The newest gameplay footage for Spider-Man: Miles Morales arrived at the PS5 Showcase earlier this month. Fans were treated to extended footage that also seemingly showed off who the main villain of the game will be. The Tinkerer is a lesser-known villain in the Spider-Man comics; however, the character has made an appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well. Still, the newest version of the Tinkerer is unlike any fans seen before.
The plot details for Spider-Man: Miles Morales are still a little thin prior to the game's release. However, the PlayStation exclusive is a launch-window title for the PS5. In the footage shown during the PS5 Showcase in September, the Tinkerer is seen leading a group of villains wielding all sorts of high-tech gadgetry in a fight with Spider-Man. The group, called the Underground, may be new to the Spider-Man universe, but the Tinkerer has been around almost as long as Spider-Man himself.
The Tinkerer, aka Phineas Mason, first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #2 in 1963. He is a genius engineer who creates all sorts of gadgets for battling Spider-Man. Over the years, the character has appeared in various Spider-Man media, including the animated show. He's almost always appeared as a bespectacled old man, who's balding with tufts of white around his ears. However, a more middle-aged version of the Tinkerer, played by Michael Chernus, recently appeared the movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming. The Tinkerer in Spider-Man: Miles Morales is very different from either of them.
How Spider-Man Miles Morales's Tinkerer Is Different
The Tinkerer in Spider-Man: Miles Morales is different in several noticeable ways. First and foremost, the video game version of the Tinkerer is a woman. Although her true identity is unknown right now, the Tinkerer has traditionally always been a man, which means it's unlikely she'll be playing Phineas Mason (or Elijah Stern, another character who's been the Tinkerer in the comics). This means the Tinkerer in Spider-Man: Miles Morales may be a brand-new character created for the game.
In addition to being a woman, the video game version of the Tinkerer is fighting Spider-Man head-on. In most instances in the comics, as well as in the MCU, the Tinkerer typically made weapons for Spider-Man's antagonists. However, the Tinkerer has fought Spider-Man directly several times over the years. Still, this appears to be the most hands-on version of the Tinkerer seen thus far.
The plot for Spider-Man: Miles Morales involves the seedy energy company Roxxon. Elijah Stern's version of the Tinkerer worked for Roxxon in the comics. This could mean the Miles Morales version of the Tinkerer is related to Elijah Stern in some way. This could also mean the new version of the Tinkerer is Stern's daughter, or it could simply be developers at Insomniac Games switching genders for the role.
Until Spider-Man: Miles Morales releases on November 12th, 2020, players likely won't know who the new Tinkerer is. However, the character has been around a long time in the Spider-Man universe, and it's great to see this high-tech villain getting a bigger role now.