With maximum effort, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) made a splashy debut in the MCU, but he didn’t come alone. Deadpool & Wolverine teases a dream partnership between the alter ego of Wade Wilson and the cigar-chewing X-Men favorite, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). And much like the other movies that The Merc with a Mouth starred in, there are an endless amount of quotes sharper than adamantium claws.
This time around, Deadpool’s not the only one with memorable lines, as the film is packed with cameos that pay a loving tribute to the last two decades of big-screen superheroes. Now that the film is streaming in all its profane glory on Disney+, we look back at the lines from Deadpool & Wolverine that demanded immediate memorization on first viewing.
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10 “Look. A donut cart. They’re practically hospitals.”
Sugar does help the medicine go down…
The running joke of Nicepool, a kinder and gentler Deadpool variant, gets its payoff in the third act of the film when Nicepool learns what it means to team up with the self-proclaimed Marvel Jesus. Deadpool uses the nicer version of himself as a human shield, only to learn that Nicepool doesn’t have the regeneration powers the other variants possess. Wolverine shakes his head in disgust as Deadpool vows to heal his fallen brother with the life-saving supplies held in a nearby donut cart, and then it gets worse from there.
For whatever Nicepool lacked in killer instincts, he made up for with his ability to absorb a comically large amount of bullets. It’s improbable anyone else could bring the same life to Deadpool as Reynolds has done over three films, and that’s in large part due to the actor’s snarkily mock-earnest delivery. Killing Nicepool over a dog is the most Deadpool thing conceivable, and the mercenary’s fake rallying cries to help his mortally wounded variant adds humorous salt to the wound.
9 “Your power’s close-up magic. That’s good. We’re not totally f***ed at all.”
Really, how’s that supposed to help in battle?
After their brutal fight in the highly underrated Honda Odyssey, an exhausted Wolverine and Deadpool are driven to the underground lair of a few heroes in hiding. There, the duo meets Elektra (Jennifer Garner), Blade (Wesley Snipes), and a true-to-the-comic version of Gambit (Channing Tatum). The characters proceed to have one of the most surreal cameo-powered conversations in MCU history, with Gambit stealing the show.
The entire section of the film featuring Gambit is one long series of sharp one-liners, and longtime X-Men fans will savor the experience of Tatum finally putting his Cajun accent to work. Gambit is probably the most popular X-Men character not to enjoy a string of appearances in multiple movies, so his return to the big screen would have been exciting on its own. The added bonus of Channing using his underappreciated comedic skills makes the back-and-forth between Deadpool and Gambit a highlight of the film.
8 “There’s only been one Blade, and there’s only ever gonna be one Blade.”
At this rate, Wesley Snipes isn’t wrong.
Deadpool and the new team of Blade, Electra, Gambit, and X23 (Dafne Keen) drive toward Cassandra Nova’s (Emma Corrin) base to mount their assault. As Blade stands at the back aiming a rocket launcher, Deadpool learns the weapon once belonged to the Punisher. Deadpool asks which version of the Punisher, since there have been so many, but he’s interrupted by Blade, who declares he will be the only Blade to exist. One look from Deadpool to the camera says it’s better to let the issue die.
The quote is highly enjoyable for its timely reference to a new actor cast as the role of Blade in a possible upcoming film— the Oscar-winning Mahershala Ali. The reference is so timely that it seems impossible for this joke to age well, and time will tell if that also applies to large chunks of Deadpool & Wolverine. It’s humor like the Blade quote that gives the film more of a limited event experience, differentiating itself from the quickly expanding pack of superhero movies.
7 “I am the Messiah. I am Marvel Jesus.”
He’s got the whole MCU in his hands.
Initial skepticism leads to wonder when the TVA representative, Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) explains that Deadpool’s help is required to save the Sacred Timeline. Looking over a wall of screens broadcasting major moments from the MCU, Deadpool savors the thought of joining the ranks of the most famous superheroes. Without needing further convincing, Deadpool gives himself the title of the new savior of Marvel— a not-so-subtle nod that his presence could reinvigorate a franchise at the cusp of stalling out.
The Marvel Jesus line and continuous callbacks serve as heavy foreshadowing of the sacrifice required by the hero at the end of the movie, but on the surface, it appears to be another delusion of grandeur. Spoken early on in the film, the line also spotlights Deadpool’s flippant attitude about the seriousness of the situation, a character flaw that continues to hold him back at major turning points in his life. At this stage, Deadpool still wants to be a hero because he thinks it’s what he’s expected to do, not what he actually desires to do. Yet.
6 “There are 206 bones in the human body. 207 if I’m watching ‘Gossip Girl’.”
You know you love me. XOXO, Gossip Girl.
After Deadpool digs up Wolverine’s body near the beginning of Deadpool & Wolverine, a warm moment between Wade and the adamantium corpse is interrupted by the TVA. The TVA demands Deadpool to surrender his weapons, but he politely declines while offering the compromise to not attack the group with them. It’s at this point the Merc with a Mouth gives the audience a quick biology lesson before making the first on-screen team-up between Deadpool and Wolverine a memorable one.
It’s not entirely clear how Deadpool plans to dispatch the TVA without his weapons, but mentioning the number of bones is enough of a hint before he jumps into action. The following battle that sees Deadpool use Wolverine’s metallic bones as tools of death sets the tone for the film while choreographing a cleverly original fight. The Gossip Girl reference is a cherry on top, a nod to the second love of Deadpool’s life, Reynolds’ wife Blake Lively, who starred on the hit show.
5 “What’s your super power? Is it parallel parking?”
Happy Hogan is still catching strays since his promotion.
Deadpool interviews with Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) for a position in the Avengers, and unsurprisingly, for a mercenary with a body count of hundreds, it doesn’t go smoothly. Happy’s clearly skeptical from the start, and after Deadpool inquires as to when he talks to the person in charge and not the chauffeur, the rest of the meeting is a formality. When Happy later includes himself as a member of the Avengers, Deadpool can’t help but get one more jab regarding Happy’s contributions to the team.
The parallel parking line is very funny while humbling a Happy who overstates his position within the superhero team. The line also demonstrates Wade’s self-destructive nature when faced with challenges that make him uncomfortable. Kill a team of mobsters with kitchen utensils? No problem. Answer questions about the ability to lead a team or cooperate with a partner? That’s a task outside of Deadpool’s grasp.
4 “Oh. Whiskey d**k of the claws. It’s quite common in Wolverines over 40.”
Wade, have more respect for your elders!
Deadpool’s on the hunt for a Wolverine to help him on his world-saving quest, but meeting each alternate version of the clawed superhero severely tests his healing factor. When Deadpool finds a Wolverine that’s less stab-happy with his face, the Merc with a Mouth thinks he’s found his man. Logan’s passive attitude leaves Deadpool doubtful, but when his trademark claws don’t extend to their full length, it’s clear that this isn’t the top-shelf Wolverine.
Considering the montage preceding this moment, in which different Wolverines viciously attack Deadpool in a manner befitting a killer doing the best at what he does, audiences are able to quickly gather that the newest Wolverine is not like the others. Deadpool’s joke at the expense of Logan’s virility will ultimately prove to land more accurately than intended, as both men feel inadequate as heroes. The joke serves to fill the quota of quips per scene while also explaining to the back of the room that this particular Wolverine is dealing with problems of his own.
3 “I made an educated wish!”
It’s better than nothing.
During their drive to the badlands, a loose turn of phrase from Deadpool alerts Wolverine to the fact there might not be a way for him to return home. Slamming on the brakes, Wolverine pushes Deadpool to state clearly whether their mission will result in what the mercenary promised to acquire the mutant’s help. A “no” from Deadpool is rewarded with a claw to his leg, and ignoring the pain, Deadpool defiantly explains he didn’t lie– he made an educated wish. The line gets a big laugh from audiences but lights the already short fuse of Wolverine.
As expected, once Wade is backed into a corner, the kneejerk reaction is to joke, creating a buffer between himself and the consequences of his actions. An educated wish is a clever line in a scene that demonstrates that no matter how much he aspires to be a hero, Deadpool is quick to resort to manipulative or underhanded tactics. His overwhelming belief that the ends justify the means allows him to rationalize any action, and when forced to atone for them, the best Deadpool can offer is a one-liner.
2 “It’s one of God’s best jokes that you can’t die, except it’s on all of us!”
Way to go for the jugular with your adamantium claws, Logan!
Wolverine doesn’t need claws to cut deep. Logan tolerated Deadpool’s behavior when the mercenary was a necessary evil in returning to his home world, holding back on his natural violent urges. However, once Deadpool comes clean about how little he’s able to guarantee safe passage back, Wolverine isn’t satisfied with destroying Deadpool’s body– he goes after his heart. During their travels, Deadpool’s mouth shared enough information about himself that Logan knew exactly what to say in order to hit a nerve. What follows is a car fight that rivals the worst drive back from Vegas.
The reason why Deadpool & Wolverine works as well as it does is the “& Wolverine” part of the movie. Deadpool is hugely entertaining on his own, but it’s vital for the character to have some grounding force to carry the stakes of the plot. Cable (Josh Brolin) served that role well in Deadpool 2, and Jackman’s performance as Wolverine raises the intensity with the bottomless well of fury the character is known for. Wolverine is more aware than anyone else that while both of their bodies may instantly heal, the emotional damage takes longer to go away, if ever.
1 “Welcome to the MCU, by the way. You’re joining at a bit of a low point.”
Fear not, they’re gonna make him do this until he’s 90.
After Deadpool kidnaps a passed-out Wolverine from his world and brings him back as an offering to Mr. Paradox, the two argue about the futility of Deadpool’s actions over the unconscious Logan. Paradox explains he’s the worst Wolverine of all variants, annoyed at Deadpool’s continued attempts at bargaining to save his world. As Wolverine finally wakes up, Deadpool welcomes him to the MCU while letting him know the timing could have been better.
While the film itself is one long meta-reference to Disney’s acquisition of Fox and their film library, Deadpool continually breaks the fourth wall with nods to his new corporate overlords. Up to this point in the story, they’ve been generally light-hearted one-liners, drawing attention to how Deadpool’s profanity puts him at odds with the majority of Disney’s lineup. But at this moment, when Deadpool acknowledges the declining interest in the MCU, it’s made clear to the audience that the filterless mercenary still has virtually no leash, even if the result is biting the hands that feed him.
