Get yer claws out, it's time to examine LAURA KINNEY! We look at this socially awkward Wolverine, and Doc invents a new use for the Danger Room! Listen now!

SHOW NOTES:

• Intro
• • Apologies for no new episode last week - tried to get creators, and then needed a break
  • New folks in Discord & Facebook fan groups - plug for those communities
• Background (04:39)

• • X-23 created by Craig Kyle for the X-Men: Evolution TV series, first comic book appearance in NYX #3 (Dec. 2003) by Joe Quesada & Joshua Middleton, first miniseries was X-23 by Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost
  • Dr. Sarah Kinney, a geneticist, is hired to replicate the Weapon X program that created Wolverine, but the sample has a damaged Y chromosome, so Dr. Kinney manipulates the gene to create a XX version - after 22 failed attempts, the 23rd is a viable embryo, which she is forced to carry to term
  • X-23 is raised as a killer, and given no human affection, aside from her sensei & Dr. Kinney
  • At the age of 7, she is subjected to radiation to trigger her mutant gene, her claws are forcibly extracted and coated with adamantium - all without anesthesia, since the doctor doing this, Dr. Rice, is the son of the doctor who created Wolverine and who died after Logan’s surgery
  • X-23 subjected to “trigger scent” which drives her into unstoppable killing rage, and she kills her sensei
  • Dr. Kinney kidnaps X-23 and tells her to kill Dr. Rice, which she does, but before he dies he puts the trigger scent in Dr. Kinney’s hair - as she dies, she gives X-23 the name Laura
  • Laura escapes to New York and begins working as a prostitute, where she encounters several runaway mutants - they work together to escape people hunting them
  • Meets Logan, who tells her he knows about her because Dr. Kinney wrote him letters
  • Joins the Xavier Institute to work with other mutants, learn how to be a human, and be closer to Logan
  • Cyclops asks her to join a lethal X-Force team, but doesn’t ask Logan - this puts them at odds, because Logan wants her to be a kid and make her own choices
  • Starts working with the time-displaced original X-men, and starts dating Teen Warren (Angel)
  • After Logan’s death, takes up the mantle of Wolverine for a time
  • Once Logan returns, she becomes X-23 again - meets other female clones that Dr. Kinney had created - one, Gabby, becomes very close with her, and they consider each other sisters
• Issues (10:38)
  • No childhood - arrested development and trauma
  • No social skills, although getting better (18:02)
  • Constant struggle between nature as a bred killing machine and wanting to do the right thing (29:25)
• Break (39:48)
  • Plugs for AnxZenity & Perfect Package Podcast, plus Saladin Ahmed
• Treatment (41:38)
  • In-universe - Use the Danger Room to simulate Toastmasters & public speaking
  • Out of universe - Similar to victims of sex trafficking (46:44)
• Skit (53:41) - Laura voiced by Hannah from Popcorn Psychology
• Ending (60:04)
  • Next episodes: Superboy Prime, Azrael, Guardian

References:

• Angela Duckworth - “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” - Doc (16:28)

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