In Avatar: The Way of Water, James Cameron introduces more than a few new characters who now inhabit the world of Pandora. Jack Champion's Spider is one of the most prominent newcomers, and his family heritage can be traced to the Avatar comics.

In Avatar: The Way of Water, Miles "Spider" Socorro is portrayed as the first genuinely Pandoran human. He was born in the RDA's camp and went on to be raised by Na'vi-friendly scientists like Norm and Max, and he is close to Jake Sully's children. Despite mixed reception towards the role the character plays in the Avatar sequel, Spider looks set to be an important player in subsequent films, meaning his origins are likely to become more critical.

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In that context, The Direct has unearthed some excerpts from the Avatar: The High Ground comics, which feature a tiny bit of story background about Spider's mother, Paz Socorro, and the teenager's father, Colonel Miles Quaritch. The images from the comic book depict Socorro as an attractive pilot in the RDA's base. However, it’s ultimately Quaritch who ends up having a relationship with her, out of which Spider is born.

Avatar: The High Ground comic book Miles Quaritch and Paz Socorro story
Avatar: The High Ground comic book Paz Socorro and Spider as a baby

The dynamic between the Quaritch in Na'vi form and Spider is one of the most significant side plots in Avatar: The Way of Water. The revelation of Spider's full name is one of the twists packed in by Cameron in his 3-hour movie. Nevertheless, the second set of images from the comics helps expand Spider's arc even more, as Paz comes off as a loving mother tragically killed during the first Avatar's climax.

Spider's true allegiance is left as a shaky matter, at the very least, considering the character ultimately saves his father’s life. With Neytiri not being too fond of him in the first place, finding out the Na'vi killed his mom in battle could make Spider betray the tribe that raised him. It’s not as if Spider's wavering loyalty was the only thing the film set up, as Kiri's mysterious origins in Avatar: The Way of Water could also be explored to a greater extent in Avatar 3.

That said, Spider's story has proven to be one of the more divisive aspects of Avatar: The Way of Water, with many critics considering it’s partly responsible for the movie’s running time. According to Cameron, taking a break during the film is ok because that only increases the chances of people watching a second time.

Avatar: The Way of Water is currently available in theaters.

MORE: Avatar 2: How is Sigourney Weaver's Kiri Related to Dr. Grace Augustine?

Source: The Direct