Issue 179 - Miguel O'Hara (Spider-Man 2099)

We travel Across the Spider-Verse for our Season 9 finale as we examine Spider-Man 2099, Miguel O’Hara!

Issue 179 – Miguel O’Hara (Spider-Man 2099)

Intro
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse comes out this Friday
- Season finale
Background (2:44)
- Miguel O’Hara (Spider-Man 2099) created by Peter David & Rick Leonardi in Spider-Man 2099 #1 (Nov 1992)
- His origin takes place in Nueva York 2099, alternately a separate timeline or the main Marvel universe (616) in the future
- Miguel O’Hara is head geneticist for Alchemax, and working on a program to create super soldiers – when a test subject dies, however, he quits in protest
- His boss, Tyler Stone, poisons him with an addictive substance that only Alchemax can make – Miguel breaks in and tries to alter his genes to cure himself, but a jealous colleague tampered with it
- Miguel ends up with spider-powers – enhanced speed, agility, and strength, plus the ability to see in the dark – unlike Peter Parker, he has organic spinnerets in his wrists, retractable talons in his fingertips and toes that allow him to grip to surfaces, and fangs that can release a toxin if he bites a foe
- He wears a suit made of Unstable Molecules that his talons can’t rip – he decides to operate as a hero after realizing the effect his heroics have on citizens
- Later learns Tyler Stone is his real father – his mother had an affair with Miguel’s mother
- After Doom takes over the United States, Miguel ends up in control of Alchemax, and uses his position to change the company’s focus to more positive and helpful
- Ends up stranded in “present day” timeline thanks to Age of Ultron’s effect on the timestream, and he encounters Superior Spider-Man, where they battle Miguel’s grandfather Tiberius Stone – Miguel cannot kill him, however, because to do so would obliterate Miguel’s timeline and Miguel himself
- Takes a job working for Alchemax undercover so he can keep tabs on the company before it becomes evil
- Joined the other Spiders to battle Morlun during Spider-Verse, and then attempts to return to his timeline – ends up in a post-apocalyptic 2099 instead – with the help of Strange 2099, he goes back to “present day”
- Temporarily retires, and works for Peter Parker at Parker Industries until his girlfriend Tempest was seemingly killed by a group called the Fist – she is revealed to be alive and comatose
- Learns that in the near future, the Fist create a bioweapon that obliterates New York – he travels forward to stop it, and teams up with a future version of Tempest and their son, both of whom have powers
- Learns he dies in 2016, and he does – killed by a psychically manipulated Tempest – he is resurrected in 2099 by that present day’s Dr Strange, where he celebrates New Years with Tempest and their son
Issues – Theme is “You can’t marry your future without divorcing your past” (8:26)

Guilt over what he did as a scientist, and uses his powers to make up for it
Learning of his biological parentage and the prerequisite affairs (15:13)
Confronting the knowledge of his own death (21:49)

Break (29:43)
- Plugs for Comic Book Keepers, Into the Knight, and Meghan Fitzmartin
Treatment (31:37)
- In-universe – The Ultimate Family Tree Time Therapy Session
- Out of universe – Choices leading to significant negative outcomes, family secrets, and a connection with loss (33:45)
Skit (38:51)
- Hello Miguel, I’m Dr. Issues. – I know. Which one?
- *confused* Come again? -I did, but you said you had to check to see if I was a proper fit for you. Then you never called back.
- I’ve never met you before. -Yes you did…at least one of you, but not YOU, you…understand?
- Uhhhh NO. -This is too complicated to say easily, so just bear with me. I came to you for help a while ago, and things didn’t go well because I was too scared to tell you what was really going on, and you gave me an ultimatum. Either I start telling you the truth, or you wouldn’t see me again.
- That sounds like something I would say. But then why don’t I remember it? -Something, or someone, must have messed with the timeline, and I’m not where I should be. That’s why I need you to help me manage my emotions.
- Finally, something I CAN do. How are you feeling right now? -Lost, alone. You don’t know what it’s like when every person you meet is either your closest ally or your worst enemy, and I can’t be sure ahead of time.
- That might be a bit paranoid. -Is it? I’ve had my life threatened by my loved one’s own family. I had to deal with my own father being an evil man…and knowing that I only exist because of him. I keep fixing the past, and getting the *sarcastic* REWARD of having a worse future. Does that sound paranoid to you, or just perceptive?
- *pause* Why not both? Paranoia isn’t pejorative; I’m referencing the heightened state of arousal and distrust, whether it’s justified or not. It’s a discomforting mix of anger, despair, and anxiety. It feeds on isolation, because it doesn’t have to confront change. – That sounds like a lot of doctor, brain stuff mumbo jumbo. Mind dialing it down a bit?
- You have a genetic predisposition AND enough experience to draw conclusions too quickly. Straightforward enough for you? It’s tough to split emotional responses from quick thinking intellectualization. -So what do I do about it? Most situations don’t allow for much time to process things.
- Quite true. You have to process things after the fact, and practice whatever techniques you learn in your downtime. -Of which I have none
- Make time. Your well being depends on it. -But I’m not being dramatic. I got pulled away before any of this could finish, and…look, I don’t know if this is a good idea at all.
- What? You started by…*flustered* don’t half-ass this, okay? I can take whatever emotional stuff you can dish out. -I’m not worried about emotions here. I’m worried that if I say something the wrong way, I’ll cause a paradox.
- Well I’m not going to ignore you when you’re clearly having your own mini-cris here. -I get it, I get it…um…what do I say differently though? I think I told you more than last time.
- So you still are holding something back? Either you -HOLD IT! That’s how you started last time! Or…ended last time…so, don’t say it again, alright?
- Then…uh…please, continue with this riveting test of my mental fortitude as you tie my brain in knots -*pause* You don’t have to be so harsh about it
- How about this…I will have to end this session for now, and will pick back up with whatever it is that you need time to organize for me. Is that a different way to get to the same point and not…evaporate everything? -You’re here…I’m here…so, yeah that works.
- For real…that’s actually a relief. I’ve had to deal with all sorts of wacky loops before and it made me kill myself…well, not ME, but someone else killed me, and I was trying to figure out if that was the right way to go about it. -***pause*** Sounds like you need some therapy yourself.
- Probably. But I won’t hold back. And you shouldn’t either, or else these sessions won’t continue, capiche? -NO! That’s too close to what you said last ti -*warping sound, Miguel is by himself…*door opens*
- *calling out* Hello, next patient please -THIS IS NOT FUNNY
- I wasn’t being fun -*Interrupting* that’s it, I’m outta here, *mumbling off to himself*
- But I didn’t even get to introduce myself -*Distant yell* YES YOU DID AND I’LL WORK ON BEING MORE HONEST FROM THE START. BYE!
- Umm…guess my afternoon is free?
Ending (44:11)
- Recommended reading: Spider-Man 2099 Vol. 3
- Next episodes: hiatus
- Plugs for social & GonnaGeek Network