Last edited by Confuzzled; 09-16-2018 at 12:26 PM.
Slight spoilers about the game, but there was an interesting comment by the creators about certain scenes involving MJ.
spoilers:end of spoilers
One of the biggest criticisms lodged against Marvel's Spider-Man is it's stealth sections where you play as Mary Jane and Miles Morales.
Juxtaposed against the thrilling action of swinging around Manhattan, kicking demons in the face, and even Spidey's own, more robust, stealth sections, many complained the parts where you play as Mary Jane, are, in short, boring and uninspired. Luckily, for these people, said sections aren't very common
That all said, what was Insomniac Games' reason for adding them in the first place? Well, the reasoning is threefold.
Speaking to Kinda Funny Games, Creative Director Bryan Intihar revealed that the first reason was they simply didn't want the character to be a "damsel in distress," as she has been in previous incarnations.
"It was really, really important to us make to make MJ a capable contributor to the story....I did not want to do the damsel in distress," said Intihar.
Intihar continued, noting that it simply felt natural to portray MJ in this way, in the modern day. Further, by making her playable, players would get a better sense of her arc than if she just popped up in cut-scenes.
The second reason is pacing.
"If we're constantly playing as Spider-Man, then it's constantly at a 10, and it can just get exhausting sometimes," said the director. "So, we thought that would be a nice change of pace."
Lastly, the third reason was the team thought it would be cool to play as non-superhero in a world full and about superheroes and villains.
"We thought it would be interesting to see what it's like to be in a superhero world, but not have superpowers," said Intihar. "And that was kind of just the choice we made."
Sincerely,
Thomas Mets
I mean, I get why not everyone would dig the stealth sections compared to actually playing Spider-Man.
Of course there's the novelty and the story potential, but that doesn't always make it fun to play.
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I really hate the idea that MJ being a "damsel in distress" is common or her usual depiction. I guess we have the Raimi films to thank for that .
Although even in-game she still needed Spidey to save her quite a few times. I mean, she was still playing an active role, but she still needed saving.
Even Batman and Superman need to be saved sometimes.
Yeah, Batman may be the DC Earth's greatest detective, but he's still just a normal man. And Superman can fall easily if an enemy uses magic or Kryptonite. That's probably why they call Shazam "Earth's Mightiest Mortal" - he lacks those weaknesses, though the payoff is he also doesn't have all of Superman's powers.
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I didn't mind the stealth sections for precisely the reasons they mentioned. I liked that getting to play as MJ made her feel much more important in the narrative of the game. It helped with the pacing and each of the sections were spread out just enough that they never felt tiring and gave an opportunity to slow down and breathe. Plus, I thought those stealth sections controlled better than Spider-Man trying to do stealth, and they had a nice variety of what you are doing in each section.
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To be fair, she does bring that up in the game, one of the reasons they break up is because she didn't want to always be saved. But she does also get to save him a couple times, and that's what ultimately gets them back together, how well they work as partners. The scene in Grand Central where she's sneaking around while Spider-Man does his thing in the background is a great example of how well it works.
Look what made numbers 10 and 03
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To be fair, I would contend that the movies did give her characterization beyond that one trope and that she is more useful then the cliched "totally helpless" damsel that makes the trope bad characterization. I'd also contend that having her needing to be rescued, while excessively used three movies in a row, were used for narrative advancement and so were not just a cheap trick to get more tension in the climax. Mileage may vary.
Doctor Strange: "You are the right person to replace Logan."
X-23: "I know there are people who disapprove... Guys on the Internet mainly."
(All-New Wolverine #4)
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I think it definitely takes two to tango, especially when MJ would more often then not get into situations where she was in over her head and needed Peter to save her. There was really only one time when he busted in where she actually had the situation relatively under control.
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I'm not saying she was purely a "damsel in distress" as far as characterization and role are concerned, but I think some of how they characterized and handled her in the movies compared to other versions of Mary Jane made it come off more prominently then it should have, and was a little damaging to the character.
Doctor Strange: "You are the right person to replace Logan."
X-23: "I know there are people who disapprove... Guys on the Internet mainly."
(All-New Wolverine #4)
Very happy to read "Now I feel the urge to rewrite that scene you just posted." Any story, idea, ad, or whatever can get a person emotional invested or active in some way can be a good thing. Sparking something. While we are different people with different experiences and options I would be interested in you take.
Plus reading ideas from you that maybe I won't agree with but still good to see how you think plus some I might or others I don't but might build from. Ideas bouncing off of each other building up.
How this was influenced was not just me wanting to save that character and give her a way to play a role and be integrated not just with Peter but others in the cast grealty MJ allowing her to further develop as a character in herself and individual. To provide balances and aspects that others might not be able to give at the time that maybe she can. Furthermore have the bonded three each having different aspects from each other that offers a character balance plus play off of each other and making them a sort of 'three amigos' spirit in some form.
Other influences is that I'm a MJ and a Gwen fan. Some people say that can't be (I have been told) but I love so many that both versions have in the Multiverse. Some think in 'absolutes' '(what we feel is) status quo is god' or 'our side only or your our enemy' thinking. But the Multiverse allows and should have different versions and 'fates'. Plus we write what we would enjoy reading. As a MJ and Gwen fan I would want versions of them in some form to be different from each other yet sisters or best friends. I hate that old fashioned thinking love triangle so I would want to avoid it yet show love and bonds between the three if/is possible. Such aspects and more goes into when i think up or ideas come to me for various possible MJs and Gwens from stories and what if to new worlds and tales. Many times I'm thinking of MJs and Gwens character versions and ideas without Peter in the equation or not as much so focusing on those two as the center roles.
Last edited by AngelJD; 09-20-2018 at 08:30 AM.
ASM #6 preview.
https://www.cbr.com/preview-amazing-spider-man-6/
Preview says Peter is "back together" with Spider-Man, "back together" with Mary Jane (but not in the same way he is with Spidey, lol), and back together with Randy Robertson (but not in the same way as the previous two, lol).
Our brief shot of Peter in this preview is a panel of him and Mary Jane making out.
Is this the first time Peter's made out with a woman who was once dead and then came back to life?
(Clones don't count, lol.)