Why Adamantium’s Arrival Will Change Everything in the MCU!

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In the upcoming film, “Captain America: Brave New World,” we’ll witness a significant shift within the Marvel Cinematic Universe – and it’s not the Red Hulk making the headlines. During San Diego Comic-Con 2024, it was officially announced that this movie will introduce the metal known as “adamantium” into the MCU. Adamantium, famously linked to Wolverine’s indestructible skeleton, actually predates his character creation. This incredibly durable metal was first introduced in “The Avengers” #66 from July 1969, where it served as the armor for the villain Ultron. The writers at that time were Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith and Syd Shores.

The Adamantium used in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is said to originate from the Celestial head Tiamut, which was last seen in the movie “Eternals.” This raises a question that many Marvel fans have been asking about each new MCU property: “Why hasn’t anyone mentioned the giant head in the Indian Ocean?” Although Deadpool and Wolverine did show these characters wielding adamantium katanas, those films were outside of the MCU’s main timeline and part of the wider Marvel Multiverse. The introduction of Adamantium into the MCU’s core storyline as a newly discovered metal could explain why the X-Men haven’t appeared in the MCU yet, or it might link to events involving characters like Daredevil, Black Panther, and the Hulk. Here’s why the arrival of Adamantium in the MCU is significant.

If Adamantium Is New, How Can Wolverine Exist Within the MCU?

It’s Wolverine, not Ultron, who is primarily connected in people’s minds with the metal known as adamantium. In fact, Ultron’s metal plating was replaced with vibranium in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Adamantium is a crucial component of Wolverine’s skeleton and claws, a feature that has been showcased in movies like “X2: X-Men United” and “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”. Since adamantium is relatively new to the MCU, it marks a substantial change for one of their key characters as they prepare for their debut in this universe.

A fresh trailer for “Captain America: Brave New World,” released in late 2024, includes a scene previously unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con, where Harrison Ford’s character President Ross remarks, “After the Celestial body appeared, we argued over it. The discovery within that island was the century’s greatest find. Allow me to introduce you…to adamantium.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s official timeline, as detailed in “Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline“, Eternal character Sersi transforms Tiamut into stone in late 2025. This is two years following the Blip incident in Avengers: Endgame and a few months after Sam Wilson first assumed the role of Captain America. General Ross’ statement serves to mark adamantium’s entrance into the MCU, indicating that it’s a relatively new development. If Tiamut is the only source of Adamantium, then this metal didn’t exist within the MCU before 2025, which implies that any character bonded with this metal, such as Wolverine, couldn’t have acquired it until after the events of “The Eternals”.

What This Means for Wolverine

If this situation holds true, it significantly alters the character of Wolverine because acquiring his metal claws would be a novel experience for him. Since Weapon X is associated with the loss of Wolverine’s memory, this implies that his memory loss is a fairly recent occurrence, making it a fresh development if and when he encounters the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of the X-Men. At present, there’s no indication of Wolverine or the X-Men being involved, but the concept of mutants within the Marvel Cinematic Universe is already established.

Could Marvel Retcon This?

If Marvel Studios wished to establish that Wolverine received adamantium implants from Weapon X prior to Titan’s emergence, they would need to revise adamantium’s origins. This isn’t entirely implausible since the MCU has already executed similar retcons regarding vibranium’s history. For instance, in “Captain America: The First Avenger”, it was revealed that Captain America’s shield was made of vibranium, a metal said to be extremely scarce on Earth and all that the U.S government possessed.

In a similar vein, just like in Avengers: Age of Ultron and later Black Panther, it was shown that others were aware of Vibranium’s existence, even if they weren’t privy to all the secrets of Wakanda. The sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, introduced a twist by suggesting that Wakanda isn’t the sole source of Vibranium; another meteorite fell into the Atlantic Ocean and gave rise to an underwater civilization called Talokan.

In contrast to vibranium’s flexibility regarding its appearance in the MCU timeline, there are potential explanations for how adamantium could have originated. Given that adamantium was said to have been formed from the head of Tiamut when a Celestial was growing within Earth, it is plausible that minuscule fragments of this indestructible metal could have risen to the surface during that period and were later used to develop the Weapon X program. Additionally, there’s a possibility that Sersi, having been on Earth for 5,000 years, may have created small amounts of adamantium throughout history, some of which might have gone unnoticed and accumulated over time.

This detail might shed light on what sets Wolverine apart: a minuscule amount of Adamantium, found before Tiamut’s emergence, was bonded with him, making him exceptional in a similar way Captain America’s shield is unique as it’s the only known piece of Vibranium outside Wakanda. The appearance of adamantium in “Captain America: Brave New World” might align with the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but there could have been small remnants of it hidden away over time. Although this revelation may not directly involve the X-Men, it could significantly influence the MCU in various unexpected ways.

Adamantium Might Be Important for ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

Apart from Wolverine, another character who is connected to adamantium is Bullseye. The upcoming MCU project, “Daredevil: Born Again,” which follows “Captain America: Brave New World,” will introduce this character. In the comics, Bullseye has had adamantium grafted onto his skeleton. This villain, created by Marv Wolfman and John Romita Sr., has been one of Daredevil’s most formidable enemies since his debut in “Daredevil” #131 back in March 1976. It was later revealed in “Daredevil” #197, dated April 1983, that Bullseye’s bones were reinforced with adamantium following a severe fall.

As a diehard fan, I’d say: “I underwent Bulleye surgery, where Professor Kenji Oyama bonded adamantium to my skeleton – the very man behind Wolverine’s indestructible metal skeleton! However, it was done with incomplete notes and under less-than-ideal circumstances. Interestingly enough, his daughter, Yuriko Oyama, became the formidable villain Lady Deathstrike in the X-Men universe.

In the third season of Daredevil, Kenji Oyama was portrayed as Dr. O by Glenn Kubota. He appeared to be treating Benjamin “Dex” Poindexter, a character similar to Bullseye from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), who had his spine repaired after it was broken by the Kingpin. The upcoming series Daredevil: Born Again has verified that the events of the earlier Daredevil series are consistent with the MCU, which implies that the comic book characters responsible for creating the adamantium bonding process also exist within the MCU.

Wilson Bethel will reprise his role as Bullseye in the upcoming series “Daredevil: Born Again,” and it’s suggested that the reason this series might release after “Captain America: Brave New World” is due to its continuation of the adamantium plotline. It’s speculated that Kenji Oyama obtained some adamantium from Tiamut, which he used to repair Bullseye, explaining his reappearance after so many years. Although it’s unclear if Kenji Oyama will appear in either “Captain America: Brave New World” or “Daredevil: Born Again,” this adamantium plot development could be revisited by Marvel Studios for future projects, potentially linked to the introduction of the sacred timeline version of Wolverine.

A Fictional Arms Race in the MCU

In an intriguing turn of events for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Adamantium is about to make its entrance. The revelation in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever set the stage with various nations scrambling to obtain Vibranium. Although Wakanda successfully fended off these attempts, the U.S. government stumbled upon a source of this precious metal hidden beneath the ocean, courtesy of a device seized from MIT student and future Ironheart, Riri Williams. This discovery sparked tension between Wakanda and the underwater civilization of Talokan, ruled by the mutant Namor. Namor issued an ultimatum to Wakanda, threatening war against the entire surface world if they didn’t hand over Riri Williams. The new Black Panther, Shuri, managed to defeat Namor, vowing to keep the location of Talokan and its Vibranium a secret from the rest of humanity.

The appearance of a strong metal called Adamantium, originating from the ocean, has sparked interest among various global powers who seem to have unrestricted access to exploit it. This development could lead multiple MCU nations to create weapons capable of causing potential harm or destruction to Vibranium. As Wakanda’s resources are no longer a monopoly, other nations may feel empowered to counteract Wakanda with their newly discovered Adamantium reserves. Consequently, the leaders of Wakanda might seek help from the submerged city of Talokan. It is possible that the emergence of Adamantium and a celestial head named Tiamut could serve as significant plot points in Black Panther 3.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, given the increasing menace posed by the Hulks, particularly those like The Abomination, She-Hulk, and now Red Hulk, it’s plausible that advanced materials like adamantium could be utilized to counter this growing threat. After all, Wolverine, who first encountered the Hulk in The Incredible Hulk #180, has often faced off against him and his unparalleled strength. With Wolverine’s adamantium claws capable of penetrating not only the Hulk’s skin but also vibranium, it’s clear that adamantium could significantly alter the dynamics in the Marvel Universe.

It’s possible that these upcoming events in the Multiverse Saga could overshadow other developments, as they lead towards “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars,” which are said to serve as a slight reboot for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This potential reboot might provide an explanation for why X-Men characters and adamantium have always been part of the MCU. With Phase 7 of the MCU heavily rumored to focus on the X-Men, the introduction of adamantium now seems like Marvel Studios is setting up significant storylines for future films and Disney+ series. Prepare for plenty of discussions about which metal, vibranium or adamantium, is stronger.

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2025-02-08 22:02