Wolfsbane (Rahne Sinclair) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is commonly associated with the X-Men. A Scottish mutant, Wolfsbane can transform into a wolf or a transitional state that is similar to a werewolf. She honed her powers to shift between human and wolf characteristics but must keep her feral instincts at bay when she does.
She was initially a member of the X-Men's original junior team, the New Mutants. Later on, she joined the Pentagon-sponsored X-Factor and was also associated with the British superhero team Excalibur. She appeared for a time as a teacher at Xavier's Academy in New X-Men, then served as a member of the X-Factor Investigations detective agency, until she joined the newest incarnation of X-Force. The character later returned to X-Factor and made several appearances as a member of the X-Men before rejoining the New Mutants.
Wolfsbane has made minor appearances in animated television, and made her live-action debut in the 2020 film The New Mutants, portrayed by Maisie Williams.
Publication history Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bob McLeod, Wolfsbane first appeared in The New Mutants (September 1982), part of the Marvel Graphic Novel line. She starred as a founding member of the New Mutants and featured in nearly the entire run of The New Mutants (1983–1991), her last issue being #97. When the original five X-Men leave X-Factor to rejoin the X-Men, Wolfsbane is recruited to join when it becomes a government operation in X-Factor #71 (October 1991) and was featured as a team member through issue #111 (February 1995) before the title was interrupted by the "Age of Apocalypse" crossover. Afterward, Wolfsbane leaves X-Factor and joins Excalibur, starting with Excalibur #90 (October 1995) and appearing through the title's conclusion with issue #125 (October 1998).
Wolfsbane was a supporting character in the limited series Warlock (1999–2000), and then appeared sporadically in New Mutants (vol. 2) (2004) and New X-Men (2004–2005). With the relaunch of X-Factor (vol. 3) (2006), Wolfsbane once again saw regular publication as a central team member between issues #1 and #28 (2006–2008), after which she is transferred to the secret strike team X-Force. During her X-Force (vol. 3) run between 2008 and 2010, she becomes pregnant by the Asgardian Hrimhari and this pregnancy causes her to return to X-Factor, starting with X-Factor #207 (September 2010). Much of her time in X-Factor was dedicated to her pregnancy and her son, Tier, with her last appearance being in X-Factor #258 (August 2013). Wolfsbane made subsequent appearances in various X-Men titles, including X-Men Blue (2017), The New Mutants: Dead Souls (2018), and Uncanny X-Men (vol. 5) (2019). The character is killed in Uncanny X-Men (vol. 5) #17 (July 2019), but is revived during the Krakoan Age and appeared regularly in New Mutants (vol. 4) (2020–2023).
Fictional character biography Early life Rahne (pronounced "Rain") Grace Sinclair was born in Ullapool, Scotland, the product of an illicit affair between Presbyterian minister Reverend Craig and an unnamed sex worker. She was delivered by Dr. Moira MacTaggert. Rahne's mother dies in childbirth and her father raises her as an orphan and a ward of the church without revealing that she is his biological child. When her mutant powers manifest, Reverend Craig leads an angry mob to kill her, believing her to be a werewolf. Rahne is rescued and later adopted by Dr. MacTaggert, who takes her to America to enroll at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
New Mutants Taking the alias Wolfsbane, Rahne joins the New Mutants. Although she is a shy, emotionally repressed girl, she builds a strong friendship with her teammate Psyche and harbors a crush on Cannonball. Wolfsbane's strict religious upbringing often makes her uncomfortable when dealing with mythological entities, her sorceress teammate Magik, or demons, as well as being the root of her self-loathing over her mutant power. The clash between the intense joy of using her powers and her religious beliefs causes her inner turmoil. While in Asgard, she is disturbed to find herself attracted to Hrimhari, a shapeshifting wolf prince. Although he becomes her first serious love, she is unable to remain in Asgard without the rest of the New Mutants being forced to stay as well, so she returns to Earth with her teammates. Wolfsbane eventually begins a relationship with her teammate Cypher, and is devastated when he is killed by the Ani-Mator. She later has a short-lived relationship with her teammate Rictor.
X-Factor During the 1990–1991 "X-Tinction Agenda" event, Wolfsbane is captured and brainwashed into slavery on Genosha. She is ultimately freed by transforming into her transitional lupine form, but she is unable to revert to her human form without succumbing to her Genoshan conditioning. After the fall of Genosha, Wolfsbane remains on the island with Havok to help rebuild and both later join the government-sponsored X-Factor. She develops feelings for Havok, a result of her Genoshan brainwashing and the feral nature of her transitional wolf form, and grows extremely jealous of his relationship with their teammate Polaris.
Wolfsbane appears in the 1992 miniseries The Infinity War and its 1993 sequel, The Infinity Crusade. During the former, she is part of the rear guard who stay behind on Earth at the Fantastic Four's headquarters and fight the various evil doubles that attack the building. In The Infinity Crusade, Wolfsbane's deep religious beliefs lead her to be approached by the Goddess. She, along with many other spiritual characters, is brainwashed into joining the Goddess' army but her mind is restored by the series' conclusion.
The effects of her Genoshan brainwashing are eventually completely undone by Haven and Wolfsbane is once again able to return to her human form.
Excalibur Wolfsbane leaves X-Factor and travels to Moira MacTaggert's base on Muir Island to care for her after she contracts the Legacy Virus. While there, she joins Excalibur and develops deep friendships with her allies, particularly Colossus and Shadowcat. She overcomes much of her shyness, discovers the truth of her parentage in a confrontation with Reverend Craig, and is a bridesmaid at the wedding of Captain Britain and Meggan. Following Excalibur's disbanding, she and her teammate and love interest Douglock stay on Muir Island to assist Moira in her attempt to cure the Legacy Virus.
Wolfsbane appears in Warlock (1999–2000), in which she helps former New Mutants teammate Warlock (revealed to have been Douglock all along) and the Avengers defeat Bastion. During the 2000 "Dream's End" storyline, Muir Island comes under attack by the Brotherhood, resulting in Moira's apparent death, the destruction of the island, and the suppression of Wolfsbane's mutant powers when Mystique shoots her with a version of Forge's Neutralizer.
New X-Men
Wolfsbane spends some time motorcycling across the United States following the loss of her powers, becoming less introverted, growing out her hair, and losing her Scottish brogue before returning to New York in New Mutants (vol. 2). She is hired as a supervising staff member for the Paragons at the Xavier Institute and becomes a part-time employee of Jamie Madrox's detective agency, X-Factor Investigations.
During her appearances in both New Mutants (vol. 2) and New X-Men (vol. 2), Wolfsbane begins a relationship with Elixir, a student at the Xavier Institute. A passionate encounter between the two causes Elixir's mutant healing abilities to restore her powers. Though she ends the relationship upon being hired at the institute, Elixir continues to pursue her and they resume seeing each other in secret. Wolfsbane breaks up with Elixir again upon learning that he is casually dating his classmate Wallflower, but their inappropriate relationship is later exposed to the entire school by Wither in an attempt to end Elixir's budding romance with Wallflower. She subsequently resigns from her position at the institute and her friendship with Dani Moonstar, Elixir's legal guardian, becomes strained.
X-Factor Investigations Wolfsbane joins the main cast of X-Factor (vol. 3), in which she begins working full-time for X-Factor Investigations and reunites with former love interest and New Mutants teammate Rictor, now depowered in the wake of M-Day. Many aspects of her previous persona return, including her close-cropped hairstyle and Scottish accent, and her devout Presbyterian religiosity remains a central aspect of her character. During her time with the detective agency, she is attacked by the villainous Tryp and given visions of a possible future in which her feral instincts become uncontrollable and drive her to murder Jamie Madrox and Layla Miller on their wedding day. She later confides in the agency's psychiatrist Doc Samson that she has considered killing herself to prevent this future from happening, conflicting with her religious beliefs on suicide. Wolfsbane also rekindles her relationship with Rictor, though their romance is cut short when she leaves the agency to join X-Force.
Messiah Complex During the 2007–2008 "Messiah Complex" storyline, Wolfsbane is enlisted to help track down Cable and the infant Hope Summers. She also helps Rictor infiltrate the Purifiers and discovers that her father, Reverend Craig, has joined the anti-mutant organization. During the climactic battle, Wolfsbane is injured by Riptide, but her wounds, according to Professor X, are superficial.
X-Force Following the "Messiah Complex" storyline, X-Force was relaunched in early 2008, featuring Wolfsbane as a member of the eponymous team. During an assault on the Purifiers' base, she is captured and brainwashed into a sleeper agent, compelled to attack and mutilate Angel. In a later confrontation with the Purifiers, Reverend Craig inadvertently triggers Wolfsbane's programming and, in her feral state, she attacks and devours him.
When the team decides that the psychological trauma Wolfsbane has experienced is too great for her to bear, the Stepford Cuckoos are summoned to undo her Purifier brainwashing. Before they can erase her traumatic memories of consuming her father, however, they are interrupted, and X-Force is sent on a mission, leaving Wolfsbane behind. While alone, she reunites and runs away with Hrimhari. Still conflicted over her experience with the Purifiers, she is encouraged to forgive herself by the wolf prince. After an intimate night, the two are attacked by a trio of Frost Giants. They manage to defeat them and although seemingly unharmed, Wolfsbane faints.
Secret Invasion During the publication of X-Force (vol. 3), Wolfsbane appears in the "Secret Invasion" storyline as one of many heroes fighting off the Skrull invasion of San Francisco. She and the rest of X-Force are tasked with capturing one of the new Super-Skrulls so Beast can study them to find a weakness.
Necrosha During the 2009–2010 "Necrosha" storyline, the unconscious Wolfsbane is brought to Utopia, the X-Men's island base off the coast of San Francisco, for healing, where it is discovered that she is pregnant with Hrimhari's child and the accelerated pregnancy is threatening her life. Desperate to save his lover and unborn child, Hrimhari trades his soul to Hela in exchange for the revival of a comatose Elixir, condemning himself to life in Hel. In order to ensure she survives her pregnancy, Elixir alters Wolfsbane's DNA, enhancing her strength and senses. Wolfsbane is subsequently removed from active duty on X-Force and decides to leave the team altogether.
Return to X-Factor Investigations