Marvel’s Spider-Manfans have a lot to look forward to with the upcoming sequel, especially when it comes to the villains that will be featured within the PS5 exclusive. Venom is, unsurprisingly, a massive draw, with the statue from the game’s collector’s edition depicting the monster in a battle with the two protagonists. Venom will not be alone, though, asKraven will be the other main villainand The Lizard will serve as a minor foe. However, Dr. Michael Morbius might just sneak his way into the game as well.
Including Morbius inMarvel’s Spider-Manwould be a bold move by Insomniac Games, as the character has become a laughingstock thanks to Sony’s horridMorbiusfilm. With “It’s Morbin’ Time” becoming a phrase that dominated the internet for months, andMorbiusmemes still managing to appear from time to time, the character’s reputation has taken a massive hit. Still, with Insomniac hiding the origins of the character within its first Spidey game, fans should not be too shocked if the vampire appears in the sequel.
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Dr. Morgan Michaels is Morbius’ Alter Ego
While players may be more familiar with the name MichaelMorbius, Morgan Michaels is one of the character’s aliases, maintaining the M.M. initials and scientific background. In the first game, Morgan Michaels was depicted as a good person despite his work on the Devil’s Breath virus that caused so many problems for the people of New York. He helps provide an antiserum for Devil’s Breath and even saves the wall-crawler’s life, but he may end up trying to take it some time down the road.
While this version of Morbius lacks traits that fans may be familiar with such as long dark hair, instead boasting a fairly normal appearance and looking older than many may expect, he is still on track to one day become an antagonist. This is because there is a lore entry inMarvel’s Spider-Manthat suggests Dr. Michaels has a genetic condition, withPeter Parkerspecifically noting that he is frail, boasts pale skin, and has very dark circles under his eyes. While the friendly neighborhood hero shrugs this off as sleep deprivation, fans will know that his original theory is correct, and Michaels’ health will likely lead him to becoming a vampire.
The version of Morbius thatInsomniac Gameshas set up is comparable to the one that fans of the comics will be familiar with, as he is not a truly bad person. Instead, he is cursed with a terrible life as a vampire and does whatever he needs to in order to survive. Sometimes, he even manages to do good deeds despite his vampiric nature, with anti-hero status applying more to Morbius than a true villain label. Perhaps this could be what the game leans into, with an optional quest line having Peter help Dr. Michaels come to terms with his life new as Morbius. While the two could still clash, the final mission could end with Peter letting Morbius go so long as some boundaries are established.
However, Dr. Michaels’ ties to Oscorp and his role as the Osborn family’s doctor could play into the sequel, allowing him to be part of the main story instead of being confined to a side mission chain. Most fans are assuming thatHarry Osborn will be VenominMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, with all signs pointing to Norman’s son taking on a role that usually belongs to Eddie Brock. If this is the case, once Harry gets out of hand, Norman may go to Morgan Michaels in hopes that he can develop a way to stop the Symbiote. Considering that Michaels delivered experimental treatments to Emily Osborn - Norman’s wife and Harry’s mother - he could be the right person for the job.
Regardless of whether he appears in optional content or the main story ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2- or even if he is held onto forMarvel’s Spider-Man 3- Insomniac’s Morbius deserves to appear in vampire form eventually. Dr. Michaels has already had a noteworthy impact on the story thus far, and he can continue to do so going forward. WithMarvel’s Midnights Suns’ version of Morbiusbeing the first step toward the character’s redemption, Insomniac’s talented writers could keep the ball rolling and help make him more than a meme.
Marvel’s Spider-Manis available now on PC, PS4, and PS5.
