Marvel’s Spider-Man’s Peter Parker and Miles Morales share a compelling bond as wall-crawlers. Between unique gadgets and abilities that delineate one Spider-Man from the other, it’s quite easy to see how Peter and Miles’ gameplay is pronounced.Marvel’s Spider-Man 2made that separation even clearer with metal appendages and symbiotes for Peter while Miles’ bioelectricity and optic camouflage powers have continued to blossom, and yet in the narrative ofMarvel’s Spider-Manthey haven’t ever seemed entirely individualistic in their personalities or ideologies when it comes to being Spider-Man and what that responsibility should entail.
Ironically, this is a character portrayal thatMarvel’s Spider-Mancould look toSpider-Man: Edge of Timeabout. Here, Peter Parker’s Amazing Spider-Man and Miguel O’Hara’s Spider-Man 2099 are played separately and only actually share a few scenes where they’re physically in a room together rather than speaking to each other via a chronal link. That said, it’s still plain how different they are, not only as people but as Spider-Men. With any luck,Marvel’s Spider-Man 3will be able to challenge its Spider-Men’s identities in a divisive narrative.
Any Character Development in Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 May Be Too Little Too Late
Marvel’s Spider-Man’s Peter and Milesshare a lot of the same ideals or motivations with conviction. Peter and Miles haven’t clashed on any dilemma with each Spider-Man taking an opposite stance and, while they don’t need to be pitted against one another for the sake of needless confrontation, it would be outstanding to see them express and establish their own identities with how they perceive an issue.
It does appear as if Peter and Miles are only connected on the basis that they both have spider-related powers, not unlikeSpider-Man: Edge of Time’s Peter and Miguel, and yet Miles has seemed content to abide by Peter’s oath and not question how their efforts in an open-world New York City should be managed. Peter has more or less had criminal activity in a vice without any controversial choices made, to be fair, buttheMarvel’s Spider-Manseries hasn’t done a lot to earn Peter and Miles’ synergywith so little screen time shared and only a couple of legitimate tribulations they’ve endured together.
The only time Peter and Miles have gone head-to-head is when Peter is being manipulated by the parasitic black symbiote, which expresses a dark shade of his emotions but is ultimately hyperbolic for the sake of him becoming a temporary antagonist. The same can be said of Mary Jane Watson, whose resentment toward Peter erupts in her boss fight as Scream.
Now, withMarvel’s Spider-Man 3presumably closing the book on Insomniac’sSpider-Manseries, there is hardly any time left for the web-slinging duo to develop further as characters.
For example, it would be interesting to see Miles administer the Devil’s Breath cure to a loved one and knowingly risk lives when Peter made the opposite choice. Peter and Miles haven’t disagreed on how a villain should be tackled or how they should behave as Spider-Men, and that back-and-forth is largely what makes each conversation between Peter and Miguel so arresting inSpider-Man: Edge of Time.
Spider-Man: Edge of Time is Brilliant at Delineating Peter Parker and Miguel O’Hara
Spider-Man: Edge of Time’s Peter and Miguel clashwhen it comes to the traditional ethos of what it means to be Spider-Man—Peter is willing to sacrifice the many to save the few while Miguel is willing to sacrifice the few to save the many. It isn’t depicted as being so extreme as to suggest that Peter would actually let countless people die, but it’s fascinating and true to Peter’s character to see him make a controversial choice for the sake of his loved ones.
Peter’s inability to save the ones he loves is also anextraordinary plot point inSpider-Man: Edge of Timeregarding a version of his future self, the Peter Parker who is an antagonist and CEO of Alchemax in a rewritten 2099.
Having Miguel then disagree with that choice but ultimately accommodate Peter is fantastic as well because the two couldn’t be more different ideologically but are able to sympathize with one another as star-crossed Spider-Men whose motivations are fundamentally born of the same desire to save lives and thwart crime. Mary Jane Watson means nothing to Miguel and, in spite of his better judgment, he saves her solely because of Peter’s pleas.
Marvel’s Spider-Man’s Spider-Mencould still find something to disagree on in an upcoming entry, though being able to achieve that organically may be difficult since they’ve fought crime together for quite some time now and one would need to be alarmed by a choice they’re surprised the other has made. One opportunityMarvel’s Spider-Man 2had to distinguish Peter and Miles is in Miles’ rage-fueled desire to put Martin Li down, but Miles is capable of forgiving Li without Peter having to persuade him to do so.
Thebiggest cliffhangerMarvel’s Spider-Man 2reachesis the fact that Peter is retiring his costume, at least for a while, and it would be great if he disagreed with the way Miles dealt with a super-villain or who Miles chose to save while he’s developing the Emily-May Foundation from his garage. Otherwise, with Peter undoubtedly returning as a playable character in the third mainline installment, Insomniac might choose not to have them clash at all and merely have them continue to work seamlessly together inMarvel’s Spider-Man 3.
