WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #16 by Peter David, Will Sliney, Rachelle Rosenberg and Joe Caramagna, on sale now.
The dead have risen again in Marvel's Damnation crossover series, and Mephisto is along for the ride. Though he typically torments heroes such as Doctor Strange and Ghost Rider, Mephisto is infamous for his part in the controversial Spider-Man story arc "One More Day," where Peter Parker made a deal with the devil to spare his Aunt May's life, in exchange for undoing his marriage to Mary Jane Watson.
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A large section of fans remain angry over what "One More Day" did to Spider-Man and one of his most important relationships, but what would their reaction be once they learned another member of the Spider-Man family was on the verge of making another devastating deal with Mephisto?
It's Tough Telling The Good Guys From The Bad
Spider-Man's clone, Ben Reilly, is trying his hand at being a superhero again in the self-titled Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider, after his villainous role in last year's Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy. Ben was also a major player in the "Clone Saga," another highly divisive story arc from Spider-Man's past.
With all that behind him, the Scarlet Spider has joined Wong's Midnight Sons (Blade, Brother Voodoo, Elsa Bloodstone, Man-Thing, Iron Fist and Moon Knight) in their battle against Mephisto's demonic Avengers in Las Vegas. Wong's plan is for Scarlet Spider to secure the Vegas strip against Mephisto's minions, while the rest of them storm the Hotel Inferno. It's an easy enough task, but when Scarlet Spider can't tell a normal human from one with a possessed soul, he begins to doubt himself. Is he truly cut out to be a hero, or is his ultimate role that of the villain? A sleek-dressed Mephisto raises this same question when he confronts Ben Reilly.
Let's Make A Deal
Mephisto smartly plays on Scarlet Spider's insecurities regarding his up-in-the-air hero status. Also, Ben's brushes with death and resurrection have left his soul tainted and tormented, making it all the more easier for someone like Mephisto to manipulate. All the villain has to do is remind Scarlet Spider of the many people close to him he's hurt while extending a hand to offer help.
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Now, we all know what can go wrong when making any type of deals with Mephisto, but apparently the Scarlet Spider didn't get the memo. You may be wondering why the antihero doesn't call out Peter's earlier agreement with the devil, but only a small handful of people are even aware of any changes to the Marvel Universe, changes which include Spider-Man's once-public identity becoming a secret again.
Mephisto claims he's going to give Ben a "fresh start" (clever wordplay on Marvel's upcoming publishing initiative, perhaps?) and make him a hero, but we have to wonder... what is a hero in Mephisto's eyes? It can't possibly be the characters that plague him time and time again, can it? No, the villain's idea of a "good guy" has to be worse than what anyone could ever imagine. Plus, look no further than Johnny Blaze's current situation at what happens when you deal with the devil.
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The Scarlet Spider believes he's doing the right thing by shaking Mephisto's hand, but history tells us he's set himself up for a whole new set of problems. As noble as his intentions may be, the Spider-Man clone could find himself fighting against the Midnight Sons as Mephisto looks to spread his demonic influence from Las Vegas throughout the entire Marvel Universe while Damnation continues.