This article contains spoilers for the entire Marvel’s Spider-Man series, including Marvel’s Spider-Man, Miles Morales, and Spider-Man 2.
Though the hero always tries to keep a smile on his face, death is a regular part of Spider-Man’s life. From Uncle Ben’s death kicking off his crime-fighting career to Gwen Stacey’s death briefly pushing him over the edge, Spider-Man has experienced a great deal of loss in the last 63 years of comic book history, and it’s a core element of the character that Marvel’s Spider-Man doesn’t shy away from.
Aunt May’s death at the end of the first Marvel’s Spider-Man is one of the series’ most memorable and emotive moments, with May revealing that she knows Peter Parker’s superhero alter-ego, and her encouraging her nephew to sacrifice her for the greater good. This moment, and the conclusion to the story that follows it, epitomizes Spider-Man’s character, showing the hero’s ability to pick himself back up in the face of tragedy time and time again. But being Spider-Man still takes a toll on Peter Parker’s life, and Insomniac’s version of the character may be taking a step back following the events of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Though, that step back might not lead to the dramatic conclusion some fans are expecting.
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Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Leaves Miles Morales as New York’s Main Spider-Man
After defeating his Venomized best friend at the end of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker heads back to Aunt May’s house in Queens, alongside MJ and Miles Morales. Peter leads MJ to the garage, where he reveals that he’s converted it into a workspace for the newly formed “Emily-May Foundation.” As Pete’s phone receives an alert on the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man app, MJ asks if he’s found the time to talk to Miles.
Adorned in his new Spidey suit, Miles joins them. Peter struggles to find the right words to say, and Miles interrupts him with a simple “I’ve got this,” gesturing to the city beyond, “All of it.” The two embrace and Miles web-zips away, seemingly becoming New York City’s only Spider-Man while Peter takes a break from the crime-fighting life he’s known since the age of 15.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 Could See Peter Parker Meet a Tragic End
With Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 ending with Peter Parker taking a step back from the Spider-Man spotlight, it suggests that Peter might have a smaller role in any future Spider-Man games. And if developer Insomniac follows some past Spider-Man stories, that smaller role could end in tragedy.
Infamously, the Ultimate Spider-Man series killed Peter Parker off in 2011, with the hero taking a bullet from the Punisher and going on to receive critical wounds at the hands of Green Goblin and the Sinister Six. Peter’s death eventually leads to Miles Morales becoming the Spider-Man of Earth-1610. A similar origin takes place in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, where Miles takes on the mantle after Peter Parker is killed by Kingpin.
From the moment Miles Morales was introduced in the first Marvel’s Spider-Man, a portion of fans have been expecting Insomniac’s Peter Parker to bite the dust, believing his death to be the natural evolution of the characters’ dynamic as mentor and mentee. With Cindy Moon being teased at the end of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, some fans believe Peter’s death is even more likely in the next entry, with it potentially allowing Miles to take on the mentor role in his absence.
Insomniac’s Peter Parker Doesn’t Need to Die
But Insomniac isn’t one to follow the comics to a T. Though it’s drawn upon a wealth of past comic runs for its narrative, Insomniac’s Spider-Man series has put its own spin on various aspects of the lore. Insomniac is just as likely to kill Peter Parker in Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 as it is to give him a happy ending, drawing on more recent influences like the ongoing Ultimate Spider-Man revival that sees him become a loving husband and father, and both outcomes could have equal emotional resonance.
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