Let’s try to predict some iconic villains that Peter Parker and Miles Morales may have to confront.
The anticipation for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is reaching a fever pitch.
Well, for the very few who may still be unaware of what we’re talking about, we’re referring to the highly anticipated sequel of the acclaimed Insomniac Games’ series, Marvel’s Spider-Man. It’s the next installment in this beloved series and stands as one of the most eagerly awaited PlayStation 5 exclusives.
Just think about the mind-blowing gameplay reveal that Sony and Insomniac unveiled at the May 2023 PlayStation Showcase, the tantalizing Story Trailer that brought Venom to the forefront, and the already confirmed appearances of Lizard and Kraven the Hunter. In short, there are truly numerous clues and details that have fueled the hype among Marvel fans.
For quite a while, a persistent question has been swirling in our minds. Which villains will Peter and Miles confront? What formidable foes will we have to face in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2?
Considering the the abundance of material at Insomniac’s disposal in the Spider-Man universe, we have speculated on which iconic villains we would love to see in the sequel, while also considering the ones that Insomniac has already unveiled to us.
Naturally, we understand that not all of them will have the opportunity to make an appearance. However, as the saying goes, let us dream!
Carnage – Cletus Cortland Kasady
“I am the ultimate insanity! I am CARNAGE!”
Unstable, psychopathic, unpredictable, and downright dangerous. Who isn’t familiar with Carnage?
And who better than the notorious, deranged, and sociopathic serial killer Cletus Kasady could be the perfect host to embrace the demonic and unscrupulous nature of Carnage.
As the offspring of the extraterrestrial symbiote Venom, Carnage sets itself apart from its progenitor in several ways. It boasts a more streamlined physique and a distinct coloration that blends red and black, a result of the symbiote merging with Kasady’s bloodstream through a wound on the host’s hand.
Unlike Venom, its symbiote offspring has fully submitted to the control of its host. The symbiote considers Kasady as the ideal host, its family, while still retaining its own unique personality. Furthermore, Carnage is a singular entity and refers to himself as “I” rather than “we”.
Having seamlessly assimilated with his host, Carnage fully embodies the profile of Kasady, but in an even more extreme manner, magnifying his psychotic nature and making him even more mentally unstable than ever before.
He exhibits highly unpredictable, wild, and uncontrollable behavior. He hunts like a ravenous predator, yet he excels in self-defense and possesses a keen sense for danger.
Unlike his symbiote progenitor, Carnage takes pleasure in the act of killing his victims, relishing in it. Much like his human alter ego, he kills to satiate his thirst for blood and feed his madness.
Unique abilities and powers:
- Enhanced superhuman strength surpassing that of both Venom and Spider-Man combined.
- Wall-crawling, Web-slinging, and Shape-shifting abilities, including the formidable symbiote tendrils.
- Extrasensory detection of impending danger akin to Spidey’s Spider-Sense.
- Symbiote’s autonomous defense capabilities.
- Extra-fast regeneration of damaged bodily tissues.
- Deformation of symbiote appendages.
- Camouflage function for stealth and blending into surroundings.
- Swift adaptation to various environmental conditions by the symbiote.
- Undetectable by Spider-Man’s Spider-Sense.
Weaknesses:
- Highly vulnerable to electricity.
- His impulsiveness and unstable mental state.
Despite our hopes, the likelihood of seeing Carnage as one of the potential villains in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 remains very low, if not almost impossible, except perhaps as a final boss. Additionally, with Venom and Kraven the Hunter already established as the main antagonists, the possibility of Carnage’s appearance becomes highly unlikely.
His presence is more likely to be seen in a potential third installment.
Chamaleon – Dmitri Anatoly Smerdyakov Kravinoff
“The truth is none of us really knows anyone else. What we’re capable of at any given moment. We cannot see beyond our own lives and desires. Other people well… They’re just part of the background”
Half-brother to the equally infamous super-criminal Sergei Kravinoff (Kraven the Hunter), Chameleon is a ruthless criminal and a master of disguise.
Intelligent, cunning, and manipulative, Dmitri is a highly adaptable and professional criminal with diverse interests and ambitions. His skill in assuming different identities is one of his greatest assets. It is no coincidence that he consistently evades capture by swiftly changing his disguise.
Originally, Dmitri was an incredibly resourceful man with unmatched technology, lifelike masks, and a genius-level talent for impersonation, all without possessing any superpowers. His chameleon-like abilities were his true secret weapon.
However, as a result of some traumatic experiences, his mental health deteriorates dangerously, leading him to embrace a darker, more aggressive, and malevolent demeanor. His mental sanity slowly becomes irreversibly compromised, and his obsession with Spider-Man transforms into pure, unbridled hatred. As his attitude shifts, so does his hunting style, becoming progressively more savage and gruesome.
Although his greatest skills revolve around deception and camouflage, we mustn’t overlook his mastery of make-up and his versatile multitasking equipment. His arsenal includes tools for enhancing his disguise abilities, such as Memory Material and a Computer Belt, as well as a range of weapons like Knockout Darts, Knockout Gas, and Smoke bombs, allowing him to operate with precision and vanish seamlessly from the crime scene.
Unique abilities and powers:
- Chameleon-like abilities (after surgically and mutagenically altering his epidermis and pigmentation).
- Skilled professional criminal and merciless, unscrupulous killer.
- Master of deception, makeup, and camouflage.
- Cunning shape-shifter and skilled mask-maker.
- Versatile camouflage equipment set suitable for any situation.
Weaknesses:
- Mentally unstable, impulsive, and easily influenced due to his fragile state of mind.
- His insanity and deep-seated hatred for Spider-Man are a double-edged sword and can be a potential hindrance.
- His powers and abilities are not superhuman.
Well, with Kraven the Hunter included among the main villains in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, could there be a chance of Chameleon making an appearance as well? Will we have the chance to see the two half-brothers in action together? Personally, I truly hope so, but it all depends on Insomniac. So, fingers crossed!
Green Goblin – Norman Osborn
“But the one thing they love more than a hero, is to see a hero fail, fall, die trying. In spite of everything you’ve done for them, eventually, they will hate you. Why bother?”
Green Goblin is undoubtedly one of the most beloved and iconic villains in the Spider-Man universe. And honestly, we would be ecstatic to see his appearance in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
The inclusion of Green Goblin in Insomniac’s upcoming title may be more plausible and probable than we initially thought. The first hints can be directly observed through the presence of Norman Osborn, who appears in both Marvel’s Spider-Man and its spin-off, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
Naturally, Insomniac has never given us the impression that Osborn could potentially become a ruthless time bomb, nor have we perceived him in that way. Norman appears as a slimy businessman, megalomaniac, and self-centered individual who only cares about his own interests.
However, there are some unmistakable clues that fans couldn’t help but notice. In Marvel’s Spider-Man, when Mary Jane stealthily sneaks into the Osborns’ family house, we can spot what appears to be a prototype of Green Goblin’s pumpkin bombs and a crude archetype of his helmet.
As you are well aware, Marvel’s Spider-Man is packed with easter eggs and cameos that fans have undoubtedly spotted. Among them, one in particular continues to capture our attention.
Towards the end of the game, there is a secret ending that showcases Harry Osborn, Norman’s son, enclosed and bathed in the green light of Harry’s symbiote tank within Norman Osborn’s secret laboratory.
To this day, it is still unclear what fate awaits Harry, but there are various theories we could turn to in order to resolve the symbiote tank dilemma.
However, this is not the only clue. This scene may have also revealed another intriguing hidden clue, namely the green symbiote tank, which, as we know, is the distinctive color associated with Green Goblin.
Clearly, we don’t yet know if his “transformation” into the Green Goblin will occur in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, nor if his craving for power will drive him to the point of taking center stage as one of the main villains.
The situation remains to be monitored, especially in light of the endgame that Insomniac has reserved for us with Marvel’s Spider-Man. And, as we know, whether he assumes the mantle of the Green Goblin or embodies the role of a reprehensible businessman, Norman remains a constantly influential and highly dangerous figure.
Unique abilities and powers:
- Green Goblin Serum
- Master of War Engineering
- Superhuman strength
- Supernatural speed and athleticism
- Regenerative Healing Factor (Unmatched organ and tissue Regeneration Abilities)
- Unparalleled genius intelligence
Weaknesses:
- Dangerous unpredictability, even to himself
- Mental instability caused by the Formula
- Bipolarity
- Limited knowledge in the art of combat
Hobgoblin – Roderick Kingsley
“One thing’s certain. His little Goblin Nation… Will always reside in a Hobgoblin World.”
We could mention many versions and personalities that have taken on the mantle of the Hobgoblin, but none of them would fit as perfectly as that of Roderick Kingsley.
Known as an even more enhanced version of the Green Goblin, thanks to a stronger modified form of the Goblin Formula, the Hobgoblin character made its debut in The Amazing Spider-Man #238 in 1983. Despite sharing stylistic and aesthetic resemblances with the Green Goblin, along with the gadgets and weaponry, Roderick Kingsley’s Hobgoblin undeniably represents the most formidable and unstoppable evolution and character of the Green Goblin’s legacy.
Unlike many of the Green Goblin versions, including Norman Osborn’s, Hobgoblin preserves his mental sanity and doesn’t let himself be consumed by the Formula. This makes him an extremely calculated villain, power-hungry, and far from being purely instinctive.
He possesses a fairly advanced combat style, even though most of his equipment is derived from the Green Goblin, including the Pumpkin Bombs, the Demonic Glider, and even the armor itself, which boasts a slightly different, more old-school aesthetic compared to the Green Goblin’s set.
Unique abilities and powers:
- Cutting-edge gadgets, weapons, and combat equipment
- Genius intelligence
- Green Goblin Serum
- Immune to the mental insanity caused by the Formula
- Regenerative Healing Factor
- Superhuman strength, speed, agility, and stamina
Weaknesses:
- His insatiable lust for wealth might turn out to be his worst enemy
- Despite his extraordinary gadgets, Hobgoblin’s standard armor is quite lightweight, and therefore, it is not immune to surface-level damage
Mysterio – Quentin Beck
“I created Mysterio to give the world someone to believe in. I control the truth… Mysterio is the truth!”
Let’s be clear, Mysterio is undoubtedly one of Spider-Man’s most captivating villains. Whether it’s his eccentric and crazy costume, his intriguing background, or his iconic powers, but he has consistently been one of the beloved villains among fans, and… even among us.
Naturally, there have been many characters who have assumed the guise of Mysterio, but only one has managed to perfectly embody his essence – Quentin Beck, a young stuntman and special effects supervisor with an unwavering and singular obsession: Spider-Man and his incredible powers. Over the years, Beck extensively studied the abilities of our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, striving to both replicate and devise innovative ones to counteract them – initially with intentions petty crimes, until his project expanded into something bigger, giving birth to the identity of Mysterio.
Beck created his Mysterio to neutralize Spider-Man’s powers, a challenging task even for a villain of his caliber. For this reason, he doesn’t necessarily resort to brute force or superhuman abilities; instead, he relies on the power of illusion. He can manipulate the psyche through illusionism and proves to be a brutal and unpredictable adversary, especially when confronted using only instinct and strength.
We’re not talking about a run-of-the-mill criminal here, rather, a true combat engineer and strategist—sly and cunning, with the ability to sow doubt in his foes’ perception of reality. Confronting him and evading his illusory snares demands calmness, clarity, and the ability to react to the unexpected.
It’s safe to say that seeing Peter and Miles take on Mysterio in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 would be truly captivating for numerous reasons. In this aspect, the creative resources at the developers’ disposal to expand and enrich this character are truly vast. We’ll see if Mysterio is indeed one of the surprises that Insomniac Games has in store for us.
Unique abilities and powers:
- Master Scientist and Engineer
- Master of Special Effects
- Genius-level Intellect
- Illusionist and Reality Manipulator
- Telepathy, Telekinesis, and other awe-inspiring psychic abilities
Weaknesses:
- The absurd fragility of his dome-shaped headpiece
- His limitless ego
- His cutting-edge warfare technology can occasionally turn out to be counterproductive
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will be released on October 20, 2023, exclusively for PlayStation 5. Continue to follow us for the latest updates on the adventures of Peter and Miles.
