In the comics, X-23 was cloned from Wolverine’s DNA by Dr. Sarah Kinney to become a killing machine. The only DNA they had of Wolverine was damaged, so they did not have a Y-chromosome. X-23 was created in The Facility, a place and program where superhuman soldiers and advance weapons are made. After 22 failed attempts, Dr. Kinney succeeds in making Laura. Dr. Kinney acts as a mother to Laura, but Sarah doesn’t have much voice in The Facility and Laura is subject to brutal torture techniques in order to activate her mutant gene. After seven years of torture and exposure to radiation, Laura’s mutant gene is activated. Once Laura’s claws came out, doctors in The Facility coated them with adamantium. Laura is then trained to become a killer and assassin for hire. During her training she is introduced to a certain scent that drives her into a killing frenzy. After training, X-23 is sent to kill for the highest bidder.
When a serial killer kidnaps Dr. Kinney’s niece, Sarah breaks X-23 out of The Facility to hunt down the killer. X-23 is successful in finding Sarah’s niece and is now free. However, Laura discovers that there are projects planned for X-24 through X-50. So X-23 goes to destroy the projects and while doing so is exposed to the scent that sends her into a killing frenzy. As a result, Laura kills Dr. Kinney. During Sarah's final moments, she gives Laura a letter and picture from Professor Charles Xavier. This helps Laura to seek out help from Professor X and X-Men.
During Laura’s stay at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, she tries to discover who she is and take back her stolen childhood. Laura has been known to hurt herself as her own punishment for all the murder she was forced to commit. She also develops a close relationship with Wolverine and views him as a father figure. As a result of being a female clone of Wolverine, X-23 has the same powers of regeneration and healing, as well as superhuman strength, smell, speed and reflexes. And let's not forget that Wolverine and X-23 both share retractable adamantium claws. However, X-23 has two claws instead of three and she does not have an adamantium-laced skeleton.
Laura Kinney looks to be making her first live action appearance in the upcoming Wolverine film, LOGAN. [Editor Note: This has not been confirmed at the time this profile was published] Judging from the trailer, it looks as if her backstory will be similar as in the comics universe. She is obviously on the run and it looks like her and Wolverine will be developing a close relationship. If she is in fact in LOGAN, then X-23 will be a welcome addition to the X-Men movie universe and she could take on the mantle of Wolverine once actor Hugh Jackman concludes his run as the clawed mutant when LOGAN hits theaters on March 3, 2017.
Written by James Philbrick, Character Profiles -- Click to read James' posts
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