The Insufficient Focus on Miles Morales in Spider-Man 2
Miles Morales takes a backseat in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, leaving fans feeling disconnected from his character as he receives significantly less involvement in the game's main story
Highlights
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 delivers an exciting superhero story with both Peter Parker and Miles Morales, but Miles may feel sidelined in the main story.
The primary narrative revolves around Peter's battle against the Symbiote suit, overshadowing any personal involvement of Miles in the plot.
Although Miles participates in less intense activities and assumes the role of the "Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man," there is room for him to have a more substantial contribution to the storyline without compromising the slice-of-life elements.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for Marvel's Spider-Man 2. The game delivers an exhilarating and captivating superhero narrative featuring two beloved characters, Peter Parker and Miles Morales. While the inclusion of multiple playable characters enhances Spider-Man 2's gameplay and side quests, it inadvertently marginalizes Miles Morales within the main storyline.
Although Marvel's Spider-Man 2's plot doesn't directly continue from its predecessors, the personal growth each Spider-Man undergoes in their respective standalone titles carries over into this shared story. Both Peter and Miles have endured loss and trauma, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 builds upon these experiences while introducing new challenges for the heroes to confront. This results in a genuinely gripping tale of friendship, mortality, and grief, yet unfortunately, Miles often feels like an afterthought, which is regrettable.
Miles Morales Feels Disconnected from Spider-Man 2's Main Story
In Spider-Man 2, Peter takes the spotlight as the central character, while Miles plays a supportive role. The main conflict involving the symbiote suit primarily involves Peter, rather than Miles. Although Miles is connected to the symbiote plot through his relationship with Peter, he is more of a secondary character than a co-lead.
Peter's story focuses on his efforts to reconnect with his once-ill friend, Harry Osborn, who miraculously recovers thanks to the symbiote. The film reveals that the symbiote briefly possesses Peter before ultimately taking control of Harry. Consequently, two significant plot points revolve around Peter's struggle with the symbiote possessing him and his internal conflict regarding his best friend being controlled by the symbiote. During this time, Miles provides assistance, helping Peter remove the symbiote suit and playing a vital role in preventing Venom from causing destruction. However, the narrative primarily revolves around Peter, not Miles.
Miles, on the other hand, spends the majority of his time grappling with thoughts of revenge against Mr. Negative—a internal conflict that was not a significant focus in the previous games and feels forced. In addition to that, Miles faces challenges in completing his college applications, assists in solving museum thefts, and participates in other mundane, everyday activities. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 doesn't make Miles out to be a bad or uninteresting character, but the way he is woven into the story can make him appear like a sidekick without any personal investment in the plot. His motivations seem to stem more from a desire to do what is right and protect the city rather than a deep connection to the antagonistic forces, which is a common theme in Spider-Man narratives.
Nonetheless, there are advantages to how Miles is utilized in the game. Spider-Man 2 still includes random crimes and a wide range of side missions, some of which are specific to each hero. While Peter is preoccupied with complex relationship issues and emotional turmoil, giving Miles the less high-stakes activities allows him to embody the role of the "Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man". Assisting his fellow high school students in asking each other to the Homecoming dance, feeling anxious around his crush, and capturing scenic photos for the AV Club make Miles feel more like the typical, relatable Spider-Man, providing a contrast to Peter's high-tech, alien-influenced interpretation of the character.
However, Miles should have had a more extensive role in the narrative. Typically, Spider-Man tales revolve around the protagonist's balancing act between small, personal challenges and monumental perils. Therefore, it was unnecessary for Miles to be marginalized in order to achieve this authentic portrayal of everyday life. Hopefully, the upcoming Marvel's Spider-Man 2 sequel will strike a more harmonious equilibrium for the character.
Currently, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 can be enjoyed on the PS5 platform.
