Ultimate Spider-Manjust debuted the most powerful version ofSpider-Man’scostume yet, but someone else will be wearing it instead. InUltimate Spider-Man #9, by Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto, Otto Octavius creates a staggering and impressive new suit of armor for Peter Parker… which he instantly refuses to accept.
However, the presence of this armor, and the fact that Otto has not yet become Doctor Octopus yet in the Ultimate Universe, appear to suggest thatOtto himself will be donning the armor in the future, becoming the Ultimate Universe’s Superior Spider-Man without first becoming the villainous Doctor Octopus.
The Spider-Armor Created By Otto Octavius is A Masterpiece
Official Designation: The Spider-Armor Mark I
Following Spider-Man and Green Goblin’s previous encounter with Tony Stark inUltimate Spider-Man #8,Otto created a new suit for Spider-Man to keep Stark from tracking it.This suit, dubbed the Spider-Armor, is incredibly advanced, resemblingthe Iron Spider armor given to Spider-Man by Iron Manin Marvel’sCivil War.
Otto upgrades the webbing compound and outfits the armor with all manner of weapons, such as rocket launchers and concussion bombs. In addition, the Spider-Armor is also incredibly durable and connected to all of Oscorp’s systems. Peter ends up rejecting the armor soundly, and the armor remains in Otto’s possession for him to use as he wants.
Peter Rejects The Spider-Armor, But Otto Octavius Shouldn’t
How Otto Could Become The Ultimate Superior Spider-Man
Otto Octavius already has a history of adopting Spider-Man’s iconography for himself. In Earth 616, Otto implanted his consciousness into Peter Parker’s body and became the Superior Spider-Man, adopting Peter’s life and identity in an effort to prove that he can be a better Spider-Man than Peter ever was. After Peter regained control of his body,Otto would remain as the Superior Spider-Man through a new, genetically engineered body, even working alongside Peter Parker on multiple occasions and developing a heroic streak, before ultimately returning both to his original body and his villainous role as Doctor Octopus.
As Peter Parker is only just now beginning his career as Spider-Man in the new Ultimate Universe, this new version of Otto hasn’t become Doctor Octopus yet, but his behavior and the presence of theSpider-Armor give him the chance to become his own version of the Superior Spider-Man without first having ever become Doctor Octopus. This version of Octavius has been presented as a highly intelligent Oscorp scientist, and he has a tendency to become obsessive about his work. The groundwork for him to become either Doctor Octopus or the Superior Spider-Man is being laid.
In an effort to understand bothPeter’s powers and Stark’s Picotech suit, it’s not out of the question for Otto to perform some kind of experiment on himself in order to replicate the circumstances which may lead to him becoming this universe’s Superior Spider-Man. The Picotech’s refusal to be surrendered into Otto’s custody supports this interpretation, as Otto has clearly stated his intent to run experiments on the Picotech suit in order to determine how it really works. His attempts to crack that mystery could very well lead Otto down a dark path in this universe.
The Original “Ultimate” Doc Ock Was Transformed Into A Villain First
If this version of Otto will turn to villainy as a brand new Superior Spider-Man, then he will be following in the footsteps of his predecessor from the original Ultimate Universe. In Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley’s originalUltimate Spider-Manrun, Otto Octavius was reimagined as a lab assistant for Oscorp and a spy for Oscorp’s competitor, Hammer Industries. He was caught in a lab accidentwhen Norman Osborn attempted to recreate the experiment which created Spider-Man, and had mechanical arms grafted onto his bodywhich he controlled with his mind.
Following this accident, Otto Octavius became Doctor Octopus, and initially sought revenge against those who had wronged him before turning his ire against Spider-Man. One of his earliest deeds as a super villain was working alongside Norman Osborn to create the Ultimate Six to attack the White House, forcing Spider-Man to temporarily work alongside them by threatening Aunt May and Mary Jane. Later in the original Ultimate Universe, Otto beat Peter in a fight and took him to Brazil to torture him, before being bested by Spider-Man and witnessing SHIELD melt his mechanical arms once captured.
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As a super villain, Otto took glee in disturbing Peter Parker’s life. The most heinous deeds he committed occurredduring the Ultimate Clone Saga, where he created multiple clones of Peter, including an older clone of Peter who thought he was Peter’s deceased father, for the sole purpose of revenge on Peter Parker. It was also during these events that Otto revealed his powers involve control over every form of metal, rather than the specific use of his mechanical arms. Otto would ultimately be stopped by Peter and Jessica Drew, one of the clones he made.
This version of Otto Octavius would later work for the Roxxon Corporation and head their brain trust, capturing Jessica Drew before being defeated by Spider-Man once again, and even aiding the heroes of the Ultimate Universe in defeating The Maker when he first turned to villainy. Later, Otto would be broken out of The Triskelion by Norman Osborn as a part of Norman’s plan to kill Peter Parker. When Otto refuses the plan, and calls Spider-Man Oscorp’s greatest creation, Norman kills Otto in a fit of rage, bringing an end to his villainous legacy.
Will The New Ultimate Universe Make Otto A Hero First?
The Spider-Armor may very well bethe most powerful iteration of Spider-Man’s costume ever.Without Peter Parker wearing this version of the suit, it will surely be used by Otto Octavius. His mainstream counterpart already has a history of using Spider-Man’s technology and powers, even to the point of adopting his greatest adversary’s name. Marvel and its new Ultimate Universe will undoubtedly put a new spin on the concept of the Superior Spider-Man, which presents an interesting opportunity for the publisher, as the original Ultimate Universe predates the concept of the Superior Spider-Man by over ten years.
Moreover, this possibility presents itself as yet another way the new Ultimate Universe differs from the original Ultimate Universe. Whereas Otto Octavius was firmly a villain in the original Ultimate Universe, here he is presented in a more heroic role. The original Ultimate Universe’s Otto was Doctor Octopus, but this version of Otto may never become Doctor Octopus and will instead be the Superior Spider-Man. Nothing is assured in the new Ultimate Universe, and Otto’s story within it can go in any direction.
