#Also featuring Kaine’s complicated relationship with murder

[scarletspider2the2ndpower]

Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider (Vol. 1/2017), #18.

Writer: Peter David; Penciler and Inker: André Lima Araújo; Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg; Letterer: Joe Caramagna

[nerdkiller]

The differing portayals in both character & aesthetic of Nina Kaina in Pathologic Classic vs. Pathologic 2 kinda irk me honestly. Bc in Pathologic 2 takes the boring and rather simplistic route that she was a scary menace who frightened children. But in Classic YES she did bad things i.e. "murder" (I think it was more like suibaited à la how Maria and Khan tried with Eva and Anna Angel) Kin leader and harassed townsfolk and apparently kidnapped children to give them to Kin people (!) But all of this was true while the Town was completely enraptured by her and in love with her. They say she was beautiful and radiant. She enthralled the Town like a vampire. Even Capella, who can't even stand Nina's presence in the Tower, when speaking of Nina herself makes sure to indicate that Nina wasn't actually "evil."

And this isn't even Nina apologism bc she did do actual evil there's no question, but I just find that the paradoxical feelings about her to be so much more complex. Not to mention that her design changes feel weird to me in an antisemitic way? Like personally I love aquiline or hooked noses and strong dark features but IPL either added/changed her appearance (talking about the theater mural) to have these traits when they flattened her characterization to be just "evil."

NOT TO MENTION the weird conflicting message of "children were scared of Nina" in P2?? Because the Polyhedron is Nina's soul, her soul is only accessible to the Town's children and protects them from the plague and provides them every fantasy imaginable. The Kains specifically are described as the children's protectors or at least the Town's children are their domain. It's also explictly said that the Caravan was the bogeyman of Nina and Simon especially bc of their ~evil kidnapping~ and how it was a mockery of what they planned to do with the Polyhedron.

Now you could argue that Nina & the Kains' relationship with children is more complicated than that, her influence on the children wasn't all good, and that's what I'm saying. But it just irks me when the complicated portayal of Nina and by extension all the Kains and their "darkness" is flattened into just "evil" when it's really more of ironic idealism that's at play here.

[traincat]

who are kaine and ben? i saw ben get referenced in a post about ripeter from spider verse and i know they're clones?? but idk anything about them.

Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker are both clones of Peter Parker. It’s a very long story, but to cut to the heart of it: when Peter and Gwen were in college, they had a professor named Miles Warren, also known as the Jackal. Warren became obsessed with Gwen, and after her death also discovered Spider-Man was Peter Parker. Using samples collected in their science class, he cloned multiple copies of both Gwen and Peter – two of those clones being Kaine and Ben. (Later it’s revealed Norman Osborn was directly involved in Warren’s cloning of Peter, but originally the story is presented as Warren cloning Peter as revenge for his part in Gwen’s death.) They’re the big two clones you need to know about when tackling Spider-Man comics: the perfect clone and the original clone.

(Web of Spider-Man #118)

Ben Reilly (who uses a combination of Uncle Ben’s first name and Aunt May’s maiden name) is a “perfect” copy of Peter Parker, possessing all of Peter’s powers and memories up until his cloning (the college years) both. Realizing he was the clone, Ben left New York and for five years lived a nomadic life. Spider-Man: The Lost Years is a miniseries that covers this and I highly recommend it.

Ben returns to New York when May falls ill and apparently dies (it’s a long story but considering this was the 90s and May is currently alive in Spider-Man, you can guess that she did not in fact actually die). At first operating as the Scarlet Spider, Ben later took up the Spider-Man mantle when test results were faked so it appeared that he was, in fact, the original Peter Parker and Peter the clone. Peter and Mary Jane, who was at the time pregnant, moved to Portland and Ben bleached his hair blond and began working as a barista at a local coffee shop while operating as Spider-Man. 

Ben later died in front of Peter, murdered by Norman Osborn the same night Norman had Mary Jane poisoned to kill her unborn baby. Upon his death, it was revealed that Ben had been the clone all along. He later returned as the new Jackal during the recent Clone Conspiracy storyline, and had a recent comics run in Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider. 

Personality-wise, before his return as the Jackal/his most recent run, Ben is a lot like Peter. Despite a rocky start, Peter and Ben got along really well and referred to each other as brothers. Before Ben’s death they were discussing the possibility of them both acting as Spider-Man in conjunction.

(Spectacular Spider-Man #240)

When it comes to Ben, there are two costumes you should know: the Scarlet Spider costume and Ben’s variation of the Spider-Man costume. The Scarlet Spider costume is a red bodysuit with a blue sleeveless hoodie featuring the spider symbol layered over it:

(ASM #400)

Ben’s Spider-Man costume is very similar to Peter’s, but the spider is larger, extending across his chest and over his shoulders, and his gloves and boots are a different design:

(Spectacular Spider-Man #234) Ben very notably wears his webshooters on the outside of his costume in both his Scarlet Spider and Spider-Man identities, which is an easy way to quickly identify whether you’re looking at Peter Parker or Ben Reilly if you’re unsure.

RIPeter’s blond hair in Into the Spider-Verse was most likely a reference to Ben Reilly – it’s a pretty funny meta joke to introduce a Spider-Man whose big line is “there’s only one Spider-Man” when he’s visually based on Peter’s clone.

(Spider-Man Redemption #4)

Kaine Parker – known at first simply as “Kaine” – is the first living clone of Peter Parker Miles Warren created. Seemingly a success at first, Kaine suffered from clone degeneration, a condition that scarred him physically and mentally. When Warren became aware of this, he attempted to kill Kaine, causing Kaine to flee and hide.

(Peter Parker #61)

Kaine became obsessed with Peter, thinking that he was the successful clone when in reality that was Ben Reilly. Attempting to protect the life Kaine felt Peter as the clone should have, he hounded Ben Reilly relentlessly, attempting to keep him from New York and away from Peter and trying to destroy Ben’s own happiness. It gets kind of homoerotic, I’m not gonna lie.

(Peter Parker #61)

(Spider-Man Redemption #1 – highly recommended Kaine reading.)

“Our minds and hearts couldn’t help but vibrate around each other: I’d breathe in, he’d exhale. I’d grow feverish… he’d burn.” This is a lot even before Ben’s love interest, Janine, uses the exact same phrasing to describe her own relationship with Ben. (Based on the heavy parallels between Janine, who killed her father after years of sexual abuse, and Kaine, as well as Kaine’s later focus on and empathy toward young victims of sex trafficking and the Jackal’s own treatment of Kaine, I think there’s a very strong implication in the text that the Jackal sexually abused at least Kaine, if not both Kaine and Ben, but that’s a different post.)

During Ben’s five year exile, Kaine killed a woman named Louise Kennedy, who had briefly been his lover, in a complicated series of events spiraling out from his finding out she was a corrupt cop. Because the clones have the same fingerprints as Peter and because Peter had previously been arrested and fingerprinted, Peter was later arrested for the murder, though he was later exonerated. Kaine also killed Doctor Octopus, although Otto, of course, got better. 

Fast forward to more modern comics. Kaine sacrificed himself in Peter’s stead during the Grim Hunt storyline, when Kraven the Hunter’s family attempted to use Spider-Man to resurrect Kraven. Kaine later emerged from the grave further mutated, sporting multiple eyes and more spider-like features. The Jackal abducted him and further mutated him into a giant monster called Tarantula. During the Spider-Island event, he was knocked into a vat of spider-cure created by Anti-Venom and reemerged cured of both Tarantula and the clone degeneration.

(ASM #671)

Headlining in his own solo title, Scarlet Spider v2, Kaine took off with Peter’s stealth suit and, while he planned to cross the border into Mexico, ended up waylaid in Houston when he discovered a mysterious young girl named Aracely who had been left to die. Recognizing himself in her, Kaine and Aracely ended up staying in Houston, where Kaine operated as the Scarlet Spider, focusing his efforts when left to his own devices largely on human trafficking.

(Scarlet Spider v2 #12)

Kaine and Aracely later appeared as members of the new New Warriors team, before he died during the Spider-Verse event. He also got better. 

Before being cured of the clone degeneration, Kaine sported very long curly hair and was marked by the scars of his clone degeneration. He’s also taller than either Peter or Ben, likely due to mistakes in the cloning process. He possesses a power called “the mark of Kaine” which leaves burning hand prints on his victims. Before he was cured, he suffered from precognition in the form of violent flashes of the future, but after being cured, unlike either Peter or Ben, Kaine lacks a spider-sense:

(Scarlet Spider v2 #1)

However, unlike either Peter or Ben, he can talk to and control spiders:

(New Warriors (2014) #3)

Kaine is short-tempered and foul-mouthed, but despite his every intention otherwise, like Peter, he is ultimately beholden to his responsibilities. Because of his past, he’s extremely self-loathing, and often measures himself up against both Peter and Ben in terms of what a hero is supposed to be like. However, he’s deeply loyal to his found family, particularly Aracely, who shares something of a psychic bond with him.

(Scarlet Spider v2 #21) Kaine is also possessed by an otherworldly spider entity known as the Other, which can manifest as a gigantic human spider. 

And that’s what you need to know about the two main 616 Peter Parker clones!

[romana73]

REYLO VS VAMPIRE KNIGHT

Post written by ME. The animated gifs and pictures shown, however, AREN’T MINE and DON’T BELONG TO ME IN ANY WAY. Sorry for my mistakes, but English isn’t my first language

"In depths of my heart, fear of a dark past has always tormented me. My parents abandoned me ... and who am I? " (Yuki, 2x04, Vampire Knight Guilty) I will try to insert less possible spoilers about Vampire Knight, ‘cause if you haven’t seen and read this work, I highly recommend you do it and I don’t want to ruin various surprises story holds.

Vampire Knight and Reylo DON’T have much in common. Their stories are different, Vampire Knight is a mirrors game, with two male protagonists always poised between good and evil and a true love triangle in classic sense. Nonetheless, two stories share narrative canvases show how by using them, different stories can be built, but always love stories. Vampire Knight is a 2004 Shōjo Manga, signed by Matsuri Hino. In 2008 cartoon version came out. Divided into two seasons Vampire Knight and Vampire Knight Guilty, cartoon summarizes only comics first part. To know second part and story’s end, you must read Vampire Knight comics. Story protagonist is Yuki Cross, a 16-year-old girl, adopted by Kaien Cross, Cross Academy’s director, a renowned private school she’s a student of and Guardian. Together with Kaien and Yuki also lives Zero Kyriu, a 17-year-old boy, student and another institute’s Guardian. In fact, school hides a secret. Students are divided into two classes: Day Class, formed by human and Night Class, beautiful vampires elite. Former retired vampire hunter, belonging to Hunters Association, Kaien Cross opened school pursuing a difficult goal: peaceful coexistence between vampires and human. In fact, being divided, there is a moment in which two groups meet, under Guardians watchful gaze: classes changes. Vampires often attend evening classes. Banned from vampires sucking blood of academy humans. For this, at their disposal are blood tablets, dissolved in water, are transformed into blood... students also reside in two separate dormitories. Sun dormitory (human) and Moon (Vampire). Yuki and Zero are responsible for discipline and respect for rules, they also possess anti-vampire weapons. Sharing and helping director Kaien's project is Kaname Kuran, a fascinating and powerful Pure Blood vampire, head of Moon dormitory and all Academy’s vampires, whose Yuki has always been in love. Yuki suffers from a big memory emptiness, which prevents her from remembering her childhood. Her memories start on a cold, snowy winter night, when she was 10 and Kaname saved her from a vampire E-level attack: a vampire, a human time, whose transformation has degenerated to point of erasing all consciousness, reason and feeling, turning he into a monster thirsty for blood. Since then, Kaname has taken on task of protecting Yuki, refusing to reveal to anyone, including Yuki, real reasons for this choice. Only Kaien Cross knows truth. Difficult relationship between Yuki and Kaname is complicated by Yuki's feelings for Zero. Shaky, taciturn and grumpy, Zero keeps everyone at a safe distance, including Yuki, whom he loved in secret. All she knows is, one night, four years ago, Kaien had come home with blood-covered Zero, saying he was son of two famous vampire hunters, murdered by a pure blood vampire and he was only survivor. For this reason, as well as ‘cause of his being a hunter, Zero feeds a deep and boundless hatred for vampires, which he only wants to exterminate. What Yuki ignores is Zero himself is turning into a vampire. Shizuka Hio, nicknamed Princess of Blossoming Flower, had been killed by his parents, who had broken her hearts by killing vampire she was in love with. In revenge, Shizuka had killed two hunters, but first she had irreparably bitten Zero... to help her, Ichiru Kiryu, Zero’s twin brother, physically too weak to become a hunter. Protected by Zero, to whom he was deeply tied, Ichiru couldn’t bear his frail health and be considered by all weak link. Shizuka recognized as a kindred soul, behind promise to be healed and turned into a strong boy, Ichiru was on vampire’s side, betraying parents and Zero, then disappearing with her. One day Kaname reveals to Yuki only pure-blooded vampires like him can choose to turn a human. Unfortunately, transformed human is destined to become inexorably a level E vampire: a blood-thirsty monster without any more reason and conscience. This is also Zero’s fate who, once a human, has been fighting against a slow transformation into a vampire for four years ... Kaname Kuran’s title is MASTER KANAME. He faithful friends and subordinates, a group of seven young aristocratic vampires: Hanabusa Aido, Takuma Ichijo, Akatsuki Kain, Seiren, Senri Shiki, Ruka Souen and Rima Toya:

One of Ben Solo/Kylo Ren’s titles is a KNIGHTS OF REN MASTER, a fighters group loyal to him:

Yuki’s first memory is when, in a dark and cold winter night, Kaname saved her from a mad vampire, then he holding her hand out. Yuki, who at time was a child, grasped Kaname's hand confidently, while a woman's words rang out in her mind, warning her: "He is ... who sucks people’s blood...monster takes on human form... he’s a vampire. You don’t have to get close to them, if you do... you will be captured by those eyes " (female voice, 1x01, Vampire Knight)

In Vampire Knight’s opening themes, Kaname offers his hand to Yuki, but she portrays her own, uncertain:

In "Star Wars. Episode VIII. The Last Jedi" movie, Rey offers her hand to Ben/Kylo and he accepts it. In same movie, Kylo offers his hand to Rey, but she doesn’t grasp it:

Zero confides to Yuki:

"I accepted to be a guardian only for one reason: because I want to look for most effective way to destroy those beasts with human features" (Zero to Yuki, about the vampires, 1x01, Vampire Knight)

Likewise, Kylo Ren hates Jedi and wants to kill them all, along with Sith:

At one point, at Academy, comes Toga Yagari, vampire hunter and ex ZERO’S MASTER who tries to kill Zero. Knowing boy's vampire condition, Yagari closes Zero. Concerned, Yuki goes to see Zero and, noticing he isn’t immobilized and doors and windows aren’t locked, Yuki gets angry and asks why Zero accepts imprisonment imposed by Yagari: "Why do you have to obey that man? Tell me! " (Yuki to Zero, 1x06, Vampire Knight)

Similarly, in "Star Wars. Episode VIII. The Last Jedi" movie, while Ben/Kylo is taking her to Snoke, on elevator, Rey tells him: "You don't have to do this. I feel the conflict in you " (Rey to Ben/Kylo, from "Star Wars, Episode VIII, The Last Jedi" movie)

At one point, Yuki's mental block, which prevents her from remembering, becomes too heavy for her who, reflecting, says:

"In depths of my heart, the fear of a dark past has always tormented me. My parents abandoned me ... and who am I? " (Yuki, 2x04, Vampire Knight Guilty)

Similarly, in "Star Wars. Episode VIII. The Last Jedi" movie, Ben Solo/Kylo Ren gives voice to Rey complex, even if ABANDONED when it was small by PARENTS, she DOESN’T STOP TO HOPE of couple coming to her and of FIND OUT THEM in any adult shows her affection: "Thrown away like rubbish from yours ..." "It isn’t so!" "Yes, yes, but you still need it. You look for them in anyone, it's your weak point. You look for them in anyone, In Han Solo, now in Skywalker " (Ben Solo/Kylo Ren to Rey, from "Star Wars Episode VIII, The Last Jedi" movie)

To help Yuki rebuild her past, Zero and Kaien accompany her to Hunters Association headquarters, to search through their archives. By time Yuki finds 10-year-old register, when Kaname rescued her from mad vampire, book’s pages burn themselves, before she and anyone else could read them, leaving Yuki depressed and shaken:

To search for answers about their parents, Rey ventures into dark cave on sacred island where Luke lives. Inside it, girl finds a mirror-like wall, asking her to show her parents. Rey sees two shadows walking towards her, until she becomes one, but when image clears up, mirror reflects Rey's only face. Destroyed and disheartened, girl confides in Kylo

Yuki would do anything to save Zero from his destiny as a vampire, convinced of inexorability of his fate, Zero handed Yuki a bulletproof pistol, making her promise. if one day he becomes a lethal level E vamp, she will kill him. Yuki accepts weapon, but refuses to kill Zero. One evening, entering Zero's empty room, Yuki thinks:

"It’s in this room he suffers alone, he suffers in silence. Zero, I know I can save you "

(Yuki thinking of Zero, 1x11, Vampire Knight)

In "Star Wars. Episode VII. The Force Awakens" movie, Kylo Ren closes in his room, alone, to talk with Vader's mask:

In "Star Wars. Episode VIII. The last Jedi" movie, arguing with Luke, Rey declares herself confident she can bring Kylo Ren back to Light Side, saving him:

“This is not going to go the way you think! “

“It is. Just now, when we touched hands, I saw his future. As solid as I'm seeing you. If I go to him, Ben Solo will turn”

“Rey... Don't do this”

(Rey and Luke Skywalker, from "Star Wars Episode VIII, The Last Jedi" movie)

One evening, in disguise, Shizuka Hio arrives at Academy. Zero recognizes her immediately and he challenge her, but vampire reminds him:

"So I know you're incapable of killing me, because a slave couldn’t kill his master, who offered him a vampire life with his blood"

(Shizuka Hio a Zero, 1x10, Vampire Knight)

In "Star Wars. Episode VIII. The last Jedi" movie, speaking of Kylo, ​​Snoke tells Rey:

"You think you can turn him? Pathetic child, I cannot be betrayed. I cannot be beaten. I see his mind: I see his every intent " (Snoke a Rey, about Kylo Ren, from "Star Wars Episode VIII, The Last Jedi" movie)

One evening, Kaname finds Yuki fainted in front of his palace. He takes her into his house, placing her on sofa and sitting next to her. The moment she opens her eyes, Kaname tells Yuki: "It was time! It's been a while since I've been here, waiting for you to wake up" (Kaname to Yuki, 2x02, Vampire Knight Guilty) In "Star Wars. Episode VII. The Force Awakens” movie, after making Rey faint and taking her to Starkiller Base, Kylo Ren binds her to interrogation table, sitting in front of her, waiting for her to wake up:

At moment, when Yuki's amnesia risks leading her to madness, Kaname intervenes. Using his powers to sleep Yuki, he picks her up, carrying her out, under the snow, where he awakens her...

In "Star Wars. Episode VII. The Force Awakens", locked and captured Rey, Kylo Ren uses his powers to sleep her, then carries her on his ship:

One day, Yagari observes, while not being Kaien's true daughter, Yuki looks very much like a man: "This father, that daughter. You are not even blood relatives, but you always behave in such an excessive way ... " (Toga Yagari to Yuki Cross, 2x12, Vampire Knight Guilty)

In "Star Wars. Episode VIII. The last Jedi" movie, reproaching Kylo Ren, Snoke intends to take off his mask then, studying his face, says: "Take off that ridiculous business. Yes, it is. You have too much of your father, I still feel his heart in you, young Solo" (Snoke to Kylo Ren, from the movie "Star Wars, Episode VIII, The Last Jedi")

Discovery about Yuki to be a PURE BLOOD VAMPIRE PRINCESS, puts a strain on relationship between her and Zero. Not caring about his status as a vampire, Zero decided, in fact, to become a VAMPIRE HUNTER in all respects. Yuki would like to talk to him, to try to fix things, but closed in his room, Zero replies it’s useless and points to front door which is Yuki, Bloody Mary, his gun ANTIS VAMPIRE. Yuki replies Zero is right vampire in her DIVORED Yuki he knew:

Similarly, in "Star Wars. Episode VIII. The last Jedi" movie, Rey cries hot tears seeing Kylo Ren take over from Snoke as First Order Supreme Leader and decide to kill everyone: Jedi, Resistance and Sith. Rey rejects proposal to join Kylo to reign with him and, instead, to take his hand, she tries to recover her lightsaber:

For his part, furious at Rey's decision, Kylo Ren orders to take down Falcon spacecraft, on which Rey himself travels:

Yuki decides to leave Academy, accepting Kaname's proposal to leave with him and other vampires their friends. Greeting Zero, Yuki bites him to tell she really became one of vampires he hates so much:

"You are a vampire ..." "Mm...hmmm" "We can’t live in the same world" "No" "The day will come when I ... I will decide to kill you..." "I will wait for you" (Zero and Yuki, 2x13, Vampire Knight Guilty)

In "Star Wars. Episode VIII. The last Jedi", Luke tells Kylo Ren Rey is LAST JEDI. Kylo replies he will DESTROY her. Rey decides to join and leave with Resistance, hated by Kylo: "I'm sure you are! The Resistance is dead, the war is over, and when I kill you, I will have killed the last Jedi!”

“Amazing. Every word of what you just said was wrong. The Rebellion is reborn today. The war is just beginning. And I will not be the last Jedi”

"I will destroy her, and you, and everything else" (Kylo Ren and Luke Skywalker, from "Star Wars Episode VIII, The Last Jedi" movie)