I can’t be the only one tired of the multiverse by now right? It’s been a big trend for years but I have never really liked it. Superhero stories use it a lot and even Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 adds a bit of it in a small scene you can miss at the end of the Spider-bot quest.
Overloaded by the Spider-Verse
Since 2018 there have been four big Spider-Man movies: Into the Spider-Verse Far From Home No Way Home and Across the Spider-Verse. All of them focus on the idea of a multiverse where different versions of Spider-Man meet and realize they are not alone. This idea is interesting because Spider-Man often feels lonely due to the great responsibility he has. But after seeing this same theme in so many movies I’m starting to wish for a new kind of Spider-Man story.
The Insomniac Spider-Man games are a nice break from all the multiverse Spider-Man stories. They still explore similar ideas like how Miles and Peter try to balance being heroes with their everyday lives. but they don’t get caught up in complex stuff like multiverse theories and traveling to other dimensions.
It might sound strange to talk about a game where you fight a guy who turns into a giant lizard, but the Insomniac Spider-Man games feel more realistic which makes them easier for me to relate to. Even though I enjoy Spider-verse stories they are not the reason I fell in love with the character. The stories in Insomniac’s games are amazing and feel like classic Spider-Man tales.
Hoping for the Best Staying Positive Through Uncertainty
There are two possible reasons for the multiverse teaser in Spider-Man 2 that I’d be okay with.
The scene where a Spider-verse portal opens and Peter talks to a bartender who steals his Spider-bots is an Easter egg that connects Insomniac's Spider-Man games to Peter's PS5 cameo in both Spider-verse movies. In this scene the bartender mentions Miguel O'Hara or Spider-Man 2099 who is the villain in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. This hints at the PS5 Peter being recruited by him and appearing briefly in the movie.
Another possible explanation I could accept is that the scene was meant to be part of a canceled Spider-Man 2 multiplayer spinoff which was going to have a Spider-verse theme. Even though I'm tired of Spider-verse stories I would have been okay with it if it meant I could swing through the city with friends in a separate game. Since the story probably wouldn't have been the main focus using the Spider-verse to explain why Spider-Gwen and others showed up would have been fine with me.
I hope the multiverse scene was included for one of two reasons not just to hint at what's coming next for Peter and Miles. At the end of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, there were some exciting hints like Cindy Moon being introduced and the possibility of Doc Ock and Norman Osborne teaming up. I hope Insomniac focuses on one of those storylines instead of just following the multiverse trend.
If Spider-Man 3 is part of the Spider-verse I’ll start my own podcast just to talk badly about Spider-Man like J. Jonah Jameson.
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