Kitty Pryde and Wolverine

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Kitty Pryde and Wolverine is a series of six comic books written by Chris Claremont, drawn by Al Milgrom, and published by Marvel Comics between November 1984 and April 1985. It centers around the X-Men members Kitty Pryde and Wolverine (Logan).

The story arc is remarkable for Kitty Pryde, because it is arguably her coming of age story line. Previously, Kitty was written as a sweet, gentle "kid sister" for the older X-Men, as a literary foil providing comic humour. In this story, Chris Claremont puts her through a trial of fire which confronts her with her inner demons. She emerges victorious and becomes a strong young woman. From then, writers portrayed her in a much more mature way, and her previously campy, colorful costumes were discarded for a more serious look. Kitty Pryde and Wolverine is also directly responsible for her code name "Shadowcat", which she took on after this adventure and has held from 1985 on until today.

[edit] Plot

Kitty Pryde's father Carmen has run into trouble with the Japanese Yakuza. In order to help him, Kitty travels after him and is captured by mob boss Shigematsu and the evil ninja Ogun, who brainwashes her into becoming a deadly ninja assassin. After she single-handedly slices up a group of ninjas, he orders her to kill Logan.

A masked Kitty almost kills Wolverine, before she is knocked out by Logan's friend Yukio and comes to her senses. Terrified having been turned into a killing machine, Kitty wants to flee, but Logan forces her to overcome her conditioning by focusing on her inner strength. When Kitty, Yukio and Logan vanquish their opponents, Kitty has the chance to kill Ogun. But she balks, stating she cannot do it. For Wolverine, it is the proof that she is truly herself again. When Ogun tries to kill her, Wolverine impales him on his claws. They clear Carmen Pryde's name and return.

Much of the series revolves around Kitty, and Claremont especially plays off on the differences between Logan and her. Wolverine as a ferocious, hardened character, a direct contrast to the innocent, gentle Kitty. When she is turned into a killer who almost murders Logan, the older Wolverine pushes a frightened Kitty to beat the mind control by confronting her inner demons. In the end, Kitty has matured into a strong young woman, having grown as a character while retaining her innocence. The two very different characters establish a deep, platonic big-brother-little-sister-like rapport which lasts until today. Currently it is showcased in several situations in the current series Astonishing X-Men.

[edit] In other media

Kitty's and Logan's close, platonic relationship is also hinted at in many episodes of the TV series X-Men: Evolution, where Wolverine calls Kitty "half-pint." In one such episode, Wolverine (under mind control) attempts to kill her, but Kitty manages to wipe out his mind control.