"The Arachniote": Spider-Man's Daughter Debuts Dark New Powers to Kill Her Father

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Venom War: Spider-Man #3!Peter Parker's Spider-Man hasn't ever had a stable family life. His parents' deaths left him to be raised by his aunt and uncle - at least until his uncle also died, imbuing him with his heroic duty. In adulthood, things got even more complicated, with Peter's story spanning marriage, demonic annulment, and alternate-universe children. However, as Spider-Man takes his ultimate form, at least his daughter is by his side... so she can kill him.

Marvel's Venom War sees Dylan Brock, Eddie Brock and Peter Parker battling for control of the Venom symbiote. As the issue begins, Peter is in possession of the alien lifeform, and he considers holding onto it in order to prevent either Brock from becoming a monster. As he ponders the possibility, Spider-Man undergoes a vision of the future where he keeps the symbiote, becoming the new King in Black. However, he's also opposed by a group of heroes including the mysterious Arachniote.

It turns out that even Peter Parker isn't immune to the corruption that becoming the King in Black brings, with heroes including Star-Lord, Hulkling and Iron Man standing against him. However, the most powerful of the lot is eventually revealed to be Peter's daughter, wearing her own symbiote to stop her father.

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Spider-Man's Daughter Is the Arachniote

Venom War: Spider-Man #3 by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Greg Land, Jay Leisten, and Frank D'Armata

In this world, Mary Jane Watson bonded with the ultimate symbiote known as the Arachniote. They even had a daughter together, though after MJ was ultimately consumed by her terrifying symbiote, their daughter May fled to the Guardians of the Galaxy's Grootspace. Peter's grief and power turned him into a tyrant, destroying any heroes sent to stop him. For a final attack to save the universe from Spider-Man's control, the remaining heroes recruit Peter's daughter, who takes up her mother's mantle. Tragically, because Peter doesn't know who's wearing the costume, he kills his own daughter in his rage.

Arachniote is terrifying with her claws, tentacles, and sharp teeth, and she's even wielding Beta Ray Bill's legendary Asgardian hammer, Stormbreaker. When she tells Peter that his grief over MJ drove his daughter away, she also tries to tell him he hasn't completely lost her. However, bringing up Peter's family enrages him, and he stabs Arachniote before she can reveal her identity. Thankfully, this horrifying vision is enough to persuade the present-day Peter to hand the symbiote back to Eddie and Dylan, preventing this future from taking place.

Spider-Man's Daughter Is Destined for Heroism

Even Mephisto Fears May Parker

Fans' brief glimpse at Peter Parker as the King in Black shows how corrupted Marvel's most self-sacrificing hero could become, and how family could act as his Achilles heel. However, it also interestingly implies that Peter's daughter May could still be born. May is the potential daughter of Peter and Mary Jane who was erased when the pair traded their marriage to Mephisto for Aunt May's life. Subsequent stories revealed that Mephisto made the deal because he feared Spider-Man's daughter would one day defeat him permanently, attempting to prevent her birth.

If she could become the Arachniote, it seems that there are still possible futures where May is born, and battling Peter's King in Black goes even further in indicating a major heroic destiny waiting in the future. For now, May has prevented Spider-Man becoming the tyrannical King in Black, and she did it without even being born.

Venom War: Spider-Man #3 is available now from Marvel Comics.