Summary
At the beginning ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, Insomniac’s wall-crawler franchise had a whole bunch of supervillains established and hanging around, whether out and about in New York City or incarcerated at the Raft. Once Kraven arrives, that pool of antagonists hastily declines as each member ofMarvel’s Spider-Man’s Sinister Six is killedbesides Doctor Octopus, Mr. Negative—not for lack of trying—and potentially Rhino, though Alexei Sytsevich’s fate is less clear.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2is unafraid to kill iconic characters and that’s one of its biggest storytelling strengths because it quickly makes Kraven seem threatening. Unfortunately, that lack of plot armor also applies to Kraven himself as his head is abruptly removed from his body to make way for Venom as the main antagonist. Regardless, Kraven’s catalog of roadkill is impressive for the short amount of time he’s there and it’ll be up toMarvel’s Spider-Man 3now to confirm if Rhino managed to get away unscathed or not.
Marvel’s Spider-Man’s Rhino is Presumed Prey of Kraven the Hunter
The receipts for Kraven’s kills are almost all seen whenplaying as Mary Jane Watson, who crouches and sneaks around hunter bases when she isn’t sprinting an enemy down to knock them out with a taser hit. It’s here where players are informed that Vulture, Electro, and Shocker have all been murdered, which initially comes as a fairly big shock since their deaths aren’t seen and their equipment is displayed like trophies.
These villains may have already all run their course and might not have had much else to contribute toMarvel’s Spider-Man, but knowing they’ll never be seen again isa loss thatMarvel’s Spider-Man 2truly makes profoundin those moments. Meanwhile, Scorpion is the only villain whose death at the hands of Kraven is shown.
Now, becauseKraven cleared some of Spider-Man’s most classic enemies with ease, it seemed obvious to assume Rhino was not exempt.
Cut Content and No Mention Suggests Rhino Met His End in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
However, no mention of Rhino being killed is ever made, either explicitly or implicitly, besides an out-of-bounds discovery made whereRhino’s head was mounted on a wall beside other heads of villainsconfirmed to be dead in-game. This seemed to suggest that Rhino has been killed or was intended to die inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, but without legitimate confirmation Insomniac has an opportunity to decide if it wants to keep the enormous, armored ungulate alive for a third appearance in the series or shelve him indefinitely.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 Can Web-Swing Either Way on Rhino’s Fate
Rhino’s undetermined fate is exciting because either outcome would be valid at this point. Rhino has actually played a considerable role in the franchise, appearing as a trivial Sinister Six affiliate inMarvel’s Spider-Manwho shared a boss fight with Scorpion before appearing as a multifaceted, recycled boss inMarvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
His role inMiles Moralesis particularly intriguing after he receives an upgrade from Roxxon that fashions him in red armor, fleshing him out a lot more than some other Spider-Man villains who were stuck on the bench during this half-sequel. Therefore, Insomniac needs no excuse to go with Rhino having died inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2since he’s already been a recurring antagonist, and yet having him come back again inMarvel’s Spider-Man 3could cement his importance in the story.
At the risk of becoming banal, Rhino could return with another upgrade or be fleshed out again in some other way, but surely there are many more loose threads Insomniac will want to tackle in what could well be itsfinalMarvel’s Spider-Manchapter. Still, a bit of clarity would go a long way, especially with Rhino having such a presence thus far.
