In Charles’ latest ‘What I Heard This Week‘ he stumbled upon something rather interesting. There is a chance that Spider-Man 3 might add the character, Dr. Spencer Smythe. He is one of Spidey’s oldest villains, who made his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man back in 1965. He is the man that created the iconic Spider-Slayers that were designed to hunt and kill Spider-Man. It seems like the perfect addition as the next film will feature Spidey on the run. He was branded as a murderer, and with the Sakovian Accords still in place, he will be a prime target for many. So, let us try to find out how exactly Smythe might fit into the story that might still feature some multidimensional shenanigans.
Originally, Smythe was financially backed by J. Jonah Jameson. We were introduced to the iconic character at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home. It would make sense to follow the comics but it doesn’t seem fitting for him to do such a thing. Yes, he is the one to call Spider-Man a menace but there is no reason for him to hire anyone to take him down. He probably makes more money as long as Spidey is on the run. My best guess is that Jameson will create a bounty on Spidey’s head that could play on their original connection. It also would give an initiative for other enemies that have been teased to make an appearance.
Still, it is also possible Smythe works for the government. As far as we know, the Sokovia Accords could still be active. They might have a vested interest in capturing Spidey. He was involved with the big airplane fight alongside Iron Man, so who knows if he technically signed them. Plus, Thunderbolt Ross will be featured in Black Widow, so they might have some bigger plans for him in Phase 4. So, the government is funding Smythe’s Spider-Slayer program but in reality, he is using this opportunity to get his hands on the bounty. Perhaps they will introduce his son Alistair, who was played by BJ Novak in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, as his main motivation. This could potentially also set-up for future appearances.
Smythe’s inclusion would definitely lead to the slayers being the ones chasing down Spidey. It would be a fun idea of seeing him constantly having to upgrade them as Spidey takes them down. Now that the bounty is up, a group of bad guys is hunting him through New York City. Add to his frustration, the multiverse starts playing tricks and Spidey is barely able to keep up. Somehow, he manages to stay afloat throughout the journey. He has to handle a multitude
Smythe doesn’t defeat the web-head, he does manage to get some DNA off of him. His lab assistant Miles Warren offers to take care of it. Little does Smythe know, his assisstant has other plans. Spidey uses the chance to take down the Spider-Slayers, but finds a dead Smythe. His son, Alistair, finds the scene of the crime and blames the web-head for it starting his own path. Peter can only watch from the distance not realizing what he may have unleashed. He also is unaware that someone else was cooking up something that will come back to haunt him in the future.
