19

Wolverine's incredible regeneration power heals and repairs his body when damaged. Does this power work against aging and tissue decaying processes? or, aging processes affect his regeneration power too?

1 Answer 1

21

As discussed on SE previously, the rate of Wolverine's regeneration has varied greatly, so it's kind of hard to really say definitively whether or not he will ever die of natural causes.

But we have evidence of the power slowing down, but not preventing the aging process itself.

The comic Origin depicts Wolverine as a young man at the end of the 19th century. He is visibly younger. He has aged in the 100+ years since, but at a much slower rate.

Wolverine is 210 years old in Wolverine: The End. While he is still in great physical form, he has also aged visibly. Specifically, his hair has become gray.

Reading up on why hair turns gray or white here or here, we learn that it is caused by "the death of the melanocyte stem cells".

Putting this together, we have the death of some of Wolverine's cells over time. This, to me, implies that given enough time (we're talking a ridiculous amount), it is possible that other cells may start shutting down. This could lead to a natural death eventually.

Things start getting extra fuzzy if we consider secondary mutations. It's already theorized that Wolverine is constantly mutating, but that the low levels of adamantium poisoning retards his mutations. It is entirely possible that a further mutation could affect his latent healing ability in either direction.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.