Wolverine’s Muramasa Blade: A Rage-Born Sword to Kill the Unkillable
If you happen to cross Wolverine, your chances of survival will immediately plummet below 2% (there’s a slight chance you’ll survive, but only by brandishing a six-pack). If you happen to cross Wolverine, and he’s skillfully wielding the Muramasa Blade – an ominously red samurai sword – I can 100% guarantee your absolute annihilation, regardless of any latent mutant ability to heal oneself from utter physical destruction.
Yes, the Muramasa Blade is a dangerous weapon forged by a maniac, and wielded by an unkillable killer (i.e., Wolverine). And said blade is so powerful, it can neutralize said unkillable killer’s extravagant healing abilities, thus permanently murdering the X-Men’s honorable berserker.
Who created Wolverine’s Muramasa Blade, and why is someone with six indestructible, knuckle-launching daggers even concerned with a simple, “traditional” sword? Let’s break it down.
The Muramasa Blade was created by the immortal swordsmith, Muramasa.
Yep, the sword is named after its maker, Muramasa – an immortal madman who forged powerful swords imbued with mystical attributes. (And it’s important to note his name – the real-life-and-not-a-comic-book-antagonist Sengo Muramasa was a famous Japanese swordsmith who founded the legendary Muramasa school.) Comic book Muramasa was also a complete maniac, but I suppose that’s the curse of most brilliantly creative people.
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Muramasa would create a special sword for Wolverine when our favorite mutant scrapper had a sudden need for bloody (and justifiable) revenge.
So, why did Wolverine need a sword?
Soon after World War II (and waaaay before the X-Men), Wolverine trained in Japan with the renowned ninja, Ogun, who suggested Wolverine study with another master in Jasmine Falls. And while studying with this new master (Bando Saburo), and learning to subdue his violent nature, Wolverine fell in love with a local woman, Itsu. (And they actually conceived a child, but…ooooh boy, did that ever go south.)
While Logan trained, Muramasa set off an explosion (remember when I said “maniac?”), causing Wolverine to accidentally skewer a pedestrian. And this act resulted in Logan’s banishment.
Wanting to say goodbye to Itsu, Wolverine witnessed a gruesome scene – she was brutally murdered by the Winter Soldier. And who ordered Itsu’s (and her unborn child’s) murder? The diabolically strategizing Romulus, a villain manipulating the world (and Wolverine) in secret, and doing so since the arrival of cavemen.
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
Wolverine, seeking revenge, sought the famous Muramasa. And the renowned swordsmith created the perfect implement of Wolverine’s anger – the Muramasa Blade (according to Muramasa, it was a blade “against which all…even one as great as you…will fall”).
Using dark, arcane methods, Muramasa infused the blade with the following very important parts of Wolverine:
His blood
His soul
And his successfully extracted, unquantifiable rage.
Unfortunately, the blade took many years to forge, and during that time, Logan was conscripted/kidnapped by Weapon X, wiped clean of most memories, and integrated into the X-Men. But after the events of “House of M” (a storyline involving the Scarlet Witch, who created a world where mutant-kind ascended to social dominance), Wolverine’s memories returned. And that meant someone had a blade to collect, and seriously overdue revenge to dish out.
Wolverine collected the sword, and sought to slaughter Romulus (and every single living accomplice). And during Logan’s vengeful spree, he crossed paths with a more feral Sabretooth, who slaughtered the heroic Feral.
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Wolverine, with blade in hand, handily defeated Sabretooth – he chopped off his arm, and then his head, officially (and finally) killing Wolverine’s unyielding antagonist (who turned out to be a Romulus-created clone, but it was fun to think otherwise for 14 minutes).
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
How was Sabretooth bested by a blade, especially considering his advanced mutant healing factor?
Because the Muramasa Blade expresses a few exceptional enhancements.
The sword is nearly indestructible, and it cuts through almost any material (including adamantium, which it does so with ease). In fact, it slices through most materials on a molecular level. And this marvelous blade once had the pleasure of slicing through, and redirecting, Cyclops’ optic blasts.
It greatly reduces, or completely nullifies, any advanced healing factor. Another confrontation during Wolverine’s tour of vengeance involved Captain America – they fought over the less stable super-soldier, Nuke. While Cap and Wolverine tussled, Cap managed to get a hold of the blade, and successfully sliced Wolverine. Yes, the injury was minor, but it took Logan several days to heal.
And then, as mentioned above, it totally decapitated (a disappointing clone of) Sabretooth.
Is the Muramasa Blade capable of killing Wolverine?
Yeppers. In fact, Wolverine granted it to Cyclops, temporarily, and mentioned it was an effective Logan deterrent if the rage-filled mutant finally assaulted his X-Men allies.
So, if you want to stop Wolverine, I recommend seeking out the Muramasa Blade. But if Wolverine already has it? Well, you’re doomed. And your ability to regrow limbs like an earthworm is effectively useless.
What do you think? Is the Muramasa Blade impressive, or completely unnecessary when one has claws to spare? Subject your thoughts to the confidence-slicing comments (below).
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