Origin[]

Romulus claimed to hail from the depths of prehistory, asserting his lineage as one of the Lupine, an ancient tribe of feral humans whose origins diverged from conventional evolutionary theories Black Panther speculated that these primal beings might have descended from canines rather than primates, adding an intriguing layer to Romulus's enigmatic past.^[1] Leading an army of the Lupine, he embarked on a relentless campaign of conquest, subjugating numerous neighboring human tribes with ruthless efficiency. His reign of terror was marked by unparalleled brutality, exemplified by his unforgiving treatment of his own warriors. Any sign of failure was met with swift and merciless retribution, as he spared no expense in enforcing absolute loyalty and obedience among his ranks.^[2] Yet, beneath this facade of Lupine ancestry lay a labyrinth of deceit. Remus, his twin sister, eventually confessed to Wolverine that the tale of their canine origins was a lie. It was a carefully crafted subterfuge, ingeniously woven to divert attention while Romulus pursued a far more sinister agenda: the harvesting of Adamantium. The discovery of bones in the elephant graveyard served as yet another facet of this elaborate ruse, designed to ensnare Wolverine in a web of distraction. While he grappled with the mysteries presented before him, Romulus operated in the shadows, advancing his schemes unchecked.^[3]

Across the Ages[]

For centuries, Romulus and his twin sister, Remus, wielded their influence behind the scenes, their plans shaping the ebb and flow of civilizations. From the heights of the Greek Empire to the founding of Rome itself, they stood as silent architects, their actions inspiring the legends of the twin founders, Romulus and Remus.^[3] In the annals of history, Romulus's reign over Rome during the heights of the Roman Empire remains a shadowy enigma. Tales speak of his imperial rule, his dominion marked by grandeur and spectacle. Among his infamous exploits, Romulus orchestrated extravagant gladiatorial contests, pitting his Lupine warriors against ferocious beasts in the blood-soaked sands of the Colosseum. One such spectacle, etched in the annals of infamy, saw rival factions of Lupines, distinguished by their blonde hair and black hair, clash amidst the roars of tigers. As the dust settled and the beasts lay defeated, Romulus, arbiter of fate, delivered his verdict with a chilling thumbs-down gesture. The ensuing carnage, a brutal testament to his inscrutable will, saw one Lupine faction annihilate the other, their loyalty unwavering to their enigmatic master.^[1] Yet, as shadows of doubt crept over Romulus's legacy, revelations emerged from the lips of Remus herself. The Lupines, the very instruments of Romulus's power, were but figments of his elaborate myth.^[4] Across the ages, Romulus's influence endured, weaving its tendrils through the tumultuous currents of history. Working with the ravaging hordes of the Huns, who laid waste to Rome's grandeur, his unseen hand guided the course of nations, forever enigmatic, forever shrouded in mystery.^[3]

Meeting Wolverine[]

In the 1910's Romulus encountered the feral mutant Wolverine for the first time in Madripoor. He was working for the Ninja cult called the Hand and hired the freelancer on a mission to Tokyo where he encountered Sabretooth.^[5]

World War II[]

During World War II he collaborated with the Third Reich using their dark power and influence to his own ends.^[3] He used Sabretooth as an operative during the war. He assigned Sabretooth alongside a Nazi battalion, they was sent to the Italian Alps to confront Wolverine and Captain America in a fierce battle. It was during this confrontation that Logan faced off against Sabretooth. In a desperate move, Sabretooth hurled a grenade, causing Wolverine to plummet over a cliff and crash to the ground below, all while Romulus observed from the shadows.^[6]

Raising Daken[]

In post-War Japan Romulus kept an eye on Wolverine and his new bride Itsu. However a temporal incident occurred at this time when Itsu was possessed by Omega Red. Wolverine's mind travelled back to his old body to save his possessed wife. Romulus was shocked by the confusing incident and intervened to stop the time travelling fiend from killing Wolverine. Wolverine protected Itsu and Romulus escaped into the shadows once again with the timeline restored.^[7] In 1946, Japan, Romulus hired the Winter Soldier to kill Wolverine's wife Itsu who was in the last stages of her pregnancy. After Itsu's death, Romulus took the baby Daken, cutting him from his mother's womb and leaving her body behind. The baby survived the incident, possibly due to his mutant healing factor, which he inherited from his father.^{[8][9][10][11][12]} When Daken's powers developed he killed his adopted parents in rage. He was found by Romulus to raise the boy to be a ruthless killer.^[13] He taught the boy that he was different and that the humans would fear him. He revealed that he could hide in the shadows, but sadly he would always be alone.^[14] In 1959 he sent Daken to be trained by the ruthless drill instructor Silas Burr, however it did not work out and he beat his new teacher almost to death. In 1977, he sent Daken to Afghanistan to take out a group of insurgence following the fight he revealed that his father Wolverine was still alive.^[15]

Weapon X[]

Romulus from the shadows became a pivotal player within the operations of Weapon X Program. Collaborating closely with Professor Thorton, the architect of this enigmatic program, Romulus lent his formidable expertise to its design and execution. At the time he was well aware of the works of Mister Sinister and the young Charles Xavier, but he not impressed in either of their works in genetics. Romulus and Professor Thorton's shared vision was to transform of Wolverine into an living weapon. At the heart of the project was to infuse the metal Adamantium into Wolverine's skeleton, rendering him virtually indestructible. Yet, the ambitions didn't cease there. Romulus, with his keen strategic mind, saw the potential to mould Wolverine's very essence, manipulating his instincts and loyalties to fashion the perfect agent of destruction. He permitted Sabretooth, to observe the process, this decision did not sit well with Professor Truett as he agitated his subject, he allowed it as Romulus was to important to the project.^[6]

Modern Era[]

Romulus' manipulative grip on Wolverine continued into the present day. In a brazen move, he dispatched the S.H.I.V.A. android to launch an assault on the White House, plunging Wolverine into a chaotic confrontation at a critical juncture during his memory recovery. Despite the haze of fragmented recollections clouding his mind, Wolverine's instincts and prowess were undiminished. With a swift and decisive stroke of the Muramasa Blade, he cleaved Shiva in twain, halting its rampage in a single devastating blow.^[16] However, the aftermath of the attack unfolded a new layer of Romulus' machinations. Operating from within the White House, a shadowy operative named Trevor attempted to sow seeds of doubt, implicating Wolverine in the assault. Fueling the flames of deception, Romulus manipulated the media to propagate a fabricated narrative, drawing parallels between the incident and past events during the Vietnam War attributed to the super-soldier known as Nuke. Upon learning of the distorted reports, Wolverine embarked on a journey to confront the ghosts of his past, driven by a potent mix of determination and a thirst for truth. Venturing into the heart of Vietnam, he sought to unravel the tangled web of deceit spun by his adversaries, including his long-standing nemesis, Nuke.^[17] He used his psychic powers to manipulate Wolverine's dreams, showing him the past events involving the Lupines.^[2] His manipulation the myth of the Lupine was so strong the Black Panther began to believe this as a possibility. He left feral bones in an elephant graveyard to perpetrate the myth further.^[1] He manipulated a group of feral mutants to find Wild Child recruiting Wolverine to find him at the Weapon X facility. It was there the found Romulus had been experimenting on Sabretooth. Wolverine began to remember his time at Weapon X seeing a memory of Sabretooth watching in a tank alongside the professor, along with a mysterious shadowey figure, it was then Wolverine remembered his name Romulus.^[6] After being attacked by Sabretooth, Wild Child revealed the truth about Romulus and his manipulations of Wolverine and the others.^[18]

Weapon XI[]

Nick Fury revealed to Wolverine that Romulus had been manipulating people from his family's bloodline for centuries, and that he planned for Daken to become the next-generation Weapon X.^[19] This was achieved through the Tinkerer, who bonded the metal from the Muramasa Blade to Daken's inner claws. Daken hinted that he complied with the process because of his own agenda.^[20]

Hunt for Romulus[]

Wolverine decided it was now time to put an end to Romulus' plans once and for all. He embarked on a mission to hunt down Romulus' trusted lieutenant, Victor Hudson, intending to locate him. However, both Romulus and Victor outsmarted Logan, luring him into a Russian penitentiary where the formidable Omega Red lay in wait. Despite the odds, Logan emerged victorious in their confrontation, only to find himself ensnared by Wild Child shortly thereafter.^[21] Wild Child revealed to Wolverine that every action he had taken since regaining his memories had been orchestrated by Romulus. Romulus ensured that Wolverine engaged in fights against formidable adversaries such as Sabretooth, Cyber, Omega Red, Wild Child, and Daken. This was all a ploy to determine who among them would emerge as the strongest and most suitable to succeed him as the leader of his empire, encapsulated in the phrase "Quod Sum Eris."^[22]

Out of nowhere, Omega Red emerged, swiftly dispatching Wild Child. Though Wolverine narrowly evaded, Omega Red soon tracked him down. Recalling Romulus's earlier revelations, Wolverine resolved to break free from Romulus's machinations and refused to engage Omega Red. Yet, Omega Red menaced to target Daken if Wolverine declined the battle. Cornered, Wolverine reluctantly wielded the fractured Muramasa Blade, ending Omega Red's threat. But in a twist, Romulus materialized, ready to confront Wolverine.^[22] Despite Wolverine's victory, Romulus warned him that killing him would place Wolverine at the "top of the food chain", and he would have to kill his son next because there could be only one person at the top. Struck by this revelation, Logan opted to spare Romulus, yet swore to dismantle his empire. As Logan turned away, dropping his guard, Romulus seized the chance to incapacitate him, leaving him vulnerable with his shattered Muramasa blade.^[23] In order to take down Romulus, Wolverine needed the help from someone with a plan so outside of the box that nobody, not even Romulus could ever figured it out and that someone was Deadpool. Deadpool wanted to use the Answer in order to stage the evasion of Ruby Thursday but at the same time Logan needed to seek help from Skaar, Bruce Banner, and the Silver Samurai. They rescued Dagger who had been kidnapped by Romulus and Victor Hudson and he killed Victor.^[24]

Once done, Deadpool's plan was put into motion and after witnessing Ruby's evasion, a confused Romulus tried to blackmail her in order to learn what she knew. Naturally Ruby betrayed Wolverine and his team and revealed everything she knew, which was part of Deadpool's plan. Once done and Romulus fooled, she was then quickly sent back to the Raft by Cloak. Thanks to this misdirection Logan was able to lure Daken out of the shadows and staged his son's death which confused Romulus even more.^[25] Once Romulus was out of the shadows, Wolverine was then betrayed by Daken again who decided to ally himself with Romulus against Logan and Skaar. After the battle, both Romulus and Daken escaped, and Daken revealed to Romulus that he wanted to kill him and take his place. Unknown to Daken, his betrayal was also part of Logan's plan and as he was about to strike Romulus with his Muramasa claws, Romulus was teleported away by Cloak.^[26][27] Romulus was transported by Cloak near the Howlett Estate, in here Wolverine slashed Romulus with the Muramasa Blade but didn't kill him, instead he made sure that Romulus would be trapped in the Darkforce dimension forever.^[28]

Return of Romulus[]

Romulus kept a collection of clones of Sabretooth as a backup plan. One of the clones kidnapped Dagger in order to force Cloak to open a portal to the Darkforce dimension and free Romulus, Wolverine decided to investigate. During his investigation, Logan discovered that the Sabretooth he beheaded wasn’t the real deal but just a clone created by Romulus, but as soon as Logan learned the truth, he was attacked by the real Victor Creed and several clones of him.^[29] After surviving his encounter with Sabretooth and his clones, Logan met Remus revealing she was Romulus' sister, Logan also learned that Romulus lied to him, there never was any Lupine’s race, as Remus confirmed it was just a bunch of lies. After several encounters with Romulus, Wolverine managed to rescue Dagger and tracked Romulus to his fortress in Italy where he discovered that his foe had gotten his bones laced with adamantium, with 4 adamantium claws implanted in each of his forearms.^[30] During their fight, Romulus claimed that the Weapon X program was always Logan's idea, but Logan not believing another one of Romulus' lies, managed to defeat him and he was imprisoned at the Raft while Sabretooth escaped.^[31]

Unique Physiology: Supposedly, Romulus is the first specimen of "Lupus Sapiens", an old species of beings that evolved from wolves instead of apes, though this is debunked in Wolverine (Vol. 2) #312 where Remus exposes that both that tall tale and the bones Romulus planted at the elephant graveyard were merely distractions. Romulus possesses various superhuman attributes as noted below.

• Regeneration: Romulus possesses an accelerated healing factor that enables him to fully regenerate damaged or destroyed bodily tissues and/or cells with far greater speed and efficiency than normal humans. The full limits of Romulus' healing powers aren't known, but the overall speed and efficiency in which he heals appears to be based upon the severity of the injury. Romulus' healing powers also afford him great resistance to drugs and toxins as well as immunity to conventional diseases.^{[citation needed]}
  • Foreign Chemical Immunity: Romulus natural healing also affords him the immunity to all poisons and most drugs. It is virtually impossible for him to become intoxicated.^{[citation needed]}
  • Disease Immunity: Due to his highly efficient immune system, Romulus is immune to all Earthly diseases, infections and disorders.^{[citation needed]}
  • Superhuman Longevity: His healing factor grants him an extended lifespan by slowing the effects of the aging process at a much slower pace than a normal human. While most of his past is unknown, Romulus has claimed to have been alive since prehistoric times,^[32] but Remus has confirmed that Romulus is only at least several thousand years of age. While he does show signs of aging, such as his hair turning almost completely white where it was once black, Romulus still has the same physical vitality and overall appearance of his physical prime.
• Superhuman Strength: Romulus possesses some degree of superhuman strength. As with much of his powers, the full limits of his powers aren't known. However, he has demonstrated sufficient strength easily lift Wolverine by the wrist off the ground and hurl him repeatedly across a room with no discernible effort. His physical strength is between 800 lbs and 2 tons.^{[citation needed]}
• Superhuman Speed: Romulus is able to move at low level superhuman speeds. He has the ability to attack faster than the eye can follow and can even keep up with Wolverine easily. His combat speed seems more enhanced than anything else, as he has frequently kept up with other enemies in combat, and blitzed people before they pull their trigger fingers.^{[citation needed]}
• Superhuman Durability: Romulus possesses a uniquely dense bone structure. Additionally, his skin and muscle tissues are augmented to levels that are considerably stronger and harder than those of a normal human, and the said tissues are resilient to injury to an extraordinary extent.^{[citation needed]}
  • Weather Insulated Adaptation: Body is highly resistant to certain elemental extremes, particularly cold temperatures without sustaining bodily damage for great periods of time.^{[citation needed]}
• Superhuman Stamina: His mutant healing factor grants him resilience to lactic acid and other fatigue toxins generated by his muscles granting him superhuman levels of stamina, exceptional endurance, and lung capacity (hold breath for 6 minutes under water); in all physical activities. Romulus can sustain himself at peak capacity for several days.^{[citation needed]}
• Superhuman Agility: His agility, balance, flexibility, dexterity, and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of an Olympic gold medalist. He has the combined agility and acrobatic prowess of the most accomplished circus aerialists and acrobats. His agility is sufficient to allow him to dodge multiple bullets. He is even able to jump extremely high and evade several yards.^{[citation needed]}
• Superhuman Reflexes: His reflexes are enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete due to his superhumanly acute senses.^{[citation needed]}
• Superhuman Senses: Romulus possesses superhumanly acute senses that are comparable to those of certain animals. He can see with greater clarity and greater distances than an ordinary human. His vision extends into the ultraviolet and infrared areas of the electromagnetic spectrum, allowing him to see in near-total darkness and retain the same level of clarity. His hearing is similarly enhanced, able to detect sounds that ordinary humans can't and at greater distances. Romulus also possesses an extremely well developed sense of smell. He is able to recognize people and objects by scent, even if they are well hidden. He can track a target by scent, even if the scent has been greatly eroded by time and weather factors, with an extraordinary degree of success. Romulus can also use his keen sense of smell to detect lies due to chemical changes within a person's scent.^{[citation needed]}
• Retractable Claws: Romulus possesses a single, retractable claw at the tip of each finger. The claws have a razor sharp edge and are capable of cutting material as durable as bone. It is possible that his claws can cut much tougher material as well, but it's unknown at present. Recently he seems to have implanted four extra Adamantium claws into his backhands, which given their indestructible composition, enable them to cut through almost anything.^[3]

Little is known about Romulus or the full extent of his capabilities. He has been shown, however, to be extremely intelligent with numerous connections to various governments and government programs. It's been said that Romulus was ultimately behind the Weapon X Program though this is contradicted by later revelations. Given his lifespan, and the few instances revealed about his past, Romulus is an exceptional warrior, planner and tactician.

Muramasa Blade: As has been stated and shown against others, Romulus is vulnerable to the Muramasa blade. The blade itself inflicts injuries that greatly nullifies the effects of superhuman healing abilities. If Romulus were to sustain injuries to a vital area of his body, depending upon the exact area, his healing powers would be reduced to a slow crawl and would need to receive immediate and extensive medical treatment in order to keep from dying. Even those with powerful healing factors require several days to fully heal even from minor wounds inflicted by the sword.

Gauntlet: During his initial battle with Wolverine, Romulus wore black gloves in which four blades were attached. Three of the blades are similar in shape and overall appearance to Wolverine's Adamantium claws. A fourth, and smaller one, appears near the thumb area on each of the gloves. These blades have shown to be able to easily slice through flesh. The blades are presumed to be made of Adamantium as well, though this isn't known for certain. They have proven able, however, to withstand numerous strikes from Wolverine's claws without sustaining any damage.

Adamantium Laced Skeleton: In his last appearance, he laced his entire skeleton with Adamantium. As a result, his bones are virtually unbreakable like Wolverine's.^[3]

Mistaken Telepathy: It was believed that Romulus possessed certain telepathic abilities. The truth, as shown in Wolverine (Vol. 2) #313 is that Romulus enlisted the aid of an unknown psychic or telepath to manipulate the vast majority of Wolverine's memories. It's more likely that rather than telepathically creating or editing Wolverine's memories, that Romulus makes use of post hypnotic suggestions or the like to trigger these temporary glimpses, because as of yet he has never used this supposed telepathy in any other cited situation.

"Romulus seems to have a thing for trains."^[22]

• Like his sister Remus, Romulus shares his name with one of the twin brothers of Rome's foundation myth. In the myth they were also stated to be the sons of Aeneas, the son of Venus.
• It was originally intended for Wolverine's Adamantium claws to be part of his gloves rather than part of his body. But this idea was rejected by Chris Claremont. This concept was used for Romulus' Adamantium claws.^[33]
• According to Chris Claremont, Apocalypse was originally intended to be the true mastermind behind the Weapon X Program.