Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse showed audiences that no matter the universe, there would always be a Spider-Man to protect it. Even still, not every Spider-Man has the same personality, origin or motivation, with Spider-Punk being a prime example. But for every Spider-Punk, there was an equally unique but far less energetic variant like Miguel O’Hara, aka Spider-Man 2099.
In the comics, Spider-Man 2099 wasn’t bitten by a radioactive spider but instead had his DNA spliced with a spider, giving him strength, speed, organic webbing and talons and fangs. Being that he was created in a world ruled by the corporation Alchemax, Spider-Man 2099 became a freedom fighter. Across the Spider-Verse‘s Miguel O’Hara was similar in that he also fought against powers much greater than him. But his origin changed everything about him, as made evident by the new meaning his suit took on.
Miguel O’Hara’s Comic Origin Explored His Suit
In the comics, Spider-Man 2099’s suit wasn’t created by Miguel as Peter Parker had. Instead, Miguel initially used the suit as a way to celebrate the Day of the Dead. Being that Miguel was both Irish and Mexican, he wore his heritage on his sleeve and embraced both sides. Miguel’s scientific expertise also allowed him to make the suit out of unstable molecules to prevent damage during the celebration. What resulted was a suit that, while perfect for a futuristic party, was also ideal for a freedom fighter like Spider-Man. Even Miguel’s glider cape was fashioned out of some scrap fabric when he was in a fix, proving he was a hero of circumstance.
In Across the Spider-Verse, Spider-Man 2099 was introduced in a suit that was visually similar to what was shown in the comics. But there were evident changes in its design that showed Miguel never stopped upgrading from what he had in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. One of the most important changes was that the suit was now made entirely of nanotechnology so that his mask and glider cape could appear and disappear at will. However, it left him more open to electrical disruptions, like when Miles Morales used his powers against Miguel. But the character’s greatest change came from the thematic importance of the suit rather than how he got ahold of it.
Across the Spider-Verse Enhanced Miguel O’Hara’s Core Theme
Miguel didn’t have his origin explored in Across the Spider-Verse, as his mission with the Spider Society took precedence. But it was the motivation Miguel explained that captured some of the most important values of Spider-Man, as well as why he chose to fight. In the comics, Miguel’s mission was to protect Nueva York from Alchemax’s oversight and the many atrocities that put the city in danger. However, when it came to the logic behind his suit, there was no thematic importance beyond its origin. Across the Spider-Verse, on the other hand, gave Miguel’s suit a tragic origin that reminded Miguel of his mission every time he wore it.
In Across the Spider-Verse, Miguel explained that he once desired to have a life with a family and took the place of a universe where its Miguel was killed. Though Miguel had lived a life with a family that wasn’t technically his, he was happy and seemed ready to move on from his life as a hero. Sadly, Miguel’s disruption in another universe triggered an incursion-like event where the reality he was in destabilized and disappeared. In Miguel’s eyes, it was his selfish choice that led to the death of an entire world and everyone on it. More than any other Spider-Man, he was forced to see the importance of great power and great responsibility.
It’s likely that Miguel’s origin in Across the Spider-Verse was similar to the comics, meaning his suit had a similar origin. But what Across the Spider-Verse did was give the character a deeper meaning as the suit had a skull in the shape of a spider on his chest. Though it meant nothing before, Across the Spider-Verse made it so that Miguel was forced to remind himself of all the lives he believed he killed based on his actions. To him, the suit was a punishment more than a privilege, and not wearing it would mean he had stopped avenging the billions of lives lost because of his selfish actions.
Spider-Man 2099’s Suit Better Explains Miguel O’Hara
Miguel was introduced in Across the Spider-Verse as a bitter hero who had no time for jokes, yet he surrounded himself with people who knew nothing but making jokes in the face of danger. While the character was always more stoic in the comics, he wasn’t afraid to crack a joke from time to time, even if he wasn’t the most skilled at it. But even though Spider-Man 2099 had no room for comedy, it all made sense when looking at his suit. Miguel was a Spider-Man that lost the ultimate battle of being a hero. As a result, he put together a team of people that hadn’t fallen as low as him to remind him he could find his way back. He was a ghost of his former self but not one that couldn’t be saved. The only drawback was that now, Miguel was like a ghost trying to find a way to move on.
To understand Miguel O’Hara meant understanding the suit he never took off and why it meant so much to him. Miguel had forgotten himself and put himself at risk of falling deeper into his guilt rather than finding his way back from it. This was teased when he was so focused on maintaining the timeline that he tried to detain Miles Morales against his will or consent of those that knew him best. Ultimately, this was a result of fear, as Miguel couldn’t risk losing another world and carrying the weight of more lives. So, Miguel’s suit has become a prime example of how tortured the character has become.