Miles Morales: Marvel Just Fixed Spider-Man's Most Problematic Element
Warning! Spoilers for Miles Morales: Spider-Man #22 from Saladin Ahmed and Natacha Bustos ahead!
Marvel just fixed one of the most problematic elements in Miles Morales’ Spider-Man, one which has gone largely unaddressed until now. While it doesn’t shake up Miles’ entire world, it is a followup on the recent reveal of his father’s past as a SHIELD agent.
Miles Morales Spider-Man #22 is written by Saladin Ahmed with art by Natacha Bustos and colors by David Curiel. Following the battle with Ultimatum, the Morales family is settling down and reflecting on everything that has happened. Unlike previous issues, this one finds Miles and his dad in a much calmer place, now able to rebuild their home after the attack. With the loss of Uncle Aaron still weighing heavy on Miles' shoulders, Miles’ dad Jefferson is beginning to find closure, and a new beginning to go with it.
The issue sees Miles’ dad reveal that he has legally changed his name to Jefferson Morales, after going by his last name of Davis for several years. Jefferson Davis, incidentally, was the name of the president of the Confederate States of America in the 1860s. This is the first time the connection has been addressed throughout the Miles Morales iteration of Spider-Man. As he tells his son Miles the news, he explains how being recognized by Captain America brought back the baggage of his days as an agent of SHIELD. With his wife and son’s last name, Jefferson Morales sees a new start to his life, with his past behind him. "And that name. Jefferson Davis—It's tainted," he tells Miles. "I don't know why the hell my parents named me that. They're gone now, and I can't ask them.”
This is far from the first time that Miles’ time as Spider-Man has explored the importance of a name. For a long time, Miles had to deal with everything it meant to take on the iconic persona of Spider-Man and the baggage that the name comes with. Now that Miles’ father has been revealed to be such a relevant part of his son's world as a superhero, Jefferson’s reevaluation of his name feels natural and coinciding with this theme. As the two of them literally rebuild their damaged home, the announcement of a new surname symbolizes a new chapter in Miles’ family. With Uncle Aaron’s final heroic act of sacrifice and the secrets that have been brought out into the open, Miles has an opportunity to follow his dad in moving past old baggage.
Instead of denying his past, Jefferson acknowledges who he once was, and is able to separate his memory from the man he has become. Thanks to his son’s example, he realizes that there is more to being a hero than a name alone, whether it’s SHIELD, Spider-Man, or “Jefferson Davis.” In a benchmark chapter of Miles’ story encapsulating what "legacy” means, his relationship with his dad has never felt stronger. Miles Morales Spider-Man #22 is available now.