Everyone’s a fan of Wolverine, but can we really imagine him without Sabretooth? Sabretooth made his first appearance in Iron Fist #14 and quickly became a major X-Men villain when he popped up in the “Mutant Massacre” storyline as part of the Marauders. Over time, Sabretooth’s story intertwined with Wolverine’s, but he also grew beyond just being the anti-Wolverine. While Wolverine represents choosing personal growth over selfish desires, Sabretooth is kind of the opposite. He’s this brutish character, but oddly enough, fans have come to love him. He’s even teamed up with the X-Men a few times and headlined his own comics and one-shots since the ’90s.
So what’s the deal with our fascination with Sabretooth? Despite his horrible deeds, fans can’t seem to get enough of him. They desire to see a more redeemable side of him. When did this shift happen? Why do we root for a character like Sabretooth beyond his villainous roots? These are the questions we’re exploring, and you’ll find answers in how his character has evolved since the ’90s.
The Age of Apocalypse Changed Fans’ Perception of Sabretooth
Sabretooth had been the ultimate bad guy in the X-Men stories before The Age of Apocalypse event hit. He was notorious for terrible acts; he even supposedly assaulted Wolverine’s girlfriend before killing her. The audience was used to despising him. But then came X-Men: Alpha #1 in 1994, where we saw Sabretooth hanging out with Magneto’s X-Men. He took on a kind of heroic role, even helping protect a young mutant named Blink. Seeing this new side to him was unexpectedly refreshing. Around this time, Marvel seemed to realize that more Sabretooth was a good thing. Post-Age of Apocalypse events saw Sabretooth feature in series like Uncanny X-Men and Wolverine, and he even got a spotlight in Sabretooth: In the Red Zone with some gorgeous artwork by Gary Frank.
Since then, Sabretooth’s had quite the journey. He found moments of goodness, like in Mike Carey’s X-Men: Legacy or Cullen Bunn’s Uncanny X-Men when his morality got flipped due to the AXIS storyline. He’s been involved in stories like the Krakoa Era miniseries and big Wolverine epics. In a surprising twist, he was even part of the ’50s Avengers in Marvel’s history and did a stint with the Avengers Unity Squad. His complex backstory in Origin II added more layers. Right now, there’s even a new Sabretooth series in the works. All this storytelling led fans to appreciate him in a way we never imagined before the Age of Apocalypse.
Why We Love Sabretooth, the Monster
Originally, Sabretooth was that villain everyone loved to loathe, but now that’s shifted quite a bit. It’s always tricky loving a villain, especially when their actions are downright evil. But Sabretooth’s character also taps into something compelling—the potential for change. Like Wolverine, he could be better, and that hope makes tracking his journey intriguing. We glimpse into his past and see the trauma of his early years that shaped him.
And that’s probably why Sabretooth draws so much interest. Though we don’t idolize him—if you do, that’s a bit worrying—we’re fascinated by his consistent failure to change for the better. Watching him learn the wrong lessons from his life is a big part of the appeal. Plus, if you pick up a Sabretooth comic, you know you’re in for some action-packed scenes and his dark humor. It’s what makes him tick, and there’s nothing wrong with enjoying that, as long as you’re not taking it too literally.
