Changing of the Doctor: What Goes Into A Regeneration

 

If you poll a group of Doctor Who fans who their first Doctor was, you'll probably get a good variety in the results. Since the show's inception in 1963, there have been thirteen incarnations of the Doctor. The recasting of the Doctor is done in-show through regeneration, an ability Time Lords possess where their entire person goes through a metamorphosis that changes them physically and mentally, usually triggered when they're near death. This allows each actor who has portrayed the Doctor to put their own spin on the character, and has helped the show retain the same continuity for nearly sixty years.
When I first decided to watch Doctor Who, it was David Tennant's Tenth Doctor that got me hooked. After his three seasons as the Time Lord, I was really hesitant to continue the show without him. I did give Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor a chance, and I was still having a good time. I had similar reservations when it came to Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor, and while it took a little longer, he won me over as well. As such, Capaldi was still the Doctor when I was finally caught up and watching new episodes as they aired, including his farewell and regeneration into Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor. And as for Whitaker, I loved her from the start as she brought back the young energy that was present in Tenant and Smith's seasons.
So where am I going with all this? Well, between the recent holiday marathon on BBC and rewatching some episodes on HBO Max, I started to think more about the Doctor's regenerations. Along with outside factors and the implications of subconscious input from the Doctor while preparing for his next form, I thought back to where each of my Doctors were at the moment of regeneration and how it influenced the next incarnation.
So for this post, I'll be examining the progression of the Doctor's character and the transitions of Ten to Eleven, Eleven to Twelve, and Twelve to Thirteen.

TEN TO ELEVEN

"I don't want to go." That line has more connotations to the Eleventh Doctor than you may think.
There's no doubt that there are many similarities between the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors. Young guys with brown hair, fun personalities but knowing when to get serious, and both have some of my favorite epic and emotional moments of the show. It's probably why I always struggle with which one is my favorite. I know deep down it's Tennant, but Smith just knows how to but his way into my heart.
Ten's reluctance to regenerate most likely resulted in Eleven having such similarities, which made the change less overwhelming compared to other metamorphoses we've seen the Doctor go through. But I see that unwillingness to let go carrying over to the Eleventh Doctor, particularly when it came to his companions. As River Song put it, he doesn't like endings. While Ten had various companions and was dismayed when they departed, he seemed to bury the pain deep as he moved on to the next adventure. For two and a half seasons, the Eleventh Doctor travelled with Amy Pond and Rory Williams. While the couple had their own lives to live, the Doctor saw them as his family and wanted to be with them for as long as he could. So when he lost them in "The Angels Take Manhattan", it left the Doctor devastated, so much so that he briefly gave up travelling until coming across Clara Oswald and the Impossible Girl mystery.
This also plays into another difference between Ten and Eleven. While Ten had a more youthful personality and exuberated coolness, Eleven was more of an old man trapped in a young man's body trying harder to be cool and accepted by his companions. It certainly explains the suspenders and bow tie, even though he pulls them off beautifully (and of course bow ties are cool). Despite the thrill of travelling through time and space and constantly facing universal threats, the old soul of the Eleventh Doctor may have sought some stability, and he found that in Rory and Amy for quite some time.
In summation, the Eleventh Doctor came about out of a reluctance of change and fought it throughout his tenure as best he could, which culminated in his next regeneration.

ELEVEN TO TWELVE

Believing himself to be on his last incarnation and recent events having him revisit and coming to terms with his past, the Doctor was prepared to meet his end. But after being granted a new cycle of regenerations, the Doctor had come full circle as he prepared for his next change. Whereas Ten didn't want to go, Eleven bid farewell with full acceptance of what was coming. And his regeneration scene, from the Long Song instrumental in the background to the Doctor imagining Amy being there, is the one that always makes me tear up no matter how many times I watch it.
So gone were the youthful Doctors of Tennant and Smith as we welcomed the older Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor. This plays into the acceptance of Eleven's regeneration as he now looked as old as he felt; as Madame Vastra put it, the veil had lifted. The idea of acceptance also applied to his companion at the time, Clara Oswald. While Clara had known the Eleventh Doctor first and had encountered all the previous Doctors in a way due to some timey-wimey reasons, it took time for her to adjust to the new one. I myself took some time to get used to Capaldi's Doctor as during his first season, I found his bluntness, while funny at times, to be a little off putting; honestly, he could be kind of a dick. He got better in his subsequent seasons, which I attribute to Clara helping him form his moral compass. In any case, Capaldi had some great moments as the Doctor and I was sad to see him go in the end.
Upon rewatching his first season recently though, I understood better what they were going for when the Twelfth Doctor debuted. From facing his past and being granted a new regeneration cycle, it was almost like a hard reset. You could say it's an inverse of Eleven, being a young man in an old man's body (and you can see that in some of the activities Twelve enjoys). The Doctor was acting like he did when he first came to Earth in his original incarnation, and had to relearn how to be a part of humanity again. It almost seemed fitting then in Capaldi's final episode, "Twice Upon A Christmas" that his Twelfth Doctor encountered the First Doctor, which I believe played a factor in the next regeneration.

TWELVE TO THIRTEEN

On the cusp of his next regeneration, the Twelfth Doctor had had enough of all the losses he had suffered, his past selves included, and was willing to succumb to his injuries rather than change again and go on. But after facing his past self (the First Doctor approaching his first regeneration) and the memories of his past companions, he decides to give it one go around. Enter Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor.
So how did we get from old Scotsman to a young woman? I think it comes down to two central themes. The first is open mindedness. Part of it has to do with his interactions with both his past self and his last companion, Bill Potts, in his final episode. I mean, we have an old man from the 60's with, shall we say, "old fashioned values" and a young gay woman from the 21st century. Twelve is visibly embarrassed by his former self's "not very PC" comments, especially in front of Bill. The change could be seen as the Doctor hoping to make amends for any past behavior that could be viewed as offensive.
But there's also the change in personality as well. Like Tennant and Smith, Whittaker brings back some youthful energy as the Doctor and is much more approachable than her predecessor, leading to a large travel entourage in Yaz, Graham, and Ryan as her tenure began. That brings us to the second theme: hope. As times got dark for Twelve, he wanted something better for his next incarnation and to be a symbol for good that the universe needed. This results in Thirteen's shining personality, positive nature, and her resilient chipper attitude which has all gotten her through some pretty touch scrapes so far.

While it's easy to see each Doctor as their own character, there's definitely progression from each regeneration to the next with a fundamental road map to the changes that occur. It'll be interesting to see where the Thirteenth Doctor goes and what events will influence the Fourteenth when the time comes. But no matter the face or personality, there is one constant: the Doctor is a wise, caring person who will always look for fun and stand up for what's right.

Retro Review: "Batman: Ego"

 

I'm very much looking forward to next year's "The Batman" film directed by Matt Reeves of Cloverfield and Planet of the Apes fame. Based on the first trailer, it'll feel like Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy with a new flare. And I really have faith Robert Pattinson will pull it off as the Caped Crusader and feel some people really need to let go of the Twilight hate, separate the actor from Edward, and give him a chance. 
The new film will be set during Bruce Wayne's second year as Batman. In addition to newer material like Scott Snyder's "Zero Year" and Geoff Johns' "Earth One" series, inspiration for the film will be taken from classic Batman stories "Year One" and "The Long Halloween", much like the Nolan series. But there's one story Matt Reeves is drawing from that may have been overlooked by fans compared to other well known Batman tales.
"Batman: Ego" was a one-shot graphic novel released in 2000 written and drawn by the late Darwyn Cooke. With this story playing a part of what will be the next cinematic version of Batman, I decided to give it a look. And boy we are in for something quite different next year.

The story takes place from what I surmise to be around Bruce's fourth year as Batman. After capturing the Joker again, a physically and mentally exhausted Batman is on the hunt for one left over Joker thug he had previously interrogated, Buster Snibbs, while wondering if his crusade against crime is making any real difference. Batman catches up to Buster, who is fearful of the Joker inevitably escaping yet again and coming after him and his family for his betrayal. Not wanting to face the clown's wrath, Buster reveals he had already killed his family before taking his own life in front of Batman. Bruce is shaken by the act as he returns back to the Batcave and contemplates giving up the cowl. It's at this point Bruce's mind splits and he finds himself speaking to a monstrous form of Batman, as the two spend the rest of the book discussing the creation and ramifications of Batman and what the best possible path ahead should be.

And that's all I'm saying about the plot without delving too far into spoilers. "Batman: Ego" is a deep dive into Bruce Wayne's psyche done in a very creative way as he questions the pledge he made on his parents' graves. Such a concept will be new territory in terms of Batman movies when the 2022 film comes out. Sure we've seen Michael Keaton's Batman brooding and Christian Bale's Batman mourning over Rachel's death while being shaken by Joker's actions. But any insight into Keaton's Batman is subtle since much focus went to his villains and Bale's Batman was active for only a short time before his eight year retirement. When we meet Robert Pattinson's Batman, he'll already be a seasoned vigilante and the events of the film are sure to put him through the wringer. You know that one scene in the trailer where we see Pattinson's Bruce removing his mask in the Batcave and looking so defeated, hair disheveled and the eye make-up still on?

People have made the emo jokes over it, but after reading "Ego", I see more clearly where the film is going and how vulnerable Bruce may be feeling in this moment.

The writing is no doubt good, but the art is where the story really comes to life. Darwyn Cooke was regarded as one of the best artists in the comic industry, and "Ego" is no exception. Not only are Bruce's conversations with his Batman persona (whose design is simple yet unsettling) done in a dynamic way, but the scenes in the city and flashbacks give the story a very timeless quality. It reminds me a lot of "Batman: The Animated Series", which actually makes sense after finding out Cooke worked on storyboards for that and other shows set in the DC Animated Universe.

For Batman fans, "Ego" truly is recommended reading and I'm sorry I overlooked it for so long. Hopefully this story is a harbinger of the kind greatness we can expect from "Battinson".

My Top 10 Favorite Nickelback Songs

 

Considering what a crapstorm 2020 was, I feel it's best to start off the new year with a little positivity. So let's talk about Nickelback.
That little joke aside, I never got the hate for Nickelback. They're far from my favorite band, but they're hardly the worst. When it comes to music in the 2000's, you couldn't listen to the radio or watch MTV or VH1 during their music video blocks without the band popping up. And from what I could remember, I and a lot of people enjoyed them (their chart performance and awards being the proof in the pudding). The significant wave of negativity towards them didn't really seem to come until the following decade, hating them just becoming the popular thing to do. It's like people who make "Aquaman sucks" jokes but know next to nothing about the character.
The main criticism is that their music is too formulaic. While there's some basis for that claim, you could arguably say the same about almost every band. Some artists just tend to create music they and their fans enjoy without straying too far from the norm, and there's nothing necessarily wrong with that. Ironically, the jokes people make over the band have gotten as repetitive as the music they criticize.
Look, if you don't like Nickelback, it's fine; you're entitled to your opinion. But the idea that they're the worst band ever is pure hyperbole. So I feel the need to talk about the songs that stand out with a good sound and lyrics with substance. These are my top 10 favorite Nickelback songs.

10. FEED THE MACHINE

I admittedly didn't follow Nickelback as much after their 2011 album "Here and Now", but when "Feed the Machine" came out in 2017, this song really lit up on my radar. I just never thought of Nickelback doing a political/revolutionary type of song, but here we are. And considering my love for stories like "Code Geass" and "V for Vendetta", I'm a sucker for songs like this. The only reason it's on the bottom of the list is how recent it is compared to the rest of the entries.
The heavy sound can really get you riled up while the lyrics do a good job of conveying the oppressive idea of society only working right if everyone does the job they're assigned without question. The way 2020 played out, I feel the themes of this song hit even harder than it did back in 2017. As Donald Trump's presidency was partial inspiration for the song, it seems poetic that this song came out when he first took office and I decided to do this list as he's on his way out.

9. PHOTOGRAPH

Man, there was no escape from this song when it came out. I mean, it is quite catchy with a good mix of acoustic and electric guitar, also being easy to sing along to. While this is more of a personal song for the band about looking back at their hometown lives and how things have changed since they became famous, the themes "Photograph" represents can be relatable to anyone. We can look back with fondness at both good and bad times in our lives as they make us who we are today, but it's important to not dwell on them and keep moving forward. Whatever it may invoke in you, "Photograph" should make you feel something.

8. FEELIN' WAY TOO DAMN GOOD

It's not one of their biggest hits, but "Feelin' Way Too Damn Good" has always spoke to me. In my younger days, I connected with it as a long-distance relationship song. And while that sentiment remains, listening to it again recently has me getting a "expectations vs. reality" vibe. I think we all have those moments where things are going so well in our lives, like a relationship as it applies to this song, but are cautious of something coming in to ruin it. Feelings like that can be self-sabotage in a way. In either case, "Feelin' Way Too Damn Good" is an underrated song that deserves a listen.
 

7. NEVER AGAIN

This is probably the Nickelback song with the darkest subject matter, detailing an abusive relationship that has reached its breaking point. The first two thirds of the song go into the worst it has ever been, touching on things like how it must be "her fault", worry from others, and covering it up at the hospital. It really takes a turn in the last third when it's time to go on the defensive and I just love the following stanza:

"Father's a name you haven't earned yet 

You're just a child with a temper

Haven't you heard don't hit a lady?

Kicking your ass would be a pleasure"

Following that, the next stanza is a parallel to how the song begins, only this time the woman is prepared, gun in hand, putting him down before he has the chance to do anything. To me, it really invokes a feeling of satisfaction and liberation.
Overall, the music and lyric composition of "Never Again" do well crafting the story it tells and shows Nickelback can deal with such a serious topic.

6. IF TODAY WAS YOUR LAST DAY

It seems like almost every Nickelback album has that one song that's motivational, uplifting, or a call for unity. While songs like "If Everyone Cared" and "When We Stand Together" are more about world peace, "If Today Was Your Last Day" is about inner peace. These days, that concept seems more probable to attain than the others. The message of the song still rings true and much like "Feed the Machine", it should hit a lot harder the way 2020 went. Tomorrow's not a guarantee for you or those you care about, so make peace with your past, do right by others, and take those risks that could lead to something grand.

5. BURN IT TO THE GROUND

Out of Nickelback's partying/drinking songs, "Burn it to the Ground" is the best in this regard. It's a real headbanger with energy from start to finish as the lyrics describe a night of debauchery. What I really like in the last third of the song is how Chad Kroeger's vocals start to calm down, signaling the good times are about over, only for him to get his second wind and close out the song even stronger than when it started. What also helps put this song high on the list for me is how much exposure it got, like being used as the theme song for WWE Raw for a time and included in "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"; and say what you will about that movie, but it had a damn good soundtrack.

4. GOTTA BE SOMEBODY

If there was an anthem for the hopeless romantics who believe in soul mates, "Gotta Be Somebody" is definitely a front runner. While it's definitely as "pop rock" as Nickelback can get, the song does well in describing the search for the ideal relationship, going so far as to compare it something out of a movie. And I really just like the song's hopeful message, urging those who have yet to find someone to grow old with not to give up.

3. ROCKSTAR

If you claim you weren't singing along to "Rockstar" (especially in a group) when it came out and was hitting its pique popularity, you might be lying. I mean, who hasn't in some point in their lives want to be a famous rockstar? Imagine my surprise while making this list when I found out that despite this song's popularity, it received a lot of negative reviews. Some people just really need to lighten up. It's a catchy and fun song about the perks of living the sweet life, slightly touching on its' dark side, with vocal cameos from Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top as the cherry on top.

2. SAVIN' ME

I unashamedly have this one in my emo playlist. The contents and the title itself are essentially a cry for help, seeking reassurance that their life has merit. Just for a few examples, "Savin' Me" can apply to dealing with mental illness or to find salvation from a self-destructive life style. Along with the message, I love the overall composition of the song, from the acoustic guitar in the beginning, the piano at the end, and the echo of the back-up vocals, signifying a distant call to anyone who will listen. It's definitely worth a listen.

And my favorite Nickelback song is...

HOW YOU REMIND ME

The song that first shot the band to super stardom. Even if you don't like Nickelback, how can you not be singing and/or headbanging along to this rocking classic? The guitar notes and drum beats alone make "How You Remind Me" iconic and easily identifiable. And as the song draws inspiration from a past dysfunctional relationship of Kroeger's, the song paints the ups and downs and struggle to let it go. It all builds to a finish that is climactic in sound and bittersweet in lyrics, coupled with Kroeger's explosive vocals during the final chorus. Will you be having fun listening to this one? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

And that's my top ten favorite Nickelback songs. If my selections and reasonings have given anyone any inklings to give the band a second chance, I'll consider that a win. Happy New Year and stay positive!

Movie Review: Wonder Woman 1984 - The Hope We Need Right Now

 

2020 has been quite a year to say the least, and we could really use something positive as it nears its end. Thankfully, we have a new Wonder Woman film to help with that. Her first film in 2017 was not only the first successful female lead superhero movie but also helped start the DCEU on a much needed winning streak (aside from that Whedon hiccup, but that will be rectified next year). With lead Gal Gadot and director Patty Jenkins guiding the ship again, they bring a film that delivers a message we could use heading into the new year.

For a film that was originally slated for a November 2019 release, the events that take place make it surprisingly more relevant now given all that has happened in 2020 as we see a world plunging further and further into chaos. Even Diana is affected by this, taking obvious physical damage compared to her other previous film appearances. The film shows that even someone like Wonder Woman can be vulnerable in more ways than one. And it ties in to the message of the film: life can't always be what we want it to be and shortcuts can have more consequences than we realize. To apply this to 2020, as much as we'd like things to go back to normal or just pretend like it is when it's not, it'll take time until we're truly there again.

As the trailers show, Chris Pine returns as Steve Trevor in a way more peculiar than how I thought it would happen. Nevertheless, it's great to see he and Diana reunited, with his future shock of being transported nearly 70 years entertaining and comparable to Diana's first visit to man's world. The two share some great heartfelt moments together, but from what we know in present day DCEU films, the borrowed time added to their story makes how it concludes all the more tragic.

Then we have our two main villains:
* I'm not that big of fan of Kristen Wiig, but she really surprised me as Barbara Minerva/Cheetah. Her transformation into the villain reminds me a lot of Michelle Pfiefer as Catwoman in "Batman Returns", going from meek to empowered with a touch of a psychotic break. In a moment where she first acts on her dark nature on someone who sexually harassed her earlier in the film, the score by Hans Zimmer accentuates it with a mix of triumph and terror.
* When it comes to Pedro Pascal as Maxwell Lord, Donald Trump was clear inspiration in his performance. And while it's not a bad performance, it honestly felt laid on a little too thick. Now, I'm all for a Trump lampooning as much as the next guy; I've even brought up comparisons before with Kingpin in "Daredevil" and Lex Luthor in "Young Justice". But those were more subtle jabs compared to how direct it got with Lord in this film. Lord does get some redemption by the end and it shows Diana's ability to bring out the good in people; whether it feels earned or if Diana could be able to do the same for Trump is a different story.

While I did enjoy 1984 as much as I did the first film, on an initial viewing, I think the original is still a little better. 1984 can get a little overboard with the "deus ex machina" moments that play out, but there's still some good in there. Along with the emotional moments between Steve and Diana, we also get the exciting action moments. The best examples are the car chase scene in Cairo and the battle between Diana in the Asteria armor and a full-blown Cheetah Barbara in the climax (though the CGI on Cheetah can get a little iffy in spots), which remind me a lot of the No Man's Land scene and the fight with Ares in the first film, respectively. All in all, Gadot and Jenkins have given us another enjoyable film in my eyes and I look forward to what they bring to the third one.

Whether you're able to safely view it in theaters or stream it on HBO Max, Wonder Woman 1984 is the blockbuster we've needed all year and one that should give us inspiration as we head into hopefully a better one.

Movie Review: The New Mutants - The Breakfast X-Club

 

Ahh! After two years, it's here! It's time to review The New Mutants!
Originally set to be released in April 2018, this film has been plagued with delays due to reasons ranging from studio politics to a global pandemic. Those waiting for the film began to wonder whether it would ever see a theatrical release or at least just be sent to streaming. The New Mutants did finally hit theaters back in August, but between wanting to keep up some level of social distancing and the film's low critical score, I felt more comfortable waiting for the home release. Now that that's happened and I finally watched it, was the final film in Fox's X-Men franchise worth the incredibly long wait?

As it turns out, it was actually decent. I don't know if my expectations were just low with how it kept getting delayed, but I was surprised with how enjoyable I found it. It's nothing ground breaking, but a lot of the elements in place are executed well, making it a unique entry for the X-Men franchise.
Meant to be a horror superhero film, New Mutants does well in this aspect with some great visual effects as our protagonists experience their darkest memories and having to overcome them to survive. While it does get some decent scares in, I kept having this itch that they could have gone further with it. By the time we get to the climax, the horror aspect dropped down considerably and felt like another superhero movie with a big CGI powered slugfest. Still, if we compare this film to the other horror comic property this year, "Helstrom", I certainly got more out of New Mutants.

Within the world of X-Men, it's very similar to TV shows like "Legion" and "The Gifted" as we once again use a microscope to look at another part of the universe that's not connected to the major characters of the franchise. With our main characters basically in a mutant group home, we get to see how some are unfortunate enough not to be taken in by Xavier. All that said, the film doesn't shy away from connections, as the X-Men are referenced and we get another Mr. Sinister tease that ultimately wouldn't pay off (though I guess that allows Marvel a shot at the character). The setting of New Mutants is contemporary (possibly set a few years before the events of "Logan"), though one of the original plans was to set it during the 90's and feature James MacAvoy's Charles Xavier, and there were times I could see where the 90's setting would have worked. Though to be honest, the film probably would have worked in any timeframe they chose.

Our small cast were all around entertaining, each of them having a distinct background and personality that play off well with each other. My favorites of the film were Maisie Williams and Anya Taylor-Joy as Rahne and Illyana, respectively. The relationships between characters were fun to watch as well as they learn to come together. My favorite in this aspect was the romance between Rahne and Dani, though I have to give a shout out to the budding friendship between Roberto and Sam, even though they weren't able to reach the bromance level they're known for in the comics.

While "Dark Phoenix" ended the main series with little impact, "The New Mutants" shows how much creativity could still be had with the X-Men franchise, even though a future with these characters was gone before it really started. As the last film in the overall series, I can say it closes things out not necessarily with a bang, but with at least a little more flash.
As a whole, I think Fox did the best they could in their 20 years with the X-Men and I thank them for their part on making the comic book movie mainstream and the iconic performances that resulted from their films. But now we look to the future. The ball of limitless potential that is the X-Men is in your court now Marvel, and I look forward to see what you do with it.

My Final X-Men Film Rankings:
1. X-Men: Days of Future Past
2. Logan
3. X-Men: Apocalypse
4. Deadpool
5. Deadpool 2
6. X-Men: First Class
7. X2
8. The Wolverine
9. X-Men
10. The New Mutants
11. X-Men: Dark Phoenix
12. X-Men: The Last Stand
13. X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Video Game Review: "Spider-Man: Miles Morales" - You're Gonna Go Far, Kid

First the focus of an animated movie, and now his own video game. You're really coming up in the world, Mr. Morales. Set one year after the hit 2018 game, Miles Morales puts his powers and training to the test as he defends New York as its sole Spider-Man while Peter Parker is out of town. Considering Spider-Man games up to this point have all been about Peter and any use of Miles has mostly been his costume as an alternate skin, this is a pretty big deal. And for their second outing, Insomniac Games is able to knock it out of the park again as they expand on Miles' place in this Spider-Man universe they've crafted.

We once again have a truly engaging story as we get a deeper look into Miles' life, family, and friends. You become emotionally invested in Miles' relationships, which makes for another intense climax. Admittedly, the story does have some of the same beats from the first game, but does enough to set itself apart. It all actually kind of reminds me of "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm."

What I really like is how they really establish this as Miles' story. When it comes to Miles in other mediums, it usually seems like he's dealing with problems or villains from Peter's side of things; hell, he barely has his own rogues gallery. Once Peter is out of the game's story, the villains and problems Miles faces are truly his.
One of the things I liked about the last game was Spider-Man being able to walk down the street and interact with the people, showing his strong connection with the city. Miles' game is able to amplify this as one of the side plots with Miles growing his reputation in his new neighborhood of Harlem. The more Miles does for his community, the more the citizens appreciate him and come to accept him as just good as the first Spider-Man and their own local hero. You even get three additional skins due to this.
When it comes down to it, my main takeaway from this story is how important it is to stay connected, be it with family, friends, and the community as a whole, and how just reaching out can go a long way. And in these trying times, it's something we can all take to heart.

While the basic mechanics are similar to Peter's, Miles' body movements show how rough around the edges he is compared to the veteran Spider-Man. When he's swinging, his limbs flail around a bit while sometimes going backwards and he has to try to balance himself whenever he lands on a perch position (also seen during stealth attacks), showing his less graceful acrobatics. On the plus side, his lighter build seems to allow him to go faster and get more air compared to Peter.
But you also get two additional powers Miles is known for. The first is the Venom Blast, a bio-electricity attack that packs some extra punch in combat and speed, and could be used in some pretty ingenious ways. For this power, I usually liked to use it for the bigger enemies or when I started to get ganged up on. The Venom Blast is also a big plot point in the story as Miles learns how to control it, as it can be dangerous to himself and the people he's trying to help.

The other new power is camouflage. Triggering this gives you invisibility for a short amount of time, so you really have to think about when you use it. While it's good to use when you're about to be seen during a stealth mission, I usually like to trigger it when I do one stealth takedown and then take out another grunt right after, depending how close they are.

Much like Peter in the first game, Miles has a good variety of alternate costumes to use. This ranges from the proto-suits, unique designs made for the game, ones for fun, and some alternate versions of the character. While Miles' doesn't have a well known wardrobe compared to Peter, the game designers did a good job giving Miles a library of choice and crafting suits that feel unique to the character. If I had to pick my favorites to use, it would be Crimson Cowl due to its incorporation of a hood on the costume, the "Into the Spider-Verse" suit because I love that movie, and the Bodega Cat suit because it's fun to have a little feline sidekick.

While improving on various elements from the 2018 game, "Spider-Man: Miles Morales" brings a unique gaming experience that make it just as fun if not more so than its predecessor. It could have been easy to write this game off as a spin-off or something to tide us over until Peter's next game, but the end result shows Miles' story is just as important in the grand scheme of things.

Analysis: "Spider-Man: Maximum Venom" Part Two

 

As we look into the second half of the "Maximum Venom" season, so too do we reach the final post of my long running analysis of the 2017 Spider-Man animated series. Does the season and series go out on a high note? Let's not waste time and dive in.

The fourth hour entitled "Spider-Man Unmasked" mainly focuses on Max Modell's hearing with the Horizon High school board over his experiments with the Venom symbiote. Peter and friends help with Max's defense as Curt Connors acts as prosecutor, his main argument being the safety of the students. Things aren't going well for Max, so in a last ditch effort, Peter suits up as Spider-Man to act as a character witness, citing Max's contributions in his efforts to protect the city. While he seems to be winning them over, Connors then calls out Spider-Man for being Peter Parker. With Max's job on the line and honesty being key, Peter unmasks to the school board (and to Gwen and Anya by proxy). This only drives home Connors' claims of Max's recklessness with his students since he knew Peter was Spider-Man. Having heard enough, the school board relieves Max of duty and places Connors in charge of Horizon. Luckily for Peter though, the contents of the hearing will be sealed from the public, keeping his secret safe. However, they decide that Spider-Man is barred from campus.
In the aftermath, a dejected Max closes himself off from his students. Gwen and Anya are obviously pissed with Peter for keeping his secret from them, though honestly, I'm kind of pissed at the writers for not making them smart enough to figure it out themselves. I mean, when three-fourths of your friend group get spider powers, chances are that fourth friend has them too. They eventually make amends with Peter apologizing to them after getting advice from Mary Jane about being honest with friends. Oh, and they do this all while dealing with mutated humanoid rhinos in Swarm's underground monster fighting league, creating combatants from serums developed by the Jackal and where criminals can watch and bet on the results. And I only bring this part up because it's relevant to what happens later.
In a weird way, "Spider-Man Unmasked" has a lot of important developments, but somewhat feels like filler. I guess I would say this is the weakest entry to this season.

A few weeks pass when we get to the fifth hour, "Generations", and Connors has gone full totalitarian as principal of Horizon. Security bots patrol the halls, school uniforms are imminent, and mysterious packages are being delivered to the faculty lounge by drones. When a lab accident takes down one of the delivery drones, Peter, Miles, and Anya realize the contents are vials of Jackal serum. After sneaking off with the drone's hard drive and taking it to Gwen, they're able to find the warehouse the drones are coming from. The Spider-Team split up, with Peter and Gwen heading to the warehouse while Miles and Anya figure out what's going on in the lounge. Thanks to his Venom Blast, Miles and Anya are able to get past the security in place to find a secret lab and a mysterious machine, only to get knocked out by Anya's stepsister Maria.
Spider-Man and Ghost Spider discover the Jackal and his own secret lab, which he soon enough sets to self-destruct. And it's worth noting that it's an underwater lair, and as the trope goes, underwater lairs always get destroyed. Before escaping though, Gwen is able to access Jackal's files and discovers what he's planning and who he's working for. Peter and Gwen head back to the school to save Miles and Anya, confronting Connors, Maria, and Jackal, as well as Swarm. And it's here we learn the true mastermind they've been working under: Norman Osborn (called it).

So how did Norman survive the finale of season one? Just barely, as he suffered burns across his body and lost an arm and leg. Since then, he's been watching from the shadows planning his vengeance on Spider-Man. He employs Connors, who has had occasional flare-ups from the Lizard formula in his body, promising to fully cure him in exchange for his help. To this end, he sets in the motion the events that would lead to Max's firing and placing Connors in charge of the school, giving Osborn the scientific resources he needs coupled with the money being made through Swarm's underground monster league to reach his final goal. Siphoning off DNA from the symbiote seed and combining it with Jackal's mutation serum, he's transformed into the Dark Goblin (no doubt somewhat inspired by the Carnage based Red Goblin identity Norman took in the comics briefly). Connors, experiencing another Lizard flare-up, begs Osborn for the cure he promised him. Osborn just laughs, saying he never planned to cure Connors. An angry Connors then fully transforms into the Lizard and attacks Osborn, but runs off after being clearly outmatched by the Dark Goblin's strength (and that's the last we see of him).
Wanting Spider-Man all to himself, Norman uses his minions to split up the rest of the Spider-Team:
* Anya takes on her step-sister Maria, who uses a Tarantula based exo-suit. Anya notices Maria forgetting personal details of their relationship, soon enough taking Maria down and revealing that it's the Chameleon in disguise.
* For those who don't remember, this version of the Jackal is Gwen's uncle Raymond. While Jackal and Norman had been enemies back in season one, Jackal decided to work for Norman with his own goal of getting close to his niece so that he can transform Gwen into a Jackal creature like himself. Thankfully, Gwen is saved in time by Miles.
* As for Miles, he takes on Swarm. Through Swarm's exposition about working with Osborn so he can protect his neighborhood and son from the dangers that the Spiders bring, Miles realizes Swarm is his father, Jefferson Davis, unmasking in front of him. An ashamed Jefferson soon flees after realizing what he's done. Honestly, this is the weakest of the "family feud" theme they were going with these fights. Gwen and Raymond's deal had been established in season one and Anya's conflict was based on deception. Making Swarm Miles' dad comes across as a last minute decision. While it seems they didn't want to bring in Miles' uncle Aaron as Prowler since they already established the Hobie Brown Prowler in season two, I don't think they fully thought through the Swarm idea. Jefferson appeared in a single episode back in season one, and his motivation to protect his neighborhood is really lacking because of that; it probably would have helped if there were more Miles focused episodes prior to this. And aside from a couple mentions in the finale, there's unfortunately no resolution to this plotline.

As Peter and Norman fight, Harry enters the fray as Hobgoblin, having been called ahead of time before Peter and Gwen got back to the school. Norman tries the whole Darth Vader "join me" schpeel with Harry, but the son isn't buying what the father is selling. With Peter and Harry getting the upper hand and none of his minions responding, a desperate Norman uses symbiote tendrils to grab more vials of Jackal serum to absorb, mutating further (taller, stronger, more eyes, horns, and spider legs sticking out of his back). The rest of the Spider-Team return to the scene and through a hard fought and very entertaining battle, they're able to get Norman back into the machine to reverse the transformation, turning him from the Dark Goblin back to his human form (though on the plus side, he has both his arms and legs again).
Since Norman's confession was recorded by a security bot, Peter brings it to the school board, showing that Max's experiments were safe and contained had it not been for Osborn and Connors. While I feel this ignores some of the legitimate points Connors did have about safety, we need the happy ending, so Max is reestablished as the principal of Horizon High.
Despite some problems, I'd go so far as to say "Generations" was the best entry of this season with good fights and the payoff of Norman Osborn's return as well as resolution to his and Jackal's storylines.

We now come to the season finale of "Maximum Venom"..."Maximum Venom" (hmm, maybe they were running out of steam by the end).
This hour begins with Spider-Man teaming up with the Avengers and playing a vital role in defeating MODOK. Afterward, Tony offers Peter membership to the Avengers once he's done with school, though he has to think about it since it would involve giving up his personal life.
Later on, Peter, Gwen, and Anya go in search for the Lizard, only to find a resurrected Venom. But before they can find out how he's alive, he disappears. While this is a problem to be dealt with, the Spider-Team doesn't want this to spoil the school dance Horizon is having for Max's return as principal, where Peter brings Mary Jane as his date. It's been building up slowly since her debut in the series, but the chemistry between the two is adorable. They both clearly like each other, and Mary Jane's more outgoing nature plays off well with Peter's awkwardness.
As the dance gets going, Max unveils his latest invention for the occasion: a transdimensional gateway that can not only open up a portal anywhere on Earth, but to far off worlds. When something begins approaching the portal on the alien world, Peter calls for Max to close it. It's then revealed that Venom is in control of Max (which was actually hinted at prior in this episode).
As it turns out, a small sliver of the Venom symbiote survived when Peter destroyed the beacon it sent out at the beginning of the season, hiding itself in the symbiote seed. The sliver then slipped into Max, biding its time and growing inside, eventually being able to use Max as a puppet. After getting all the other students clear, the Spider-Team suits up to deal with not only Venom, but his symbiote sisters then come through the portal: Scream, Scorn, and Mania. Their goal this time isn't conquest of Earth, but annihilation.

Venom is sent through the portal to retrieve the "world killer" as Spider-Man gives chase. Said "world killer" is basically a giant symbiote dragon, which Venom flies back to Earth (destroying Horizon as it comes through the portal) with Spidey hanging on. The symbiote sisters, after taking down the rest of the Spider-Team, retrieve the symbiote seed and give it to the dragon, powering it up to fire destructive laser beams across the city. On top of the dragon, Spidey and Venom continue to fight, with Peter trying to reach Max inside. Despite Max's negative feelings over all his failures fueling the symbiote, Peter is able to give a pep talk that raises Max's spirits enough to take control. Peter and Max, using the symbiote's strength for his own, rip the seed from the dragon. Max then crushes the seed, releasing a large amount of energy from it that not only eradicates the dragon, but also destroys the other symbiotes, freeing Max and the unnamed aliens from their hold. The symbiote threat is finally over.
In the aftermath, Max decides that instead of simply rebuilding and reopening Horizon, that they need to build something new to carry on the goal of creating a better world. To this end, Peter declines Tony's Avengers invitation but asks him to invest in a new tech start-up with his friends: Worldwide Engineering Brigade (W.E.B. (get it?)).
As for Peter and MJ, they meet up the following morning and share a dance that got interrupted when things started to get crazy. They agree on a "first date redo" as Peter returns a kiss on the cheek which MJ gave him before the evacuation.
This story works mostly well as both a season and series finale. The main threat of the season, Venom, gives one last effort to defeat Spider-Man with the world hanging in the balance this time. And considering a big part of this show was Peter attending Horizon High, him looking toward the future after school is a good send-off. I'm almost disappointed there won't be a season four since it would be interesting to see how Peter and the gang run WEB and how it would play into their Spider activities.

So now that it's over, what do I think of the 2017 Spider-Man animated series as a whole? It's satisfactory. 'Spectacular' and the '94 series are still certainly the best, thought I would give this series the bronze. It wasn't everything I hoped it would be, but I was invested nonetheless. There have been quite a number of Spidey cartoons since the '67 series, and I would think that each of them played a part in creating new Spider-Man fans through the decades. This series took quite a few liberties and made some creative spins on the mythos and it wasn't perfect, but you can say that each series that's come and gone has had its high marks and short comings. What I think it comes down to though is respect to the source material and if it captures the core aspects of the character. The struggle of Peter Parker and Spider-Man is trying to find the balance between a normal and superhero life. The 2017 series succeeds in that regard, and that makes it a winner in my book.
As for the future of Spider-Man in animation, I think it may be good to give the character a break for awhile. Let the creative juices build up and come back swinging with something new and hopefully something great.