Should Dafne Keen’s Laura/X-23 Become the MCU’s Wolverine? Marvel Fans Are Split
Ever since Deadpool & Wolverine brought Dafne Keen back as Laura/X-23 in the MCU, Marvel fans have been asking what happens with the character next?
Now that she’s officially part of the universe, the conversation has shifted into something bigger. Should Laura stay X-23, or should she eventually take up the Wolverine mantle?
It’s become a surprisingly lively debate online, especially among fans who loved Keen’s performance and want to see her stick around when the MCU finally rolls out its X-Men.
One Reddit thread kicked off the discussion with a pretty straightforward pitch:
"Instead of recasting Wolverine right away when they introduce the MCU X-Men, just have Dafne Keen be a version of Wolverine for a while.
“It makes the most sense to me, that way they can ease the general public into casting a new Logan since studio heads are seemingly so concerned about confusing the audience, and Keen is f*cking great in the role"
Another fan chimed in with a practical angle, pointing out that Keen’s age could help Marvel build something lasting: "She's also young enough to play the character long term, and help create a new iconic legacy character for the MCU.”
Of course, anytime Wolverine comes up, the shadow of Hugh Jackman looms large. Replacing Logan isn’t exactly an easy task, and fans know it. Many people are actually proposing a middle ground where Jackman sticks around as an older Logan while the MCU slowly introduces a new generation.
One commenter suggested: "Keeping Jackman as old man Logan and then later recasting a younger Wolverine could be the wisest choice. Why not embrace what they have with Jackman and Keen and eventually tell your more traditional Wolverine stories too?"
Others prefer to keep Laura in her established lane. "I want her as X-23 still but not as the main Wolverine. I want a new Wolverine.”
Another fan thinks Marvel should play the long game with Logan entirely saying, “Keep her as X-23 and they can name drop her mysterious dad with a shady past for a bit to build up hype before committing to an actor."
And then there are the fans who are keeping things simple: "it's completely possible for another actor to play Logan guys."
As for me, I’m a big fan of Keen’s Laura/X-23 and I would just like to see the character grow in the MCU. I’m not sure they need to make her the “new Wolverine.” I just want to see another great story arc for her! She’s such an interesting character and Keen is awesome in the role.
Now, I will point out that in the comics, when Logan was presumed dead for a while, Laura stepped up and took the mantle of Wolverine herself. When he returned, he even gave her his blessing to keep using the name and suit alongside him. So that’s a possibility.
It also opens the door for something Marvel hasn’t explored much yet. We’ve seen legacy heroes emerge, like Sam Wilson becoming Captain America and Shuri taking on the role of Black Panther. What we haven’t really seen is a veteran hero actively mentoring the person who inherits their identity.
If Jackman stuck around as an older Wolverine guiding Laura, that dynamic could be incredibly cool to watch.
Regardless, what happens to her, I just don’t want to see Marvel waste such a great character! Laura is a badass, and she could really shine in the MCU if Marvel lets her. She still has a lot to explore in her story!