Peter Parker Should Be Venom In Spider-Man 2

After a couple of years of anticipation, fans finally got a closer look at "Marvel's Spider-Man 2" during May's PlayStation Showcase event. Alongside the many reveals of new gameplay mechanics, fans also learned of at least two more major villains appearing in the sequel — Kraven and the Lizard — and the fact that Peter's best friend, Harry Osborn, figures heavily into the plot. Arguably the biggest reveal of all was the fact that, much like in the comics, Peter will be wearing the black Symbiote costume that will eventually become one of his greatest enemies: Venom.

A number of small details in the new trailer have also given rise to a new rumor among fans: that Peter Parker may in fact become Venom in this version of the mythos, rather than tear off the costume once it begins to puppeteer him when he's not awake and aware. Throughout the gameplay trailer, not only has Peter's level of aggression clearly been ratcheted up by the suit, but he undergoes a few subtle transformations that seem to hint at a more monstrous turn later down the line. 

If Peter does in fact become Venom, it would mark a major diversion from the comic book canon, not to mention a turning point in his relationship with newly-minted fellow Spider-Man Miles Morales. This would be a huge twist after the original teaser trailer, which seemed to depict Miles and Peter staring down the hulking supervillain. And honestly, making the OG Spider-Man into a villain might be the single best move the new game could make from a plot standpoint.

So much of Peter's arc in Insomniac's first "Spider-Man" game involves coming into conflict with a mentor that he cares deeply for, only to have them break his heart when they've become too corrupted to save. As such, Miles should be the Spider-Man to break that cycle. The character is already going through a similar emotional conflict on the big screen in this summer's "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," so it would make sense for Insomniac to embrace a similar arc for the budding hero.

The core tenet of Spider-Man, "with great power comes great responsibility" could be tested more than ever before. Not only would Peter be seen as having lost control of that power, but Miles would be put in a situation where he'd have to remind his mentor of his responsibility towards the people of New York. The new gameplay trailer already shows Peter neglecting to properly protect civilians in favor of vicious revenge; he clearly needs to be brought back from the brink and reminded of the oath he took when he became Spider-Man.

This trajectory would perfectly mirror Peter's relationship with Doctor Octavius, as seen in the first game. Otto was a brilliant man with altruistic intentions, but his push for greater power and his reliance on a new suit twisted him to a breaking point (sound familiar?), until eventually he was no longer the man that Peter looked up to.

Ultimately, Peter failed to save his friend and teacher before he became Doc Ock. But by getting through to Peter, by seeing Miles succeed where Peter once failed, the younger Spider-Man could prove once and for all — both to himself and to his doubters — that he is more than worthy of sharing the name of Spider-Man.

After all, the tag line of the new game is "Be greater. Together." This is the obvious evolution from the first game's "Be stronger" and the second game's "Be greater." Both Peter and Miles are likely to come out of this story stronger than ever before, but they're going to need to rely on each other. It would make perfect sense for Insomniac to pit them against each other as a part of that evolution. Rather than manufacture some cheap drama between the two, Insomniac's master stroke might be to turn Peter Parker into Venom, his most terrifying opposite.

Beyond the exciting story possibilities, this would also open up the sequel for some more intense boss battles. Imagine suddenly realizing you're going to have to fight to survive against the character who's been a guiding light through the preceding two games. Much in the same way players felt having to face Ellie in the latter half of "The Last of Us Part 2," the next "Spider-Man" game could take Miles' inner conflict and share it with the player in a visceral way.

It remains to be seen if Peter will truly break bad in "Marvel's Spider-Man 2," or if Eddie Brock or Harry Osborn will instead become Venom. Still, taking this wild swing could help this game to not only further the themes of previous entries, but also stand apart amongst the vast sea of Spider-Man adaptations.