Ch. 2: Different Yet Familiar
Chapter Two “Different Yet Familiar”
Sunset sat in the courtyard with the others, reading through a book. Rainbow Dash kicked a soccer ball in place while Rarity carefully added some gloss to Fluttershy’s nails. Applejack and Pinkie sat underneath the horse statue, humming their respective melodies. Sunset turned momentarily, staring at the mirror positioned next to her position before letting out a low sigh.
Rainbow Dash paused, scooping up her soccer ball in her hands. “Are you sure she’s coming?”
“She’ll be here,” Sunset calmly retorted, closing her book shut. “We just have to wait.”
Before long, a small ray of energy materialized into existence where the mirror previously stood before it expanded. Suddenly, a small being with long violet hair holding a lone pink strand at the center fell from the spiraling portal and crashed in a heap. Sunset rushed to the individual, kneeling next to the person. A girl with purple skin steadily lifted her head, blinking upon sharing a glance with those surrounding her.
With a sheepish smile, the girl giggled nervously. “I’m back.”
“Twilight!” everyone exclaimed, rushing to the girl before embracing her soundly while Sunset watched from a small distance.
Sobering, Twilight broke the embrace and shook her head. “I’ve got some bad news about those girls. We need to talk.” She held out a hand and furrowed her brow. “I have to get used to this again.”
Pinkie edged closer to the girl before arching a brow. “Hey, Twilight. Are you okay? You seem different.”
Twilight simply smirked. “A lot has happened since I last saw you girls.”
“A lot? It’s only been a few weeks since we last saw you,” Applejack responded, crossing her arms before shrugging. “Then again, a lot can happen in a few weeks.”
Slack-jawed, Twilight’s eyes widened. “A few weeks?” She reached out, eyeing her violet skirt and blue shirt. Pursing her lips, Twilight continued to survey her slim frame with a furrowed brow. The girl soon ran to the mirror, brushing a hand over her face upon gazing at her reflection. “Yeah. A lot can happen in a few weeks.”
“What do you mean by that?” Rarity questioned, holding a hand over her chest.
A look of uncertainty filled Twilight’s violet eyes as she glanced around aimlessly. “Uh, nothing. Let’s find a quiet place to chat. We can catch up while I brief you about your situation.”
Peter walked through the halls of the school with a bemused expression. Everyone had been practically consumed by the upcoming Battle of the Bands approaching to the point of annoyance. He paused momentarily, arching a brow as students seemed to have stared him down angrily. Simply shrugging, Peter pressed on and continued his way before eventually reaching a locker. From afar, Adagio stood with a devious smile on her face and watched the young man intently.
“Is it just me or is everyone unusually crabby today?” Peter questioned inwardly, sorting through the contents of his locker. “It’s like nobody can make up their mind. Are they overly positive or negative? It’s such a headache. Speaking of which, I have a huge migraine.” He paused, rubbing a hand over his temple momentarily. “I can’t tell what that’s about. It’s like my Spider Sense won’t stop buzzing, but I’m not in danger… as far as I can tell.”
Suddenly, a hand slammed into the locker next to Peter, prompting the young man to face the source. Flash chuckled lightly while smiling widely. “Parker! Don’t you know it’s rude to not say hello? This is exactly why nobody likes you.”
Peter merely blinked before scoffing under his breath. “I thought it was because you won’t leave me alone.” He closed his locker before slowly turning to leave. However, he paused upon spotting a spider emblem on Flash’s chest, matching that of his alter-ego. Peter raised a finger. “Nice shirt, by the way.”
Flash smirked, placing his hand over the emblem. “That’s probably the only cool thing you ever said. Spider-Man is the absolute coolest, not that you’d ever get that.”
“Seriously? A lot of people consider him a menace, here and back in New York,” Peter declared with both shock and bewilderment.
Reaching out, Flash grabbed hold of Peter’s collar before lifting him from the ground. “I don’t have to explain anything to you, Parker. I just think he’s cool. Enough said. If I hear you saying anything bad about him, we’re having a little chat.”
“Sure, sure,” Peter quickly affirmed, nodding while raising his hands defensively.
Content with the answer, Flash readied to lower the smaller boy, but his eyes widened as a realization came to mind. “Hey. It’s Tuesday! You know what that means!” Flash rushed outside with Peter in tow before tossing him headfirst into the nearest dumpster. “It’s Garbage Day!”
Peter could only sit in his current predicament with his feet protruding from the canister while surrounding students laughed at his expense. He let out a defeated sigh, blankly staring at the sky. “Thanks, Flash. I almost forgot.”
Adagio entered the fray, inhaling deeply as sparkling energies rushed into her being. Releasing a pleased moan, she brushed a hand through her curly hair. “How divine.” She steadily approached Flash, placing a hand over his shoulder. “Excuse me. I think you missed a piece.” Adagio reached down, picking up a piece of crumpled paper before tossing it onto Peter’s prone figure. She soon smiled at Flash. “I can’t have you littering now. What would everyone think?”
Flash chuckled, straightening his shoulders confidently. “I’ll be more careful next time.” He paused, never losing his smile. “Hey, are you new around here? I’m Flash.”
“His real name’s Eugene– Ow!” Peter bluntly declared from the confines of the dumpster before Flash dropped his backpack on top of him.
“Where are my manners? My name’s Adagio,” the girl politely responded, paying no mind to Peter, “I’ve only been here for a couple of days, but I know all about you Flash. I must say that I’m quite impressed. You just ooze charisma.” Holding out her hand, Adagio winked seductively. “Take me to lunch?”
Flash quickly accepted the gesture, gently taking hold of the girl’s hand. “My pleasure.” As the pair walked off, the young man waved dismissively. “Smell you later, Parker!”
Once they had exited the vicinity, Peter managed to roll back to a vertical base. “That was almost charming. Glad to see Flash is making friends at least.” Exhaling, Peter reached to the side and retrieved his backpack before climbing out of the dumpster. “Is it weird that I’m almost jealous that Flash likes Spider-Man more than Peter Parker? Just like my luck that my biggest fan is also my worst enemy.” He paused, sniffing his arm before frowning. “God, I hope this washes off.”
Within the depths of the library, Twilight scrolled the pages of a book before tapping a finger against a picture. Sunset, as well as the others, gathered around before gazing upon the photograph. A creature stood at the center, harboring scales and fangs. Underneath was a wall of text as well as more pictures of the animal.
“Those girls you encountered are sirens,” Twilight stated as her eyes softened, “They are an ancient race long extinct in my world. They have powerful magic through song and feed on the negative emotions of those around them. The more they feed, the stronger they become. When they sing, they can influence the will of their prey. They were banished from my world by Starswirl the Bearded thousands of years ago.”
Rarity frowned. “They certainly took their time getting started. I wonder why they were so slow moving along?”
Twilight eased into her seat and raised a finger, pausing to stare at her digit momentarily. “Magic works in mysterious ways when it comes to time and interdimensional travel. Somepony–I mean, somebody– explained it to me like an interchanging web. Each strand is going to bring something different. Starswirl banished the sirens from my world thousands of years ago, but for all we know, it’s only been days to them.” The girl trailed off, glancing to the side. “It applies to me, too. It’s only been a few weeks since you girls saw me, but on my end, it’s been far longer than that.”
Pinkie edged closer to Twilight, rubbing the underside of her chin. “Is that why you’re so different? How long are you talking? Hours? Days? Weeks? Years?”
Twilight cleared her throat. “Focus, Pinkie. That’s not important right now.”
Applejack firmly nodded. “She’s right. We’re past that. Those sirens practically turned the entire school on its head with their performance in the cafeteria yesterday. They even got to Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna.”
“Are we affected? I mean, I don’t feel any different,” Rainbow Dash declared, arching a brow.
Twilight shook her head before closing her eyes. “I don’t think so. I can still feel the magic from all of you. Whether you did it subconsciously or not, it acted as a shield. Otherwise, you all would have felt it yesterday. You’re lucky.”
“Um… so what do we do?” Fluttershy meekly questioned, brushing her hands together nervously.
Pausing, Twilight crossed her arms and sighed. “I say we talk to them and see what they want. If we’re lucky, we can avoid any fighting.”
Applejack paused, smirking. “That’s rather diplomatic. You sure they aren’t just monsters? They had to have been banished for good reason.”
Twilight frowned. “Banishment wasn’t the wisest choice. We learned that in hindsight. As a princess now, I’m learning to try every option instead of the most impulsive one.”
Pinkie Pie raised a finger. “Here’s an idea. Why don’t we just call the cops?”
An awkward silence filled the room before Rarity blinked. “That… is actually a good idea for you, Pinkie, but if those girls have already affected the principals, they’d just do the same thing again.” As Pinkie frowned, Rarity patted her shoulders reassuringly. “Don’t be ashamed, darling. It was still an excellent idea.”
Rainbow Dash huffed, elbowing Sunset’s forearm playfully. “Hear that? Maybe that’s why your dorkfriend acted like such a jerk when we met.”
Sunset shook her head while rubbing her forearm. “Knock it off. Sure, he’s a little dorky, but I think he’s cute. Plus, I think you’re being a little hard on him. He’s nice when you get to know him. You saw that he gets picked on a lot.” She lowered her gaze sadly. “I get why he’s a little jaded. I can’t really blame him.”
“Sounds like you have a crush,” Twilight grinned as she slowly began to close her book gently. “What’s his name? Seems like he’s intelligent if Rainbow openly calls him a dork.”
Slow to respond, Sunset chuckled nervously. “It’s nothing, really! I mean, yeah. His name’s Peter Parker. He’s a new transfer that’s been here for a couple of weeks now.”
Twilight finished closing her book. “A new student?”
Rainbow Dash huffed. “Don’t let her fool you. The guy’s a total flake. He even made fun of our names when we first met.”
Applejack arched a brow, rolling her eyes. “You sure are taking that personally. The fella ain’t from around here. It was just an honest mistake.”
Twilight smirked. “Please don’t tell me that he called you Skittles.”
Snorting, Rainbow sharply pointed her finger against Twilight’s forehead. “No! And if he even thinks about it, I’ll kill him!”
Rarity eased next to Twilight, smiling. “Speaking of that, darling. You should catch up with Flash. I remember you two being quite close the last time you were here.”
Blinking, Twilight’s head tilted to the side. “Who?” The girl’s brow furrowed as she dove into thought for what seemed like ages before a realization struck her mind like lightning to a rod. “Oh! Flash! Sorry. That slipped my mind. A lot has happened since then. I’ve–”
Rarity paused, her mouth falling agape once her gaze settled on the ruby gem around Twilight’s neck. “I must say that gem is precious! Where did you find such a gem?”
Chuckling, Twilight gently took hold of the ruby gem before easing it back underneath her shirt. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. Long story short, I’ve met someone.”
“Sounds romantic! You must tell us about the lucky boy!” Rarity cheered, squeezing both of Twilight’s shoulders tightly.
Twilight gently broke away from Rarity’s grasp with a sheepish grin. “I’ll tell you about him later. I promise. Right now, we need to talk to the sirens first.”
Sobering, everyone shared a nod before rushing out of the library. Pinkie Pie took the lead, bouncing in place. “Ooh! There’s a party going on right now! All of the bands are gathering there.”
“That’s where we’re headin’. Come on!” Applejack stated, increasing her pace.
However, Twilight took hold of Sunset’s forearm once they reached the door. “I’m glad you’re moving on.”
Sunset blinked. “What do you mean?”
“I can tell you are trying your best to make amends. Just keep doing your best. I already see a difference in you. So, don’t get discouraged!” Twilight murmured, releasing her hold before waving a hand dismissively. “Anyway, let’s go!”
Scratching the back of her head, Sunset could only stare at Twilight as she exited the room. Her lips slowly curled into a smile before she quietly followed. “R-Right!”
Peter stared blankly at the courtyard. Many of the students had gathered, all of which were participating in the upcoming Battle of the Bands. Each group was broken off into sections, keeping to themselves. Peter sorted his way through the crowds, arching a brow at some of the themes being performed. Some of the students continued to glare at him sharply, prompting the young man to keep his line of sight straightened. Eventually, he reached the center stage and paused upon recognizing a flow of silver-blue hair.
“Oh, geez. Trixie. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m glad to see you,” Peter declared, alternating his gaze about. “I feel like everyone’s out to get me. I’ve been getting stink eyes all day. What’s going on? They run out of tacos on Taco Tuesday or something?”
Scoffing harshly, Trixie flung her notes to the side before abruptly turning to face Peter. “Your timing, as usual, is impeccable.” She faced the two girls singing behind her position and motioned a hand, prompting them to cease immediately. “What do you want? Can you not see that we are busy? My band is going to crush and dominate the competition. The last thing I need are distractions.”
Peter reached down and retrieved the notes the girl dropped before scrolling through the walls of text. A bemused expression formed on his face. “Tricks Up My Sleeve? Now, you’re just asking for it. You sure you aren’t being sponsored by the rabbit? Put an ‘x’ in there, and he’ll sue.”
Rubbing her fingers against her temples, Trixie exhaled. “I don’t have time for this. You are nothing but a nuisance right now. I almost wish I never met you.”
Taken aback, Peter winced at the comment. His eyes softened. “Ouch. Even for you, that was kind of low. Did I do something wrong?”
Trixie inhaled sharply before shaking her head. She walked towards a lever, shrugging before pulling it back. “We’ll talk later. Probably. Just stay out of my way until the competition is over. Please.”
That same moment, a small alarm blared in Peter’s cranium before the floor beneath his feet opened. The world slowed from his perspective, giving the young man ample time to escape the situation, but he ignored the response, standing with a bewildered expression at the absurdity of the moment. Time returned to normal as gravity prevailed, leaving Peter to yelp as he crashed to the waiting earth below. He lay prone, stretched out on his back, but his expression remained blank as Trixie seemingly nodded her approval before closing the door shut.
“Not gonna lie. I don’t know which is worse: the fact she actually hurt my feelings or that she just Wile. E. Coyote’d me,” Peter whispered, letting out a defeated sigh. He glanced around his surroundings, nodding upon spotting a ventilation shaft high above his position. “Why is there a trap door here in the first place? It doesn’t make any sense. That’s such a safety hazard. I just hope Trixie doesn’t pull that move twice. Someone can get hurt,” he groaned before dumping a nearby mattress in place where he had previously fallen. Climbing the wall, Peter entered the vent before leaping behind the stage where nobody stood. Brushing the dust from his clothing, the young man shook his head. “I’m out of here. Today has sucked more than usual.”
As he ventured off, green sparkling energies escaped from his frame before they rushed into the sirens nearby. Adagio’s smile widened while Sonata mirrored her actions, both releasing relieved sighs. Aria shuddered as the energies seeped into her body, scoffing afterwards.
“He’s making this too easy! I’ve never felt so full!” Adagio confidently stated, raising her fists.
Sonata nodded, patting her stomach with a hand. “It’s not a taco, but that’s really tasty.” She paused, tilting her head to the side upon catching sight of the scowl Aria bore. “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?”
Aria shook her head. “I told you that guy’s negative emotions are too rich. I feel like I just ate an entire cake all by myself. Twice. Ugh! I hate junk food.” The girl glanced to the side, pursing her lips. “I don’t know, Adagio. It doesn’t feel right. What happened to that guy to make him feel this bad?”
Shrugging, Adagio chuckled. “Who cares? He’s an open buffet for us! He’s food and is affected by our magic. Don’t overthink it. ”
“Yeah! Don’t look a gift mouth in the horse,” Sonata declared, pausing upon feeling the bemused glares of her sisters fall onto her. “Or something like that.”
Aria frowned as her usually bleak demeanor faltered, evident by the softened gaze in her eyes. “It’s beyond our influence. There’s something deeper, and I don’t like it. He’s a teenager, but I almost feel a lifetime of anguish from him. We’re just adding to it.”
Sonata blinked, alternating her gaze between her sisters. “Maybe Aria’s right? Do you think we should just focus on everyone else and leave the spider guy alone?”
Adagio exhaled before throwing her hands into the air. “Oh, stop it! You always do this, Aria! He’s our meal ticket until our powers fully return. Until then, stop thinking about it so much! We’re this close to taking over! Why hesitate now? Why do you care? Because you shouldn’t.”
Shaking her head, Aria frowned before folding her arms. “Fine. You’re right. Whatever. It was just a thought. So, what now?”
Adagio rolled her eyes. “When I need you to think, you refuse, but when you don’t have to, you think way too much. I swear, you never make any sense.”
Just as Aria opened her mouth and readied to respond, she glanced to the side as a group of girls approached. At the center, Twilight paused with a concerned expression. “I know who you three are,” she softly stated, causing the sirens to each arch a brow. Raising her hands defensively, Twilight let out a low sigh before nodding. “We need to talk. Alone.”
To Be Continued…
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So this is connected to the other spiders and magic just in a different universe/timeline great story and great idea for linking things together
More!!! And Ouch, Peter is just not having a good day.
Am I the only one who wanted Peter to punch Flash? (Flash Thompson, not Flash Sentry)
Poor Peter! Things are getting worse for him because of the Dazzlings influence.
And really Rainbow Dash? You thought Peter is a jerk? Looks who talking!
Hopefully Amethyst Sorceress doesn't get crazy jealous of Sunset possibly flirting with an alternate dimension version of her man.
Ooooo. Is Twlight gonna throw some fists?! That would be cool
11091364
You're not the only one. For me, I really hate this version of Flash because it completely ignores what made Flash Thompson a great character in the comics.
Princess Twilight has come to help. And if I'm reading these hints right such as the ruby engagement gem or the fact she remembers Rainbow's nickname "Skittles" uttered by another Peter, then this variant of Twilight is the one from the original Spiders and Magic Universe (or at least shares some connection to it depending on what part of the timeline this takes place) who is married to that version of Peter Parker who resides there. Since this Twilight is more older, mature and experienced and knows who the Dazzlings are given her history with her world's variants, she may want to approach to a more diplomatic solution to resolve this like her Peter would unless the negotiations fall short.
As for the Dazzlings themselves, they've already begun feeding off Peter's misery they've been putting him through the whole day. Though Aria seems to be having second thoughts continuing this having felt Peter's deep hidden root of his unhappiness, as well as Sonata sort of, and of course Adagio is too stubborn, prideful and arrogant to give a damn about it. Even in another universe, there are some things that never change.
And I know Trixie has been quite a bossy control freak over Peter, but completely blowing him off like that and dropping him down a trap door was just plain mean.
11091380
I think Midnight Sparkle from Spider-Knight's universe (the "What If...?" story) would react more and do worse than her.
11091364
I’m gonna be honest I would have loved that to happen but I’m very excited to see where this goes
Also I have 1 question that you don’t have to answer will the dazzlings find out about Peter’s past
Oh things are happening differently now!!!
Keep it up!
11091220
Your preaching to the choir bud. I already made my case and even the one time I agreed with what was said, I made sure to give context as to why. I never said he wasn't that strong or fast. I said it was BS that he took damage in those instances considering if he's tough enough to have a normal person break their fists on him, then he should never so much as even flinch when taking hits from other characters on that level.
11091401
Ignore? Maybe he just hasn't developed yet.
11091912
I'm sorry, but not only is it taking far too long to see any merits to Flash's character, but he's far more unlikable than the comic book version. There are layers to Flash's character and legitimate reasons why he acts like a bully, why he always targets Peter the most, and why he's such a fanboy of Spider-Man (this in particular why he's such a great character that actually leads to him being a really great person), none of which are shown even in the least bit thus far that leads me to believe that there's no understanding of Flash's character whatsoever. If the Spectacular Spider-Man show and The Amazing Spider-Man movie can accomplish this without needing to add the extra bit that Flash enlists in the military and then joins the police because Spidey inspires him to be a better person, then there's really no excuse to mess up on this.
And I'm not afraid of getting downvoted, but I consider this constructive criticism, and there's a certain line that when crossed in terms of making a character so unlikable, there's either no way to redeem that person or the writer is going to have his/her work cut out for them that it's more trouble than it's worth.
Ouch. I don’t think that this is their Twilight. Now I wonder if Twilight will tip off Peter that he needs to open up more to the girls. I hope that Aria and Sonata stop Adigo from going to far or before she crosses a line that shouldn’t be crossed.
11091939
Too long? To be fair, it's only been a few days since Peter has started at Canterlot. Flash has only had a handful of appearances (3-4) so far, and we literally just found out he likes Spider-Man. I get where you are coming from, but we are still establishing some characters, Flash being one of them. Heck, we just learned his name Eugene here. It's a slow burn for some. If we have Flash develop too quick, there's nothing else to build upon, and Flash is going to be an important long term character in this series.
So before you throw me under the bus further, I implore you to be patient and wait to see how things develop. Look at it like this. Each story in this Ultimate series is an episode. New Beginnings was episode 1 and Rainbow Rocks is episode 2. Pacing is key, and I will not rush development if I can help it.
Are we setting up a connection to the original series? I'm intrigued.
So far, so good!
Nice great work.
11092002
Oh trust me, I do intend to see where this is going, but I hold very little hope. But even with Flash's few appearances, you've already established that he's been doing this bullshit long before Peter got to CHS with nothing redeemable whatsoever, or at the very least, any kind of comeuppance. Even when Flash did his bully schtick in the Spectacular Spider-Man show or The Amazing Spider-Man movie, there was always a form of comeuppance. It was the same in the comics, whether Peter was able to throw insults right back at Flash (because he didn't act like a spineless beta male anime protagonist) or even outright challenge him (the famous boxing match scene in which Peter wasn't afraid to beat Flash's face in despite the risk of revealing his identity). Furthermore, the comics' portrayal allowed the argument in that Peter kind of deserved it because he was an arrogant asshole who thought highly of himself and looked down on others (even after he became Spider-Man), which Flash later on explained that that was the reason he always targeted Peter. And even then, there were more honorable moments of Flash despite acting like a generic 60s high school bully, such as another bully cliche that was subverted in that Peter and Flash were getting into a fight but got stopped by a teacher and that teacher decided to punish only Peter, but when nobody was looking, Flash went up to that teacher to tell him that it was he who started the fight, not Peter.
But here, in only the few appearances he had, his actions are both extremely generic and malicious, we've established he's been doing this for a long time, and we've seen no comeuppance to this. Even Sunset standing up to him pales in comparison to the moment in the Spectacular show when Gwen stood up to Peter, as Gwen was at least able to throw an insult at Flash that had everyone laughing at him. As such, with the setup so far, that's why I feel there's little to no hope of Flash being a decent character in the slightest.
11092237
Flash being implied to have been doing this for a long time is not new. Even in the comics it's implied it went on Before Peter even went to high school. Flash is a great character but this story already has alot of characters in it as it is. There won't always be time to give focus to every character without muddying the main story of the protagonists. Peter bringing the bullying on himself is not to different from what's been done here. Peter has already made a bad first impression with Rainbow Dash. He's been rude to Trixie unintentionally. Peter may not be the same kind of jerk he was in the early comics, but his personality is still making it harder for people to get a good opinion of him.
Peter is not being spineless when he didn't pick a fight with Flash. If anything the point of scenes like that are to show his temptation. Regardless if he follows through with it or not, he's still only human and feels these things like anyone else. You are judging really early into the series when Flash is just a side character. Heck all those moments you listed from the comics were quite a bit more then a few issues apart compared to this episodic format the chapters have. Your asking for Flash to get a punishment that simply needs a tiny bit more time to come yet considering the story has barely gone anywhere yet. Also you would think that the fact that the dazzlings are enhancing everyone's negativity (INCLUDING Flash's) would have been a good alibi for his character.
I mean no disrespect but you come off very cynical when you word your criticism as if you have no faith in the author to follow through on his promises. It's like if that's the case, then what's the point? I mean the difference between Sunset and Gwen is that Gwen wasn't a social pariah when she did it.
And just in case none of this is enough, There ARE plans for Flash and other characters. I've helped Max edit every once in a while so I know that he knows what he's doing. I'm just not spoiling anything because everything is still in the testing phase. Be patient please. There is a plan. Good things come to those who wait.
11092400
I don't wish to sound disrespectful either, as I stated that I'm going to give this series another chance and see where it goes, but so far, nothing has been shown to give us any reason to enjoy Flash's presence whatsoever. And the examples Iisted in the comics, cartoon, and movie also have little time for Flash, but still managed to portray stuff about him worth enjoying, whether it's Flash's morals or his comeuppance for his bullying.
Also, the key word "unintentional" regarding Peter leaving a bad impression makes all the difference. Because it was unintentional and that the likes of Rainbow Dash and Trixie judging him immediately makes them look horrible while Peter is the generic sitcom victim, whereas comic Peter was stated to have continuously behave with a holier-than-thou attitude and ignoring everyone (mainly because he was more focused on his problems as Spidey) that created the bad impression is far more believable and understandable as to why Flash torments Peter. And don't use the Dazzling excuse because there's almost literally no difference in how Flash is behaving.
And no, I stand firm that Peter is being a spineless wimp. You don't have to throw a punch to stand up for yourself, but Peter is doing none of that, therefore representing the worst aspect of Fluttershy. No witty comeback, no civil way of resolving this issue (e.g. going to a teacher even before the Dazzlings showed up), nothing being done by Peter to stop this. This is pure spineless cowardice. Unless Peter did something legitimate to warrant Flash's torment on him, there's no reason for Peter to put up with this and no reason for us to even think anything good about Flash, and this will always stick in my mind despite your alleged redemption to Flash's character.
11092494
In regards to Peter, I interpret his actions less the result of cowardice, but of self-loathing. At this point in his life, it’s clear that he little to no self-respect. At the beginning of the first story, he was over-working himself to the point it was taking toll on his mental health. Spider-Man provides him with an escape. As Peter, he’s still dealing with his Uncle’s death and with it only being less than a year since his Uncle’s death, I assume that the wound is still raw. In a way, Peter may feel like he deserves punishment.
He could stand up to Flash but chooses to take the punishment. He could ignore Trixie and her often rude behavior but chooses to stay in her company. In regards to this, I assume that he feels so isolated that he will take any companionship that he can get.
Speaking from personal experience, when I was in middle school, I used to hang out a few people who mocked me relentlessly, but I took it because I was a lonely kid who didn’t realize their worth. Eventually, I grew out of that phase and got different friends.
What I’m saying is that Peter is in a dark place right now. He’s still grieving his loss and trying to find his place in this new school, all while getting unjustified hate from the media. He’s a broken person right now, but I assume as the story continues, he will learn to value himself again. I think this story provides a good starting point for the character.
11092603
...I'm sorry to say this, but that is so wrong to what Spidey stands for. Even if you were to argue that this is a different version of Spidey, that argument holds no ground whatsoever so long as the words "with great power comes great responsibility" is relevant. That alone means that if you have the power to do the right thing, then you need to get your ass into gear and soldier on. You don't have the time to mope in self-pity and self-loathing. Peter would not be wasting his time on this because that means he's only thinking about himself and no one else. And Spidey isn't an outlet for anything. He is simply another face that Peter wears. Better yet, Spidey is the prison jumpsuit he wears to chain himself to the prison sentence that is Uncle Ben's words.
The reason I can't get behind this is due to the fact that almost every other Spidey is able to pick himself right back up and keep trudging along to respect his Uncle's memories, some versions which took less than even half a year for Spidey to do his heroing while carrying himself every day. A Spidey with this much self-loathing to the point of not even stand up for himself is not even remotely living up to the prison sentence that is Uncle Ben's words, "with great power comes great responsibility". Spidey's self-loathing only comes from him not trying hard enough to save people, not that he should stand idly by and take punishments unrelated to his mistakes.
Why did the most reasonably question I always had from the Equestria Girls universe come from her of all pon-err people!?!?!?
So this is Twilight from the original fic? this change of events is pretty interesting can't wait to see what happens next
11092631
That is a good point, I'll give you that one.
Peter often struggles living up to the "with great power comes great responsibility" thing. If you look at just about every Spider-Man movie, Peter often succumbs to his own selfish desires before he decides to do the right thing. It's part of the reason he's so compelling. If he never struggled with his selfishness, he would be far less interesting. Him momentarily falling into some self-loathing feels very much in line with his character. If he's still taking the punishment several stories down the line, then I will get worried. For now, I think it's fine.
And sure, other versions have bounced back more quickly, but this version has been dealing with other stresses on top of the dead uncle thing. He destroyed his old school, he has to find his place at his new one, and he's got Nick Fury watching his every move. If it takes him a little longer to bounce back, I feel like that's totally reasonable.
11092763
I should reword my point to say that yes, he does succumb to his selfishness, but a lot more often than not, he almost always gives up his personal desires to do the right thing. The reason he's still compelling is because life always finds a way to shit on him no matter how hard he tries, but he still keeps bouncing back no matter what. Even the death of Gwen Stacey didn't take long for him to bounce back into superhero-ing; the only drawback was that he was far more angry and aggressive than usual, hence why he didn't hesitate to get into a fight against Luke Cage in the following issue and did nothing to clear up any misunderstanding or de-escalate the situation.
The important thing that everyone seems to forget is that Peter Parker is not relatable because of how he deals with his hardest issues. What makes him relatable is that some of the situation he finds himself in are almost realistic and that we can identify, particularly with the financial and social issues. What doesn't make him relatable is that unlike many people, he keeps soldiering on where we would've taken too long to bounce back or flat out given up. A bunch of property damage was caused indirectly by your actions and many people's lives were affected? Get back up and soldier on. A police captain who was your greatest ally died after asking you to protect his daughter? Get back up and soldier on. You failed to protect that daughter and broke your promise? Get back up and soldier on. Your aunt died because she got caught in the crossfire of your superhero-ing? Get back up and soldier on. Spidey almost never takes the time to take a break and properly grieve over the worst of his mistakes. Because his personal feelings don't matter to him on these matters when there are people who still need saving. Yes, he can still try to have a social life and work on his human obligations, but as long as there are people who need help, "great power comes great responsibility", which means Spidey doesn't have time to feel sorry for himself.
That's what makes Spider-Man a superhero. Because he carries too much burden that even a bit of it would've made anyone crumble, but he quickly gets back up and soldier on. And unfortunately, that last paragraph of yours really bugs me personally, as anything less creates an inferior Spider-Man and downplays what makes him a fantastic hero in the first place.
11092787
You make a lot of good points that I don't really have solid rebuttals to. Personally speaking, I still think this version of Peter is fine (as I feel like we're still too early in the story to see the full picture), but you have given me a lot to think about.
Thank you for your polite and well thought-out responses! It's important to get a different perspective from time to time.
11092827
It's cool. Thanks for being very receptive to them. It gets tiring hearing so many of these Spidey fans claiming that MCU Spidey is exactly like the original when the truth couldn't be any further and it shows proof that so many don't read the original comics. I used to be like that too until a good friend of mine who is such a Spidey fan that he almost has encyclopedic knowledge of many great Spidey moments was able to open my eyes.
11092494
I'll drop this argument for now, because I want you to know I DO understand where your coming from. There was actually a bit of research done on my end about the early Ditko spider-man. What I'm about to say next isn't really from my own words so take it as just an interesting perspective sharing from multiple fans I found in the comment section.
For context at the time I read these messages, it was about the MTV series.
"It’s strange to me that of all Spidey adaptions, this one somehow got the closest to adapting the original personality Lee/Ditko Peter had. He acts almost EXACTLY like Ditko era Peter, just in a circa 2003 context. It’s even weirder since this is a loose adaption of both the Raimi movie AND had Bendis on the project, both of which overhauled Peter’s personality to varying degrees in his early years. Most modern adaptions nowadays make early Peter more of a Hufflepuff-like wallflower, but in truth, he was the ultimate Ravenclaw, which I think people sort of forget. To be honest, for as influential and important those early years were, almost all adaptions in the high school setting or early Spidey have completely ignored the emotional complexity of early Peter Parker, opting more for the conventional “beat down but never giving up” attitude."
"The truth is, Peter Parker falls HARD, and is only ever able to get back up after being at his lowest. Is he an optimist? No, but he’s not pessimistic either. He’s an idealist who’s just depressed and guilty, trying to do right. He makes the most of what he can, but the key here is that Peter is far from morally perfect. He has to grow into being more warm and accepting of the world around him, and that includes his persona. Spidey is a symbol of optimism in those he inspires, in the people he saves. Peter is and has never really been an optimist like most modern adaptions sort of go. He has to flirt with the despair before getting back up. He’s human. As simple as those early stories were, Peter Parker’s attitude was the most complex at that time. He was an almost overly mature young man forced to grow up too fast, and he had quite a chip on his shoulder."
"It's hard to overstate JRSR's importance to Spidey; he is certainly second only to Ditko in creating the visual for not just Spidey but his villains and supporting cast. Moreover, if Spidey wasn't taken in that more palatable visual direction, it's hard to know if Ditko's style (striking and powerful but undeniably creepier) would have had the mass appeal that Spidey enjoyed in the late '60's and early '70's when he really burst out to be a top tier superhero."
"Reading early ASM, the switch from Ditko to Romita is almost jarring. I can't imagine what it must have been like at the time to see the book's style change so dramatically, with no warning. Immediately, ASM and Peter's world became sleeker, more glamorous. I think Ditko's run is the heart of Peter Parker - it's truly idiosyncratic with a prickly outsider's edge. But the Romita Sr era turned ASM into a party everyone was invited to. It became more mainstream. That's no knock against it - I think it's the one run that anyone who's doing superhero comics most tries to emulate. But it definitely changed the course of the book."
"It's commonly accepted that JR SR, coming as he did from a background in romantic comics, made every character instantly more conventionally attractive and Spidey more muscular and overall heroic looking. But it is also interesting to note that Ditko's Peter Parker bore more than a passing resemblance to Ditko himself: slight, bespectacled, nebbishy looking---these were all traits they shared and of course later on in the title's history, especially in his final year on the book, Ditko took over the plotting almost entirely and had his Ayn Rand-informed sensibilities dominating the book. One has to wonder what Spidey's fate would have been had Ditko stayed on the title longer than he did. it's hard to argue with the Bible those first 38 issues were but would Spidey have evolved into Marvel's flagship title without the more mainstream appeal JR SR brought to it?"
"In a lot of ways, Ditko and Romita Sr. are incomplete parts of a whole. With Ditko, you lose the sense that Peter wants to fit in, and with Romita, you lose the sense that he doesn't fit in. in Ditko Peter didn't fit in because of the way he looked and acted. In Romita he didn't fit in because of his double life as Spider-man. Seems the latter approach has served the franchise better over the long run."
"One cool touch I like was during the 90's powerless storyline. Peter I think told MJ the reason he was still built like a WWE wrestler was cause basically all the years he spent web swinging and wall crawling actually built up his muscles. So I like to think that the reason he's smaller and skinnier in the Ditko era was cause he was just starting out, and over the years he became buff."
This is from a fan letter decades ago when the writing team changed from Ditko to Romita.
pbs.twimg.com/media/EFLECBbXkAYQdwN.jpg:large
cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/864874432174227466/912854533527466004/unknown.png
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ComicBook/LeeDitkoSpiderMan
11092908
I'm sorry, but that last image completely got that backwards. Old Spidey in the Lee-Ditko run was an extremely abrasive, short-tempered, impulsive, wisecracking extrovert where the new version after that kept toning it down until they retconned the character to say that he was shy and quiet. And let's be fair here, Ultimate Spidey portrayed the exact same Peter Parker from the Lee-Ditko era with some modern updates at the time, so it's also not far-fetched to say that an abrasive Peter Parker was inspired by the Ultimate comics, which did a great job incorporating the original Peter Parker.
I do wanna end this by saying that I should've made it clear that there's nothing wrong with a different version of Spidey. I would still end up disagreeing, but respectfully disagreeing. My personal problem is that I've seen a good chunk of the Lee-Ditko run and how modern Spidey ignores everything unique about Spidey (e.g. him being the first teenage superhero who wasn't a sidekick from the get-go whereas MCU Spidey had to hang onto Tony for a good amount), as well as the claims by so-called fans who claim the modern take to be just like the original. This is especially infuriating because I took the time to analyze the design choices of why Spidey was portrayed the way he was in the Lee-Ditko run and the Ultimate comics and how those versions help accentuate almost everything in the Spidey comics that helped readers further revere what makes Spidey one of, if not, the best superheroes.
PS: Don't mistaken my huge respect and adoration of the Lee-Ditko Spidey as revering it to be perfection, as there are plenty of moments where they slip up (personal opinion, Spider-Man No More was a terrible story).
11092935
That's fine dude. Your not supposed to agree with everything. Hence why the quoted comments were varied if you noticed. Although you bringing up the MCU so much when this has little to do with it makes me wonder if your coming into this conversation with alot of unrelated baggage.
11092938
MCU has sadly become the poster boy for modern Spider-Man, so it's sort of become my punching bag for when I get let down by the "modern portrayal" of Spider-Man compared to the Lee-Ditko run. It's especially not helped by so many people revering it the way they do that it's popularizing that characterization. It's a personal beef, though not as much as my Spidey fan friend.
11092945
I see. Everyone is welcome to there own opinion after all. Again I even understand some of the complaints directed at MCU Spider-Man. But I still recognize that there are people who are fans of that interpretation. Different strokes for different folks and all that Jazz.
11092951
True, but then when you come across the whole "MCU AWESOME, JUST LIKE THE ORIGINAL"... well... you saw my complaints about that.
11092954
Yeah I know. But still, There can be pros and cons to both. They can be awesome in their own ways. "Art is in the eye of the beholder" after all. I might not understand all the reasons for why people like what they like, But I'm glad at least they get something out of it even if I personally can't.
11092957
Problem for me though is that in something like MCU Spider-Man, I can't find anything good to say about it, let alone anything that it did better than the Lee-Ditko run. At least for something like Ultimate Spider-Man, I can say that there are things better in that than the Lee-Ditko run, such as having a much better Aunt May and Kingpin (I dare even say a better Gwen Stacey, who was introduced as a delinquent).
11092964
The thing about Spider-Man being known as the "everyman" or "relatable" hero is that relatability in itself is inherently subjective. No one can relate to everyone. Different incarnations will speak to different people across all walks of life. I might not be able to read the authors mind but I'm sure he's writing the character the way he is because whatever inspiration he is using spoke to him on an individual level regardless of what the fandom has in popular opinion or not.
11092968
I know, I just mentioned that there are things we can't relate to in a previous post. But there is at least one thing that's objective, and that's that he carries a burden in a way so many can't. You may get an exception or two in real life, but can anyone say that a good number of people can get back up right away and soldier on after so many shit happens to them exactly like Peter?
I'm not gonna stop the writer from writing this fic, but I will offer constructive criticism on what is clearly objective, and that was started by the complaint about Flash's portrayal. Unless there's some incredible plot twist that 100% justifies his torment on Peter the way he's been doing up to this point in this series, this is a generic bully who's crossed that line into being unlikable and at best, has his work really cut out for him to be even the slightest bit likable to the point that he needs a lot of focus in this series. But me, being the pessimist, I don't hold a lot of hope of there being anything legitimately redeemable for Flash. At least the Raimi movies, despite having a terrible portrayal of Flash, knew they weren't gonna spend any time with him and didn't develop him further. That version of Flash did his job and that was the end of it.
Aside from Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender, I personally have a reference to having an unlikable character be redeemed in a fic here called A Long Road to Friendship. The whole entire fic is Sunset Shimmer's journey to redemption after all the terrible things she's done before Twilight intervened. Even after her downfall, she was still crabby, spiteful, apathetic, and mean-spirited while still being demeaning when given the chance. The constant forced involvement with her new "friends" had made her slowly but surely change her way, but even then, that wasn't the end of the journey. Her attempts to do good are rewarded by life finding another way to shit on her, which is essentially karma for all her bad deeds at full force, but by this point, we are rooting for Sunset to succeed after seeing the natural progression of her changed mindset while still keeping bits and pieces of her negative traits that are nowhere near as harsh as before.
Sorry for the long tirade, but unless I see something of that caliber, I will personally hold no hope whatsoever about Flash's character getting any better.
11092985
Hey man, Your clearly passionate about this. Alot of us are being fans and all being spidey fans. However I'd be cautious casually throwing the word objective around in a review. It's not to say that you are wrong, I've just had alot of experiences where alot of people using that word tried to come off impartial when they weren't. Also Peter "soldiering on" is a consistent trait across most if not all spider-men we are used to seeing. Even here. He may be in a down in the dumps stage right now, but that "soldiering on" aspect you mention is still in play regardless of how long it takes him or what's got him in that mindset in the first place.
I can't garrentee that it will satisfy everyone, but hopefully you will like what Flash and the other characters have in store for them (like I said, this is way to early to judge)
11092990
Well, nothing wrong with being an optimist, but I personally stay pessimistic so I can't be disappointed.
11092992
Ha. Funny. You practically quoted No way home with that one. You ironically Have MCU MJ'S mindset.
11092993
That mindset isn't exclusive to MCU MJ. It's a common mindset for pessimists. Also, I haven't seen No Way Home aside from the few camera recorded clips and don't plan on watching that movie. I've only seen the stuff with Andrew Garfield because he's my favorite movie version of Spidey.
11093001
I never said it was. It's just a recent example that almost fit word for word. Also interesting opinion regarding Andrew. Not bad, Just interesting considering what popular opinion usually says when comparing the three actors. Also Each one clearly represents a different aspect of Parker's character. Hence why different people connect with different versions. A shame about not seeing the movie though. I thought it was one of the better MCU movies in a LONG time. But it's your right to choose what you watch so you do you man. I once saw an article that tried to compare them. Take it with a pinch of salt if you want but this was what I saw
Tobey Maguire: Spider-Man/Peter Parker is told as a serious and poor figure. This version of Peter Parker is described as the most mature of the two versions because he has graduated from college and is working. Tobey also brings Peter Parker as a melancholic figure with a heavy life and a gloomy expression on his face.
Andrew Garfield: Spider-Man is more depicted as a younger figure who is still in high school. Peter Parker is also described as being full of humor and nerdy . His figure also looks “rebel”, full of curiosity about his past.
Tom Holland: Spider-Man version is the youngest. Peter Parker here is also described as a person who is surrounded by supportive friends, while in the previous two versions there is a revenge plot for friends. Peter Parker is shown here as a naive, desperate teenager.
11093018
I wouldn't have a problem believing it's better than the other two movies, as I feel that Far From Home was better than Homecoming (still hate those two movies), but I've long ran out of any interest I had after being severely disappointed by Endgame. I tried to give MCU another chance when I was able to muster up whatever interest I had left by watching Shang Chi, but that movie only had a decent first third and boring rest of the movie, so I just can't be bothered to get back into MCU ever again. That means it's not just my dissatisfaction of MCU Spidey being the reason.
As for the description of the different Peters, my cynical self describes them as this:
- Tobey = terrible Peter and Spidey that somehow manages to perfectly capture the burden of responsibility, which is why he's still inspiring.
- Andrew = easily the best version of Peter and Spidey plagued by the comparison to Tobey and studio intervention
- Tom = had the potential to be the most accurate to the Lee-Ditko Spidey (especially after seeing how funny and charismatic he is behind-the-scenes with Will Smith and how serious and agressive he can be in The Devil All The Time) but completely veers and blasts off into the wrong direction
11093031
Ouch. Harsh. Tobey is actually mine and alot of peoples favorite spider-man but to each his own I suppose. Especially with Andrew being a cool Skateboarder and all. Not a knock on him but clearly a different take on what a awkward nerd is like. Andrew was a great Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Heck I think they both are, but just in different ways. To describe Tobey as just Terrible at both just feels like both a oversimplification and a disservice. Especially considering earlier you said you related to peter based on his realistic circumstances more then his idealistic "soldiering on" aspect that alot of people can't do. Tobey ironically fits that requirement alot.
It almost feels like a backhanded compliment considering the situations he was in wouldn't be enough without the characterization to bring those emotions to life in such hard circumstances.
11093034
Well, I mean terrible in that he's an awkward, silent, social invalid, which is the complete opposite of the charming loudmouth he was in the comics. Furthermore, he doesn't quip nearly as much as he should, and only a few are Spidey-worthy. But as I described, despite being a totally different person, the movie still remembers the heavy burdens he has to carry, how he soldiers on despite his burdens (second movie notwithstanding), and the core aspects of what makes Spidey an incredibly awesome yet tragic superhero down to the point that the Raimi theme perfectly reflects that awesome tragedy. So I'm far more forgiving on people who really like Tobey's version for those reasons.
11093046
The lack of jokes parts I get. (though he does do it a bit more in the games) But I personally like his awkward shy demeanor. He's just so soft spoken that there's a charm to it that I struggle to describe. I dunno I just find him really wholesome and likable.
11093048
Eh, won't hold that against you. I personally feel that it's far more enjoyable and compelling to see someone with a lot of charm and personality. Plus, Peter and Spidey being an extrovert allows for him to interact better with other people, which is especially needed to be "Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man". Case in point, the scenes in TASM1 where he helps a kid he's trying to save and in TASM2 where he interacts with a kid to cheer him up and compliment him for being brave against the Rhino, or even his interactions with Max Dillon both before and after he turns into Electro (mainly where he tries to de-escalate the situation before things go horribly wrong).
I also prefer the extrovert Spidey because it fulfills the Superman principle, where it's abundantly clear to the audience that Peter and Spidey are one and the same in personality and behavior, but no one else in the comics can figure it out because they only see what they want to believe. An example that can best be applied is that Peter could do exactly what Superman does in this clip below and it will hilariously yield the same results:
11093055
As a superman fan, I get the analogy perfectly. I just have a soft spot for introverts being one myself. Even when Superman himself is portrayed as one. The "seeing what they want to believe" thing applies regardless if effort is put into differing their personalities or not since he doesn't wear a mask in that case.
Although you would think Peter is more witty while wearing the mask because
1. Coping mechanism for all his stress
2. The mask gives a sense of anonymity that makes speaking like that more freeing and an outlet. Helps show the divide on why Black cat likes the mask but not the person under it in early stories. Talking down a villain diplomatically is not exclusive to just extroverts though. Nor is helping out kids. Don't get me wrong that's a sweet thing to do. But I've seen alot of introvertive people show a compassionate side.
11092237
Again. It is only Episode 2. There are a lot of things we don't know yet. Like...
What happened to Uncle Ben?
What was the blow back when May found out Peter was Spider-Man?
Why does Flash pick on Peter?
What's their history?
Where are Eddie and Harry?
Is there a reason why Peter is angry right now?
Clearly there are a lot of unanswered questions regarding Peter's past at this juncture. You are free to feel what you want. I, again, ask you wait to see what happens before you cast judgment. Everything will be answered passively over time.
11093055
Last comment and then I'm moving on. Everyone has their preferences, and there's nothing wrong with that. Peter Parker has been around since the 1960s. So it's only natural that his character change with time and various media. We have many different versions of Peter Parker (616, Spectacular, 90s Animated, TV Spectacular, Ultimate Comics, Ultimate TV- Fourth Wall Breaker, Tobey, Andrew, MCU, Spider-Verse, and many more). There are similarities and differences, but Peter Parker at his core is why we love him (and that may vary from person to person).
I ask in your case to practice understanding and acceptance. You made it clear that modern takes on the character like the MCU have rubbed you the wrong way. You are free to have your opinion, but do not slam people if they happen to disagree. (Like what you like. Don't be a dick.) Everyone has a preference. Just make sure your standards are reasonable.
In regards to my writing of Peter, I will say this. He is YOUNG. Still 15. We are still learning about him. He has some pent up anger. He is stuck in his head 24/7. He can be bit aloof and presumptuous. But he is intelligent and still wants to do the right thing, no matter how bad things get. After destroying his old school and forced to start a new school with Fury watching him, Peter is going to have a chip on his shoulder. He is still developing.
Right now, Peter, Flash, and every character so far are seedlings in the dirt. Give them all time to grow.
11093143
Can't ask for any more than that. But I will say this last piece in that I hope you don't move too slow here. Many versions of Spidey have moved on fast to get to the real meat of a Spider-Man story despite Peter being just as young instead of taking its time to wallow in a Spidey pity party.