Summary
The Symbiote suit has long been one of the most formidable and intriguing threats in comic book history, andMarvel’s Spider-Man 2manages to capture many aspects of what makes it so terrifying. That said, the biggest contrasts betweenSpider-Man 2’s lighter momentsand its darker ones come through much stronger in certain moments of dialog than in sequences of brutal violence.
Warning: Spoilers ahead forMarvel’s Spider-Man 2
One element ofSpider-Man 2that had players excited was the inclusion of the Symbiote suit and, by extension, Venom and everything that comes with the creature. Previous pieces ofSpider-Manmedia have gone into great depth when exploring the effects of the Symbiote on Peter; the Symbiote proves to grant its host considerable strength and power, evoking a sort of “high,” but this is contrasted with serious drawbacks, including emotional issues. All that is to say that the Symbiote is much more than just anothercool suit for Spider-Manin this most recent game, but is rather a major plot element that is used to show a darker, more spiteful, and angry side of this version of Peter Parker.
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Peter Parker’s Interactions Drive Home the Symbiote Suit’s Negative Effects
Violent, aggressive action can often characterize Peter Parker’s relationship with the Symbiote suit. A good example of this can be found in Sam Raimi’s 2007Spider-Man 3film, wherein Peter commits a number of violent acts while under the Symbiote’s influence, including striking Mary Jane and effectively attempting to kill Flint Marko.Marvel’s Spider-Man 2doesn’t see Peter taking such drastic steps, but instead shows his dark side creeping through in smaller ways.
It seems like when Peter isn’t facing off againstMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’s major villains, he is butting heads with his allies. He talks back to Rio Morales when she is expressing her concern about Miles, and has a general disregard for his friends' feelings throughout the game. One widely discussed scene takes place the day after Peter goes on a Symbiote-induced rampage in his sleep. He has no memory of this, and when he visits Harry and Mary Jane the next day, it results in a fight where Peter levels nasty comments at them. He accuses MJ of spreading lies about Spider-Man, and at one point tells Harry to “pop some more pills and say what you’re really feeling.” The scene culminates with Peter storming out, but not before scaring MJ to the point where she grabs her stun gun to defend herself.
More disturbing comments come during a fight withSpider-Man 2’s version of Curt Conners. Initially, Peter attempts to appeal to Conners’s humanity, telling him to think of his wife and child. That proves useless, however, and Peter eventually moves into much more antagonistic, unproductive, and hateful territory. Some of the vitriolic comments made by Peter include:
These comments are particularly disturbing for a few reasons. For one thing, they are indicative of how Peter, under the influence of the symbiote, chooses to act when no one else is watching. He knows that Conners isn’t himself in this form, so it seems like he’s simply taking out his frustration by voicing these harsh criticisms of the man, with no real goal in mind. While the Lizard is adarkSpider-Manvillain, one that has done some terrible deeds, he is ultimately not in control, so these comments seem pointlessly cruel on Peter’s part.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s version of Peter Parker is one of the more kindhearted and polite inSpider-Manmedia. He is typically kind, calm, and thoughtful, so his hurling naked insults and abuses towards those he is allied with is particularly jarring, as it’s hard to imagine him doing so without the Symbiote suit. It’s in these moments that the Symbiote’s dark influence is most apparent.
