Uncover another chapter of intriguing Marvel storytelling and discover who Wraith is and her role in the franchise.
Wraith: Nemesis or Ally?
The Spider-Man movie franchise is arguably one of Marvel’s biggest, stretching back to the 2002 Spider-Man 1 hit. However, since then, the series has taken several directions, with Marvel coming up with different movies and storylines. If you’re an avid Marvel fan, then you know that characters debut on the gaming scene before the film. And in the recently released Spider-Man 2 game, there’s a character that’s getting a lot of attention.
The character? Wraith (Yuri Watanabe) has now made her debut on the gaming scene, and who knows, maybe there will be movies coming. But who exactly is Yuri, and why is she getting a lot of attention? This article provides you with all the information you need.
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Photographer: Eric Mclean https://unsplash.com/@introspectivedsgn
Who Is Yuri Watanabe?
First things, Spoiler alert! If you don’t want to risk learning about things you’d rather wait to discover yourself, stop here. If not, continue.
Yuri was formerly an NYPD captain who used to work with Spider-Man on occasion. In the Marvel Spider-Man 1 game, Peter Parker worked closely with Yuri to help her capture Kingpin. After this, they work together on several other occasions.
There was even an instance where Peter Parker actually had to save her life when she was infected by a poison Dr. Octopus released. However, kind of like every good girl gone bad storyline you’ve seen, Yuri eventually ends up taking a bad turn.
If there was ever any group of people that had the right to be furious and snap in Marvel’s Spider-Man movies, it’s the police. After all, there are only so many times you can lose your partners, friends, and coworkers before taking matters into your own hands. There are some wounds that luxurious gifts cannot heal, even if they were Montblanc watches.
Spider-Man had his uncle, aunt, and friends to guide him in the right direction. However, not everyone had the luxury of drawing on the wise words of “Uncle Ben.” Case in point: Yuri Watanabe. But you should know that Yuri’s pivot to the dark side wasn’t done on a whim. There were some precipitating factors.
The Birth of Wraith
From time to time, Yuri had to deal with a relentless barrage of bureaucracies involved with police work. However, the event that truly broke her and led to her becoming Wraith is a mission in Marvel’s Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps.
In this mission, Yuri works with Spider-Man to hunt down the Magga crime syndicate, only to discover that Hammerhead is running things. True to his vicious personality, the mob enforcer proceeds to ambush and kill every member of Yuri’s team before they can get to him. As you can imagine, Yuri was overwhelmed by the guilt of personal responsibilities, the pain of losing people she cared about, and a lust for revenge.
Eventually, they caught up to Hammerhead and successfully restrained him. But Yuri, unable to overcome her emotions, took a gun and killed the mob enforcer, an action that led to her being suspended. But at this point, the Yuri everyone knew was gone, and in her place, only Wraith was left.
Spider-Man 2: A Yuri Heads Up
After that Canon event, Wraith came out, and she had no intention of going back in. In Spider-Man 2, she proceeds to employ lethal force to deal with the several criminal elements she comes across. Disapproving of her methods, Spider-Man even comes to blows with her at some point. Eventually, they reach a sort of uneasy truce.
Conclusion
The Marvel universe has continually evolved, and intriguing characters are continually introduced. Now, with the introduction of the Spiderverse and the multiverse watch, it seems the series might be moving in a new direction. Currently, Yuri has only made her appearance in the game, but a movie could very well be on the horizon. One thing’s for sure: Yuri’s backstory will make for an enthralling watch.