Gorgon attempted to assassinate Nick Fury after S.H.I.E.L.D. launched an attack which destroyed a safe-house and killed Elsbeth in the process. He was intercepted by Wolverine before he could complete the objective. The two engaged in a brutal battle, inflicting devastating injuries upon one another. The Gorgon managed to gain the upper hand and attempted to use his mutant ability to transform Wolverine into stone; Wolverine's claws were extruded at the last moment, forcing the Gorgon to see his own reflection. As a result, the Gorgon's power was reflected back upon him. Once the Gorgon had been turned into stone, Wolverine shattered his body. During the "Dark Reign" storyline, Hydra forced The Hand to resurrect the Gorgon using the rock fragments of his body. He is also given the sword Godkiller by Kraken. The Godkiller is destroyed in a battle against Phobos who wields Grasscutter. Gorgon uses the broken blade to slay Phobos with a mortal chest stab and takes Grasscutter as his own, citing "a red sword for a red lord". Following the "Fear Itself" storyline, Gorgon joins up with H.A.M.M.E.R. after Norman Osborn's reclaimed leadership upon escaping from the Raft. Gorgon ends up being a member of the second incarnation of Dark Avengers as Wolverine. He and the original Madame Hydra secretly plan to kill Osborn if their co-conspirator proves to be too dangerous and use the Dark Avengers to cause discord by serving as a voice of the "disenfranchised" unsatisfied with the status quo. Although he is generally suitable as "Dark Wolverine" due to his skills and healing powers, Gorgon lacks the real Wolverine's claws instead relying on fake claws that are a part of his costume. Gorgon and the Dark Avengers are defeated when their teammate Skaar revealed as a double agent and summons the Avengers to defeat the Dark Avengers. During the events of Avengers World, Gorgon and the Hand orchestrate a full-scale riot on Madripoor as a distraction from a ritual held at their temple on the island. Although Shang-Chi is able to infiltrate the Hand-based pagoda, it's too late to stop the séance, which raises the island nation out of the water up upon the head of a massive continent-sized dragon. While the massive tarragon is airborne, Shang-Chi effortlessly defeats the Hand ninjas at the temple but is bested in hand-to-hand combat by the Gorgon who throws Shang-Chi off of his great beast