A new rumor points to a specific source for the MCU’s adamantium. Unfortunately, it could delay Wolverine’s arrival in the franchise.
The X-Men’s entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe is still one of Hollywood’s most closely kept secrets. Hugh Jackman’s confirmed appearance in Deadpool 3 hasn’t clarified matters in any way — presumably, another Wolverine will be found for the MCU regardless — and tantalizing hints such as Ms. Marvel’s mutant genes have only begun to percolate. But the rumor mill continues to grind and will doubtless do so until the next film or streaming series officially sets the record straight. The X-Men — and Wolverine in particular — remain an intriguing question mark.
A new rumor is circulating through the Marvel fanbase that involves that very subject. It concerns the disposition of Tiamut’s body — turned to stone at the end of Eternals and presumably still out in the middle of the Indian Ocean somewhere. Theories have abounded on its potential future use in the MCU. They include the body becoming the basis for the mutant haven Genosha or serving as the official source of adamantium in the franchise. Both theories hold a lot of appeal for a number of reasons. However, if the franchise chooses to go with that explanation for adamantium, it could complicate Wolverine’s arrival in the MCU.
Adamantium Is Key to Wolverine’s Origins
Adamantium must compete with vibranium as the MCU’s resident “unbreakable metal.” And if not for Wolverine, the saga could likely substitute the former with the latter. Vibranium’s origins have been well documented, arriving via meteors in the land that would eventually become Wakanda and serving as the basis for that country’s advanced technology. Namor’s underwater kingdom received a similar boost from another meteor, as recounted in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
That leaves the question of adamantium wide open, and the MCU can develop it in many ways. The Tiamut rumors provide a ready explanation. While the body is ostensibly made of marble, its origins in Eternals are sufficiently exotic to explain away veins of adamantium lying within. The sudden appearance of the giant corpse explains why no one in the saga has mentioned the metal before now and justifies its limited quantities within the universe. That’s sufficient to make the idea viable and ties a number of narrative threads into a conveniently preexisting package.
If Tiamut Is the Source of Adamantium, Wolverine’s Arrival May Have to Wait
The downside to the rumor — at least as far as Logan’s arrival is concerned — comes in the timetable. Eternals occurs concurrently with Spider-Man Far From Home, which takes place post-Snap in the franchise’s summer of 2024. Generally speaking, the saga tries to move its timeline forward in real-time, which means it could be years before anyone synthesizes adamantium for their own use.
When it comes to Wolverine, that could be a problem. Logan’s story effectively begins with the infusion of adamantium into his bones to create Weapon X. That takes place years before he joins the X-Men, depending on how close to the comic book the MCU wishes to remain. Regardless, it pushes his hypothetical entry into the MCU by a long time, meaning fans might have to wait to see him. The original X-Men movies set the incident in the distant past. But they didn’t have nearly the same complex timeline that the MCU does, and the earlier franchise made quite a mess on the continuity front regardless.
There are countless ways the MCU can approach the issue, and Tiamut need not be involved at all. But the presence of its body in the middle of the ocean holds too much story potential to be ignored, and the MCU rarely leaves such plot threads unaddressed. If it uses the figure as the origins of adamantium, that could solve several logistical problems. But it could also delay the arrival of one of Marvel’s most beloved figures indefinitely — possibly permanently — which may ultimately be too great a price to pay for the conceit.
