SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME - Who - And What - Are The Elementals In The Marvel Studios Sequel?
Over the weekend, we learned that Spider-Man will battle the Elementals in Far From Home but who and what are these new enemies? Do they have any links to classic Spidey lore? Well, find out more here...
While it didn't arrive on Saturday as promised (which is no great surprise as the first Avengers: Endgame trailer landed on Friday), we did get a description of the Spider-Man: Far From Home teaser which revealed some very unexpected and surprising story details.
Perhaps the biggest came when we learned that the wall-crawler won't be squaring off with future members of the Sinister Six; instead, he's set to come to blows with the Elementals. Throw in the fact that Mysterio is set to fight side by side with him and many fans are understandably confused.
What you'll find below is a look at who and what the Elementals are and which characters they may or may not end up being based on. We also take a look at the role Mysterio will play in proceedings.
So, to take a look at this guide, all you guys have to do is click on the "View List" button below.
Are They Classic Spider-Man Villains?
For months now, we've been hearing that characters like Hydro-Man and Molten Man will be making an appearance in Far From Home but is that who these "Elementals" are supposed to be?
In the trailer description which started doing the rounds after it premiered at CCXP, we heard that one of these villains is made of sand so speculation immediately started running rampant (and understandably so) that Sandman might be returning to the big screen.
While it's possible that the Elementals will resemble these familiar comic book villains, it's important to note that there are actually two comic book teams who share this name that will more than likely end up being used in the sequel...
Elementals
Introduced in the pages of Supernatural Thrillers #8 way back in 1974, the Elementals crossed paths with Ms. Marvel way back when but they've never met up with Spider-Man.
They're an ancient group that was supposedly cast out of their own universe long before event Atlantis was built and their attempt to take over ancient Egypt once again led to them being banished, this time from the one that would one day be home to Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
They later showed up in the present day alongside the Living Mummy and they each have elemental powers which are obvious from their names: Hellfire, Hydron, Magnum, Zephyr.
Elementals Of Doom
This group of villains arrived in 1981's Fantastic Four #232 and have battled both that team and Valkyrie over the years. The living embodiment of the four elements (air, water, fire, and earth), the monstrous looking group were led by Diablo and their origin stories are something of a mystery beyond them having something to do with "Talismans of Power."
After repeated battles with the Fantastic Four, they returned - once again under Diablo's control - as a single being, the Elematrix.
The question now is, which of the two teams are going to make their way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe? There are certainly elements of both that would work given what we know...
Who Is Spider-Man Fighting?
Based on this intel, I believe that we're going to see a very loose adaptation on the Elementals of Doom in Far From Home. It doesn't make much sense for the Elementals to be used given their ancient history and based on the monstrous appearance of the creatures shown in the trailer, that sounds a lot more like the group that once battled the Fantastic Four.
I appreciate that some fans are disappointed that this obscure group is being used in the sequel but would you prefer to get watered down versions of characters like Sandman and Molten Man similar to the way Rhino was used in The Amazing Spider-Man 2?
The Truth Behind These Villains
If you've read the comic books, you'll no doubt have already figured out that these bad guys are going to either be illusions created by Mysterio or somehow brought to life by his "special effects."
He clearly wants to present himself as a superhero based on what we've heard about this take on Quentin Beck and that fits right in with many of his earliest appearances. Creating monsters all over Europe he can defeat would accomplish that and the Elementals of Doom are a much better choice than just a random group of creatures with no roots in the source material.
"Brothers In Arms"
During their appearance at the Brazil Comic-Con, Tom Holland and Jake Gyllenhaal revealed that Spider-Man and Mysterio will be like brothers in Far From Home as Nick Fury gets them to work together to stop these Elementals from causing any more chaos.
That's certainly a pretty unexpected approach to their dynamic but one which could be really interesting, especially when Beck is finally outed as a supervillain and the two come to blows. Still, that's unlikely to stop many fans from complaining about this.
ICYMI, here's a description of the first
Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer...
Romance For Aunt May
The trailer kicks off with what sounds like quite a cute exchange between Peter and Aunt May as we learn that she's supportive of his actions as Spider-Man.
However, things take a rather unexpected turn when Happy Hogan turns up and it instantly becomes clear that he's now romantically involved with the wall-crawler's aunt. See, while we all expected Tony Stark of wanting to get up to no good with her, it was Happy we should have been keeping an eye on!
Travelling Overseas
Heading overseas on what we now know to be a school trip in Europe, it's said that Peter chooses to leave his Spider-Man costume behind because he wishes to just focus on having some fun.
There are then shots of a number of international locations and it's said that we're treated to quite a bit of romantic chemistry between Peter and Zendaya's Michelle (a.k.a. "MJ").
Nick Fury Meets Spider-Man
As Peter and Ned chill out in their hotel room, the wall-crawler's hapless best friend is knocked unconscious after being hit in the neck with a dart. Who is responsible? None other than former S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury! He's said to be very happy to finally meet Spider-Man and despite the fact that the young hero is on "vacation," it turns out that he has a job for him...
Familiar Foes Presented In New Ways
We're then treated to some cool shots of Spidey's new suits before it's revealed that Fury wants Peter's help to battle "The Elementals." These creatures have been popping up all over Europe and we catch glimpses of ones made out of sand (Zephyr), water (Hydron), and fire (Magnum).
Yes, these characters are from the comic books and included in a very unique way here.
Mysterio!
Peter isn't the only one trying to help, though; S.H.I.E.L.D. is also relying on Quentin Beck and we get to see him decked out in his comic accurate costume as green smoke wafts from his hands. Does he have the iconic fishbowl helmet? Well, yes, because at the end of the trailer, he's shown decked out in that as he presents himself the hero who has arrived to help save the day!
A New Dynamic
The stinger for the trailer is a scene of Flash Thompson making fun of Peter but here's where things get really interesting. During the panel, Tom Holland revealed that Peter and Mysterio do indeed work together in the film and that they become like "brothers."
Now, common sense says that Mysterio is the one creating these "Elementals" but the dynamic between these two is clearly going to be much different than we expected. It's also said that there's no reference to the events of Infinity War or Avengers: Endgame.