Major Plot Twist Revealed for Marvel's Spider-Man 2: Fan-Favorite Villain out of the Picture?

In Marvel's Spider-Man 2, the narrative is driven by two distinct storylines. The first involves Harry Osborn and the symbiote he's bonded to, which is released from a green incubation chamber in Norman Osborn's penthouse. The second storyline follows Kraven, who arrives in New York City to hunt those he deems worthy. The intersection of both storylines is Dr. Curtis Connors and his Lizard persona, and the game reveals much about how this tangled intersection looks like. Kraven's ego as a hunter makes him yearn for a worthy equal, and it is explained that he does not need to rely on technology or equipment to defeat his opponents. However, his militia of hunters possesses an abundance of specialized, yellow-hued weapons, rotorcrafts, and drones, which seems to contradict this premise. The drones, in particular, could potentially have a lot of baggage attached to them if their appearance is intentionally meant to resemble one of Peter Parker's earliest supervillains.

Kraven Has Seemingly Gotten Hold of Vulture’s Flight Technology

Kraven's use of repurposed Vulture wing technology in the form of hunter drones in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 raises questions about his motives and the usefulness of this technology. While it is unclear why Kraven would need such advanced equipment, it is evident that the drones have not proven to be particularly effective in their current state. Miles and Ganke are both able to easily neutralize the drones, calling into question their actual connection to the Vulture. It remains to be seen whether Kraven has a reasonable explanation for his use of this technology in his battles.

Kraven could have added another trophy to his collection by hunting down and killing Vulture, but unfortunately, this option is not available as Vulture is still locked up in the Raft according to Kraven's datapad. Insomniac may not want to repeat history by featuring another Raft breakout sequence with the same villains getting free again, making Vulture inaccessible to Kraven.

Vulture’s Now Had Two Boss Fight Appearances in the Franchise Already

It remains to be seen if Vulture will make a return as a villain in future installments of the Spider-Man franchise. However, it's worth noting that his character has already been explored in both Marvel's Spider-Man and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. In the former, Vulture was part of a makeshift Sinister Six led by Doctor Octopus, while in the latter, a holographic simulation of him was used as a training module for Miles based on Peter's encounter with the villain at ESU. While it's possible that there could be more to explore with Vulture, it's uncertain how much more development his character could realistically undergo given his previous appearances in the games.

However, there is the risk of oversaturating Vulture's presence in Insomniac's universe, considering his prominent role in the franchise. The same can be said for Rhino, who has also appeared as an antagonist in both entries. However, Rhino's reprisal in Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales was more compelling, as he received a major upgrade with red Roxxon armor and a literal appearance. To bring Vulture back in a future sequel, Insomniac may need to give him a comparable upgrade or fashion him with emotional resonance within the narrative. Otherwise, fans may not see Vulture again, leaving room for lesser-known or oversaturated antagonists like Kraven to make an appearance.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 launches on October 20, exclusively for PlayStation 5.