trailer for Marvel's Spider-Man 2 featured Venom and Kraven the Hunter, if the first game and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales are anything to go on, the sequel will feature a large roster of popular Spider-Man villains. Mysterio is among Spider-Man's most high-profile villains, with his appearance in 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home boosting his popularity significantly. Because of this, it should come as no surprise that many Spider-Man fans have been asking for the character to make an appearance in the sequel.
As cool as it would be to see what Marvel's Spider-Man 2's rendition of the character would be, the importance of Mysterio's inclusion goes beyond just seeing one of Spider-Man's most popular villains. In addition to adding unique boss fights, Mysterio could also help explore Marvel's Spider-Man 2's darker tone. As a master illusionist and expert hypnotist, Mysterio can use projectors in his helmet to create 3D illusions and designs gasses that can make people hallucinate or make them more susceptible to his illusions. Using these techniques, Mysterio can create illusions that not only cause Peter Parker to question reality, but also himself.
In this way, Mysterio can function in a similar capacity to Batman: Arkham Asylum's Scarecrow, whose popular boss battles also helped gamers get a glimpse into Batman's psyche. In the Batman: Arkham series, a lot of focus was placed on the minds of Batman's various villains. Players in Batman: Arkham Knight could visit villains they had already defeated in lockup to learn more about them, but the only time where gamers really got to explore what was going on in Batman's head was during the hallucination heavy battles with Scarecrow. While Peter Parker is more open with his feelings than Batman, this could still be an excellent way to explore how Peter is dealing with the emotional trauma he has endured during his time as Spider-Man, including the death of his Aunt May during the events of the first game.
What Marvels' Mysterio Has In Common With DC's Scarecrow
Mysterio and Scarecrow have a lot in common. Both are villains with no superpowers that use illusions and hallucinations to help defeat their foes. Both villains are also obsessed with fear and use gasses to help create their illusions. The aspects can make for fantastic boss fights, as well as a chance for an introspection on the title hero.
In Batman: Arkham Asylum, the Scarecrow sections are used to put Batman's greatest fears on display. He is forced to relieve aspects of his parents' deaths, and struggle with his own self-doubt as a hero. Marvel's Spider-Man featured a similar hallucination scene after Peter Parker gets injected with Marvel's Spider-Man's version of Scorpion. While the scene does explore some of Spider-Man's inner strife, a battle with Mysterio could significantly expand upon Peter's internal struggles beyond the responsibility he felt for his shortcomings in his relationship with Otto Octavius, including how he is dealing with the deaths of both his Aunt May and Uncle Ben.
A battle with Mysterio can also give Marvel's Spider-Man 2 the opportunity to include a boss fight with a larger-than-life giant villain, like Batman: Arkham Asylum did with Scarecrow. While Marvel's Spider-Man could use Sandman for a giant villain fight, Mysterio can add an extra level of intrigue by having Spider-Man always second guessing what is real and what isn't. Either way, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will no doubt be a game packed with interesting villains, but Mysterio might be the one who can help make Spidey himself a deeper, more complex protagonist.