a window. The demon stated to Daken that he has a lot to learn, but what the demon didn't realize was that this was all a part of Daken's plan to make himself invisible to the world so he can carry on with his quest for power. Daken drives past Mystique and Johnny Storm just as he was coming outside of a club with a female. Johnny overhears a witness stating that a man with a mohawk and claws was burned alive. Johnny calls Daken, but to no avail, and is distraught that he wasn't there for a friend. He relays this news to Reed Richards.
Seven days earlier, Daken is at a party in Hollywood with actors, directors, musicians, agents, executives, and beautiful women. Despite the lavish ambiance, Daken is extremely bored with the Hollywood facade. Daken's true motive for being at the party is to find a lead to who secretly controls Hollywood so he can take over. He was under the impression that Los Angeles was wide open due to "The Pride" losing control of the city. Daken was told by his fixer that the owner of the house and host of the party Marcus Roston, who also happens to be on Hollywood's A-List has information as to who is pulling the strings in Hollywood. As Daken attempts to enter Roston's section, he is blocked by two bodyguards. Daken attempts to talk with one of them saying that he's a big deal. He is immediately disparaged by one of the guards. This causes Daken to attack him and break his nose. Immediately Daken is feeling the effects of the drug "Heat" and is disoriented despite the fact that his healing factor should have stopped it. He is knocked unconscious by the other bodyguard.
In an undisclosed part of Los Angeles, there is an up and coming actor who is being chased by some kind of serial killer. The actor is murdered during the night. The next day, The LAPD are investigating the crime scene. Two detectives are making jokes, when one of them warns the other of "Narnia
" approaching the scene. This happens to be F.B.I. agent Donna Kiel. Donna lets the detectives know as she's investigating the crime scene, that she understands the not-so-subliminal joke, because she is ice cold like the witch in the children's story.
Daken becomes conscious in front of the two bodyguards and Marcus Roston himself. Daken is surprised about the pills. Marcus confirms that he knows about them. He also berates Daken, stating that he's not a big deal due to the fact that he doesn't know him. As he threatens him, Daken dispatches his guards. Marcus attempts to bargain with Daken. Daken states, to him that not only does he want money, he also wants power, and validation. Marcus begs that he'll do anything for his life to be spared. Daken grabs Marcus by his head and engages in a kiss with him and seduces the celebrity. Daken only did this to suit his needs and get connections to who is controlling the Los Angeles underworld and to get access to more of "The Heat".
F.B.I. agent Donna Kiel confirmed who the victim of the serial killer was. She makes a snide remark about one less actor in Hollywood. The victim was killed by claws. She walks back to her office and it shows numerous pictures of Daken on her wall. Daken is considered a prime suspect the serial killings.
Six days earlier, Daken and Marcus are watching a final cut from an upcoming movie that Marcus is the lead in. Daken tells him that he feels the movie is simplistic. Marcus explains to Daken that the audience loves things that are simple. He does wish to do a indie film which is more personal, but he's going to strike while his fame is on the rise as a leading man in movies. Daken insults Marcus by asking him that he should be a queen. Marcus replies that if he comes "out of the closet" his acting career will suffer as a result, and he says that if Daken can't understand that, he doesn't understand the movie business. Daken shows his claws and threatens Marcus to tell him his dealer of the "heat pills". Marcus asks Daken why he loves the pills so much.
Daken goes into a narration to the reader about the pills. As Daken is narrating, there are scenes of him in a state of euphoria as he meets up with Marcus's dealer, and shoots him twice in the thighs. The dealer gives up his supplier as Daken cuts him with his claws. Daken also states the supplier psychically told him the location of where the Los Angeles crime bosses are holding a secret meeting. Daken then goes to the nightclub where the dealer's supplier is enjoying a night out, and things get really ugly, but Daken doesn't care, because he loves the euphoria of the "heat pills".
. An angry Daken wonders how to kill a member of the Pride but realizes he doesn't, so he heads to people who do - their children, the Runaways
. The Runaways, however, don't take lightly to his appearance and immediately attack him.
Daken's senses of sight, smell, and hearing are all heightened to some degree of superhuman accuracy. He can see much further and with greater clarity than a normal human, even retaining much of this clarity in near total darkness. Daken's hearing is similarly enhanced, enabling him to detect sounds normal human's can't and sounds they ordinarily could but at much greater distances. Daken's sense of smell is able to recognize people and objects by scent, even if they are well hidden. He can track a target by scent, even if the scent has been greatly eroded by time and weather factors, with an extraordinary degree of success.
Daken's physical stamina and endurance are also heightened to superhuman levels as a by-product of his accelerated healing factor, and he has animalistic agility and coordination, like his father. As with most of his powers, the full limits of these powers are unknown.
Daken also had three retractable bone claws housed within each forearm, though their configuration and appearance is somewhat different from those of Wolverine. Two claws extend between his knuckles, while a third one extends from the underside of his wrist. The texture of the claws in his knuckles appears to be porous and dark in color, unlike the claws Wolverine possesses in their natural bone state, as seen in Wolverine: Origin
. It was recently revealed in the pages of Dark Reign: Hawkeye that his claws have a naturally ferrous or metallic composition, allowing him to penetrate materials such as metal; he was able to penetrate stolen Iron Man armor
being used by a thief. Recently, the claws which extended from the underside of each wrist had been bonded with a piece of the metal taken from the Muramasa Blade. The mystic properties of the blade enables it to inflict wounds greatly nullifying superhuman healing factors. Wolverine cut both of Daken's Muramasa steel coated claws out of his arms with the Muramasa Blade and due to the properties of the Muramasa Blade, the removed claws have not grown back as quickly as they normally would.
Daken's mind is naturally resistant to telepathic
probes and assaults. As a result of Romulus' conditioning, Daken's mind contains a certain, undescribed "trap" for most telepaths that attempt to push too far into his mind.
He also possesses pheromone
manipulation that suppresses his scent and alters emotions and sensory perception of others, e.g. sexual attraction, psychotic rage, rational thinking, etc. However certain individuals have proven immune to Daken's pheromones, most notably Hulkling
, a Skrull
/Kree
hybrid, and The Hulk's son, Skaar
, a Human/Oldstrong hybrid.
Daken has formidable hand to hand combat skills, though the extent of his exact training has yet to be revealed. However, he has proven capable of defeating his father, Deadpool, and Cyber
(who at one point was Daken's instructor and has acknowledged that Daken is a better fighter than himself). Cyber, however, does not consider Daken a worthy opponent due to his lack of an adamantium skeleton. His ability to appear outside his opponent's field of vision is a direct result of his training since he has no superhuman speed.
According to Emma Frost
, Daken has been heavily and irreversibly brainwashed, though Professor Xavier does not share her view that it is irreversible. Daken acknowledges that Wolverine is his biological father and yet harbors a deep hatred toward him, believing that Wolverine is merely an animal while he is a far more skilled professional combatant. Daken once showed loyalty to a mysterious figure known as Romulus
, who has been a powerful influence in the lives of Wolverine
, Wild Child
, Sabretooth
, and Cyber. With Xavier's help, Daken has seen his first images of his mother through Wolverine's memories.
(and thus confirming the character as being bisexual) or simply Daken using these situations to his advantage. Daken kissed a man in Wolverine: Origins #11, however the encounter also served to further toy with a woman he had been romantically seeing and later, Daken killed the man in question. In Dark Wolverine #75 it is vaguely suggested Daken has had a sexual encounter with a male employee of Norman Osborn, but this was also shown as a means to access top-secret files. Later in the same issue, Daken makes a pass at Mac Gargan however the context is ambiguous, possibly facetious. In the same issue, Daken uses his pheromones to "engage" a female H.A.M.M.E.R. agent. In Dark Avengers #7, Daken humorously states how he "...always did like playing for both teams," a double entendre
referencing bisexuality and his membership in both the Dark Avengers and Dark X-Men. In Dark Wolverine #76, Daken uses his pheromones in order to manipulate the Thing
, goading him with homoerotic remarks. During the Siege
of Asgard
, Daken also made a flirtatious pass at Hawkeye
, also managing to kiss him on-panel. Daken has also been shown on numerous occasions engaging in heterosexual behavior and sleeping with female characters.
At the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con International, Marjorie Liu
commented (on Daken's sexuality) that "[Daken] will do anyone and anything [to achieve his goals and he's] past that kind of identification. He's beyond it." Daniel Way
added that Daken's sexuality will be addressed later on, but it's more about his personality. "He's no more homosexual than he is heterosexual. It's about control." Marjorie Liu
later confirmed Daken's bisexuality in a 2011 video interview with Newsarama.
issue, Logan was present when Daken was born and was able to save him from the people who would have raised him in the original course of events, taking him to live in seclusion in the mountains in the hope that he could raise John Howlett (as Daken is known in this timeline) away from the kind of life he has lived himself. However, despite his attempts to ensure privacy by turning Professor X away when he came to recruit Logan to join the X-Men, Logan's attempts to suppress Daken's darker instincts failed when Sabretooth found them, revealing the truth about his father's past to John. Leaving his father, John became a brutal killer, roaming various cities and killing his opponents, proclaiming that Logan made him what he is by denying him his heritage. Concluding that he will never bring anything good into the world, Logan stabs John in the heart with the Muramasa Blade, subsequently impaling himself to end his own dark stain on the world.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al comic book supervillain appearing in books published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. Daken is the mutant
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
son of Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
and his deceased wife Itsu
Itsu (comics)
Itsu is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published Marvel Comics Universe, primarily as a supporting character to Wolverine. Created by writer Daniel Way and artist Javier Saltares, she first appeared in Wolverine #40....
. He possesses superhuman abilities similar to his father (e.g., healing factor
Healing factor
A healing factor is a term used to describe the ability of some characters in fiction to recover from bodily injuries or disease at a superhuman rate...
, retractable claws), and was member of the Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers...
under the name Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
until the conclusion of the 2010 storyline, "Siege
Siege (comics)
Siege is a fictional character, owned by Marvel Comics, who exists in the Marvel Universe.-Creative origins:John Kelly was initially created by Dwayne McDuffie and Gregory Wright as a pseudo-preview of their then-upcoming relaunch of Deathlok as well as to provide existing in-continuity backstory...
".
Publication history
Daken first appeared in Wolverine Origins #10. He becomes a member of the Dark AvengersDark Avengers
Dark Avengers was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers...
, as part of "Dark Reign
Dark Reign (comics)
"Dark Reign" is a 2008–2009 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. It deals with the aftermath of the "Secret Invasion" storyline, which led to a shift of power in the Marvel Universe toward Norman Osborn. The title "Dark Reign" refers to Osborn's rise to national power and the...
", taking the role of his father. The character also becomes the lead in the Wolverine series, which becomes Dark Wolverine in issue #75. Brian Bendis, writer of Dark Avengers has said:
As part of the team he is also a part of the crossover Dark Avengers / Uncanny X-Men: Utopia
Dark X-Men
The Dark X-Men are a Marvel Comics comic-book team. They made their debut during the crossover between Dark Avengers and Uncanny X-Men written by Matt Fraction, as part of the broader Dark Reign storyline. Each member but Namor has been handpicked by then–H.A.M.M.E.R...
.
Dark Wolverine continued after the end of "Dark Reign" and finished with issue #90 with the prelude for the "Empire" storyline, that continued in the new series Daken: Dark Wolverine #1. Writer Rob Williams took over the series in 2011, starting with issue #9.1.
In November 2011, it was announced that 'Daken: Dark Wolverine' will be coming to a close.
Fictional character biography
In 1946, as Wolverine is living in Jasmine Falls, Japan with his pregnant wife, Itsu, Romulus sends the Winter Soldier to kill Itsu. After Itsu's death, a mysterious man cuts baby Daken from his mother's womb and leaves her body lying on the floor. Daken survives this incident due to inheriting his father's healing factor. Sometime in the year 1946, Daken is placed at the doorstep of Akihira and Natsumi, a wealthy young and traditional Japanese couple. They take his presence as an answer to their prayers and raise him as their own. Though he is named Akihiro by his father, the servants and other families of the province secretly refer to the boy as Daken , a slur on his obvious mixed heritage. As Akihiro grows, he is often teased by the other boys of the village. His harsh treatment over the years causes Akihiro to develop a very cold personality, directed at everyone except his father. One night, Natsumi confesses to Akihira that she doesn't love their adopted son and that, after long years of trying, she's pregnant. Akihiro overhears the talk and begins plotting. Within a year, after the birth of the baby, Akihiro confronts his mother and tells her that he has killed her son. Upon learning this, Akihira is furious and disowns Akihiro, who angrily responds that "Akihiro" isn't his true name anyway. Natsumi suddenly appears and tries to run him through, triggering the unsheathing of his mutant claws. He waves his arm, accidentally slashing Natsumi. Akihira, unable to force himself to harm his son, commits suicide. Romulus then appears to the boy for the first time and tells him that he is what the boy will someday become.In the present, Daken disguises himself as a S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
agent and infiltrates a facility where his father is imprisoned. He stabs Dum Dum Dugan
Dum Dum Dugan
Timothy Aloysius Cadwallader "Dum Dum" Dugan is a fictional character in the . He is an officer of S.H.I.E.L.D. and is one of the most experienced members of Nick Fury's team, known for his marksmanship with rifles and for his impressive physique...
and confronts his father for the first time. He slashes Logan across the stomach and leaves him to bleed on the floor, just as his mother was left many years before. Daken is revealed to have "aided" his father's escape, though not for benevolent reasons.
He is next seen in Berlin at the home of a woman with whom he has been cruelly, and romantically, toying. He allowed her to witness him kissing another man on a date, although unbeknownst to her, he later murdered the man to acquire a passport. Knowing that she would drink an entire bottle of burgundy, he secretly poisons it, resulting in her death. He had to end the relationship and her life so that no loose ends could be left to tie him to his crimes.
While still in Germany, Daken is then contacted by an anonymous messenger who reminds him of his displeased master's "ultimate goal". Daken then dispatches the messenger to again make sure no trace of his presence is left. Later he appears on a train to Brussels, watching his father in a nearby stolen car. He then receives a phone call from an unknown "friend" (who is actually the resurrected Cyber
Cyber (comics)
Cyber is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as an enemy of Wolverine of the X-Men. Created by writer Peter David and artist Sam Kieth, he first appeared in Marvel Comics Presents #85 , though his appearance was obscured by a trench coat and hat...
), confirming his father's destination.
Shadowing his father into a bank vault in Brussels that contains the carbonadium synthesizer, Daken engages Wolverine in a bloody battle with Daken demonstrating great fighting prowess and similar speed and agility to his father. As Wolverine is hampered in the feud by his lack of desire to kill his son and his fading belief that Daken can be redeemed, he quickly loses the upper hand despite his greater experience and training. Their fight is interrupted when Cyber breaks into the vault and challenges Daken. It is then revealed that Daken trained under Cyber in the past. Cyber mentions that Daken is a better and faster fighter than he is, and was his finest student. However, Cyber's imperviousness and greater strength makes that a moot point, as he later explains to Wolverine. Daken refuses to lead Cyber to his master and flees the fight, leaving his father and his mentor to deal with each other.
Daken is then seen in the presence of Wild Child
Wild Child (comics)
Wild Child alternately spelled Wildchild and also known as Weapon Omega and Wildheart, is a fictional character appearing in Marvel Comics publications. The character has been active as both a superhero and a supervillain. He has been a member of Alpha Flight, X-Factor, and Weapon X...
, and a scarred, expressionless torturer who whips him with a gasoline soaked length of rope. He pleads for mercy, but receives only a warning from his "master" to stay away from his father.
Daken had spent the last couple of months being tortured under observation by Wild Child, who is acting on orders from their mutual master, Romulus.
Daken returns and fights Deadpool and Wolverine, managing to knock Deadpool unconscious after a long fight. Daken is then confronted by Wolverine, only to be shot in the back of the head by Winter Soldier. Wolverine explains that he set up the entire scenario and leaves with the unconscious Daken, later revealed to have amnesia due to the bullet.
During Manifest Destiny
X-Men: Manifest Destiny
"Manifest Destiny" is an American comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics through the X-Men related titles and a number of limited series, including a self titled one...
, Daken is tracked down by Sebastian Shaw
Sebastian Shaw (comics)
Sebastian Hiram Shaw is a fictional comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe, and an adversary of the X-Men.A mutant, Shaw possesses the ability to absorb energy and transform it into raw strength...
and Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #221 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri....
to help Daken regain his memories. In the finale of Original Sin, Daken finally learns the truth behind Itsu's death and has joined Wolverine in seeking revenge against Romulus. However, Daken seemingly betrays Wolverine to Cyber afterward. It was later revealed it was all a plan to get to Cyber's secrets. After learning them, Daken apparently kills Cyber, leaving his body to Wolverine. During a conversation between Wolverine and Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
, Fury reveals that he believes Daken is going after the Muramasa Blade
Muramasa
Muramasa Sengo was a famous swordsmith who founded the Muramasa school and lived during the Muromachi period in Japan...
that Wolverine left in Cyclops
Cyclops (comics)
Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes...
' care. The sword has various mystical properties, including disabling superhuman regenerative powers. Fury believes that Daken intends to take the sword and have the metal bonded to his bone claws after stating that the Tinkerer
Tinkerer
The Tinkerer is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in comic books set in the Marvel Comics Universe...
would know how to do such a thing and had last been spotted in New York City.
Dark Reign
During Dark ReignDark Reign (comics)
"Dark Reign" is a 2008–2009 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. It deals with the aftermath of the "Secret Invasion" storyline, which led to a shift of power in the Marvel Universe toward Norman Osborn. The title "Dark Reign" refers to Osborn's rise to national power and the...
, Norman Osborn
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
puts together a new group of Avengers
Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers...
, recruiting Daken as his own Wolverine, letting him wear a version of his father's brown and tan costume. Cyclops sees him as a liability and plans to kill him with the Muramasa Blade to protect the image of the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
. It is revealed, however, that he agreed to join the Dark Avengers as a way to draw out Cyclops to take the Muramasa Blade from his possession. When the X-Men attack him, he takes a piece of the blade and brings it to the Tinkerer, who then bonds the metal to the claws on his wrists. After that, he is seen alongside the other Dark Avengers fighting Morganna le Fay
Morgan le Fay (Marvel Comics)
Morgan le Fay is a fictional character in the , based loosely on the Morgan le Fay of Arthurian legend. In this version of the character, she is the half-faerie half-sister of the mythic Arthur. Her elven heritage granted her immortality, and she used this time to master the mystic arts. She...
's demons.
When Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
enters Avengers Tower, pretending to be Mac Gargan, he is first ambushed by Daken who knew he was not Mac via scent. However, he is eventually incapacitated by Spider-Man after he pummeled Daken and threw him into an electric generator.
In Dark Reign: Sinister Spider-Man, Daken and Bullseye
Bullseye (comics)
Bullseye is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe.A psychopathic assassin, Bullseye uses the opportunities afforded by his line of work to exercise his homicidal tendencies and to work out his own personal vendetta against Daredevil.Although he possesses no...
are sent by Norman Osborn to kill Mac Gargan. However, he is beaten badly by Gargan, when Mac threw him through a building.
In Dark Reign: The List – Punisher, after repeated failed attempts to kill Frank Castle
Punisher
The Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
, Norman Osborn
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
sends Daken and a platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
of H.A.M.M.E.R.
H.A.M.M.E.R.
H.A.M.M.E.R. is a fictional espionage and law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe led by Norman Osborn. The organization is formed in Secret Invasion #8 to replace S.H.I.E.L.D.. The organization plays a large part in Marvel's "Dark Reign" and Siege events.What H.A.M.M.E.R. stands for,...
troops to complete this mission. After a bloody round of hand-to-hand combat, Daken dismembers and decapitates Castle, before kicking his remains from a rooftop. Castle's body parts are collected and spirited away by Moloids, seemingly operating under the protection of Man-Thing
Man-Thing
The Man-Thing is a fictional character, a monster in publications from Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in Savage Tales #1 , and went on to be featured in various titles and in his own series, including...
.
In Incredible Hulk #603, Bruce Banner lures his son Skaar
Skaar
Skaar is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character to Hulk. He is the son of the Hulk and the extraterrestrial Caiera, who conceived him during the "Planet Hulk" storyline...
into a fight between him and Daken. Daken uses his pheromones to calm Skaar down, reducing him to his human form. Skaar then asks Daken to kill him as he's guilty of the destruction he's caused back home, but Wolverine and Banner intervene. The two father-son teams battle, but the fight is stopped when Banner says that Skaar has learned his lesson and Daken abruptly leaves Wolverine behind.
Daken also becomes a member of Osborn's Dark X-Men
Dark X-Men
The Dark X-Men are a Marvel Comics comic-book team. They made their debut during the crossover between Dark Avengers and Uncanny X-Men written by Matt Fraction, as part of the broader Dark Reign storyline. Each member but Namor has been handpicked by then–H.A.M.M.E.R...
. He also remains on the Dark Avengers team, though he takes the Dark X-Men's side in their quarrel with the Dark Avengers. When Bullseye asks him which side he's on, he replies that he "always did like playing for both teams.
However, Daken's loyalty to Osborn and true motives remain questionable, as Daken constantly mentions that "Osborn thinks I'm working for him". This puts him at odds with Bullseye and Ares
Ares (Marvel Comics)
Ares is a fictional character, a deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek god of the same name. He first appears in Thor #129 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
. He secretly assists the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
in helping them break into Avengers Tower to steal incriminating evidence against Osborn while trying to clear their name against Osborn, but was foiled by Bullseye. Ms. Marvel
Moonstone (comics)
Moonstone is a fictional character, both a supervillain and superheroine in Marvel Comics' Marvel Universe.-Publication history:...
tried to psychoanalyze him and assuage her feelings for him, but Daken rebuked her and Osborn.
Siege
During Osborn's SiegeSiege (comics)
Siege is a fictional character, owned by Marvel Comics, who exists in the Marvel Universe.-Creative origins:John Kelly was initially created by Dwayne McDuffie and Gregory Wright as a pseudo-preview of their then-upcoming relaunch of Deathlok as well as to provide existing in-continuity backstory...
of Asgard
Asgard (comics)
Asgard is a fictional realm within the Marvel Comics universe based on the Asgard of Norse mythology and is home to the Asgardians and other beings of Norse mythology...
, it is revealed that Daken intended to turn on Osborn. He appears to murder him, but this was later revealed to be a hallucination caused by the Asgardian divinities who represent fate. Daken attempts to fight Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
, who strikes him down with a massive bolt of lightning before the two can even face off. Once the Siege ends with the Void's death, Osborn's Avengers are rounded up and arrested. Daken is the only one to escape, doing so by killing and disguising himself as an army soldier.
Reckoning
Daken turns on Romulus because he figures out that Romulus really wanted Wolverine to take over his operation and not Daken. Daken stabs Romulus with his wrist-claws, but before he can deliver the killing blow, Wolverine has CloakCloak and Dagger (comics)
Cloak and Dagger are a fictional comic book superhero duo in the . They were created by writer William "Bill" Mantlo and designed by artist Edward Hannigan.-Publication history:...
teleport Romulus to the Dark Force dimension. Logan thinks about simply beheading Romulus as he did with Sabretooth
Sabretooth (comics)
Sabretooth is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne. The character first appeared in Iron Fist #14...
, but instead decides to leave him stranded forever.
He then goes back to Daken. They start to fight, but Logan stays calm. He parries Daken's angry attacks, then stabs him through with his claws. While Daken is unconscious, Logan rips out his Muramasa wrist claws. He then buries the claws with the remains of the Muramasa Blade in a grave near the Howlett estate, and Daken is shown with scars running up the insides of his forearms.
Daken, later seen at a nightclub, is attacked by the now monstrous Punisher
Punisher
The Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
(now known as Franken-Castle), who is seeking revenge. After a brutal fight Daken is defeated but decides to hunt Franken-Castle to continue the fight and retrieve the Bloodstone
Bloodstone (comics)
Bloodstone, in comics, may refer to:*The Bloodstone or the Bloodstone Gem, a Marvel Comics fictional mystical gem from which the other Bloodstones in Marvel derive their name from*Bloodstone, a fictional family in Marvel Comics:...
integrated into Fraken-Castle's new physical form. After following Franken-Castle's trail, Daken encounters a series of devastating traps before meeting his foe again. After a second brutal hand-to-hand battle, Daken is severely injured and retreats. Franken-Castle finds him and, after damaging Daken even more, is about to throw him into a mass of concrete foundation (presumably to kill him). However, Franken-Castle is stabbed in the chest from behind, by Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, who states he is intervening in his plans to kill his son.
Escaping as the two fight, Daken gains the upper hand by incapacitating the Punisher (ramming him with a truck) and takes the Bloodstone, giving him increased strength and speed. It unfortunately accelerated his healing factor, which upon being wounded it would create tumors after healing him. He is ultimately defeated when the Punisher shoves a phosphorus grenade into his chest, turning him into a tumor ridden monstrosity, simultaneously informing Daken that his attempts to taunt him failed because Punisher built his own reputation from the ground up while Daken is riding his father's reputation rather than trying to create his own. Wolverine removes the stone and returns it to Frank, but before Frank can give the coup de grace, Daken cuts himself out of the tumor mass and disappears.
Empire
The story starts off 50 years in the past with Wolverine stumbling out of a bar drunk after being in a fight that left a patron gutted. A woman follows him outside with despair, rage, and grief. In the distance, there is a sniper that has Wolverine in his crosshairs ready to shoot. He is interrupted by a man, standing next to him, which turns out to be Daken who states to him that they have time to extract revenge against him.In the present day, Daken attends a fashion show in Milan. He is in the middle of seducing a model when he is interrupted. Daken manipulates everyone at the event, a simple game in his eyes, but leaves as he gets a phone call from Johnny Storm. His conversation is cut short when he encounters an ambush he defeats with ease. A surviving female assassin begs for her life in exchange for information, which Daken refuses, because he knows who hired the assassins. In doing so, Daken plays right in to the hands of the figure who hired these assassins, meeting with and helping the man find Wolverine's girlfriend Melita to set him up for his soul to be sent to hell. The mysterious man tells Daken that Mystique has betrayed the group, "The Red Right Hand". Daken coyly states to the man that he gave Mystique the information to suit his own agendas. Wolverine then concludes his game in Milan by murdering one of the fashion show employees and setting out for San Francisco.
Daken is at an opera, having another conversation with mysterious man. The man wants Mystique to be murdered, but Daken refuses. The man grows weary of Daken's demands, and threatens him. Daken is not intimidated even in the slightest. Daken then heads for Miami, Florida. He walks into his hotel room and sees Mystique waiting for him fresh out of the shower. Both play a game of seduction with each other, as Mystique explains to Daken that she needs his help. Daken tells her that she is a fool to trust him. She states to him that she knows, but can't go to anyone else with the "Wolverine" situation. Daken and Mystique head out for drinks. Both are very skilled in the "art of seduction". Daken admits to Mystique that he's never met anyone like her. As Daken excuses himself from the table, the possessed body of Wolverine appears in the restaurant. Mystique feels that Daken set her up and fights for her life. Daken intervenes stating to the demon that if he kills Mystique, there will be no place for it to hide, even in hell. The demon states that it wasn't there to kill Mystique, but to kill Daken. The demon proceeds to grab Daken and burns him to a crisp. Engulfed in rage, Mystique changes her appearance to wearing battle armor, and attacks the demon. Mystique is losing the fight and manages to flee with her life. She feels bad for Daken's death saying that's what she gets for meeting a man that makes her laugh. There is a flashback with Daken having a conversation with Romulus about hiding in the shadows makes one invincible. The flashback ends with Daken having a conversation with the demon saying that Mystique being killed wasn't part of the deal. The demon berates Daken stating that the old man never had control of him, and he wouldn't had let Mystique live, thereby lying to Daken. Daken enraged attacks the demon only to be tossed through a window. The demon stated to Daken that he has a lot to learn, but what the demon didn't realize was that this was all a part of Daken's plan to make himself invisible to the world so he can carry on with his quest for power. Daken drives past Mystique and Johnny Storm just as he was coming outside of a club with a female. Johnny overhears a witness stating that a man with a mohawk and claws was burned alive. Johnny calls Daken, but to no avail, and is distraught that he wasn't there for a friend. He relays this news to Reed Richards.
Gone
In issue #9.1 In the Aftermath of the X-23/Daken crossover "Collision" Daken is "cleaning up house" in Madripoor by either getting the rest of the criminal underworld to agree to serve him, or eradicating his enemies. A man named Tan Kim Seng falls into the latter category. Daken kills all of Tan's finest killers leaving only a British entrepreneur named Hunt and Tan left cornered in his office. Tan is having a final drink as Daken breaks into the room. Tan states that he only trades with business men, not "Awun" which is Taiwanese for God of Destruction. Tan states that he knows that Daken is Patch's (aka Wolverine) son, and when he looks in Daken's eyes he tells him that his soul is gone. He berates Daken further by comparing him to his father Wolverine. This ultimately leads to his demise by a gunshot to his forehead. Tan's final words weigh heavy in Daken's mind later throughout the night. Daken decides to pay a visit to the Avenger's Tower. He sets up a scenario that makes it look like the Avengers Tower is under attack. Wolverine picks up on Daken's scent. Wolverine is ambushed by Daken. Daken states that he knew what Wolverine was planning by having the team split up, so no harm would come to them. Daken lets Wolverine know that he didn't come to kill him, but to say that he was going be missing for a while, and is going to live outside of Wolverine's shadow. Wolverine questions what he meant, but when Wolverine turns around, Daken is gone. Daken having a vast amount of money from his exploits in Madripoor, decides to start a new empire in the city of Los Angeles. He enters an expensive house that belonged to a previous couple that is lying dead on the steps at the entrance of the home. Daken looks at a marvelous view of Los Angeles and narrates to himself that he is not going to destroy, but to create.Big Break
The story starts of with Daken wearing a Captain America mask, and is trying to pull off an "Italian Job" on the Los Angeles interstate 110 but is caught in a battle with the military. Daken makes it to the armor car, but begins to go through withdrawals from a drug called "Heat". Daken promised himself that he would not take the drug before the heist, but decides to take the drug. Immediately after the drug is taken, he begins to hallucinate very heavily during the heist.Seven days earlier, Daken is at a party in Hollywood with actors, directors, musicians, agents, executives, and beautiful women. Despite the lavish ambiance, Daken is extremely bored with the Hollywood facade. Daken's true motive for being at the party is to find a lead to who secretly controls Hollywood so he can take over. He was under the impression that Los Angeles was wide open due to "The Pride" losing control of the city. Daken was told by his fixer that the owner of the house and host of the party Marcus Roston, who also happens to be on Hollywood's A-List has information as to who is pulling the strings in Hollywood. As Daken attempts to enter Roston's section, he is blocked by two bodyguards. Daken attempts to talk with one of them saying that he's a big deal. He is immediately disparaged by one of the guards. This causes Daken to attack him and break his nose. Immediately Daken is feeling the effects of the drug "Heat" and is disoriented despite the fact that his healing factor should have stopped it. He is knocked unconscious by the other bodyguard.
In an undisclosed part of Los Angeles, there is an up and coming actor who is being chased by some kind of serial killer. The actor is murdered during the night. The next day, The LAPD are investigating the crime scene. Two detectives are making jokes, when one of them warns the other of "Narnia
Narnia (world)
Narnia is a fantasy world created by C. S. Lewis as the primary location for his series of seven fantasy novels for children, The Chronicles of Narnia. The world is so called after the country of Narnia, in which much of the action of the Chronicles takes place.In Narnia, some animals can talk,...
" approaching the scene. This happens to be F.B.I. agent Donna Kiel. Donna lets the detectives know as she's investigating the crime scene, that she understands the not-so-subliminal joke, because she is ice cold like the witch in the children's story.
Daken becomes conscious in front of the two bodyguards and Marcus Roston himself. Daken is surprised about the pills. Marcus confirms that he knows about them. He also berates Daken, stating that he's not a big deal due to the fact that he doesn't know him. As he threatens him, Daken dispatches his guards. Marcus attempts to bargain with Daken. Daken states, to him that not only does he want money, he also wants power, and validation. Marcus begs that he'll do anything for his life to be spared. Daken grabs Marcus by his head and engages in a kiss with him and seduces the celebrity. Daken only did this to suit his needs and get connections to who is controlling the Los Angeles underworld and to get access to more of "The Heat".
F.B.I. agent Donna Kiel confirmed who the victim of the serial killer was. She makes a snide remark about one less actor in Hollywood. The victim was killed by claws. She walks back to her office and it shows numerous pictures of Daken on her wall. Daken is considered a prime suspect the serial killings.
Six days earlier, Daken and Marcus are watching a final cut from an upcoming movie that Marcus is the lead in. Daken tells him that he feels the movie is simplistic. Marcus explains to Daken that the audience loves things that are simple. He does wish to do a indie film which is more personal, but he's going to strike while his fame is on the rise as a leading man in movies. Daken insults Marcus by asking him that he should be a queen. Marcus replies that if he comes "out of the closet" his acting career will suffer as a result, and he says that if Daken can't understand that, he doesn't understand the movie business. Daken shows his claws and threatens Marcus to tell him his dealer of the "heat pills". Marcus asks Daken why he loves the pills so much.
Daken goes into a narration to the reader about the pills. As Daken is narrating, there are scenes of him in a state of euphoria as he meets up with Marcus's dealer, and shoots him twice in the thighs. The dealer gives up his supplier as Daken cuts him with his claws. Daken also states the supplier psychically told him the location of where the Los Angeles crime bosses are holding a secret meeting. Daken then goes to the nightclub where the dealer's supplier is enjoying a night out, and things get really ugly, but Daken doesn't care, because he loves the euphoria of the "heat pills".
The Pride Before The Fall
A beaten up and broken Daken discovers the properties of the heat pills are from non-human blood, confirming his suspicions that the blood belongs to a member of the PridePride (comics)
The Pride are a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain team, a criminal organization that controlled the Los Angeles area of the Marvel Universe. As they are the parents and the initial and more prominent foes the Runaways have faced, they are perhaps the team's greatest enemy to date...
. An angry Daken wonders how to kill a member of the Pride but realizes he doesn't, so he heads to people who do - their children, the Runaways
Runaways (comics)
Runaways is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series features a group of teenagers who discover that their parents are part of an evil crime group called the Pride. Created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, the series debuted in April of 2003 as part of Marvel Comics'...
. The Runaways, however, don't take lightly to his appearance and immediately attack him.
Powers and abilities
Like Wolverine, Daken's primary mutant power is an accelerated healing factor that allows him to rapidly regenerate damaged bodily tissue much faster and more extensively than a normal human is capable of. The full limits of his healing factor aren't known, though he is able to fully recover from intense electric shock within a short span of time. Daken's healing factor also grants him an extended lifespan by dramatically slowing his natural aging process. Although he is over 60 years old, he has the appearance of a man in his physical prime.Daken's senses of sight, smell, and hearing are all heightened to some degree of superhuman accuracy. He can see much further and with greater clarity than a normal human, even retaining much of this clarity in near total darkness. Daken's hearing is similarly enhanced, enabling him to detect sounds normal human's can't and sounds they ordinarily could but at much greater distances. Daken's sense of smell is able to recognize people and objects by scent, even if they are well hidden. He can track a target by scent, even if the scent has been greatly eroded by time and weather factors, with an extraordinary degree of success.
Daken's physical stamina and endurance are also heightened to superhuman levels as a by-product of his accelerated healing factor, and he has animalistic agility and coordination, like his father. As with most of his powers, the full limits of these powers are unknown.
Daken also had three retractable bone claws housed within each forearm, though their configuration and appearance is somewhat different from those of Wolverine. Two claws extend between his knuckles, while a third one extends from the underside of his wrist. The texture of the claws in his knuckles appears to be porous and dark in color, unlike the claws Wolverine possesses in their natural bone state, as seen in Wolverine: Origin
Origin (comics)
Origin is a six-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics from November 2001 to March 2002, written by Bill Jemas, Joe Quesada and Paul Jenkins, and illustrated by Andy Kubert and Richard Isanove ....
. It was recently revealed in the pages of Dark Reign: Hawkeye that his claws have a naturally ferrous or metallic composition, allowing him to penetrate materials such as metal; he was able to penetrate stolen Iron Man armor
Iron Man's armor
Iron Man's armor is the fictional powered exoskeleton worn by the fictional Tony Stark when he assumes his superhero role of Iron Man. The first version of the armor was created by Stark with the help of Ho Yinsen....
being used by a thief. Recently, the claws which extended from the underside of each wrist had been bonded with a piece of the metal taken from the Muramasa Blade. The mystic properties of the blade enables it to inflict wounds greatly nullifying superhuman healing factors. Wolverine cut both of Daken's Muramasa steel coated claws out of his arms with the Muramasa Blade and due to the properties of the Muramasa Blade, the removed claws have not grown back as quickly as they normally would.
Daken's mind is naturally resistant to telepathic
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
probes and assaults. As a result of Romulus' conditioning, Daken's mind contains a certain, undescribed "trap" for most telepaths that attempt to push too far into his mind.
He also possesses pheromone
Pheromone
A pheromone is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting outside the body of the secreting individual to impact the behavior of the receiving individual...
manipulation that suppresses his scent and alters emotions and sensory perception of others, e.g. sexual attraction, psychotic rage, rational thinking, etc. However certain individuals have proven immune to Daken's pheromones, most notably Hulkling
Hulkling
Hulkling is a fictional comic book superhero and a member of the Young Avengers, a team of superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. Hulkling's character is patterned on the Hulk...
, a Skrull
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
/Kree
Kree
The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud...
hybrid, and The Hulk's son, Skaar
Skaar
Skaar is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character to Hulk. He is the son of the Hulk and the extraterrestrial Caiera, who conceived him during the "Planet Hulk" storyline...
, a Human/Oldstrong hybrid.
Skills and personality
Unlike Wolverine, Daken has no moral compunction about killing, which he has done in a professional capacity for the majority of his life. In his appearances he is seen brutally murdering several people, even as a child.Daken has formidable hand to hand combat skills, though the extent of his exact training has yet to be revealed. However, he has proven capable of defeating his father, Deadpool, and Cyber
Cyber (comics)
Cyber is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as an enemy of Wolverine of the X-Men. Created by writer Peter David and artist Sam Kieth, he first appeared in Marvel Comics Presents #85 , though his appearance was obscured by a trench coat and hat...
(who at one point was Daken's instructor and has acknowledged that Daken is a better fighter than himself). Cyber, however, does not consider Daken a worthy opponent due to his lack of an adamantium skeleton. His ability to appear outside his opponent's field of vision is a direct result of his training since he has no superhuman speed.
According to Emma Frost
Emma Frost
Emma Grace Frost is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 , and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne....
, Daken has been heavily and irreversibly brainwashed, though Professor Xavier does not share her view that it is irreversible. Daken acknowledges that Wolverine is his biological father and yet harbors a deep hatred toward him, believing that Wolverine is merely an animal while he is a far more skilled professional combatant. Daken once showed loyalty to a mysterious figure known as Romulus
Romulus (Marvel Comics)
Romulus is a Marvel Comics supervillain. He is originally said to be the leader of the Lupine, a human looking species who, through convergent evolution, would have evolved from canines instead of primates. He is a shadowy character whose origin and motives remain a mystery...
, who has been a powerful influence in the lives of Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, Wild Child
Wild Child (comics)
Wild Child alternately spelled Wildchild and also known as Weapon Omega and Wildheart, is a fictional character appearing in Marvel Comics publications. The character has been active as both a superhero and a supervillain. He has been a member of Alpha Flight, X-Factor, and Weapon X...
, Sabretooth
Sabretooth (comics)
Sabretooth is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne. The character first appeared in Iron Fist #14...
, and Cyber. With Xavier's help, Daken has seen his first images of his mother through Wolverine's memories.
Sexual orientation
Daken has been portrayed engaging in homosexual behavior in a few instances; however, no indication is given whether this is due to orientationSexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
(and thus confirming the character as being bisexual) or simply Daken using these situations to his advantage. Daken kissed a man in Wolverine: Origins #11, however the encounter also served to further toy with a woman he had been romantically seeing and later, Daken killed the man in question. In Dark Wolverine #75 it is vaguely suggested Daken has had a sexual encounter with a male employee of Norman Osborn, but this was also shown as a means to access top-secret files. Later in the same issue, Daken makes a pass at Mac Gargan however the context is ambiguous, possibly facetious. In the same issue, Daken uses his pheromones to "engage" a female H.A.M.M.E.R. agent. In Dark Avengers #7, Daken humorously states how he "...always did like playing for both teams," a double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
referencing bisexuality and his membership in both the Dark Avengers and Dark X-Men. In Dark Wolverine #76, Daken uses his pheromones in order to manipulate the Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
, goading him with homoerotic remarks. During the Siege
Siege (comics)
Siege is a fictional character, owned by Marvel Comics, who exists in the Marvel Universe.-Creative origins:John Kelly was initially created by Dwayne McDuffie and Gregory Wright as a pseudo-preview of their then-upcoming relaunch of Deathlok as well as to provide existing in-continuity backstory...
of Asgard
Asgard (comics)
Asgard is a fictional realm within the Marvel Comics universe based on the Asgard of Norse mythology and is home to the Asgardians and other beings of Norse mythology...
, Daken also made a flirtatious pass at Hawkeye
Bullseye (comics)
Bullseye is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe.A psychopathic assassin, Bullseye uses the opportunities afforded by his line of work to exercise his homicidal tendencies and to work out his own personal vendetta against Daredevil.Although he possesses no...
, also managing to kiss him on-panel. Daken has also been shown on numerous occasions engaging in heterosexual behavior and sleeping with female characters.
At the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con International, Marjorie Liu
Marjorie Liu
Marjorie M. Liu is a New York Times best-selling author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels and comic books. Her novels include the 2005 paranormal romance Tiger Eye. Her comics work includes a number Marvel Comics series related to the X-Men and Wolverine, including NYX, X-23 and Dark...
commented (on Daken's sexuality) that "[Daken] will do anyone and anything [to achieve his goals and he's] past that kind of identification. He's beyond it." Daniel Way
Daniel Way
-Career:Way received the Xeric Foundation's Xeric Grant in 2000 for his first publication, Violent Lifestyle #1. Through Violent Lifestyle, Way was introduced to Marvel Comics editor Axel Alonso, who hired Way for a Deathlok mini-series that was cancelled prior to publication.Way's first published...
added that Daken's sexuality will be addressed later on, but it's more about his personality. "He's no more homosexual than he is heterosexual. It's about control." Marjorie Liu
Marjorie Liu
Marjorie M. Liu is a New York Times best-selling author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels and comic books. Her novels include the 2005 paranormal romance Tiger Eye. Her comics work includes a number Marvel Comics series related to the X-Men and Wolverine, including NYX, X-23 and Dark...
later confirmed Daken's bisexuality in a 2011 video interview with Newsarama.
What If?
In a recent What If?What If (comics)
What If, sometimes rendered as What If...?, is the title of several comic book series published by Marvel Comics, exploring "the road not traveled" by its various characters...
issue, Logan was present when Daken was born and was able to save him from the people who would have raised him in the original course of events, taking him to live in seclusion in the mountains in the hope that he could raise John Howlett (as Daken is known in this timeline) away from the kind of life he has lived himself. However, despite his attempts to ensure privacy by turning Professor X away when he came to recruit Logan to join the X-Men, Logan's attempts to suppress Daken's darker instincts failed when Sabretooth found them, revealing the truth about his father's past to John. Leaving his father, John became a brutal killer, roaming various cities and killing his opponents, proclaiming that Logan made him what he is by denying him his heritage. Concluding that he will never bring anything good into the world, Logan stabs John in the heart with the Muramasa Blade, subsequently impaling himself to end his own dark stain on the world.
Collected Editions
- Dark Wolverine Vol. 1: The Prince (Dark Wolverine #75-77)
- Dark Wolverine Vol. 2: My Hero (Dark Wolverine #78-81)
- Siege: X-Men (Dark Wolverine #82-84; New Mutants #11; Siege: Storming Asgard - Heroes & Villains)
- Wolverine Origins: Reckoning (Dark Wolverine #85-87; Wolverine: Origins #46-50)
- Punisher: Franken-Castle (Dark Wolverine #88-89; Punisher #11-16; Franken-Castle #17-21; Dark Reign: The List - Punisher)
- Daken: Dark Wolverine Vol. 1: Empire (Dark Wolverine #90; Daken: Dark Wolverine #1-4)
- Daken/X-23: Collision (Daken: Dark Wolverine #5-9; X-23 #7-9)
- Daken: Dark Wolverine Vol. 2: Big Break (Daken: Dark Wolverine #9.1, 10-12)
External links
- Daken at the Marvel Database Project
- X-Men Nation article Daken: Man and Mongrel