Wolverine has already become part of the household by this point, which makes his choices harder to shrug off as the behavior of an outsider. He knows these people. They trust h…

Wolverine has already become part of the household by this point, which makes his choices harder to shrug off as the behavior of an outsider. He knows these people. They trust him in dangerous situations, and he has enough influence that his approval, or his anger, can change the way a teammate experiences the group. Rogue is an early example. Their work together in Japan comes soon after she joins, when the reasons to distrust her are still fresh. Logan has to deal with the person beside him rather than leave her frozen in the role of enemy. That relationship gives the era a useful measure of how far she has come. His reaction to Colossus hurting Kitty shows another side of that protectiveness. The bar fight in #183 is a rough way to make a point, and Logan's concern for Kitty doesn't make his methods gentle. He can care deeply about somebody and still choose an abrasive, questionable way to act on it. The confrontation with Rachel in #207 takes that problem much further. Logan opposes her intention to kill Selene, insisting that belonging to the X-Men carries limits. He then uses his claws against a teammate to stop her. The violence makes it impossible to read the scene as an uncomplicated lesson delivered by the responsible adult. That tension belongs in a spotlight on this version of Wolverine. He can be perceptive about pain, fiercely loyal, and willing to do something that leaves everyone dealing with more damage afterward. The team depends on him, but that dependence doesn't settle every argument about the choices he makes for other people.