Writer Dan Slott talks about Spider-Man's "Instant-Kill Mode" (all MCU Spoilers)

[Dalek]

Dan Slott is a Spider-Man writer who wrote a very long run on Spider-Man, which has been met with mixed reaction from fans-I personally loved his run. He weighed in on Endgame and I thought this was an interesting thought regarding Peter Parker actually killing something.



This has been met with responses on his Twitter, including someone pointing out that he wrote this:

 

[BDS]

I don't think those aliens were like, real sentient people. More like cockroaches.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

Is Slott trying to argue that Peter should have just let himself be mauled to death? Like, it was a pretty desperate moment.

 

[Lotus]

I don't think those aliens were like, real sentient people. More like cockroaches.

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Pretty much, they were mindless beasts. That and them attempting to kill Peter and everyone else, all while they're entangled in a battle for essentially the fate of the universe, it wasn't remotely an issue for me.

 

[Deleted member 1478]

I'm so glad Slott is finally off Spider-Man. I never enjoyed his stuff and you always seemed to find him lurking in forums, arguing with Spider-Man fans for pointless things. I remember him once getting all annoyed that someone predicted Doc Ock being Spider-Man would be over within a year because the new movie was coming.

 

[-JD-]

Doesn't Far From Home deal with this?

 

[Christian]

Pretty much, they were mindless beasts. That and them attempting to kill Peter and everyone else, all while they're entangled in a battle for essentially the fate of the universe, it wasn't remotely an issue for me.

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Not to mention, Peter just came back from death after Thanos won the last time and wiped out half the universe.

 

[Coyote Starrk]

What a dumb argument to make. The fate of the entire universe was at stake and the dude is gonna get worried over some bad guys getting got?


Seriously?

 

[Pai Pai Master]

And his defense of the Venom Inc issue is stupid. That issue was stupid. Peter thinking it was okay to execute a captive, vulnerable Venom is fucking stupid, and Flash having to change his mind is fucking stupid.

I don't hate everything that Slott did with Spider-Man but this is stupid.

 

[modoversus]

I agree with Slott. It would not have been dificult to make it like Peter is knocking the aliens out or something, just like he does in the comics.

 

[elyetis]

I don't mind super hero having a "no kill" ideal.
I don't think such ideal should ever last more than a second in the face of saving the entirety of the universe.

 

[Bor Gullet]

I found it a bit jarring as well, especially as the moment was played off in a joking manner.

 

[adj_noun]

That ain't nothing on Murder Bats.

 

[Breqesk]

Playing Spider-Man murdering a buncha aliens off as a funny callback moment fuckin sucked, yes.

 

[Geist 6one7]

 

[Pai Pai Master]

I agree with Slott. It would not have been dificult to make it like Peter is knocking the aliens out or something, just like he does in the comics.

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He was losing the fight. The Avengers were losing the fight. That was the point of the scene, showing Peter resort to fatal violence was to show how desperate of a situation it was when Iron Man turned the tide. It wasn't meant to be some badass thing it was meant to show how badly they were about to lose. Having Peter be able to knock an entire wave of swarming outriders out wouldn't have worked there.

 

[modoversus]

He was losing the fight. The Avengers were losing the fight. That was the point of the scene, showing Peter resort to fatal violence was to show how desperate of a situation it was when Iron Man turned the tide. It wasn't meant to be some badass thing it was meant to show how badly they were about to lose. Having Peter be able to knock an entire wave of swarming outriders out wouldn't have worked there.

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It's fiction. They could have acomodated that. They do it on comics all the time.

 

[Soj]

I don't have a huge problem with him killing rampaging alien monsters, but red eyes Insta kill mode is a dumb thing for Spider-Man to have... even as a joke.

It's like something Zack Snyder would come up with.

 

[diakyu]

Won't someone think of the murderous hellhounds coming at Peter so their master can kill literally everyone in the universe? My personal morals would go out the window too when I'm up against someone who wants everything dead. Peter had the gauntlet in that moment, he'd be stupid not to try everything.

 

[Proteus]

What a dumb argument to make. The fate of the entire universe was at stake and the dude is gonna get worried over some bad guys getting got?


Seriously?

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That actually sounds like something that would go through Peter's head. I can imagine the thought bubble for it.

 

[RochHoch]

Oh, come on. It's like he wanted to nitpick just so he could act like he knows how to write Spider-Man better.

Thanos's dogs are mindless monsters. Nobody's gonna lose any sleep if Peter kills some of them. He also helped Iron-Man kill Ebony Maw in Infinity War, and I don't see anyone complaining about that.

 

[Christian]

I think the last year or year-and-a-half made me like Slott's run less, just because it seems like Marvel has several writers at its disposal that write a significantly better Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Time Taylor's Strikeforce issue from War of the Realms is kind of a perfect depiction of how I'd think Peter would react and fight in a situation where the world is ending and all hope seems lost. I can't find any great scans, but there are several parts that I think are relevant to this particular discussion.

 

[ckareset]

Never really thought about it. He's probably right, Peter wouldnt kill aliens like that.

That said superheros having no kill rules was always nonsense. Shout out Zach Snyder

 

[Deleted member 2145]

He was losing the fight. The Avengers were losing the fight. That was the point of the scene, showing Peter resort to fatal violence was to show how desperate of a situation it was when Iron Man turned the tide. It wasn't meant to be some badass thing it was meant to show how badly they were about to lose. Having Peter be able to knock an entire wave of swarming outriders out wouldn't have worked there.

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he's not wrong tbh

I didn't really have an issue with it in the movie but peter parker is a hardline never kill hero

supes ain't get away with it in his movie, that's for sure

 

[Disco]

God these comics writers can be such cornballs sometimes when it comes to a bit of rule bending in films. This is a more muted response tho than I expected which is nice

I still laugh at that overdramatic crap Mark Waid said about watching man of steel in theaters tho.

 

[Bor Gullet]

Playing Spider-Man murdering a buncha aliens off as a funny callback moment fuckin sucked, yes.

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Yeah, I remember in theaters thinking it was weird.

 

[Lotus]

he's not wrong tbh

I didn't really have an issue with it in the movie but peter parker is a hardline never kill hero

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I mean I'd agree if it was an actual sentient/humanoid alien or something, but it wasn't. It's a really weird nitpick given the context.

I found it a bit jarring as well, especially as the moment was played off in a joking manner.

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Playing Spider-Man murdering a buncha aliens off as a funny callback moment fuckin sucked, yes.

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Not sure what about it was portrayed as being funny. It was an extremely short scene where he used the mode, and... that was it. No quips or anything of that nature were made either. It just happens, and then the movie moves on with him next being shown nearly swarmed by the mindless beasts. It was just a neat callback.

Like maybe your audience laughed at it or something, but mine saw it as a "Oh shit, he's using it" moment.

 

[ckareset]

Now that I think about it, has Marvel said anything about Thanos creatures? Just because they were in a war doesnt mean they were all bad

 

[Penguin]

I don't even have a dog in this fight but after everything with other movies, gonna enjoy seeing the reactions.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

No-kill codes are cute and all, but for the most part they're more GUIDELINES and less strict rules. The only reason Batman doesn't kill is because he's ALREADY a dangerous psychopath and that rule is the only thing keeping him from becoming The Punisher in a cape.

Spidey can and should be able to take a life if there's no other option - would he almost always look for a non-lethal way if possible? probably. But I don't see Spidey as being the kind of character who needs a no-kill rule to function.

 

[Youngfossil]

I'm pretty sure Peter has killed on a couple of occasions or am I imagining things.

 

[Alienous]

It didn't bother me. I think Spider-Man is enough of a pragmatist to kill members of a hostile mindless alien horde when the fate of the universe rests in his hands.

 

[Jarmel]

This is kind of stupid because it's largely a joke. Stark put that shit in there.

Spider-Man also isn't identified with a 'no-kill' rule unlike someone like Batman.

 

[Breqesk]

I mean I'd agree if it was an actual sentient/humanoid alien or something, but it wasn't. It's a really weird nitpick given the context.




Not sure what about it was portrayed as being funny. It was an extremely short scene where he used the mode, and... that was it. No quips or anything of that nature were made either. It just happens, and then the movie moves on with him next being shown nearly swarmed by the mindless beasts. It was just a neat callback.

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A callback to a joke from Homecoming - 'ha ha Pete's suit has a super OTT Instant Kill mode'; the whole mode was a joke in that movie - played off in a joking way is a joke. It doesn't need, like, an extra quip.

At the very least, it was an 'extremely short scene' that was given no gravity whatsoever... Which Spider-Man choosing to use lethal violence should not be.

 

[Bor Gullet]

No-kill codes are cute and all, but for the most part they're more GUIDELINES and less strict rules. The only reason Batman doesn't kill is because he's ALREADY a dangerous psychopath and that rule is the only thing keeping him from becoming The Punisher in a cape.

Spidey can and should be able to take a life if there's no other option - would he almost always look for a non-lethal way? probably. But I don't see Spidey as being the kind of character who needs a no-kill rule to function.

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[Watchtower]

The "no kill rule" tends to be pretty loose when it comes to non-sapient beings. And not even just Spidey, either. Batman's got no qualms blasting the shit out of dozens of mindless alien grunts when he has to.

 

[Sephzilla]

Guys I'm pretty sure Parker doesn't have a no kill rule, he just doesn't go there very often.

 

[airbagged_]

I... liked that moment?

 

[diakyu]

Just imagine Peter taking the high road and killing none of them only for Tony to come in and kill all of them lmao. Peter was later seen at his funeral like, 'but did he really have to kill all of them? I mean that wasn't cool." While the other Avengers are in the background just shaking their head at him.

 

[ElBoxy]

I'm more bothered that Peter would be fine with a "Kill Mode" installed into his suit. If he has to kill as a last resort then that's fine, but to not give it any thought about his actions could be seen as a problem.

What a dumb argument to make. The fate of the entire universe was at stake and the dude is gonna get worried over some bad guys getting got?


Seriously?

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[Village]

No-kill codes are cute and all, but for the most part they're more GUIDELINES and less strict rules. The only reason Batman doesn't kill is because he's ALREADY a dangerous psychopath and that rule is the only thing keeping him from becoming The Punisher in a cape.

Spidey can and should be able to take a life if there's no other option - would he almost always look for a non-lethal way if possible? probably. But I don't see Spidey as being the kind of character who needs a no-kill rule to function.

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To function no, to be more interesting than his peers yeah. No one in marvel kinda of has a hard no kill rule, there is a whole greg rucka run of the punisher, where spider man is like " Yo the punisher is out here murdering dudes, why don't we do something " and everyone's like " Huh , oh that's wherever" and in cases like wolverine and thor were kinda down with frank . Spider man being a genuinely good dude in a world of moral gray is interesting. Even to the degree in which it is a fault

Also its weird you bring up batman considering he gets mad agrro when other people start killing people

 

[Dongs Macabre]

I don't think those aliens were like, real sentient people. More like cockroaches.

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Spider-Man is okay with animal abuse

 

[PlanetSmasher]

Guys I'm pretty sure Parker doesn't have a no kill rule, he just doesn't go there very often.

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Hell, Peter barely ever uses the full extent of his strength. THAT'S his no-kill rule - he could pretty easily destroy most of his opponents by actually unleashing the full limits of his physical strength but he refuses to do so because he doesn't WANT to kill them.

That doesn't mean he outright won't kill people, just that he believes in second chances more than punching Norman Osborn's head clean off in one hit.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

Now that I think about it, has Marvel said anything about Thanos creatures? Just because they were in a war doesnt mean they were all bad

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Lol they are literally mindless monsters, they only exist to destroy at Thanos' command

he's not wrong tbh

I didn't really have an issue with it in the movie but peter parker is a hardline never kill hero

supes ain't get away with it in his movie, that's for sure

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What even is that response from Slott? An overwhelming force designed only to devour and kill was beginning to swarm him. The entire point of it was to show Peter and the rest of the Avengers at an extremely desperate moment. He didnt have time to come up with some foolproof Parker plan, he had to fight or die. There was no outcome where he gets beaten and lives to rise again stronger, the outcome was his suit gets shredded, and he gets ripped to pieces.

 

[Alienous]

A callback to a joke from Homecoming 'ha ha Pete's suit has a super OTT Instant Kill mode!' played off in a joking way is a joke. It doesn't need, like, an extra quip.

At the very least, it was an 'extremely short scene' that was given no gravity whatsoever... Which Spider-Man choosing to use lethal violence should not be.

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I thought it was played as a 'He's not fucking around' moment for Spider-Man, not so much as a joke.

 

[Gravidee]

Now that I think about it, has Marvel said anything about Thanos creatures? Just because they were in a war doesnt mean they were all bad

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They were probably made to kill and are essentially mindless, biological robots. Look at the Chitauri army. When Stark blew up the main ship, they all deactivated like machines.

 

[Breqesk]

Just imagine Peter taking the high road and killing none of them only for Tony to come in and kill all of them lmao. Peter was later seen at his funeral like, 'but did he really have to kill all of them? I mean that wasn't cool." While the other Avengers are in the background just shaking their head at him.

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I mean MCU Peter's uncritical idolisation of Tony Stark kinda sucks too, yeah.

I thought it was played as a 'He's not fucking around' moment for Spider-Man, not so much as a joke.

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I mean, that would also suck, but I definitely think it was intended as a jokey callback.

 

[adj_noun]

Spider-Man is okay with animal abuse

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He's kicked the shit out of Rhino, beat up Vulture, smacked around Lizard, screwed up Scorpion and beat the ever-loving piss out of Doc Octopus.

It's safe to say he has a problem.

 

[Buckle]

Yeah, I hated that.

Spidey isn't the type of guy to murder anonymous henchmen on a battlefield.

But then again, theres a lot of stuff I don't like how they've approached MCU Spidey. That one was very bizarre tho.

 

[Bor Gullet]

This reminds me of Injustice when Superman blows up all the Parademons, and Batman throws a fit.