Death of Mariko
Although Wolverine and Mariko Yashida's love transcended beyond almost all other concerns, both were bound by their sense of honor. Wolverine lived by the code of the Samurai, while Mariko, head of her clan, wouldn't marry until she cleared corruption from her family's name. To protect Mariko's clan from the Hand ninjas, Wolverine, Gambit, and Jubilee fought off the shadowy assassins. In the end, however, Mariko offered to cut off her own fingers as a gesture of appeasement. The sacrifice would end in tragedy, however, as the ninjas treacherously coated the honor blade with toxin, killing Mariko slowly, as Wolverine could only watch helplessly.