Daken: Bio, Origin & History

Real Name: Akihiro

First Appearance: Wolverine Origins #10 (March, 2007)

Powers: As the son of Wolverine, Daken is an excellent fighter and is proficient in most forms of martial arts. Like his father, he also possesses a regenerative healing ability, heightened senses, retractable claws. In addition, Daken is also able to manipulate and control others by controlling their pheromones. 

Affiliation: Dark Avengers, Dark X-Men, Horseman is Death

Did You Know? Daken is the son and enemy of arguably the most popular hero in Marvel, Wolverine.

A Little History

The origin of Daken is pretty straightforward. 

Daken first appeared inside the pages of Wolverine Origins #10 and was created by Daniel Way and Steve Dillon. He’s the son of Wolverine and stands for/believes in everything his father doesn’t. 

Many years ago and unknown to Wolverine, his ex-wife Itsu had become pregnant. Before she could give birth to the baby, Captain America’s one-time sidekick turned Soviet Assassin Bucky Barnes assassinated her. Right after her death, Itsu’s womb was sliced open and the baby was removed from. Because the baby inherited his fathers healing ability, it survived.

A short while later, the baby was taken and placed at the doorstep of a young and wealthy Japanese couple. The couple (Akihira and Natsumi) had been praying for a baby of their own and took his arrival as a sign that their prayers had been answered. Now in their home, they give him the name Akihiro and raise them as their own. Although he was named Akihiro, the other families in the area secretly began calling him Daken. They called him that because roughly translated Daken meant mongrel and the word mongrel is a direct reference to his mixed heritage. This sort of treatment followed him throughout most of his early life. As a consequence, Akihiro developed an unemotional and heartless personality. 

One night Natsumi told her husband that she didn’t love Akihiro and that she had finally become pregnant with their very own child. Overhearing this, Akihiro began creating a plan for revenge. One year after the new baby had been born, Akihiro confessed mother to his that he had killed it. Furious, his father told Akihiro that had had been disowned. In anger, Akihiro responded by telling his father that Akihiro wasn’t his name, it was Daken. Without warning Natsumi appeared and began to run at Daken. This confrontation caused his claws to unsheathe for the first time. With his claws out, Daken waved his hands in the air and accidentally slashed his mother. His father, who still cared for Daken, found himself unable to harm his son. Rather than causing harm to Daken, suicide. 

After the commotion died down, Romulus appeared, told Daken what he’s destined to become, and whisked him away to a lifetime of cruel torture and training.

And that’s it. The origin of Daken.