Warning: SPOILERS for Spider-Geddon #5
Marvel's Spider-Geddon #5 sees Miles Morales prove he may well be a greater hero than even Peter Parker - as he successfully wields the Enigma Force as the new "Captain Universe."
In Marvel Comics, the Enigma Force is a mysterious cosmic power that seems to serve as protector of reality itself. In times of crisis, it chooses hosts to bear its "Uni-Power." These hosts become known as Captain Universe, and number among the most powerful beings in the entire Marvel Comics range. Back in 1989, Peter Parker himself became Captain Universe. Naturally, Spider-Man was inexperienced in wielding cosmic power, and he found it difficult to cope with the staggering power levels; his time as Captain Universe was, as a result, pretty brief.
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Spider-Geddon #4 ended with several of the Spider-Men summoning the Enigma Force to Earth to help in battle against Solus and the Inheritors. Needless to say, the cosmic force was displeased by the arrogance of mere humans in presuming they could tell it what to do. The Enigma Force's accusations cut the various Peter Parkers to the heart, reminding each of their greatest failures. But Miles is unfazed, and instead explains - in forceful terms - why he believes the Enigma Force has the responsibility to help them. Miles' confidence impresses the Enigma Force, and it chooses to transform him into its host - a new Captain Universe.
But here's the interesting thing: where Peter Parker struggled to control the Uni-Power, Miles Morales is a natural. The point is driven home in two specific scenes. In the first, Peter himself arrives to join the battle against the Inheritors, having successfully defeated one of their number on his own. He's in a bad way, though, with his body a mess and his costume in tatters. As a result, Miles doesn't take well to his intervention, believing this new Spider-Man is from another dimension - and guessing correctly that "Solus is out of your weight class."
It's a brilliant scene, immediately giving a sense of just how confident a hero Miles has truly become, and it will certainly make Spider-Man fans chuckle. Another scene towards the end reinforces the idea that Miles is a better host than Peter - or, in the Enigma Force's words, more "worthy." When the Enigma Force finally leaves him, a stunned Miles declares the experience was something of a "rush" and asks how Peter handled it. "Not half as well as you," Peter Parker admits to the younger Spider-Man. It's clear that, to Peter, Miles is no longer the second Spider-Man, a young hero who's standing in Peter's shadow; he's proved himself to be a great hero in his own rite. Hopefully Spider-Geddon will launch Miles into a new status quo... and the rest of the Marvel Universe agrees.
Spider-Geddon #5 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.