Marvels Spider-Man 3 Must Decide if JJJ is a Hero or Menace

by

Marvels Spider-Man 3 Must Decide if JJJ is a Hero or Menace

As a gamer who’s spent countless hours swinging through the concrete jungle of New York City as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, I can confidently say that Insomniac Games has done an exceptional job with their Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise. The villains have always been intriguing, with complex motivations that make them more than just one-dimensional antagonists. However, when it comes to J. Jonah Jameson, the situation is a bit murky.

The character of Marvel’s Spider-Man has consistently featured complex villains who aren’t just evil for the sake of being so, and this approach has proven effective. For instance, Phin Mason’s Tinkerer started the Underground with a justified purpose, while Martin Li, disguised as Mr. Negative, also had a valid reason to initiate the Inner Demons and confront Norman Osborn.

It’s interesting that the Spider-Man franchise from Marvel, in its design, has chosen not to clearly define J. Jonah Jameson as either purely good or evil, instead presenting him as a complex character who defies easy categorization. This ambiguity made it difficult to make a definitive judgment about him. However, in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, the line between right and wrong seems to be more clearly drawn, forcing Insomniac Games to take a firm stance for or against Jameson in a potential third game, as they can no longer hide behind the ambiguity any longer.

Marvel’s Spider-Man’s J. Jonah Jameson is at His Best When He’s a Good Guy Deep, Deep Down

JJJ’s act of signing the “Good Luck” card from the Daily Bugle team, without any extra goodbyes or well-wishes, shows that he made an effort for Peter Parker and had a positive feeling towards him.

In Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, during one of the side missions, Peter and J. Jonah Jameson have a phone conversation before their face-to-face meeting where Peter is selling his first Spider-Man photo to The Daily Bugle. Despite Jameson’s typically unpleasant demeanor, this time he shares valuable life lessons with Peter that Peter later passes on to an aspiring photographer in the present day. This interaction suggests that Peter has benefited from Jameson’s advice and likely learned a great deal during his time working under him.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s J. Jonah Jameson Gets a Bad Rap, But is He the Monster It Colors Him as?

In addition to not playing a major or decisive role in the plot, the video game Marvel’s Spider-Man incorporates the comic book background in which J. Jonah Jameson finances Mac Gargan’s transformation into the Scorpion to handle Spider-Man. This aspect is subtly handled and Peter Parker doesn’t seem to hold any grudge against him. Instead, he uses his dislike towards Spider-Man humorously by making light-hearted jibes at him, treating him as an insignificant threat to his popularity. Despite the negative portrayal of Jameson in the Bugle’s sensationalist headlines, it is well known that Spider-Man is widely admired and loved beyond these clickbait stories.

In many instances, JJJ’s rants in the open-world podcasts of Marvel’s Spider-Man can come off as a bit annoying. Yet, there is genuine humor hidden within these tangents, like the recurring joke about him scolding and summoning his assistant Jared. It’s evident that he’s not supposed to be taken at face value by the players or characters in the game world.

If his words were truly influencing the general opinion towards Spider-Man, things would be quite different. However, since the residents of New York City adore Spider-Man, it’s clear that JJJ’s influence on public perception is minimal at best.

As a gamer, I’d be thrilled if Insomniac could delve deeper into Spider-Man’s character, particularly showcasing aspects that resonate emotionally and provide insights into his grating traits. Ideally, they could explore the reasons behind his quirks more thoroughly. However, given the direction taken in the sequel where it seems challenging to align with JJJ without treading carefully around Mary Jane Watson, it appears this may not be an immediate possibility.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s Mary Jane Watson Resenting J. Jonah Jameson Makes It Tough to Find Goodness in Him

In the game “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2”, Jonah has recently been portrayed in a negative manner that affects Mary Jane Watson’s storyline. However, this doesn’t automatically make him an antagonist or suggest that he is deliberately hurting MJ through his assignments. His request for MJ to only write fluffy pieces and avoid reporting on significant stories may not be ethically sound for journalism, but it isn’t necessarily part of a malicious plan against her.

It’s exclusively in the sequel titled “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2” where JJJ resurfaces at the Bugle, and MJ is unexpectedly assigned menial tasks that she finds unprincipled and immoral. However, despite her objections, MJ decides to continue working there until after Peter assists in removing the red-and-yellow Scream symbiote from her.

In this scenario, she ultimately and unexpectedly concludes that her value deserves greater recognition, as demonstrated by her blunt rebuke towards JJJ which was rather impolite given the nature of their professional relationship and the fact that she wasn’t bound to the job. Her subsequent move to launch a podcast underscores this decision. The tumult she experienced was primarily an internal struggle with self-worth, something JJJ may have been unaware of, thus making it more about her personal journey than any actions or decisions on his part. After all, he has the freedom to manage his paper as controversially as he wishes, and she could have left earlier if she felt uncomfortable, but chose not to.

In the upcoming game “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2,” Insomniac appears to be encouraging players to choose a side in the conflict between Mary Jane and JJJ. The game seems intent on portraying JJJ in an unfavorable light. To make JJJ more likable in a potential sequel could contradict how players are expected to view him after “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2,” and it might seem like a betrayal of Mary Jane, given her hostile feelings towards him.

In the upcoming third part, we might not delve deeply into this topic, but rather gloss over it. However, it’s intriguing to speculate how JJJ will be portrayed moving forward, and it would be delightful to observe a transformation towards redemption in the character of the grumpy editor-in-chief.

Read More

2024-09-27 21:04