Wolverine #128

Will Wolverine fall under the spell of the Hand and Hydra? Guest-starring Shadowcat and Sabretooth!

Anchored in Madripoor Harbor is a derelict oil freighter that houses the secret base of a combined force of Hydra and the Hand. Searching for the Viper on board, Wolverine, Sabretooth and Shadowcat have knowingly walked into a trap and are now the unconscious captives of the villains who intend to take control of the island.

Encircling the trio are dozens of the Hands sorcerers, ordered by their Jonin, Matsuo Tsurayaba, to work their magic to claim the souls of the mutants, enslaving them. The Hydra commander protests, insisting their enemies are too dangerous to leave alive.

As the mystics twist the psyches of the three, Shadowcat has a vision in which she savagely attacks Wolverine and Sabretooth, while in Logan's hallucination, he is a new student at Xavier's School for Gifted Children, but instead of being welcomed by the X-Men, he is mercilessly attacked by them.

With his warnings ignored, the Hydra commander returns to the area of the base where his team has held captive Tyger Tiger, Viper and Jessica Drew. His scientists are in the process of rewiring the women's minds, making them loyal to Hydra.

Due to his strong will, Sabretooth resists, freeing his temporary allies from their nightmares. Shadowcat frees Viper and relentlessly attacks the Hydra forces. She is about to kill the commander, when she succumbs to one of Viper's poisons. Elsewhere, Wolverine, who, in his fever dream, had fought back and defeated his friends, comes to to find that in reality, he has beaten all the sorcerers. He then turns against Sabretooth.

As Wolverine and Sabretooth brawl, they begin to realize their personalities are not quite what they had been: due to the magic used against them: Wolverine has Shadowcat's innocence, while Sabertooth deals with a conscience based on Wolverine's sense of honor. Logan suspects Shadowcat has Sabertooth's rage and bloodlust.

Matsuo surveys the scene of the defeated sorcerers and vows a final reckoning, while Wolverine and Sabretooth rush to rescue the others. They find Tyger Tiger and Jessica Drew holding their own, but then Viper threatens Sabertooth with an envenomed blade. Shadowcat comes to, having been only temporarily poisoned by Viper, and phases herself and her allies through the floor and off the vessel.

Some time later, after the Viper has been instated as the island's ruling hand, Wolverine and Shadowcat discuss their adventure. The three are themselves again, but Wolverine muses that, for the first time, Sabretooth is dealing with the memory of having a conscience, and it will probably drive him crazy. Finally, with Viper having put prices on Wolverine and Shadowcat's heads, they decide it's time to depart Madripoor.