Character variants/character identities make no sense

Marvel Puzzle Quest MPQ General Discussion
1

Below is a list of some inconsistencies I’ve noticed in the way this game handles character identities. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it does reveal that there is seemingly no rhyme or reason as to how this is handled from one character to the next.

X-23 (All-New Wolverine)

  • different person than Wolverine
  • can co-exist in the comics
  • can be used in same team as Wolverine in-game
  • cannot fulfill Wolverine essentials
  • (sometimes) locked out of EOTS as Wolverine

Thor (Goddess of Thunder)

  • different person than original Thor
  • cannot really co-exist in comics (one hammer powers both)
  • cannot be used in same team as Thor in-game
  • can fulfill Thor essentials

Miles Morales (Spider-Man)

  • different person than original Spider-Man
  • can co-exist in comics
  • can be used in same team as Spider-Man in-game
  • cannot fulfill Spider-Man essentials

Kate Bishop (Hawkeye)

  • different person than original Hawkeye
  • can co-exist in comics
  • can be used in same team as Hawkeye in-game
  • cannot fulfill Hawkeye essentials

The Hulk (Totally Awesome)

  • different person than original Hulk
  • can co-exist in comics
  • cannot be used in same team as Hulk in-game
  • can fulfill Hulk essentials

Peggy Carter (Captain America)

  • different person than original Captain America
  • cannot co-exist in comics (presumably - from reality where Steve Rogers is dead)
  • can be used in same team as Captain America in-game
  • can fulfill Captain America essentials

Sam Wilson (Captain America)

  • different person than original Captain America
  • cannot really co-exist in comics (same shield, filled role while Steve Rogers presumed dead)
  • can be used in same team as Captain America in-game
  • cannot fulfill Captain America essentials

I’m sure I’ve missed some. I’m also sure that I’ve oversimplified my categorization as to whether two characters can co-exist in the comics, but there’s not really a “right” answer on some of that. I don’t even want to begin to examine the two Gwens, as that is way too much to untangle.

In any event, it seems very clear that there is no consistent, predictable pattern as to whether new variant characters can be used with other versions of themselves or fulfill essential missions for their counterparts. It doesn’t seem to matter whether the characters can co-exist in the comics, or how the name is written. Am I missing something, or is this just sloppy development?

2

I’d also say the arguments for Mjolnirs or Caps shields to be a limiting factor are weak. If you want to get into Secret Wars, there’s plenty of room with God Doom making hammers from stars, even if they aren’t the real Mjolnir.

And for cap (3*), even his in game write up says it is a shield made of energy, and is translucent in his artwork. So, this isn’t the same one Flaptain America is using.

3

I’d buy the Cho/Banner “continuity” argument if it was used for X-23/Logan, Steve Rogers/Flaptain, etc, but that is obviously not the case.

4

The inconsistent handling of Team Iron Man and Team Cap across different versions of the same character is another bit of frustrating inconsistency.

5

I don’t see a problem with any of these.

X-23 doesn’t count as Patch, and Kate doesn’t count as Clint, and Miles for Peter, any more than Elektra could be used in place of Sentry, or Ghost Rider in place of Doom. They’re different characters, and being similar to other characters doesn’t change the fact that they are unique/distinct.

Hulk is different, because it’s the same Hulk with different hosts (Banner in 3*/5*, Cho as the 4*). It’s still the same Hulk, which is why those are interchangeable, but She-Hulk and Red Hulk aren’t, because they have their own “Hulk” side.

Thor is the same, with the commonality being “God of Thunder.” Odinson and Jane are two separate characters, but the in-game versions of them are God/Goddess of Thunder, which cannot exist alongside each other. Theoretically, Beta Ray Bill could fight alongside either with Stormbreaker, but not with Mjolnir. Time travel shenanigans like with the Three Thors could lead to one of the current 2*/3*/4* versions fighting alongside another Thor. Even crazier, the game could have Odinson (the unworthy) as a character wielding Jarnbjorn (the axe), and you COULD use him in the same fight as 4* Thor, but NOT in the same fight as 2*/3* versions (since 2*/3*/Odinson are all the same character, but Odinson is not God of Thor and thus doesn’t conflict with 4* Thor’s existence).

Similar arguments could be made for Venom. 1*/4* are the same. They would also be the same as, say, Agent Venom or Rocket Venom. Eddie Brock as Anti-Venom could be used alongside the 1*, Rocket, or Agent Venom. But not alongside 4* Venom, as while they are different symbiotes, they are still both Eddie Brock underneath.

Peggy is the only real “anomaly” here, and it’s because it’s not quite clear what makes her distinct. I would assume that if “The Hulk” and “God of Thunder” are the defining lines where those characters are sorted as same/different, then Peggy’s is probably “Super Soldier Serum.” Steve Rogers has it (5* First Avenger, 3* Super Soldier, 2* Captain America), Sam Wilson does not (Captain Falcon), nor would a version of BuckyCap. So along that line, it makes sense that BuckyCap and Sam can’t fill in for typical Captain America Essential nodes. Peggy, however, CAN, because she comes from an alternate universe where Steve died and Peggy got the serum. She’s a version 1.0 from her universe, where Bucky/Falcon are versions 2.0+ from a universe where the 1.0 is still Steve.

Same basic logic ties over to Spider-Man. Miles is a 2.0 from the Ultimate Universe. Gwen is a 1.0 Spider-Gwen, and is not Peter Parker or Spider-Man (despite obvious truckloads of similarities). Spider-Man 2099 would be another standalone. But Spidey gets WEIRD when you try to think of overlaps. Silk is different, but was bitten by the same spider. Is that enough for her to fill in for Spidey? Scarlet Spider is his own character, but he’s a clone of Peter. Is that close enough for her to fill his shoes? Superior Spider-Man could arguably fill essential nodes for Peter OR Doc Ock. There are some easier, obvious people that could also fill in for normal Spidey. The Marvel 1602 Spidey, Spidey Noir, the Spider-Man from India; all different, but all still “Peter Parker as Spider-Man” (even if one doesn’t have powers, and two have very different names, they’re as similar to the main version as Peggy is to the main Steve, you know?) But then it gets weird again. Peter Parker from Earth 65 (where Spider-Gwen comes from) is The Lizard. Could he fill in for 3* Spidey’s shoes? He IS Peter Parker, after all. But he’s no longer Spider-Man. Could he fill in for The Lizard if we had a Curt Conners version in the game? Who knows.

tl;dr Comics are weird, and the lines drawn for what is/isn’t the same are weird as a result, but all of these make sense when comparing the game to the source material, more or less.