The Wolverine of X-Men fame can rely on his mutant healing factor to recover from almost any injury, disease, or trauma, and usually in a matter of seconds. But does Logan's power extend to growing back entire lost limbs--or does even he have his limits?
It’s a tricky question to answer, partly because--unlike more R-Rated characters like Deadpool (who loses and regenerates body parts on a regular basis)--Wolverine doesn’t usually lose his limbs. His indestructible adamantium skeleton makes him immune to most forms of decapitation or amputation, despite suffering several grotesque injuries. But the issue of whether he can simply 'regrow' an arm or leg requires a closer look at how Wolverine's healing powers have changed over the years. Not to mention some of his most extreme recoveries.
During Wolverine’s initial appearances in Uncanny X-Men, his healing powers were superhuman... but had limits. Bullet wounds generally took an hour to heal, and during a training match with the mutant brawler Callisto, Wolverine admits a shot through his throat would kill him. Only a few months later in Classic X-Men #10, however, Wolverine gets his throat ripped out by longtime enemy Sabretooth, and heals completely in an hour. According to Logan, “the body heals faster when it has to.”
That healing time would only continue to shorten, as Marvel writers dreamed up more and more brutal injuries for Wolverine to endure. In Wolverine #165 (2001), a cannibalistic sorcerer devours large chunks of flesh from Wolverine’s chest and gouges out one of his eyes--yet Wolverine recovers completely just a few issues later. In Wolverine #48 (2007), he gets caught in an explosion that burns off all his flesh, leaving only his adamantium skeleton – yet he regrows an entirely new nervous and circulatory system, along with new muscles, skin, and hair. Again, in only a few minutes.
Of course, neither of these feats shows Wolverine growing back an isolated arm or leg (complete with new bones), and there are alternate versions of Wolverine that question the idea of whether or not he can regenerate an entire limb. In the Age of Apocalypse storyline, for instance, Wolverine’s alternate “Weapon X” self is unable to regrow his missing left hand. But in Marvel’s Ultimate Universe, Peter Parker swaps bodies with Wolverine (in Ultimate Spider-Man #66) and cuts off one of his fingers, only to have it grow back in seconds. This Wolverine also has his legs torn off by the Hulk in Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk and is later decapitated, but discovers he can breathe through his skin, leading Nick Fury to theorize Wolverine’s mutation allows him to survive anything. Rather than growing a new body, however, this Wolverine needs to be reattached to his torso and legs.
But does this mean the mainstream comic book Wolverine can’t regrow limbs, but can only stop the bleeding, or re-attach limbs if they're physically reconnected? Well, not necessarily. In Punisher #17 (2001), the Punisher attempts to slow down a fighting mad Wolverine by shooting off the mutant’s testicles. While this injury does incapacitate Wolverine in the moment, the fact that he’s had a fully functioning life since then means it’s probably safe to say he made a complete recovery. Growing an entire reproductive organs seems a lot more complicated than an arm or leg.
So while the debate over whether or not Wolverine can regrow his arms or legs may never have a definitive answer, it’s safe to say no matter how badly he’s hurt, Wolverine can grow back at least one of his main limbs on a regular basis.
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