S4E80 - Issue 80 - Laura Kinney

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: IntroApologies for no new episode last week - tried to get creators, and then needed a breakNew folks in Discord & Facebook fan groups - plug for those communitiesBackground (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 YostDr. 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 termX-23 is raised as a killer, and given no human affection, aside from her sensei & Dr. KinneyAt 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 surgeryX-23 subjected to "trigger scent" which drives her into unstoppable killing rage, and she kills her senseiDr. 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 LauraLaura escapes to New York and begins working as a prostitute, where she encounters several runaway mutants - they work together to escape people hunting themMeets Logan, who tells her he knows about her because Dr. Kinney wrote him lettersJoins the Xavier Institute to work with other mutants, learn how to be a human, and be closer to LoganCyclops 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 choicesStarts 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 timeOnce 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 sistersIssues (10:38) No childhood - arrested development and traumaNo 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 AhmedTreatment (41:38) In-universe - Use the Danger Room to simulate Toastmasters & public speakingOut of universe - Similar to victims of sex trafficking (46:44)Skit (53:41) - Laura voiced by Hannah from Popcorn PsychologyEnding (60:04) Next episodes: Superboy Prime, Azrael, Guardian References: Angela Duckworth - "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance" - Doc (16:28) Apple Podcasts: here Google Play: here Stitcher: here TuneIn: here iHeartRadio: here Spotify: here Twitter Facebook Patreon TeePublic Discord