Peter Parker can claim many qualities. Diligent, intelligent, heroic, but perhaps most of all, Peter is moral. For years he has lived by the classic code we all know and love, “with great power, comes great responsibility.” There have been times when this has been tested, seen in the Back in Black arc where Peter donned his black spider-suit, brimming with anger over the sniping of Aunt May, and times when his heroism rose above all, showcased when he singlehandedly fought the Phoenix Force endowed X-Men Magik and Colossus during Avengers vs. X-Men. But as the Superior Spider-Man proved to readers, as well as certain Spider-Men catching their spotlight in Spider-Verse, Peter could have chosen a different meaning of great responsibility, a deadlier take on his iconic mantra.

In this series of articles exploring the Spider-Men of the Spider-Verse, I’d like to take a look at one of the darker versions of Spider-Man, Assassin Spider-Man of Earth-8351 (First appearance: What If? Spider-Man Vs. Wolverine #1).

Imagine a Peter Parker who received training instead of learning everything on through trial and error… now witness a Spider-Man who was taught by one of the world’s greatest killers. Trained by the best at what he does, the Wolverine himself, Peter-8351 possesses all of the skills Spider-Man-616 wields,as well as a stronger spider-sense enhanced to the point of clairvoyance, or as Logan put it, knowing things before Logan himself did. He maintains an assassin’s demeanor, calm, collected, and focused. In addition, his web shooters have a little surprise in the form of bullets.

What truly sets this Spider apart from many of the others is the ruthlessness behind his actions and the ease at which he kills his enemies. This is truly a Spider-Man who does whatever it takes to get the job done, much like his mentor. This Peter’s motivation is revealed in his thoughts, “with great power comes great responsibility … and greater enemies. The kind who don’t show mercy. I could either watch them kill the people I loved, or admit I’m at war. And start acting like it.” He is the only Spider-Man thus far to leave everything behind, including Aunt May and Mary Jane Watson, in the name of eliminating his enemies. Constantly serious, with bullets replacing the usual witty quips, perhaps this Spidey doesn’t need the coping mechanism of constantly joking with his foes that Spider-Man-616 has admitted to using. He’s not one to be worried or nervous with his enemies dead and unlikely to return and hurt the people he has already left behind.

Spider-Man-8351 is arguably one of the strongest Spider-Men of the entire roster. With formal training, a superior spider-sense, and a coldhearted demeanor, this is the Spider-Man that the original Peter Parker could have become. Would Peter-616 have a better life if he put down his enemies, taking care of them once and for all? Or does the very act of killing make him less of a hero? In any case, he’ll be an asset in the upcoming war of Spider-Verse, pairing up with the Superior Spider-Man to take down the Inheritors.

Tune in next week to learn more about the heroes, anti-heroes, and villains found in the growing Spider-Man roster!

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