Warning: SPOILERS for A.X.E: Judgment Day #5
Marvel's most popular Spider-Man variant next to Peter Parker, Miles developed a sizable fan following in a remarkably short time span, and is usually found webslinging next to Parker, Ben Reilly, and the other of the Spider-Verse. But in A.X.E: Judgment Day #4, Miles goes above and beyond the call of duty as he es a test that even Captain America fails: a test of character.
Introduced in 2011, Miles hailed from the Ultimate Marvel universe, in which Peter Parker was killed (and, as per Ultimate tradition, did not return from the dead). Miles took up Peter's mantle as Spider-Man, obtaining his own roster of ing characters and supervillians (and occasionally fought of Peter's own rogues' gallery). Eventually, Miles made his way to the mainline 616 universe, teamed up with the main Peter Parker and began operating as another Spider-Man. Miles is incredibly popular, even starring in 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and the two-part sequel Across the Spider-Verse, the first of which arrives in theaters in 2023.
In A.X.E: Judgment Day #4, written by Keiron Gillen with art by Valerio Schiti, the Progenitor Celestial continues to adjudicate and determine the fate of humanity, mutants and Eternals in the aftermath of the X-Men-Eternals war. The Celestial has already failed multiple heroes, including Professor X, Daredevil, and - shocking both onlookers and readers alike - Captain America himself. Meanwhile, the Progenitor appears before Miles as Peter Parker and gives him a thumps-up, indicating he has ed the Celestial's test. Miles returns the thumbs-up before returning to apprehending a criminal.
Miles Morales Is So Much More Than The "Other Spider-Man"
In Judgment Day, the Progenitor Celestial's criteria for judging individuals remains frustratingly opaque, but clearly, one's actions and positive moral center are not enough - otherwise, Captain America would have ed with flying red, white and blue colors. This is not even the first time an all-powerful entity trusted Miles above other superheroes: in 2015's Secret Wars, the mild-mannered but cosmically-strong Molecule Man approved of Miles, simply because Miles gave him a hamburger (the Molecule Man was starving at the time and Miles saw him as a person while everyone else saw him as a threat). It's clear that Miles has a core of humanity that makes him beloved of Marvel's cosmic beings - essentially a superpower in how it's caused reality to be bent in his favor before now.
If Miles is judged to be more moral and worthy than Captain America, Professor X, Daredevil, Luke Cage, and all the other superheroes who failed the Progenitor's tests, he is clearly meant for more than swinging around New York City. Miles has the makings of a future leader - of the Avengers, the Champions, or a Spider-themed team of his own making. Miles Morales is even purer than Peter Parker, which makes him the definitive Spider-Man - and someone to look up to in dark times.
