Summary
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2is shaping up to tell another original story, something Insomniac Games has been doing regularly throughout the series thus far. The developer has kept all the most important aspects of the characters from the comics intact, but it has also put unique spins on them, like Prowler becoming a proper ally for Miles andMary Jane Watsonbeing a journalist. Alongside some smart alterations to its cast, Insomniac has told fully new tales as opposed to borrowing its plots directly from the comics. This is just one reason thatKraven’s Last Huntwill likely not be adapted in the sequel.
Kraven will be serving as a major antagonist in the upcoming game alongside the fan favorite villain Venom, and whenever Kraven appears, a mention ofKraven’s Last Huntis often close behind. One of the most iconic Spider-Man stories of all time,Kraven’s Last Hunttakes The Hunter and his prey to a very dark place. WhileMarvel’s Spider-Man 2is confirmed to tell a darker story, there are a few reasons it will likely avoidKraven’s Last Huntthat go beyond Insomniac’s focus on originality.
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Why Kraven’s Last Hunt Does Not Work For Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
One reason thatMarvel’s Spider-Man 2fans may be expectingKraven’s Last Huntto be retold within the game is the fact that the black suit and Kraven are both going to be a major focus. However, one misconception aboutKraven’s Last Huntis that it is aSymbiotestory. In the comics, after Peter ditched the alien parasite, he still used the black costume for a time due to its immense popularity. This was the case forKraven’s Last Hunt, as though he wore the black suit, there was no Symbiote corrupting Peter and impacting his actions. As such, the Symbiote and Kraven being in the same game does not guarantee that this story is on the way.
Another important thing to keep in mind aboutKraven’s Last Huntis that it serves as a payoff for years of failure on Kraven’s part. By the time the tale begins,Kraven The Hunterhas completely snapped, with his mental state rapidly deteriorating due to a deadly disease. At the end of the story, Kraven shoots himself, satisfied with his “victory” over Spider-Man and not wanting to die slowly. Considering thatMarvel’s Spider-Man 2will seemingly be Kraven’s first Spidey-related hunt, it would be odd for it to be his last. It is hard to imagine Kraven being so desperate and unhinged without having lost to the wall-crawler at least once, soKraven’s Last Huntmay be worth saving forMarvel’s Spider-Man 3instead.
Another thing to consider is that a good story does not always translate well to another medium, and this particular arc could be a good example of that. For a large portion ofKraven’s Last Hunt, Peter is buried in a grave, with Kraven shooting him and leaving him for dead. After this moment, readers saw Kraven pretending to be Spider-Man, as he wanted to prove that he was superior to the wall-crawler. UnlessInsomniac Gameswere to make Kraven playable, this part of the story would not translate well to a game, as there would be very little gameplay involved.
In general,Kraven’s Last Huntdoes not make much sense within Insomniac’s universe. After “killing” Peter, it would make sense for Kraven to hunt the other active Spider-Man,Miles Morales, as opposed to donning Peter’s suit and out-heroing him. Alternatively, Miles would likely hunt for Kraven himself if Peter were to be taken down. Insomniac’s version of Mary Jane would not sit around worrying about where Peter has gone like her comic book counterpart did, either. A large portion of the original comic storyline simply would not work within the framework Insomniac has established.
Lastly, the concept of suicide is a sensitive subject, and one that is hard to touch on in a game that is rated T for Teen. With all this in mind, this belovedSpider-Man comicis unlikely to influenceMarvel’s Spider-Man 2all that much. While Insomniac may find a way to pay homage to the legendary artwork showing Peter as he crawls out of a grave, anything beyond that seems unlikely. This does not have to be a negative, though, as it means Insomniac will have a chance to tell an entirely new Kraven tale. WhileKraven’s Last Huntsets a very high bar, perhaps Insomniac can deliver a different story about The Hunter that is just as memorable.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2is scheduled to release on October 20 exclusively for PS5.
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