Peter Parker

*"With great power, comes great responsibility." - Ben Parker*

As a result of a genetically-altered spider bite, high school student **Peter Parker** developed powers and abilities similar to that of a spider. He operates in New York City as the vigilante known as *Spider-Man.*

## Description

### Appearance

Peter is seen as a handsome, attractive, lean young man. He stands 5'10", with pale skin, messy brown hair, and honey-brown eyes.

His choice in clothing leans toward pieces that are comfortable and casual, such as hoodies, flannel button-ups, baseball-style t-shirts, and jeans with sneakers or Converse high-tops.

### Personality

Peter can be described as anxious, energetic, and curious. He is a notorious bookworm who excels at piecing together clues and solving mysteries, such as the identities and motivations of his enemies.

He is noted for his sense of humor, often quipping or making sarcastic remarks, especially when he's nervous. He is constantly talking while acting as Spider-Man, which serves two purposes: one, it irritates the hell out of his enemies, which has its advantages. Two, it covers up how terrified he actually is when engaged in combat. Talking shit gives him some courage and allows him to focus on "the job".

He is a very loyal person who would do anything to protect his loved ones, even if it means giving up his life to do so. He can be slow to trust people, but when he does warm up to them, he becomes very close and will do whatever he must to ensure their safety.

Like his uncle, enjoys puzzles and mysteries, and constantly uses those skills when engaging in investigations against New York's various super-criminals. For this reason, even more than the spider powers, his intelligence and creativity are his greatest strength.

Since becoming Spider-Man, his social and generalized anxiety has become a little worse, especially after the death of his **Uncle Ben**, because he fears having to deal with the loss of any more of his friends or family as a result of his superhuman enemies.

## Biography

### Background

#### Early Life

Peter was born in Queens, New York, to Richard and Mary Parker, professors of literature and psychology, respectively, at **Empire State University**. In 2002, when Peter was three years old, his parents both died in a plane crash on their way to an academic conference.

The orphaned Peter went on to live with his uncle and aunt, Ben and May Parker, and they became his surrogate parents, raising him like their own son. It was a happy, if simple, life and Peter grew up very happy and contented. The family experienced constant financial strain, but they were all happy. He grew to be especially close with his uncle Ben.

Over time, Peter would grow into an extremely bright child, especially skilled in science. His shyness and scholastic interest often made him a social outcast and a target for bullies, especially his neighbor **Flash Thompson.** He had a few friendly faces, including **Ned Leeds** and **Jessica Jones**, but was normally something of a wallflower and a loner.

#### Spider-Man

In September 2015, early in Peter's Sophomore year, his class went to a field trip to **OsCorp**. While there, he became distracted by strange lights and sounds, following them to their source. His memory is hazy, but he remembers the spider bite; he was bitten on the back of the hand by a strange, genetically-altered spider. In a haze for the next few days, Peter experienced vivid hallucinations as his body experienced a painful transformation.

He would go on to discover that he developed superhuman abilities like those of a spider. Deciding he wanted to use these abilities to make some money--he could help his family with bills *and* maybe become more popular--by signing up for a wrestling contest. He designed a colorful red and blue costume to wear in the ring. After winning some cash in two exhibitions, he signed on to a contest, to win $5,000 by staying in the ring for three minutes with "Crusher Hogan". He decked the guy in less than two, winning only a fraction of the promised money. Out of petty spite, he ignored it when an armed gunman robbed the wrestling manager that short-changed him.

Later that night, that same criminal would murder his uncle Ben. An enraged Peter tracked down the gunman and realized who it was. Despite wanting to, he did not kill the man; that's not what Uncle Ben would have wanted. Guided by his uncle's last words to him--"with great power, comes great responsibility"--became his guiding mantra, and he made the decision to use his new abilities only to help people, becoming the vigilante known as Spider-Man in the process.

#### Amazing Adventures

As Spider-Man, Peter would fight crime, protecting people wherever and whenever he could. He earned some notoriety after being featured negatively in the *Daily Bugle.* On a number of occasions, Spider-Man would come up against superpowered criminals, including the **Chameleon, Vulture, Alistair Smythe, Hammerhead, Shocker, Boomerang, Fly, Molten Man, the White Rabbit & the Walrus,** and **the** **Sandman.**

At some point before the events of **the Defenders campaign**, he assisted the **X-Men** rescue Liz Allen from the DUP and later helped them bring down the robot known as **Nimrod.**

## Relationships

### Aunt May

The only family he has left and the closest thing he has to a mother, Peter loves his aunt May more than anyone in the world. He worries for her, cares for her when he can, and more than anything he wants her to be safe and happy. For this reason, among others, he hasn't told her about his being Spider-Man. There's nothing he wouldn't do for her--even lie to her.

### Eddie Brock

Peter's childhood friend until he moved away in the 7th grade, Eddie is a fuck-up, to put it bluntly. He drinks, gets into trouble, gets into fights, and he's been to juvie. But he's got a good heart, Peter knows that, despite how troubled he is.

### Flash Thompson

Peter's lifelong bully and neighbor, Flash Thompson made Peter's life hell for many years. More recently, Peter has started to stick up for himself more and grow more confident. Slowly, the lifelong antagonism is changing, though he's not sure what it's turning *into*.

### Goblin

This serial killer was a blight on New York for several weeks and partly due to an attack on Liz Allen and Flash Thompson (old Hook Hand style), Peter became obsessed with tracking him down and stopping him--and before long, the Goblin seemed to be just as obsessed with Spider-Man. Things culminated in a fight atop the Washington Bridge and Goblin's seeming demise, despite Peter's best efforts to save him.

Despite the hope that it's over, Peter has a lingering doubt about whether or not the Goblin is really gone.

### Harry Osborn

Despite being two years older than Peter, Harry quickly became Peter's best friend. He's really the best friend that Peter has ever had, and Harry is the one guy that Peter trusts more than anyone. Since Spider-Man, however, Peter slowly became more distant from him. Since Harry's graduation and his subsequent appointment as CEO of OsCorp, they've barely had a minute to talk. Maybe that's for the best.

### Jessica Jones

Peter has been friends with the spunky young detective since kindergarten, and she has always stuck up for her. Peter has always thought highly of her; she's cool, smart, spunky, and has never taken anybody's shit. He admires that about her. She also happened to be the first person to deduce his secret identity--she was actually the first person to find out outside of Peter himself.

When she got into her accident and ended up in a coma, Peter was devastated. He would visit her often and dropped off her camera for her when she wakes up. And he knew she would; Jessica's a fighter. Nothing can keep her down. And when she *does* wake up, he is determined to tell her the whole truth, about everything.

### Liz Allen

Peter's first crush, he was in love with her since he was in first grade. She was always the picture of the good girl next door, and Peter would admit that maybe he put her on a pedestal. After she discovered she was a mutant and nearly burned down the school, Peter saw a new, not-so-flattering side of her. At the end of things, she learned his secret and the two separated as friends.

### Mary Jane Watson

The free spirited, hard-partying niece of his neighbor. Peter has known Mary Jane for years. They aren't particularly close, especially as their interests diverged as they grew older. Regardless, he sees her as something like a friend, especially since she started dating Eddie Brock.

### Ned Leeds

Peter's former best friend, from kindergarten to 9th grade, when his family moved to Dallas. The pair were the classic, nerdy best friends and Peter was extremely sad to see Ned go. The pair communicate over the internet sometimes, but not as much as they used to. Hardly ever, anymore.

### Uncle Ben

Uncle Ben was Peter's hero. He looked up to him like he was some kind of superhero and the two were extremely close Peter's whole life. Uncle Ben was a good, honest man and his death is something that will devastate and haunt Peter for the rest of his life. It's his memory that drives Peter to be better, to save people. He desperately wants to live up to Ben's example and make him proud.

### X-Men

Peter considers this ragtag group of misfit mutants to be friends. They have worked together more than once and it was the X-Men who made Peter's most recent uniform and version of the webshooters. **Charles Xavier** freaks him out a little, **Hank McCoy** is a total bro, and **Jean Grey** is a total cutie.

## Character Information

### Notable Items

* **Spider-Man Costume v2:** This costume is a form-fitting bodysuit made for him by the X-Men after he helped them against the robot Nimrod and save Liz Allen. It has the same properties as **the X-Men uniforms**, and is suited for Peter's physiology, allowing him to cling to walls with no issues. It also has built-in webshooter functionality and light-dimming eye lenses. For more detailed information on Spider-Man's various costumes, **check here.**
* **Spider-Trackers:** Several months into his career as Spider-Man, Peter went to a PI supply store in the Bronx and bought a few tracker bugs. After some tinkering, he managed to make several of his own, which allow him to track objects or individuals.
* **Web Shooters:** Parker's brilliance at physical science allowed him to create web-shooters for use when he became Spider-Man. The twin devices worn on his wrists are able to shoot thin strands of a special web fluid at high pressure and speeds. Typically, Spider-Man plants or throws one on a departing enemy and follows the target to their hideout. His current webshooters are the fourth design, which was created in cooperation with the X-Men's **Hank McCoy.**

### Abilities

* **Brawling:** After fighting crime for six months, Parker's combat style developed into a somewhat instinctive and improvised collection of techniques that emphasizes the use of his superhuman strength, speed, agility, and Web-Shooters. Hence, Parker uses quick, powerful attacks and agile movements while firing his webs to immobilize his enemies. However, Parker is not skilled in martial arts as his style is self taught and often gets distracted while in combat.
* **Expert Engineer:** Parker has an affinity for working on and building computers, and has become an expert when it comes to create new technology. As such, he constructed his own web-shooters along with his first Spider-Man Suit and goggles.
* **Expert Scientist:** Parker displayed knowledge in various fields of science. He developed a highly advanced chemical compound into a silk-like material, and quickly deduced the composition of Vulture's wings based on their relationship between rigidity and flexibility, despite only witnessing their usage in a short span of time. Parker also has knowledge in physics; he was able to quickly solve a physics problem (calculating linear acceleration between points A and B) by just taking a glance at the board. Parker is also well-read and good at math.
* **Gifted Intellect:** Peter Parker is a highly intelligent science enthusiast, with aptitudes in chemistry, physics, and engineering.
* **Investigator:** Like his uncle, Peter has a deep love of mysteries and puzzles, and is an expert at putting things together. This allows him to deduce the motivations and identities of his enemies, and also helps him to figure out where they are likely to go next.
* **Multilingual:** Peter speaks his native English, as well as some Spanish, studying the language throughout high school with success. He also knows a smattering of Italian and Yiddish, thanks to his aunt and other sources.
* **Photography:** While not a passion, Peter is a natural photographer and has used his uncle's camera to make a little money selling pictures of Spider-Man to **the Daily Bugle.**
* **Pop Culture Knowledge:** A nerd in the classic sense, Peter is well versed in pop culture knowledge; he is a fan of various properties, such as *Star Wars* and *Star Trek*, has seen many movies thanks to his aunt and uncle's fondness for family movie night and an extensive VHS collection, and watches *a lot* of TV and played a lot of video games as a kid, since he didn't have many friends.
* **Sleight of Hand:** Due to his enhanced speed and agility, as well as a childhood love of magic tricks, Peter is extremely talented at sleight of hand techniques, able to palm objects without people noticing.

### Superpowers

#### **Spider Physiology**

Spider-Man possesses the proportionate powers of a spider, granted to him from the altered spider that bit Peter Parker. The spider's complex, mutagenic enzymes in the spider's blood were transferred at the time of the bite and triggered numerous body-wide physiological changes.

* **Enhanced Healing Factor:** Peter's increased metabolism allows him to rapidly heal and regenerate from harm faster and more extensively than normal humans can recover from. After his encounter with **Liz Allen**, Spider-Man suffered severe third-degree burns but completely recovered in a little over two days.
* **Enhanced Speed:**  Spider-Man can run and move much faster than an ordinary human and is adept at dodging quickly. Spider-Man was also quick enough to catch up to a speeding vehicle on foot.
* **Superhuman Agility:** After Peter gained his powers, he became as agile as a spider, being able to make movements that would be extremely difficult for a normal human with great facility; he is capable of swinging around on thin spider-webbing and jumping great distances and heights without difficulty. His bones, muscles, and joints have more elastic strength and durability, allowing him to perform gymnastic and contortionist maneuvers without damaging his bone structure.  He can also perform any complicated sequence of gymnastic stunts such as flips, rolls, and springs.
* **Superhuman Durability:** Spider-Man's body is inhumanly resistant towards impact forces and blunt force trauma, such as when punched by the Sandman into the side of a concrete mixer and shaking it off, or when he easily endured a collision with a metal beam during that same fight.
* **Superhuman Equilibrium:** Spider-Man possesses a heightened sense of equilibrium which greatly enhances his balance and coordination. Parker is able to adjust his position by instinct, which enabled him to balance on a string of web and perform a somersault, as well as catch a web cartridge while standing on the railing of a fire escape. He seems able to adjust his position by instinct, which enables him to balance himself on virtually any object, no matter how small or narrow.
* **Superhuman Reflexes:** Spider-Man's reflexes are similarly enhanced and are currently about forty times greater than those of an ordinary human. In combination with his spider-sense, the speed of his reflexes allows him to dodge almost any attack, or even gunfire, given sufficient distance.
* **Superhuman Stamina:** Peter's advanced musculature produces less fatigue toxins during physical activity than an ordinary human. This allows him to exert himself physically for much longer periods of time before fatigue begins to impair him.
* **Superhuman Strength:** Spider-Man possesses considerable superhuman strength, due to it being the proportional strength of a spider. Although he is relatively untrained, his strength alone is sufficient enough to catch a 1.5-ton car that was moving at 40 miles an hour when it was just inches away from hitting a bus, and he has been shown to be able to move a bus with his bare hands.
* **Wall-Crawling:** Through a currently-unknown mechanism, Peter can adhere to walls, ceilings, and other surfaces in order to scale them and has stated that he does not use any adhesive gloves or fabrics to do it. This ability allows him to stick to almost any surface when willing himself to, as physical contact with said surfaces creates a locking connection necessary to support his body, even when he is inverted above the ground. Alternatively, Parker could make individual portions of his body adhesive, which allowed him to stick his foot onto the chest of a bank robber to fling him into a wall.

#### **Enhanced Senses**

Spider-Man's senses are greatly enhanced, with him describing them as being "dialed to eleven". Hence, Parker is able to sense potentially dangerous things shortly before they occur. For example, if an object is being thrown at Spider-Man, he will usually be aware of it, even if it is hurled from far away and he is facing the opposite direction.

* **Enhanced Vision:** Spider-Man's sense of sight is superhuman, to the point that he is forced to wear dark goggles to prevent it from handicapping him in a battle, as there is "too much input".
* **Spider-Sense:** Attributed as a clairvoyant ability, Spider-Man's brain intakes and responses to stimuli at an accelerated rate, acting as a extrasensory ability to sense potential or immediate danger, a kind of "sixth sense" ascribed to Spider-Man. This awareness thus implies some kind of intelligence, capable of parsing Spider-Man's surroundings, identifying and critically evaluating a potential threat at a subconscious level, thus alerting Spider-Man of dangers he cannot readily notice at first, allowing him to effectively dodge and counter incoming attacks in combat, including projectiles aimed at him even from a blind spot. Provided with his extraordinary speed and wall-crawling, the spider-sense is sufficiently well-linked to his superhuman kinesthetics and reflexes, and it permits Spider-Man to evade all manner of spontaneous dangers by an evidently instinctual exercise of some uncanny reflex. It also gives him omnipresent detection to his surroundings, which is how he web swings without looking where he shoots his webs with ease.

## Trivia

* His favorite bands include *Weezer, Run DMC,* and *The Beastie Boys.*
* Peter dislikes mayonnaise and prefers his sandwiches crust-free.
* A huge fan of the *Star Wars* and *Lord of the Rings* franchises.
* Apparently has an extensive *Pokemon* card collection.
* Spider-Man has a Twitter account, where people can contact him if they need help.
* Peter's birthday is October 12, making him a Libra.
* Considers *Five Guys* to have the best hamburgers in New York.
* People with telepathy, such as Jean Grey and Charles Xavier, can sense Peter's spider-sense when it activates.