To many fans, Weapon X is synonymous with Wolverine. This association makes sense because Logan is the program’s most famous test subject. However, Wolverine is just one of the program’s many products. Deadpool, Sabretooth and X-23 are just a few examples of characters that owe their powers, or at least the extent of them, to Weapon X. Many test subjects often rebel against the organization due to its evil nature; after all, Weapon X is infamous for the way it treats some of its subjects. The program has a long, complicated history. Most of the time, the organization operates from the shadows, which is what makes them so dangerous.

Some surprisingly famous heroes have associated with Weapon X. In fact, through Project Rebirth, Captain America was one of the first test subjects, and he was called Weapon I. Even Luke Cage ranks among the program’s range of experiments. Despite countless failures, Weapon X keeps coming back like a phoenix. New scientists emerge thinking they can correct the errors their predecessors made. But there’s always a group of Weapon X graduates on the look-out for such an occurrence. In recent years, Wolverine, Sabretooth and others have ironically adopted on Weapon X’s name, and the team is committed to stopping anything that remotely resembles the program. The program has created so many test subjects over the years, so we’ve decided to classify some of them in comparison to Logan. Various waves of Weapon X have produced countless other subjects. Some of them outrank Wolverine. Others... not so much.

20 DEADLIER: X-23

X-23 All-New Wolverine

There are a lot of Wolverines running around these days but Laura Kinney, or X-23, has risen above them all. X-23 is a clone of the most famous Weapon X experiment, Logan. However, the scientists that created her, namely Sarah Kinney and Zander Rice, gave her a few improvements over her source material. Most notably, Laura has adamantium claws that protrude from her feet, which gives her four weapons as opposed to Logan’s two.

X-23 may not have been more dangerous than Logan when she was created. Through gaining experience, though, the new Wolverine has arguably surpassed her “father.” Laura, in addition to her other abilities, is an expert combatant, both armed and unarmed.

19 NOT: KESTREL/MASTADON

These two characters aren’t particularly notable on their own. That’s why we decided to group them together, but even then Kestrel and Mastodon aren’t nearly as dangerous as Wolverine. Kestrel, or John Wraith, debuted in Wolverine Vol. 2 #60. Wraith’s only gifts are the powers of teleportation and decreased aging.

Similarly, Mastodon, or Elefante, who debuted in Wolverine Vol. 2 #48, only has a suppressed aging factor. Otherwise, Elefante’s only skill in battle is his proficiency with firearms. Both Kestrel and Mastodon were members of Team X with Logan. but if push came to shove, Wolverine could easily defeat both of them.

18 DEADLIER: SABRETOOTH

Sabretooth with his adamantium skeleton and claws

Of all the characters linked to Wolverine, no one has a closer connection than Sabretooth. Victor Creed’s origin has varied over the years but, regardless, he remains irrevocably tied to Logan. In most continuities, Creed is a bestial mutant with incredibly sharp fangs and claws. Sabretooth has used these powers to become one of the most lethal assassins in the Marvel Universe.

Creed was on the original Team X with, among others, Logan, Kestrel, Silver Fox and Maverick. Eventually, Sabretooth’s wild side led to the team’s dissolution. Since then, Creed and Logan have had an on-again, off again rivalry in which they’ve both emerged victorious at various points.

17 NOT: SILVER FOX

Silver Fox, or Zorra de Plata, doesn’t have a lot of special abilities. Her lack of powers hasn’t stopped her from carving out a notable place in Wolverine’s history since her debut in Wolverine Vol. 2 #10. Logan has several love interests but Silver Fox has the distinction of being one of his first flames. Zorra and Wolverine had a relationship when Logan was still very early on his road to becoming a hero.

Like several other Weapon X members, Zorra’s only powers are a healing factor and suppressed aging. It must be noted, though, that Silver Fox is dangerous for her cunning mind; the character manipulated her Weapon X teammates until it was revealed that Zorra was a HYDRA agent.

16 DEADLIER: DEADPOOL

Wade Wilson War Deadpool Matrix

It may seem silly to say that Deadpool is more dangerous than Wolverine but that being said, beneath the character’s comedic on-screen persona lies one of the most menacing mercenaries in comic book history. Wade Wilson has all the perks of being a Weapon X member (like an unrivalled healing ability) with the expert combat skills he gained, in some continuities, from being a soldier. Like most Weapon X members, Deadpool’s mind has been tampered with, so his origin story remains murky.

Regardless, the Merc With A Mouth has proven that he’s not to be trifled with. Wilson has been an Avenger and, in some capacity, he’s helped most heroic teams that Marvel has to offer. It’s clear that his usefulness is recognized throughout the Marvel Universe.

15 NOT: NATIVE

Native, also known as Feral, and Wolverine share several similarities. Both characters have claws, a healing factor and a savage side, but Weapon X didn’t give Native an adamantium skeleton, so she pales in comparison to some of the program’s other subjects.

Feral debuted in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Wolverine 2004 #1. The character has remained fairly shrouded in mystery but she briefly had a relationship with Wolverine, who was partially responsible for her eventual demise. Logan unleashed Sabretooth on her and, though his first attempt failed, Creed eventually ended her existence. Without an adamantium skeleton, Native never stood a chance.

14 DEADLIER: AJAX

Most fans know Ajax, or Francis, as the main villain in Deadpool but the movie leaves out a lot of Ajax’s backstory and makes him a one-dimensional character. Francis is an anomaly among Weapon X members because he volunteered for the program. Ajax’s unstable mindset made him a liability in the field, so he became an assistant to Dr. Killebrew. Deadpool seemingly vanquished Ajax.

However, the villain later returned more powerful than ever and the new Ajax had super strength and superspeed and a plethora of other awe-inspiring powers. It’s fair to say that, on paper, Ajax is a bigger threat than Wolverine.

13 NOT: MARROW

Marrow, also known as Sarah, certainly has an impressive resume. Sarah has served with S.H.I.E.L.D., the X-Men, X-Force and several other teams, all with a power set that isn’t as awe-inspiring. Marrow has the mutant ability to weaponize and control the growth of her bones. Sarah also has a healing factor, super strength and other standard Weapon X abilities.

Marrow had her gifts before her time with Weapon X. Though the program augmented her powers, Sarah fought her captors due to their anti-mutant sentiments. While Marrow is a solid addition to any team, she isn’t anywhere as dangerous as Wolverine.

12 DEADLIER: KANE

weapon-x-kane

Kane, unlike other Weapon X members, was a hero before his time with the program, as Garrison Kane had been a member of Six Pack with Cable. A devastating explosion caused Kane to lose his arms and legs, and Weapon X capitalized.

The program made Kane a cyborg, and the character went on to fight both against and beside Cable. Later upgrades allowed Kane to copy the abilities of any Weapon X member and to make weapons from his body armor. Kane has one of the most impressive power sets amongst Weapon X members, and he’d match Wolverine blow for blow.

11 NOT: MESMERO

Mesmero manipulates the X-Men

Even before joining Weapon X, Mesmero had been a menace to the X-Men for many years, but he always came out on the wrong side of his battles with the team. Hypnotism is a useful power but Mesmero didn’t have any other skills to speak of, so when Weapon X offered to augment his powers, he eagerly accepted. As a result, the Director gave Mesmero the ability to control entire crowds.

In return, Mesmero, or Vincent, helped keep Neverland, a prison for mutants, a secret. Mesmero lost his powers in M-Day, like many other mutants. Vincent eventually regained his powers but, even at his best, he couldn’t beat Wolverine alone.

10 DEADLIER: COPYCAT

Most fans know Vanessa Carlysle as Wade Wilson’s love interest in Deadpool and its sequel. Like Francis, there’s more than meets the eye with this character. In the comic books, Vanessa is Copycat, a mutant with the ability to shapeshift and mimic the abilities of others. At one point, Weapon X captured Copycat and brainwashed her. The program then gave Vanessa a futile mission to take out Deadpool.

Weapon X accelerated Vanessa's abilities, and after her time in the program, she could shapeshift faster. Copycat’s ability to duplicate the powers of others makes her more dangerous than Wolverine, as she can use the abilities of any mutant she knows.

9 NOT: PREDATOR X

x-men predator x

If Wolverine hadn’t defeated Predator X, it’d be fair to argue that the creature is more dangerous than Logan. A product of The Facility, Predator X is practically impervious to harm. The creature, who debuted in New X-Men Vol. 2 #34, is also an expert mutant tracker with super strength. Plus, Predator X has incredible stamina; it can hunt its enemies to the ends of the Earth.

The creature later gained the ability to produce toxic saliva. Most impressively, Predator X can run 62 mph, without getting tired, for nearly a whole day. Wolverine destroyed the creature from the inside out, so he gets bragging rights despite Predator X’s impressive abilities.

8 DEADLIER: KIMURA

Kimura is X-23’s version of Sabretooth. Laura and Kimura, who debuted in New X-Men Vol. 2 #31, will always be rivals, at least beneath the surface. The Facility, a product of Weapon X, gave Kimura, a human, a variety of powers, such as indestructible skin, that made her X-23’s physical superior. As a result, Kimura became Laura’s harsh handler.

Laura, even after breaking free from The Facility, had to deal with Kimura’s cruelty. The two characters keep crossing paths because Kimura continues to hunt Laura down. While X-23 ended her rival’s existence in All-New Wolverine #18, it’s only a matter of time until she returns and seeks revenge.

7 NOT: PSI-BORG

Aldo Ferro’s claim to fame is his creation of the memory implants Weapon X uses on their subjects. Ferro wanted the perks of the Weapons’ suppressed aging factor but the program betrayed the scientist. Ferro, who debuted in Wolverine Vol. 2 #62, was forced to rely on his cybernetic enhancements to survive, so he lost his humanity.

Ferro became Psi-Borg, whose cybernetic suit gave him super strength and other powers. Additionally, Psi-Borg had the ability to manipulate minds. He warped Sabretooth’s perception of Silver Fox, and the results were lethal for Wolverine’s former love interest. Psi-Borg has faded into obscurity but he could always return and wreak havoc in the lives of Weapon X members.

6 DEADLIER: ULTIMATON

weapon xv

Ultimaton, also known as Weapon XV, is a super soldier that initially belonged to the Super Sentinels unit. Weapon XV was unleashed when A.I.M. destroyed its home, the World, which is a high-tech sentinel laboratory.

Weapon XV’s extensive power set includes the ability to manipulate large fields of electromagnetic radiation. One of Ultimaton’s most impressive feats came when the human-sentinel hybrid defeated the trio of Wolverine, Cyclops and Fantomex. After Weapon XV pondered the meaning of his existence, the heroes hunted him down and destroyed him. Later, Ultimaton came back to life when Fantomex tasked him with protecting a young clone of Apocalypse.

5 NOT: NUKE

nuke-weapon-x

Frank Simpson, or Nuke, is noteworthy because he is one of the few Weapon X subjects that predate Wolverine. Ironically, Logan captured Simpson and gave him to Weapon X. Logan’s rivalry with Nuke continued years later when, in the Vietnam War, when Wolverine broke Simpson’s fragile psyche. Logan became Nuke’s handler and oversaw Simpson’s widespread trail of violence.

Nuke has been a recurring antagonist across the Marvel Universe for many years. Nuke is cybernetically enhanced and, as a result, he has several powers that range from superhuman strength and super-speed to the ability to deflect bullets. Still, while Simpson is quite dangerous, he’s no match for Wolverine.

4 DEADLIER: FANTOMEX

fantomex-weapon-xiii

Fantomex, or Weapon XIII, is a product of The World, like Ultimaton. Fantomex’s time in the laboratory rapidly evolved his power set. One of the character’s most impressive achievements came when he made an external nervous system that also beneifted from The World’s environment.

Fantomex could truthfully say that he can do most things better than Deadpool and many other Weapon X products. Weapon XIII’s abilities include super strength, a healing factor and a superhuman intellect (he has three brains). Fantomex is also a master of illusions and deception -- Weapon X made a capable rival for Wolverine in the form of Fantomex.

3 NOT: MAVERICK

After his debut in X-Men Vol. 2 #5, Maverick, or David North, has found more staying power than many of his peers on Team X. North, a mutant, has the ability to absorb kinetic energy and weaponize it. Maverick has a long history as a spy and an operative, which makes him an excellent combatant.

North and Wolverine have a special bond, as Maverick’s healing factor was directly taken from Wolverine, and North saved Logan’s life on a mission in East Germany. Unfortunately, North was one of the many mutants that lost their powers on M-Day and while Maverick kept his espionage skills, he wouldn’t pose much of a threat to Wolverine in a fight.

2 DEADLIER: WEAPON H

weapon-h-header

Like most Weapon X members, Weapon H was created to be more powerful than Wolverine. However, with this test subject, Marvel made a legitimate weapon of mass destruction. When a mysterious ex-soldier, known as Clayton, is subjected to Weapon X’s resident mad scientist, Dr. Alba, the results are deadly when a Hulk-Wolverine hybrid is born.

Unlike his predecessors, Weapon H also retains a noticeable portion of his original brain. As a result, despite his monstrous appearance, Weapon-H has some brains to pair with his brawn. Due to the character’s blend of Wolverine’s strengths and the Hulk’s powers, Weapon H is more dangerous than Logan, even on his best day.

1 NOT: SHIVA

Since its debut in Wolverine Vol. 2 #50, Shiva has been a pain in Wolverine’s side. As far as killer robots go, Shiva stands a notch above the rest due to its adaptive programming. In other words, no one can defeat this weapon the same way twice. Weapon X created Shiva to be an insurance policy against their other test subjects.

With characters like Deadpool and Wolverine, it’s only a matter of time before the weapons break free of the program’s control. That’s where Shiva steps in. Unfortunately, Shiva doesn’t have the best track record for completing its tasks. Wolverine and Sabretooth have managed to defeat the robot fairly easily on multiple occasions.