As a Canadian man, I find that my beautiful country is often underrepresented in media. Though productions often film here, they typically present cities like Toronto or Vancouver as either New York City or some unnamed major American metropolis. As such, I’ve always been thrilled to see my nation portrayed as itself in media, and even more thrilled to see cool characters who actually are Canadian. I got the best of both worlds in Marvel’s Wolverine, which took Marvel’s most famous Canadian and put a rather large chunk of his adventure in the Great White North itself in a way that few games do.
Throughout Marvel’s Wolverine, you get to experience Canada quite a bit. Team X itself is based in the Yukon – one of the territories of Canada that certainly sees less media exposure than famous spots like Toronto or Ottawa. Having Logan operate out of his home country, especially alongside his fellow Canadian (and in the comics, fellow Alpha Flight member) Walter Langkowski, was a pleasant surprise. Though the details are naturally different, an adaptation of Wolverine that keeps his backstory of being part of a Canadian superteam before his big X-Men-related adventures feels like a proper way to honor his northern origins.
Then, a major portion of Marvel’s Wolverine also takes place in Squamish, British Columbia, as Logan seeks to free a number of captured mutants from Trask’s violent Reavers. From the stunning mountains and forests in the background to the familiar road signs in the truck section, this part of the game feels authentically Canadian. The country is well known for its natural beauty, so seeing the vividly colored majesty of British Columbia in a AAA Marvel production feels pretty special. I’ve never even been to Squamish, but the idea of visiting one of the gorgeous settings of this game has me more interested than prior.
Marvel’s Wolverine shows off the titular character’s Canadian attributes, too.
Then there’s Logan himself. Given the external consensus on Canadians from people of other nations, who tend to view us as primarily polite and almost docile, you might not immediately think that Wolverine’s personality is especially representative of our people. While I could certainly comment on Canada having a scrappy nature by referencing our presence in the World Wars or current ongoing geopolitical issues that have us somewhat poised against what was once a major ally, I think it’s more interesting to comment on Logan’s love of nature that cements him as a definite Canadian representative.
Wolverine has his own cabin near the Team X facility where he can unwind in solitude and enjoy the snowy weather that’s so prevalent in this land. At one point, he mentions fishing there, then enjoys whisky by the fireplace in his remote cabin. This all reminded me of so many surly family members and friends that I’ve got in rural areas, and of the many hours I’ve spent in their cozy houses and cottages. If that weren’t enough for you, his plaid-filled wardrobe and facial hair scream Alberta.
If it isn’t clear by now, I’ve really loved seeing how Marvel’s Wolverine managed to present Canada as a dynamic, rich setting for such a massive, explosive, comic-book-esque story. Whether it’s visually representing the natural wonders of our western coast or showing how scrappy Canadians tend to be through the titular hero, this game relishes Logan’s roots as Canada’s most famous hero and isn’t afraid to present him as such. Though future games will likely move away from Canada as Logan presumably meets the America-based X-Men and becomes an essential part of that world, I’m glad there’s such an internationally played and renowned piece of Insomniac’s Marvel canon that puts Canada at the forefront – especially during a time when the country’s global presence and perception are so frequently in the news.
