Spider-Man's What If Symbiote Saga Brutally Kills Doc Ock and Kingpin

WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow #2 by Chip Zdarsky, Pasqual Ferry, Matt Hollingsworth, and VC's Joe Caramagna, on sale now.

In the world of Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow -- like other tragic realities in the Marvel Universe -- Peter Parker ended up fully embracing the Venom symbiote instead of separating from it before it could more permanently bond to him.

The final straw came when May Parker was caught in the crosshairs of a battle between Spider-Man and Hobgoblin. Unable to save her due to the fires consuming her building repelling the symbiote, Spider-Man murdered Hobgoblin for his crime.

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While the Marvel Universe fears the wrath of a rouge Spider-Man, certain figures try to move into a position to combat this. Notably, this includes Kingpin -- who could always put up with heroes due to their moralities keeping them from ever actually trying to kill him. Turning to other villains, Kingpin recruits Scorpion and Shocker, and the two villains ambush Spider-Man on the streets of New York, hoping to catch him by surprise. However, this attack proves to be a very poor decision.

Although Scorpion initially doubts this dark turn is real, Spider-Man proves it by forcing the symbiote down Scorpion's throat, suffocating and killing the villain. Horrified, Shocker unleashes a sonic blast that misses Spider-Man -- and almost kills a mother and her child, seemingly reminding Peter of the loss that drove him over the edge. Although Shocker's death isn't seen on-panel, the Kingpin is soon greeted by the darkened web-swinger -- who's brought one of Shocker's dismembered arms as proof of the villain's demise. Kingpin casually confronts Spider-Man, revealing his ensuing research has confirmed Spider-Man's identity. But he has no other loved ones for Fisk to threaten to ensure his own protection.

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With no alternative, Kingpin seems to accept his fate and spends his final moments insulting Spider-Man -- before getting his head reduced to glibs of bone and meat from a single well-placed super-powered punch. This results in the remaining villains -- along with J. Jonah Jameson, who had his hands brutally broken by this darker incarnation of Spider-Man -- to unite against the Wall-Crawler. But while Kraven goes to work figuring out a new plan of attack, Doctor Octopus is attacked from behind and mortally wounded by one of own henchmen. The henchman reveals himself to be this world's version of Eddie Brock -- and he has his own reasons for wanting to be the one to kill Spider-Man.

Thanks to his already enhanced abilities, Spider-Man was already theoretically a lethal fighter even before his growing corruption by the symbiote, but his morals always kept him in check. Now, before anyone can really understand what's happening, a rogue Spider-Man has started ruthlessly slaughtering his enemies. If Spider-Man continues down this path, it might not be long before he turns his attention to the other heroes of this reality -- and possibly brings about their demises as well.

KEEP READING: Spider-Man: How Peter Parker Almost Became Marvel's Dark Knight


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