Spider-Man fans are no strangers to evil versions of the Wallcrawler, but the Madam Web villain, Ezekiel Sims, seems like he could be one of the most intriguing yet.
First introduced in the Spider-Man comics, Ezekiel has been both an ally and enemy of our favorite Marvel character, Peter Parker, so what’s his deal here? Well, you don’t have to wait for the Madame Web release date to find out. We’ve broken down everything you need to know about this sinister Spider-Man.
Ezekiel Sims summary:
- In Marvel Comics, Ezekiel is a wealthy businessman who uses magic to gain powers similar to those of Peter Parker. He has been both an ally and an enemy of Spider-Man.
- In the upcoming Madame Web movie, it appears as though Ezekiel is an evil version of Spider-Man who wants to kill the Spider-Women before they get their powers.
Ezekiel Sims in the Marvel comics explained
Ezekiel Sims was introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2 #30 as a rich businessman who used a magical ritual to gain powers identical to Peter Parker’s.
Tracking down Peter, Ezekiel warned the young superhero that his powers were not a quirk of fate; they had a more mystical origin and that he was one of many animal totems from across the multiverse. Ezekiel warned Peter this made him the target of interdimensional hunters known as the Inheritors, who devoured the life energy of the animal totems.
Ezekiel tried to help Peter hide from one of these hunters, known as Morlun, but Spidey refused. Admitting Peter was a better man than he, Ezekiel helped Peter battle Morlun, seemingly losing his life in the process. However, Ezekiel had secretly survived the confrontation, and it was revealed that several magical Spider-Man villains who’d been targeting Peter were actually after Sims himself.
This was because by using magic to get his powers, Ezekiel had become the false Spider-Totem, and he was the one attracting the hunters who were trying to correct the cosmic imbalance. To that end, Ezekiel planned on sacrificing Peter so he could become the one true Spider-Man and escape the magical hunters pursuing him.
Ultimately, Ezekiel had Peter at his mercy. Still, in the end, realizing the good Peter had done with his powers (while Ezekiel had always acted in his own self-interest), he chose to sacrifice himself, allowing Peter to take his place as Earth-616’s true Spider-Totem.
Ezekiel Sims in Madame Web explained
In the Madame Web movie, Ezekiel appears to be a former colleague of Cassandra Webb’s mother, who received his powers while on a research trip into the Amazon rainforest. While his exact motivation is unknown at the moment, it appears Ezekiel plans to kill the Spider-Women before they get their powers.
If we were to speculate, we imagine Ezekiel’s doing this because he wants to become his dimension’s official Spider-Totem, much like he did in the comics.
Ezekiel Sims powers and abilities
Ezekiel Sims possesses near-identical powers to Peter Parker. His strength, agility, and endurance have all been boosted to superhuman levels, and he can stick to walls just like a spider.
His most notable power is his spider-sense, a limited form of precognition that allows him to sense oncoming danger. In the upcoming Madame Web movie, this ability seems to be boosted beyond its comic book limitations, allowing Ezekiel to see directly into the future, rather than just sensing danger.
Unlike Spider-Man, Ezekiel never took the time to develop his own webbing. However, he does have one thing Spidey doesn’t: money. Ezekiel is extremely wealthy and well-connected, which makes him a powerful enemy even without his powers.
If you love all things Spidey, then check out our guide explaining how to watch all the Spider-man movies in order. We’ve also got an article ranking all the Spider-Man actors and a breakdown of where the original Spider-Man cast is now.
If that’s not enough, we’ve also got a feature explaining everything you need to know about Spider-Man 4 and Venom 3. But wait, there’s more. We’ve also got a ranking of the best superhero movies of all time.
Finally, if you just want a break from superheroes, check out our lists of all the new movies coming in the next few months, as well as our guide to the best movies ever made.